A Big (Prom)blem

I am still recovering from junior prom. After dancing for four hours straight, using 20 blotting strips, and ditching the heels, I have yet to catch up on my sleep.

Ever since I watched the prom episode on Ned's Declassified about a million years ago I've had the vision of what I wanted prom to be. A magical night surrounded with fresh corsages and fairy lights, a hot guy to dance with, and of course a beautiful ball gown. However my experience was the exact opposite (except for the gown part, I crushed it)

Once the tickets went on sale and the dress hunting began the only thing I associated with prom was stress. I was stressed about finding a date, a dress, a car service, a photographer, a corsage, the makeup, the hair, the shoes, the jewelry, and of course the nails!!

Prom quickly turned into something I wasn't looking forward to and I was hoping it would just get cancelled so I wouldn't have to deal with it. That, of course, did not happen.

My issue with prom is that I had a vision of what I wanted my night to be like but due to societal changes it was impossible to have that. I analyzed why prom has turned into this awful occurrence and it made me realize that it all because of five annoying things.

1.Boys

In this new world where sliding into someones DMs is the equivalent of John Cusack holding up a boombox outside of Diane's window, it's hard to capture the romance that prom used to carry. Ideally a guy would buy me flowers and ask me out but now guys just hit you up with a "you going to prom?" and then an "ok me too, let's go in Frank's group". ATTENTION GUYS: THIS IS NOT A PROPER PROMPOSAL! Which brings me to my next issue...

2. Groups

There was not a single couple at my school who went to prom with just their date. Instead, they all hung out in a group of 20+ kids. So what I noticed is after taking, maybe, one picture with their "date" the girls just hung out with the girls and the guys just hung out with the guys. This is not how prom should work. If you have the BALLS to ask a girl out (which like I said before the majority of today's guys don't) you need to be with your person. Don't just flake off and ignore your date.

3. Dancing??

I honestly don't even know if I should call it dancing it's more like slutty poledancing, only the pole is a guy. All night at prom instead of couples actually dancing they were just bumping and (i hate this word) grinding. Even to line dances!! Instead of doing the cupid shuffle the girls just twerked on someone. And what takes the cake is the guys and their objectification of women during this entire process. The girl literally has a blank face and looks like she'd rather die, while the boy is making obcene gestures and ramming themselves into her. Once again... this is a problem.

4.The Cost

I'm almost certain that 21st century proms are just money makers for the school. My school, along with others in the Jacksonville area, charged $95 for prom and honestly I'm not sure what that paid for. Sure they had dinner, but there were minimal decorations and the crowns looked like they were from dollar tree. Prom for schools is no longer FOR the students, its just an underhanded way for the school to pocket money for other things but log it in as "Prom".

5. My last issue with prom is something that isn't just centered to prom but really with my generation. Since when can we not have fun unless drugs, alcohol, or sex is involved?? Me, having done NONE of this, can still can have a good time. At my prom, they had to BREATHALYZE people. BREATHALYZE. At a highschool prom this should not be a factor. The fact that today's youth is incapable of having a good time without being intoxicated is actually sickening. Also, if you're faking being drunk you are just as bad as the actual drunk people, if not worse, because you are idolizing and aiming to be something you are not.

Prom is not what is was 10 years ago. So many people are not going because of the price or because a guy can't ask them or because they won't be able to get high/drunk. Until society steps back and realizes the true meaning of prom it might as well not even happen anymore.

As for me, I went (sober) with one of my best friends. We took bomb pictures to have in our memories and danced (ACTUAL DANCING) for the night. We didn't need a guy, a group, or grey goose vodka we just needed to have some fun.