Many students worldwide were not able to experience prom since the beginning of the pandemic. This includes many NMSU students who live on campus. This Friday, March 25, the Residence Hall Association will be hosting a “prom do-over” to give those who missed their special night a second chance.
When COVID struck, many students across campus had to say goodbye to prom. This year, students will be able to experience prom again, or perhaps for the first time, without the COVID-19 restrictions.
“We wanted to do prom because with COVID, a lot of residents were not able to have a prom in a high school setting or because it was expensive,” said RHA Director of Programming Reyna Cooper. “In high school, you typically have to pay for the tickets, but we wanted to make ours free and available for everyone.”
The theme of the prom will be red carpet, and will be open for any NMSU students living on campus who wish to attend. The prom will feature a special Oscars cutout for all the stars attending.
“A lot of people find themselves in college, so they get to go to the prom setting as a new person in the sense that they had a bad time at prom in high school, and I just thought it would be a good experience for them to do this later in life rather than high school,” Cooper said.
The prom do-over will be an opportunity for those who wish to relive prom or have their first experience at such an event.
RHA member Beatriz Solano voiced her excitement for the event. “I think we’re excited to interact with students. This is the first big close-contact event we have had since the pandemic, so I feel it is very important to have this moment with other residents, not just for them, but for us too because we have all been through this and it’s just going to be a good time. We can’t wait because we have everything a prom would have.”
Many students across campus are thrilled to take part in this event, such as Alexa Marrufo, a sophomore at NMSU. “I’m really excited to go to prom because I wasn’t able to experience it in high school, so I think this will be a good way to share a memorable experience with my peers,” Marrufo said.
RHA’s prom will be an event to remember because COVID ruined many things for students, but this event will give them the opportunity to make new memories together since the start of a pandemic that is now entering its third year.
