The Spartacus

After Party's; To Go or Not to Go

Thursday, May 31, 2012 By Justin Golden

For the students, prom is a night to have fun with peers for the last time before they go to college. It’s an evening where the party con- tinues long after the slow dance music stops and where the people celebrate until sunrise. Unfortunately, much of what these kids do during these hours could be dangerous or even deadly. In an effort to reduce reckless behavior, teachers and administrators MCDS try to teach stu dents the dangers of reckless behavior. Prom night (not to mention the homecoming after-party and other parties like the recent one at Grove St) is famous for being a night of bad decisions. After-parties are often associated with underage drinking and this isn’t necessarily any different at Country Day. While there are certainly many partygoers who don’t make bad decisions, students have been known to sneakily bring illegal substances in order to have a “fun time”. And so, a perfectly fun evening turns into a dangerous debacle. Of course, there are some people who do not participate in these type of parties. Among the many, Madison Gallup, a sophomore, and Zach Markofsky, a senior, chose a safe option and went to the Avengers. As Madison said, “It was a much more awesome choice,” for prom is not always about what goes on at the after party, it’s about spending time with your date and just having a great night. As Cameron Ivory said, he didn’t go to the after party because he had a final project for Spanish and this is not irregular for many of Country Day’s studious members. Cam- eron says, “I had to deal with my education before my partying.” Monica Howard, a tenth grader, was just one of the many students who didn’t go to the after-party because she didn’t want to be influenced into making a bad decision. In the end, mostly everyone wants to just be safe. The preconceived notion is that after-parties are nights full of drugs, alcohol, and danger. While this idea is certainly not always true, there is no doubt that these issues exist. Look at Dr. Vogel’s advice and remember it’s important to stay safe and remember that there is always another option.