Prom is the quintessential center piece of every Teenage Rom-Com over the past 40 years, from “10 Things I Hate About You” to “Pretty in Pink,” and depending on who you ask, it is either the most over or under hyped highschool experience ever. Usually in media, prom’s partner, promposals, are depicted as a huge gesture used to win back a main character’s love interest and propel the story into the third act. But in reality, promposals are much smaller and can be of equal importance. For most Oakwood students, it is done with a humble hand made sign with a clever message on it. Prom-go-er Alexander Donnely (12) cut out song titles and spelled out his promposal to his date on a piece of posterboard.

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Goating to Prom: Patrick Bremner (11) gives his promposal sign to his date, Claudia Butler (11), with the help of his dog, who is dressed up as a goat. Photo contributed by: Patrick Bremner

“The girl I was asking is very into music and so am I,” Donnely said. “I thought a Spotify theme would be cool.”

Sometimes, making your sign is only half the battle. Everyone loves a good present to go along with their promposal.

“My proposal was, ‘My heart would crumble if you said no to prom,’ and he gave me crumble cookies,” Neave Lynch (11) said.

It can be hard to come up with an idea on your own, but a little bit of help can be just the trick sometimes.

“My sister helped me figure out a cool way to ask Claudia. . . My sign said ‘Will you goat to prom with me?’ I dressed up my golden retriever puppy as a goat and he came with me,” Patrick Bremner (11) said.

Even with a perfect sign, it can be a struggle to work up the nerves to ask your date to go with you.

“I’m a little nervous, but I knew she would love it so I was excited.” Bremner added.

The promposal-ers think it’s interesting to consider what kinds of signs they would get if it was the other way around.

“It would be fun to see what someone would make for me. It would definitely be interesting,” Donnelly noted.

“I love giving them out,” Bremner said. “Claudia gave me a turnabout sign so it kind of evens out.”

Students’ promposals are a unique and interesting way to ask your date to prom with a little twist. Perhaps next year, some of these promposals will serve as inspiration to other students looking to seal their date.

“I feel very nervous and hopeful,” Donnely said. “It’s exhilarating.”