A dude and his two dates at last year’s Hana International School’s “Old Money Masquerade” themed prom. PHOTO/PATRICK SSENTONG
Once again, it is the first term holiday and if you thought candidates were only going to focus on revision, think again. It is prom season! For many schools, especially the traditional single-sex ones such as Gayaza High School, SMACK, Jinja College, St Noa Girls, Rubaga Girls, NGO, and SHACK, the sosh magic already went down during the term. Yes, Teens Buzz covered all those, and chances are you have already read some of their stories!
But for other schools—mostly mixed national schools—this May holiday is when the real prom season kicks off. From St Joseph’s of Nazareth, Elite High School, and St Balikuddembe SS Kisoga, whose proms took place last week, to SPENA, Seeta High Schools, happening this May, the holiday proms are proving to be the real show and business.
So, why the shift?
Traditionally, prom would happen somewhere near the end of the term; usually in the third term for Senior Fours and Senior Sixes as a send-off. But over time, that format started getting messy. Prom landed in the same period as final exams prep, UNEB pressure, academic deadlines, and some serious “no-nonsense” mode from teachers and parents alike. But times are changing, and so are attitudes toward how much space and freedom such an event should have.
“Back in my day, prom was literally two days before mocks. We were walking around with books in one hand and lipstick in the other,” laughs Joanita Nabwire, an in charge teacher for Prom at Merryland High School Entebbe. “I loved prom, but I did not really enjoy it because my mind was on my UNEB timetable.”
Plus, during term time, students barely have space to breathe, let alone plan for outfits, makeup, or dates. The energy is off. Many times, proms end up rushed, with students showing up in last-minute attire, unpolished glam, and tired faces because they just came from prep.
