7 Things I Wish I'd Known About Prom

My prom experience was a little different than most. My best friend and I had finally started dating roughly a year and a half, close to two, before the ultimate experience of our young adult lives -- PROM! It was meant to be our night, the night that we would remember for the rest of our lives and sealing the deal on our young, high school (now I’ll admit it) puppy love.

In my heart, I wanted the evening to be a dream come true -- the perfect night with the perfect date, perfect dress, perfect hair and makeup -- perfect everything. My then-beau and I used to be locked at the hip as best friends, and it only got better as our relationship turned romantic. (Lol)

Until he cheated on me the summer going into our senior year of high school. In my eyes, my perfect end-of-high school evening was shattered. But even that catastrophe wouldn’t ruin my “life-altering” evening. I was convinced I would still end the year going to the prom with him -- it was meant to be. Until he cheated on me again, and it was time to rethink things. A piece of me still wanted to share this experience with him and end our relationship and high school experience together on a high note, but it wasn’t meant to be (and our parents didn’t think so either!). With all this in mind, there are a few things I really wish I had known about prom.

1. Prom isn’t going to be perfect.

But it can still be amazing if you check your expectations at the door, or three months in advance when you think you need to start to prom prep (which honestly might also help). The evening isn’t going to change your past high school experience or your life ahead, so take the evening as a celebration of both and live in your present prom moment. Enjoy every moment that makes you feel your best and happiest -- whether that’s busting a move, hanging by the snacks table, or taking pictures in the photo booth.

Read this guide on overcoming anxiety around prom.

2. Go with someone who you’ll enjoy being with. Or bring yourself.

I’ll be honest, take a best friend or go with a group! I got quite lucky with who I ended up attending the life altering evening with a man named (I’ll swap for privacy’s sake) John who was the best date I could have asked for he respected what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it. He even was quite the gentleman and took as many pictures as I begged for -- along with my mom, dad, and uncle, who needed their fair share of photos themselves.

Worried about not having a date? Read this guide.

3. Take as many pictures as you want.

Don’t let your night revolve around getting the perfect Instagram or even the other way around -- doing things for the ‘gram -- but make sure you have some photos that capture your experience that you can treasure and laugh at years down the road. I wish I had taken more in the moment to have today. Again, don’t let it be a selfiepalooza, but take pictures with your dates, friends, teachers, parents, and whoever because it really is a special night.

4. It’s not about losing your v-card...

There’s a lot of unspoken pressure around the topic of having sex for the first time. The most important thing to keep in mind is to do whatever you want to do, outside of the influence of any and everyone else. You don’t owe your date anything and this night is all about you and what you want to do. I felt pressure to share a sexual experience with my date at the end of the evening, especially when everyone is at the after prom house party a little liquored up and going off into separate rooms and spaces in the house. But I wasn’t ready to take that step with my date, and he was totally okay with that. We ended up spending the evening talking and enjoying each others company instead.

Questions about hooking and and prom? We’ve got you.

5. ...Or about getting drunk (maybe for your first time).

Enjoy the company and the people around you, with or without alcohol. There might be some pressures to drink and it might not be your first time, but don’t let the excitement over take you. Be smart about the decisions and your intake. Obviously, you’re not legally allowed to drink, but (and I’m just being real here) maybe you already have. If you are drinking, remember it’s not a sprint, but a marathon. You have the start of the night, prom pictures, the dinner party, the dance and the after party. So pace yourself!

Read this guide about drinking, drugs, and prom.

6. The outfit (dress, suit or whatever) is not the end of the world.

Because you probably will never wear it again. Of course, find a number that makes you feel on top of the world, but don’t put too much pressure (or too much money) into it. It might be something you save and treasure, but in reality you will only wear this once, unless you somehow end up wearing it ten or twenty years down the line for a tacky reunion or if it’s still in style, maybe to a wedding.

Learn how to donate your prom outfit to a student in need.

7. Prom can break the bank.

On the note of finances, tickets are expensive. Mostly everything about and around prom is expensive. I wish I had given more of a thought to saving some money and being a little more realistic about what I spent money on around prom. I ended up getting my hair done, my makeup done, buying a new dress and shoes, and other items for the after prom party. And above everything else the actual ticket to get into the prom is the most expensive (I think a set of two was around $200 for me).

Learn how to do prom on a budget.

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