Every year, the administrators, SGA and Gonzaga start preparing for the biggest, craziest, most impressive event for the student body— prom. While there is still very little information available and many adults and students who are involved in the process are keeping their lips sealed, seniors will be able to remember a number of similar or even identical details from prom last year that will make an appearance this year.
Prom will take place on May 12, and the event will run from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. According to Ms. Caitlin Farley, director of student activities, time has been a serious topic of discussion amongst the planning committee. The prom venue costs a pretty penny, and the people in charge want to make sure that Gonzaga gets a bang for their buck by making the event go for three hours.
The Smithsonian Building Museum is just a couple of blocks away from Gonzaga campus. Seniors and adults and anyone who has ever been into the Building Museum can attest to the majesty of that building. Prom will be held in the center atrium with its massive skylight, open carpeted center, the never ending pillars of marble and the frivolous indoor fountain. The venue is truly jaw dropping, and the fact that Gonzaga has the whole place to itself on this evening is a feat that deserves much applause.
Whether you’re coming from a pre-party, a restaurant dinner or just straight from home, getting to the venue is the first trick of the evening. Currently, there are no details about transportation. However, it can be inferred from last year that there will be parking available in the Gonzaga parking lot and that shuttles will be taking people from Gonzaga to the venue and then back again at the end of the night. These shuttles provide safe and easy passage, even though the distance is just a couple of blocks, and can be a big help since parking lots close at different hours, and that’s if you can even find an open lot.
“Gonzaga always communicates really well and makes it very clear how the evening will work and makes it very easy for students,” said Mathieu Saliba, senior.
The beauty of the venue must be treated with the respect it deserves, and this includes the standardized breathalyzer tests that are conducted upon entry into the venue. Everyone coming into the Building Museum will be breathalyzed for alcohol. This process is tedious, but necessary to ensure the physical well being of all attendees and also to uphold Gonzaga’s name and reputation. These lines get very long very quickly, so to avoid this, get to the venue early.
After parties are breathalyzed, there is one last line to go through until students are let loose. This line consists of teachers, priests and faculty members who greet students and their dates. This is one of the most fun parts of the evening where students and teachers are allowed to joke around for a split second, compliment their snazziness and do it all over again with another teacher or another student. As of now, there is not an official list of chaperones, but this red carpet of teachers could encompass any, and every employee of Gonzaga, so be prepared to see some familiar, and some unfamiliar faces.