Under The Shell Mclean, VA Spring Issue Volume I, Issue II The Costs and Benefits of Prom Ann Tait Hall ‘16 Junior group attends Madeira Prom in late April. Photo by Laura Dunlop. s any senior knows, and any junior like a million bucks.” Others meanwhile goer decides on the YouTube tutorial or the fundraising efforts of prom committee A recently learned, prom is exhausting. are probably thinking, “Ha. My dress alone full Princess Diaries stylist approach to helped make it so that Madeira lost $3,700 I’m not just referencing the bags under stu- costs that much.” We all have different situ- dolling themselves up. Limos usually range on prom. Due to the Moulin Rouge theme dent’s eyes the next day but also any prom ations and different amounts we are willing upwards of $200 dollars; it varies if people change and few less expensive food options goer’s drained emotional reserves and to spend on a fancy party. That doesn’t decided to go with the roof top Jacuzzi the DOS predicts that they will only spend frightfully empty wallet. Prom is not just an change the fact that we all leave prom a premium upgrade, disco ball included. $1,605 on prom this year. Still, that’s a lot event that lasts a few hours, but an almost little poorer than when we started out. There are also the more mundane costs of of money for a dance juniors and seniors month long experience. From the dress If averaged together those who spent twelve prom including corsages, dinner, tickets, could have in the Student Center. to the date to the dancing prom does not dollars on their dress with those who spent and the occasional hotel room after the Of course, I’ve only thus far begin or end in one night. It’s no wonder a $900, and all the people in between, the school sponsored party ends. That’s pretty mentioned the monetary costs! Crawling stone could be thrown and it would hit just prom dresses normally cost about $250. penny to spend on dance in a dark room at through stores, dress fittings, hours spent as many people who hate prom as those Shoes usually range from “I found these a half decent hotel. in one position getting hair done, and who love it. I remember in the week before in the back of my closet” to “Two Ben- Prom doesn’t just cost students the eternal minutes spent agonizing over prom of my junior year it was all anyone jamins for these beautiful babies is really either. While individual students spent whether to send that one risky text to the seemed to talk about, though hardly a word somewhere around $900 dollars on prom person who would just be the perfect date,. was said in excited anticipation of our Night There are hours of our lives last year, the Madeira School (according There are hours of our lives dedicated to in Monte Carlo. Rather the air was rife with dedicated to deciding the to Ms. Walton, who was gracious enough deciding the tiny nuances of how we want complaints, concerns, and criticisms. What to share the school’s expenses with me) to look at prom that could have been spent causes people to gripe so much about a tiny nuances of how we spent $20,000. The venue cost the most, the with friends or on schoolwork. party that is supposed to be fun? want to look at prom that five hours we spent dancing last year cost I went to three stores in one day last The shattered remains of our could have been spent with $12,000. Decorations, food, and entertain- year looking for a dress and ended up just piggy banks for one. The Guardian reports ment added on to that initial cost to reach ordering one online! And I know my expe- that the average teenage girl spent $919 on friends or on schoolwork.” $20,000. The school did make back money. rience was tame compared to many others prom in 2015. Right now I bet some of the Prom tickets might not be cheap but there’s who went on entirely separate shopping ex- readers are saying “Who could ever spend just a steal.” Hair, makeup, and nails can a reason for that. What we paid in ticket cursions for their outfit, shoes, and that much?” or “Not me, I spent twelve write a check for anywhere between $25 sales, all $14,025 of it, helped bring the cost dollars on my whole look and I still looked to $250, depending on whether the party of prom down to $5,875. Donations and Continue Article on Page 6 White Dresses and Red Roses Seniors Reminisce at One Hundred Days Lexi Gage ‘17 s a new junior, I was pleasantly sur- now which I think is really hilarious.” Aprised to come to a high school that According to Madeira’s archivist places so much significance on gradua- Ms. Brooks, “100 days is a great stepping tion and pre-graduation ceremonies. Cel- off point more so for the underclass ebrations such as “100 Days Seniors” are women, so that you can visualize what’s normally more valued on college campuses. going to happen in 100 days. You can vi- I am not alone: “The purpose is to get me sualize the girls walking to graduation and thinking, these are my last days so that it the juniors assuming the senior leadership does not just shoot by. It’s a check point. To of the school and the girls rising up in the get the seniors thinking. It’s almost over,” ranks. While I think it’s a nice opportunity says Cornell-bound senior, Faith Slaughter. to support and applaud our seniors, I’m The night before the 100 Days not sure where it sort of started or where it ceremony, three soft knocks happen on my came about. And I like the idea that under- door followed by the entrance of a silky classmen give them gifts to support their white gown. It was my friend, and senior Gifts for the seniors line the CA stage at the 100 Days Ceremony. Photo by Mrs. Ali Southworth. rise into college.” calculus protégée, Michelle Hong. Despite Senior Ellianne Espinoza reiter- the faintness of Michelle’s initial impres- of the future, “College doesn’t matter,” song, I internalized their pride in gradua- ates the tight-knit, inclusive community at sion, the boldness graduation dress taught Michelle jokingly said. We all laughed. I tion. For Faith, saying the cheer for the first Madeira, “At my old school it was cliquey. me to not judge a book by its cover. Clad in cringed at the thought of not sharing these time was exciting, “When I was a fresh- Here there’s a sense of community in the formal white attire, there was little formal- moments with Michelle after 100 days. man…I was like this is ridiculous. This is sense of opportunity. You can do a lot ity between Michelle, my roommate, and As seniors filed into the audito- crazy. Oh my god. They are saying like jail more…It’s like you have a million sisters.” me. For the next thirty minutes of quiet rium for 100 Days ceremony and began and sex. But now I’m just like yeah I’m out hours, we spoke about the abstract concept chanting the notorious Hark the Heralds of here. And I’ve made the decision to say it Continue Article on Page 6 OPINIONS 2 transformed my first year from something myself as a resume builder, that’s of cringeworthy embarrassment to that what an academic culture of accomplishment and pride: the school focused on college has taught newspaper. me to be. Everything I have The newspaper quickly consumed contributed as a student ’ll admit it- freshman year was a bit of my life. I sat on the quad benches every will be sent off with my Ia mess. Although the year isn’t quite morning, afternoon, and night, smuckers GPA and test scores to over yet, I’m certain that the only thing I jelly checkered vest zipped halfway, fingers a list of universities, can compare to my freshman year is a bad smacking the keyboard. On Friday nights, to be later scoffed at breakup: the occasional emotional break- all the editors would meet up to “work” on by a scruffy admission down, consistently poor eating choices, and discuss the next issues, amidst three official after seeing a and everlasting hope for less anti-climac- large pizzas, a cookie cake, and obscure lack of activities and B tic encounters with boys. I can’t forget Swedish sixties music. It seemed like the in history. It’s hard not to mention that lingering, desperately epitome of high school journalism to me. to get caught up in that, hopeful undertone that maybe, just maybe, I am so thankful for the oppor- to resist the cycle of basing things will turn out alright. tunities I have been blessed with this year, your personal success on a At first, everything was exciting in particular, my editorship at the news- transcript. and new. Mixers hadn’t lost their appeal paper. Even though it did struggle a bit at It wasn’t until later that night, at this point, and even after countless re- first, the newspaper has progressed tre- when I looked over the newspaper alone jections and awkward interactions, my mendously. In the beginning, Ms. Heish- in my bedroom, that I realized how special friends and I still managed to congratulate man’s room was a silent space, teeming or my whole academic career every- it was.