In High School, With Dollars to Spend

I went to high school in the late ’90s, which feels like forever ago, probably because sites like BuzzFeed have created a ton of nostalgic lists remembering the ’90s, and also because the babies born the year I entered high school are now midway through their high school experience and thinking about things like prom and graduation.

Things that didn’t quite exist when I was in high school but exist today:

Upscale, magazine-quality senior portraits that cost thousands of dollars:

And afterward, instead of swapping wallet-sized prints, teens post the glossy shots on social media. “I’ve never received as many ‘likes,’ “ Kaylee added. — Via the WSJ

And via Edith, this story in the Times about high school teens spending hundreds to orchestrate “prom proposals”:

For one client in California, the firm created a scavenger hunt; for another in Michigan, the firm designed a series of signs along a roadway, ending with an invitation.

I’m pretty sure both of these stories are atypical among actual teens. I just remember having senioritis during my last year because I couldn’t wait to go off to college.


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