As the first school dance of the year, "Back in Black," approached, almost all of the kids were getting ready: the girls shave their legs and douse their bodies in perfume after putting on tank tops and spandex while the boys shave the stubble on their upper lip and chin in order to prepare for the grind fest they call a dance. It was apparent to the students that this was a time where people approach one another with the intention of some sexual behavior.

I am in my second year of high school, so I had only been to one Back in Black before. I'll admit, last year was exactly how one might imagine it. People were all over one another, grinding, and little freshman me was right in the middle. The smell of several different perfumes mixed with the horrible smell of the boys' sweat clogged my nose. Strangers' sweat soaked my skin. Although the middle of this mosh pit was very claustrophobic and hot, I didn't want to leave, for I was afraid to be a wallflower.

This year, I, too, did everything your typical girl did to prepare for this dance, however, I wasn't choosing to do this for anyone else. I was doing it for me. Once I arrived to the dark, loud, people-filled room, I stayed on the outskirts of the crowd. I spun in circles, laughed, and sang to the music with some of my closest friends. We had an amazing time. I was sad when the dance as over, but pleased with the fact that I figured out how to make myself the happiest I can be, regardless if I am following the "social norm."

More and more, I have found that this concept of dancing on my own provides an incredibly joyful experience. It has helped me learn to love myself and obtain a better sense of independence. I am proud of my aloneness. I believe that when I hold up a blithe disregard for what others think, I am gifted a better life. I don't follow others, nor do I need others to make me happy. I can dance on my own.