Reality Vs. Expectations: Going to PROM

Prom is an exciting concept! I mean, for most teens, it’s the first time you’ll get gussied up with your friends and significant others, get your hair did, and cruise around town in a limo. In theory, it should be the night of your high school career, especially if TV and movies have anything to say about it. In reality though, Prom isn’t always about being crowned a queen and falling in love with your BF/GF. Let’s break down the expectations vs. reality of prom:

You mark your calendar just as soon as you hear the prom theme. The theme is probably something along the lines of “Night Under The Stars”, so you picture a totally decked out ballroom like this:

But in all honesty, with your school’s prom budget and the decorating team giving less than two shits, your school gymnasium will look more like this:

Once you know exactly when prom is happening, you hit the mall and all your favorite fancy stores looking for the perfect dress. You fantasize about finding “the one” with your pals and everyone just gushing over your choice:

But really… it’s going to take hours of shopping and attempting to squeeze into dresses that don’t fit your body right or dresses that are just way too expensive and you’ll be fighting frustration at every turn.

When you finally settle on a dress, the race to catch the perfect prom date begins. If you’re dating someone you imagine a grand romantic gesture.

But odds are, he’ll probably just ask you over text.

If you’re single, you’re eyeing every guy in all of your classes and wondering if your crush or hell, even your favorite guy friend will ask you right away so you don’t have to worry about it.

Meanwhile, you’ll probably end up sweating it out until a week beforehand and rallying all your girls to go stag instead.

When Prom night finally arrives, you’ll spend all day getting glammed up. We’re talking nails did, hair did, make-up did. In your mind you picture feeling like a full-on celeb with a glam squad.

But actually, you’ll just be kind of tired and stressed because all those things take time and patience and money!

When you’re all dressed and glammed up and looking fly as hell, you’ll be completely camera ready for the pre-prom photo shoot. You welcome those flashing lights.

Your date on the other hand… maybe not so ready.

You’ll brush it off though. I mean, who cares as long as you and your girls look dope, aimrite? So you hop into that super fly limo you splurged on thinking it’ll be so freaking posh.

But really, your parents called ahead to make sure you got the introductory level ride without any champagne buckets. Your driver has secretly become your no underage shenanigans chaperone.

You cruise up to the Prom venue ready to get your dance on and have the time of your life.

But maybe your timing was a little off because your dinner was so fast, so you’re like some of the first to arrive. The vibe is not right.

You shrug it off because it’s your PROM and you’re going to have fun no matter what.

Even with your favorite teacher watching you booty dance.

And then your date or your boyfriend or your girlfriend leans in to whisper something in your ear. You think they’re going to tell you how beautiful you look or how much they love you and will miss you next year when everyone goes off to college.

But really, they just want you to know they got a shitty hotel room and a bottle of Boones Farm. PASS.

The good news is, you have your friends by your side and you look and feel great.

So no matter how high your expectations were, you can still have an AMAZING time. Savor the moments with your friends and celebrate each other. F everything else!