Prom generally attacks teenagers, as they gather their wits and transform into their best selves for the infamous dance. Females scramble through dress shops, malls, and boutiques, searching for dresses, jewelry, and shoes, whereas males search for the best tuxedo rental shops and seek the perfect “promposal,” but the former surely stresses more than the latter.

“It’s not really a question on who stresses more. I’m a guy and I can tell you that I’m not stressing over a tux or shoes as much as some females are going crazy over finding a prom dress,” senior Travis Onyima said.

Although both genders may experience similar stress, females experience more stress-provoking tasks to conquer. Males generally appear unbothered about prom, especially concerning their appearance. On Twitter, the likelihood of a girl ranting about prom trumps the likelihood of a guy complaining.

Speaking from a female’s perspective, I can attest to the high level of stress I face. Between finding the perfect shoes and dress, it is clear that girls stress more than guys.

Worst of all, females end up paying more for dresses than originally planned. For example, I fear buying the same dress as another girl, so I will spend extra cash to uphold my originality. And while dresses skyrocket in price, hair and makeup certainly cost no less. Most males will rent tuxedos, so expenses cannot compare. To be completely honest, most tuxedos look similar no matter what.

“There’s definitely a difference when it comes to girls and guys stressing over prom. I personally think that girls tend to stress a bit more, but only because they have so much stuff to stress about. You don’t see guys crowding tuxedo shops months before prom and freaking out over the fact that someone might have the same style tux as them,”  senior Amelia Seay said.

There also remains a proven difference in stress levels. During a survey conducted between thirty seniors, fifteen guys and fifteen girls, fourteen girls indicated that they were stressed over prom. At the same time, only three males raised their hands and said they were stressed over prom. Upon further questioning, all fourteen girls gave three or more reasons for being stressed, while the three guys all stated they only stressed over finding a date.

“I think prom creates more stress for girls just because they have to stress over finding the perfect dress along with a group and a date, and transportation. Guys just have to worry about finding a date, maybe. I don’t see any males stressing over the fact that another guy has the same color or style tuxedo as them,” senior Carson Sprayberry said.

Some may insist that both males and females stress equally; however, the survey displayed a clear difference in stress levels and what each gender stress over. I do think that a small amount of males stress over prom, especially the ones in relationships, but the statistics indicate a grand amount of females stress over prom more.

“As a girl, I can safely say that we tend to stress over things a bit more, especially about prom. We envision the ‘perfect’ night. I’m not saying guys don’t want their nights to be perfect, but how often do you see guys tweeting about their tuxedos? There are always exceptions: I’m sure some males stress over prom just as much as some girls, and I’m sure some girls don’t care as much, but the majority of girls tend to stress more while the majority of males tend to stress less,” junior Jayla Liner said.