In the midst of an academic season known for its strenuous effects on students’ social lives, Arcadia High School (AHS) students still find the time to plan elaborate “promposals,” the colloquial term for prom proposals. Whether it’s for a close best friend or a romantic partner, each promposal is unique and thoughtfully executed to sweep prom dates off their feet.
The typical promposal usually comprises a poster and flowers, with unique proposal lines written on the poster. Promposers typically opt for thoughtful lines, utilizing inside jokes and clever word plays that demonstrate the closeness of their relationship. In recent years, the trend has steered away from strictly romantic relationships, expanding to embrace platonic relationships between friends who will be attending prom together.
When the plan calls for assistance, friends of the couple jump into action as well. Senior Kaitlyn Man recounted her part as wingman for junior Jayden Cheung, who was promposing to his girlfriend a week before prom.
“We prepared for Jayden’s promposal…by giving feedback to his ideas and plotting a plan to get [her] to Jayden,” said Man. “I pretended to schedule a Pasadena hang out at night…when we picked her up, we said we were going to [our friend’s] house to pick her up before leaving for Pasadena. Instead, we [drove] to Jayden’s house where he greeted us in the middle of the road with his promposal.”
Cheung appeared with a bouquet of flowers, a Needoh, and a poster that said, “I NeeDoh know if you’d go to prom with me.” NeeDohs are tactile sensory cubes that have exploded in popularity recently, making them the perfect gift.
Seniors Kaitlyn Fong and Srimanvitta Kamisetti joined forces to help multiple promposals, eager to exercise their creativity and support their friends.
“We’ve just been helping them come up with cute phrases to put on the posters, and the art and lettering,” said Fong. “We help them come up with things to buy, and Srimanvita also makes very beautiful bouquets.”
Not all couples are set on exciting surprises–a private moment between two people can also make a perfect promposal.
Senior Mallory Wu recalled that her boyfriend, senior Dante Castagnola, “asked me to come over to his house and then gave me the poster when he opened the door.”
The poster featured the phrase, “Wanna CATch a ride to prom with MEow?” which was a reference to the cat memes that Wu frequently sends to him.
Whether partners in romance or friendship, students are always eager to give each other enthusiastic proposals that demonstrate their care for one another.
Along with her poster, senior Danika Wang bought a “14-inch foam fish off Amazon, which turned into a fun surprise…my reasoning for my theme, “guy on Tinder,” was creating the most memorable [promposal] I could think of.”
Senior Heather Lam, the receiver of this Tinder-themed promposal, “had heard there was a “14-inch something…[with] a theme revolving around fish, but I was still very surprised at the revelation of the 14-inch foam trout behind the poster…I [also] felt touched by the effort Danika put into painting the [fishing] rod.”
Promposals have been a prevalent tradition for nearly two decades, and it appears that they’re going strong in 2026. While Prom was held at the Cathedral in Pomona on May 16, it’s clear that the annual event also brings students together in the weeks leading up to the big day on the dance floor.
