I think it's suffice to say that many high schoolers are preoccupied with getting a date or being asked to the most hyped-up school dance of the year. Even since middle school, my friends and I created Pinterest boards of our dream prom and fantasized about how our crushes would ask us to go with them. My intense expectations of prom night made me concerned with the fact that I had no date to attend prom with, and I worried that it wouldn't even be worth going because I was without a partner. If I had not reached out to a group of my friends, I would've missed out on a great night with new and old companions.
About month or two before our high school prom, many of my friends were asked to prom by their boyfriends or close friends in a variety of cheesy/punny ways. Although I put up a wall of "I don't need a date" emotions, the truth was that I felt the slightest bit bummed out on missing the true "prom experience." All of my teenage life, I'd prepared for someone to make me a sign and invite me to prom, and I knew it wasn't going to happen this year.
Instead of sulking in my singleness, I reached out one of my friends who also did not get a date yet. I was able to join to their group of around 15 people, and they welcomed me with open arms. A couple members in the group had dates, but a big chunk of the members were just going as a large party.
Fast forward a couple of weeks after all of the reservations and further plans have been made, a party of 17 people and I dressed to the nines, took tons of photos and danced/partied together all night. After the dance ended, I came to a very enthralling conclusion: prom is not as life-altering of an experience as I thought it would be in middle school.
In all honesty, prom is just a fun Saturday night spent dressing up and partying with friends. Prom is also something I would've regret missing if I had kept the mentality about not having a date to go with. Having an excuse to get dolled up and celebrate life with your peers is always a good thing and shouldn't be burdened by fears of being "alone."
Do not stress over prom or any type of school dance; you will have fun regardless of whether or not you have a date. There should not be any pressure to have a date because ultimately, you should go with someone you can be yourself around and not someone you feel you must constantly impress. If you want to go to prom and are hesitant because no has asked you yet or you do not have anyone you want to ask, get a group of friends together and have fun without dates. There's no point in having regrets about your prom night!
SEE ALSO: 23 Prom Dresses That Will Cost Less Than Your Prom Ticket
