Prom is something all high schoolers look forward to. Most might consider themselves lucky to attend just one prom their senior year; however, for a select few, prom begins to seem like an annual tradition. People have a lot of expectations about this “magical” night, and while all your dreams may come true, in reality prom only lives up to the hype in some ways. Please read on to learn the truth about prom from a couple of “experts.”
A Tale of Two Logans
You may not know this, but I’m basically a prom expert.
Let me tell you something about prom.
You wake up excited, thinking it’s going to be the day you’ve been dreaming of since you were a little girl. You get your hair and makeup done, and you put your perfect dress on, hoping to feel like Cinderella. Then, you go to meet your “Prince Charming.”
Newsflash. That’s not how it goes.
Sophomore year, I got asked to prom by a dude named Logan from Butler. Not knowing anyone from that school, (aside from my date and one other person) I was skeptical about saying yes. I ended up feeling bad that he didn’t have a date for his SENIOR prom, so I decided to go with him.
Being asked over a text message was red flag number one. This 18-year-old kid didn’t even have the guts to ask me in person.
Being asked THREE WEEKS BEFORE PROM was another red flag. (Three weeks is NOT a lot of time to find a dress, get it fitted, and schedule hair/nail/whatever other appointments.)
Considering those two ‘red flags’, I should’ve known that this was going to be a bad idea. Why did I choose this as a time to feel bad for someone and do a nice thing?? Couldn’t tell ya.
After a very hectic day of getting ready, I was finally excited for the night to come. Feeling good with my dress, hair, and makeup, I was ready for a fun night.
My date gets to my house and said “Hi.” Little did I know, that was one of the only words I’d hear from him in the next eight hours. You may think I’m kidding about this, but he was so awkward that he couldn’t even form a full sentence.
Going through taking pictures in a group full of people I didn’t know, and didn’t care to know, with NOBODY to talk to, was not my idea of a fun night. Dinner came around and we had our second conversation of the night.
Super awesome date: “What are you ordering?”
Me: “A cup of soup. What are you going to get?”
Super awesome date: “I don’t know.”
That, ladies and gents, was the longest conversation we had all night. Aside from him singing ‘All of me’, by Jon Legend in my ear while slow dancing, if you count that. But I wouldn’t, because I was severely creeped out.
About 30 minutes into the dance, being alone the whole time got kind of old. (the loser wouldn’t even dance with me unless it was a slow song.) So, I made the decision to leave. Finding him to tell him the news was far from easy. It was pitch black, music was blaring, there were glow sticks and strobe lights everywhere. Finally, I found him and said I wasn’t feeling well and I had a friend coming to pick me up. He shrugged his shoulders and went back to dancing with someone else’s date. This was the last conversation I had with him to this very day.
I quickly ran outside to get away from all the craziness, and waited for 25 minutes to be picked up. (Shout out to Allie Gore, I still owe you for this one.)
The next year, I got asked to prom again. Although it was our school’s prom, and my boyfriend was the one who asked me, I was VERY skeptical about going. I mean, after going to a prom as sucky as the last one, who wouldn’t be a little nervous????
Well, I was wrong to be nervous about anything. I can honestly say that I had the best time. I couldn’t have imagined anything that would’ve made it any better, and I can’t wait to make my senior prom the best one yet. (Shouldn’t be hard to beat Butler’s prom…)
I guess the point of this article is that you shouldn’t work yourself up or stress over prom. You never know how it’s going to turn out, and you should try to make the best of it.
ALSO DON’T GO TO PROM WITH SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS OR YOU’LL HATE IT.
In Loving Memory of…… The wallet that I left in my date’s car, along with the cash that was in it, my lipstick, and a quality phone charger…. Gone but never forgotten…
<—–(GUESS WHICH PROM WAS SUPER AWKWARD!)
A Tale of Two Maddies
It may seem like Taylor just took a huge crap on your prom expectations, but don’t worry; not all hope is lost! It is possible to avoid all the drama by going with someone you have known for longer than a month.
This is not to say it’s impossible to spontaneously meet someone and have an amazing time, but let’s pull you back a little closer to earth… Do not go to prom just to go. Go to prom with someone you know you’ll have fun with.
For example, I went with Madeline Bartos my sophomore year and created lifelong mems. I was completely caught off guard though. I was j chilling in my bed when I received a text from Maeve Berry that said, “I have a job for you. Meet me at your locker during channel 1.”
I was, terrified thinking about the reason for such an eerie text message. The next day I did as I was told and other girls gathered around my locker. I walked forward and was told of a specific task. My mission, should I choose to accept, was to ask Madeline Bartos to her prom. Surprise, surprise… I accepted the mission.
The pictures and dance went as expected but the real fun began the next day at Kennywood.
I’ve always gone to Kennywood with my family (I know lame, right?) but that year I went with friends and it’s never been better.
The next year I went with Maddie Canel. She decided to ask me to prom during a crucial time, assassins. One day after tennis, I was strolling along to my car in the student parking lot. It was way towards the back, so I had a far walk.
During my carefree walk, a friend alerted me of two people hiding behind my car. I was so freaked out my friend offered me solace in their car.
That was until one of the “assassins” started walking in our direction. I was yanked from the car and dragged to the edge of the parking lot where I thought I would meet my unfortunate demise. I finally reached my car where I saw a chocolate bunny.
This made me think a bribe was about to take place, but in fact it was no bribe. Well it was kind of a bribe, but it was for me to go to prom with her. How could I say no, it was chocolate in the shape of a bunny.
The best part in my opinion and in the opinion of others was getting free Chick-fil-A. On the way to Cranberry, where the dance is always held, Maddie and I made a quick stop at Chick-fil-A.
Luckily we were the first to arrive, and the manager was so surprised by seeing two teenagers wearing a dress and tux that she gave us our meal for free. The others in our group, however, did not get anything for free. And neither did the other 200 people dressed up who came into the restaurant after us.
I can now look back on both those proms with fondness, but Taylor and I are what’s known as – for the purpose of allowing this article to be published – Prom-“guru.” We may or may not have had fun but either way we have been given this harsh label. A “prom-guru” is defined in the dictionary as someone who has been to all the proms you can go to during sophomore, junior, and of course senior year.
We endure these vicious labels from attackers because we can counter the names with stories for the future.
It doesn’t matter if you went to all or no proms. The only one that really matters is your senior year prom, so make the best of it!
