Stop stressing.

It seems so simple, doesn't it? And yet, you're probably reading this thinking: "What does she mean, 'stop stressing'?! I have so much to stress about! Everything needs to be perfect!"

I assure you, it will.

Prom is the night on most high school girls' minds, and it's no doubt that stress will arise. Let me tell you that now, a year later, those stresses no longer matter. That night was one of the best nights ever, and it was all because of how I felt personally and who I surrounded myself around. There may be some areas that are causing you panic, but they can easily be switched around.

Problem: What if I can't find a date?!?

Solution: Go with a friend.

Seriously. Unless you're awaiting a perfect "prom-posal" from your significant other, then go with a friend. Last year, I had the pleasure of going to two different proms, and both of them were with friends of mine. I went to my school's prom with my best guy friend, and we still gave each other amazing "prom-posals". It's not the romance that counts, it's the memories that count. I know of people who had amazing times with dates, but the memories made out of spending such a wonderful night with such wonderful friends makes it that much more perfect. Why awkwardly slow dance with someone you barely know when you can clutch onto your friends while belting Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud"? Most of the night, you'll be screaming with your girlfriends about how beautiful each other looks, dancing around crazily and only thinking about how much fun you're having (and how badly your feet hurt), not your hot date.

Problem: The dress of my dreams doesn't look right on me, and I'm devastated.

Solution: You're going to find the perfect dress, and you're going to look beautiful.

Trust me, I know the feeling. You find the most gorgeous dress on websites like PromGirl or different prom magazines. You've been thinking about that dress for months now, and when you finally put it on, it doesn't look right.
You don't feel beautiful in it, you're disappointed, the feeling is all too real. Now what are you going to do?

Again, you're going to find the perfect dress, and you're going to look beautiful. The best bet is to just go right to a store. Boutiques, prom stores, or even bridal stores will have beautiful prom dresses. Spend hours trying on dress after dress until you find the one that makes you feel truly beautiful. I looked and looked and was unsuccessful for so many weeks, but after a stop at David's Bridal, I found the one. It was a simple yet elegant one-shoulder purple number with a gemstone on the shoulder. It wasn't even a prom dress; it was a bridesmaid's dress. But guess what? It was the one. I felt beautiful in something so simple. At the end of the night, it doesn't matter who's the best dressed, the thing that really matters is how beautiful you feel.

Problem: SHE HAS THE SAME DRESS AS ME!!!!

Solution: This may come out as sort of a shock, but it's really not a big deal.

Yes, when it was first heard of that girls in my school shared the same dress, the news was heard around the school in less than a day. Yes, I was a part of the crowd who reacted like: "OHMYGOD I can't believe they have the same dress!!" The news surfaced on my school's "Post Your Prom Dress 2015" closed Facebook page. There was a fight between the two girls in the comments, and girls around the group would gossip with one another. However, one girl really put the whole thing into perspective.

Even if you wear the same dress as another girl, you're going to look completely different. Your shoes won't be the same. Your nails won't be the same. Your hair, accessories, and makeup won't be the same. It's more than likely that your body types are different, so the dress itself is going to look totally different on you than it will her. In truth, you're both going to look beautiful in different ways. You're going to rock the look, she's going to rock the look...in short, every single girl at the prom is going to be rocking it!!

Problem: I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME

Solution: You're going to be fine.

This applies to whether your prom is a month away or a few hours. You don't have your dress yet or your hair took way too long to do. I'm not going to sugarcoat it; prom night is very stressful. I remember being close to tears as I was getting my makeup done thinking I was not going to be ready in time. I remember not even having my dress on when my date got to my door. I promise, though, you're going to be just fine. Prom's still going to be there. If you're a little late, that's okay. If you feel like a wreck on the way to the venue, I guarantee that anxiety will go away practically as soon as you step out of the vehicle taking you to the place. You're going to have such a wonderful night.

Problem: What am I going to do after prom?

Solution: Whatever you want.

Don't let your friends decisions influence what you want to do. Some schools, including mine, host a "Post-Prom" as a safer alternative to avoid drunk drivers and the like. I would recommend it if that's offered; it was so much fun. At the post-proms I went to, they were both themed with a lot of food, inflatables, games, raffles, music, and more.
If that's not what you're into, and you'd rather just go back home and go to bed, that's awesome too. The night was tiring, your head hurts from the amount of bobby pins in your hair, your feet hurt, and you need sleep.
If prom night is the night as depicted in a lot of films, breathe, take it slow, and be safe. Make sure you're comfortable and ready, and if you change your mind, it's not a big deal whatsoever.
No matter what your plans are, your night is going to be awesome.

I'll admit; prom night was the most stressful day of my senior year. (Okay, maybe not as stressful as AP tests and finals. But you get the point.) However, when it comes down to it, it's really not about who's the best dressed and who has the hottest date. Your main goal for the night is not to look perfect for others, but to look perfect for you. Once the dress is on, the hair and makeup is all done, and the pictures are about ready to begin, take a step back. You may think to yourself: "Damn. All this stress and I look more gorgeous than I imagined" or "Wow. I look hot." Let yourself feel beautiful. After all, this is your night. Just live it up, have the best time, make the most of it, and you'll have memories to last you a lifetime.