Girls scramble to find dates, popular online stores like Revolve and Bloomingdales are being scoured to try and find the best dress, hair and nail appointments are booked months in advance of February. This is not preparation for any ordinary school dance, but the Red and White Charity Ball (“Red and Whites”) held by The County Assembly for seniors and the County Assembly Charity Ball (“Counties”) for juniors, are both held to benefit local organizations serving children and teens in Fairfield County. These dances have not happened since 2020 due to COVID-19, but they are planned for early 2023.

For seniors there are a total of three available dances to attend, meaning three nights to dress up and create stereotypical high school memories. Although I enjoy dressing up and having fun as much as anyone, the return of Red and Whites County Ball is not something I am looking forward to. Outweighing the idea of one amusing night is the idea of months of struggle and wasteful behavior.

Dances are wasteful, both for an individual and the environment. A girl looking to attend the dance after finding a date, must pay $185 for tickets. However, the cost of this one night continues as one buys an outfit for the occasion, including an expensive dress, nice shoes and accessories to complete the look. However, this apparel is usually only worn once, meaning that both money