Countless hours spent applying makeup, styling one’s hair, or picking out the perfect bow tie all add up to this special night, prom, the moment a teenager anticipates their whole school life. It’s the scene pictured in movies where a group of friends, lovers, or even someone by themself dances the night away only to reminisce on it in the years to come.
Prom night—the right of passage, the final hurrah before adulthood comes in full swing, the night that is gone in the blink of an eye—is not meant for one to pine over a date they don’t have.
Preparation for prom is full of nail salon appointments, dress shopping, planning out the small details others wouldn’t even care about. It’s about making an entrance, becoming the star of one’s own show. It’s not about who is picking one up, who is draped on who, nor who one shows up with.
Prom does not have to revolve around a particular someone.
“I am going alone. I think it’s better to go with like a group, rather than sticking to one date because you tend to have more fun with friends,” said Greiz Garcia, a senior at MLEC. “It gets awkward if your partner is in the pictures and you guys break up or something.”
As cheesy as this event may seem, it truly is a milestone. It’s a reward for the hard work a student has put into the past four years. It’s where they no longer worry about homework, but instead dance the night away. It’s the transition between childhood and adulthood.
When looking back one won’t think of who they went with, but of the once in a lifetime experience with people they may never see nor speak too again.
So, embrace the night out with friends. Focus on the important things. High school is almost over. Don’t spend anymore time worrying about high school drama or issues that won’t matter a year from now.
No matter the pressure one is under or the fantasies one has had for years, a prom date is not necessary and shouldn’t impact whether or not one goes to prom.
