There are "important milestones" every young adult is expected to experience by the time they reach a certain point in their life. There are things you just have to do because if not, "you'll regret them for the rest of your life!" You know what I mean. Going to the high school football games, Senior Skip Day, Homecoming, and, of course, Senior Prom. What happens, though, if you miss these? I mean choose to miss these, I don't mean you suddenly come down with the stomach flu and just physically can't go and people feed you sympathy for two weeks. Although, even if you choose not to go, you still get everyone's sympathy all the same.
My first year of high school, I was ready to do all of these things. I loved dances in middle school, I went to every middle school football game, I was even looking at prom dresses my freshman year.
I went to the first dance we had, morp, - backward prom for those of you who don't know - and I hated it. Everyone danced in a giant huddle and I was not interested being pressed against strangers or people I didn't like. Everyone stripped down to nearly as little as possible as soon as they walked in the door, ditching shoes, jackets, ties, hair pieces, etc. at the door. I thought dressing up was half the fun. My friend and I were not entertained and I'm not even sure what happened to my date.
I think I went to one football game, it was one my friend dragged me along to, telling me they're so much fun and I just have to go to all the football games my senior year. Much to her surprise, I didn't enjoy it. It was cold, I didn't like football, she left numerous times to talk to all of her friends that showed up and I often found myself alone in the student section surrounded by people I've never actually talked to and neither of us were interested in talking to the other. I didn't go back to another, not even the Homecoming game.
My senior year, when my mom caught wind of her other mom friends talking about their prom dresses, she asked me if I was going. I told her no, I really did not want to. I learned that each high school dance doesn't really differ from another, just the dress attire does. My parents both tried to convince me to go for weeks, giving me the usual you'll regret it if you don't!
I'm 3 years out of high school and have yet to feel bad that I willingly chose to skip senior prom. I do occasionally remember the one morp I went to and the football game I attend to and I all I remember is how uncomfortable and bored I was at them. Prom never lives up to expectations, anyway. Wouldn't you rather just skip it, save the money, and never worry about it again, instead of going, getting your hopes up and your expectations raised just to have them deflated when you get there?
High school really wasn't about those milestone events. It was about the people who were there and made it better. It was about the times I stayed up until 5 am doing a homework assignment with my best friend because we just could not stop procrastinating. It's about the times you're being recognized for awards at ceremonies in front of your parents and you're bursting with pride and you can see how proud they are of you. I have some great memories from high school but I can honestly say I do not believe prom would have been one of them. In fact, when most people reminicse, I don't think prom is the first memory that comes to mind.
