Step 1: Find a date
It's Greek formal season, people, so you know Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat will be blowing up with girls in high heels, boys in suits and lots of Greeks at a “big kid" prom. You don't want to be the one not there, so go out and find yourself a formal date!
Step 2: Get the outfit
What you wear says a lot about you, your style and your expectations for the night. While some choose to go classic with an all-black look, others go bold with a hot pink tight little number. Whatever you wear parallels who you are; pick wisely, my friends.
Step 3: Pack your bag
When going to an overnight formal, it's very important to bring the essentials since you will be in a hotel with hundreds of college kid. Don't forget that extra pair of underwear, your toothbrush, a change of clothes for the next day and, of course, Advil for the morning after.
Step 4: Decide where you want the night to go
Formal is an awesome and fun night, but also an overwhelming event. It's important you go into it knowing where you want the night to go so that you don't wake up the next morning extremely confused or disappointed.
Step 5: Don't expect too much
In high school, I hyped up prom to be equivalent to the ball that Cinderella met her prince at, but it was not like that at all. Formal rocks, and it is really fun, but it will not be some life changing experience. It's just an awesome night, so enjoy it.
Step 6: Getting ready
You are not always guaranteed three hours to make yourself beautiful, so be ready ahead of time for a quick wardrobe change. Also, if you are that girl -- yah, you -- the one who spends an hour doing her make up, be prepared and come ready to go into makeup mode ASAP.
Step 7: The pre-game
Pre-gaming for a formal is one of the best drinking experiences because you get to chill in an awesome venue with your friends, listening to music you love and getting ready to have an awesome night. Just make sure you don't pre-game to the point where you don't even get to be at formal.
Step 8: Actually getting to formal
Formal is like your high school's prom or awkward school dance, but the music is much better, the kids are way cooler, everyone is much more wasted and you don't have awkward parent chaperones keeping a two feet distance between you and your date.
Step 9: After formal
What you choose to do, who you choose to be with, and where you choose to go will determine where the rest of your wonderful night goes, so make a good choice.
Step 10: The morning after
Waking up after formal can be an experience. For many, it is a very normal Sunday hangover and for others it's an attempt to remember WTF happened. Watching everyone pack their bags and make their way to the bus to head back to school is quite the sight.
I hope this formal step guide has given you a small, but helpful taste into the fraternity formal night. Be safe and have fun!
