It’s your senior year and prom night is fast approaching. It’s all everyone at school is talking about. It’s the most important night of your life so far and of course you want it to be a night to remember. While you probably have some understanding of what is expected of you there is a high likelihood that you have heard some things that simply are not true. Amid all the excitement nerves are being strained as both guys and girls worry about certain aspects of prom night. Let’s expose some myths so you can concentrate on having fun instead of being stressed out.

You must go – This is perhaps the biggest myth of all and one that everyone from your grandparents down to your peers at school will tell. You are likely to feel pressured into going even if you don’t really want to. If you simply have no interest in attending prom night you should follow your heart and not go. Your life is not going to come to a halt just because you chose to miss prom night.

You must have a date – Right behind “you must go” is “you must have a date”. Admittedly it would be nice to have a date but only if it is with someone you really want to go to the prom with. You can go alone. Chances are you will not be the only guy or girl there without a date. It is better to go alone or with friends than to be stuck all evening with someone you really don’t want to spend time with.

You have to spend a lot of money – Prom night can be expensive but it certainly doesn’t have to be that way. Guys can rent a tuxedo, borrow one or choose to just dress as neatly as they can. A tuxedo is not mandatory, and girls do not have to spend a small fortune on a prom gown and shoes. The whole idea behind prom night is to have fun. Dress comfortably but tidily.

You have to arrive in a limousine – Yes, pulling up to the prom in a limousine is cool but it absolutely is not necessary. Limousines are not cheap and on prom night, when demand is high, they are even more expensive to hire. Ride with friends or get your parents to drop you and your date off. If you still want to hire a limousine consider sharing the cost with 2 or 3 other couples to make it more affordable.

You need to have professional photos taken – Professional photography is not cheap and many amateur photographers with a good camera (or even a smartphone) can take really good photos of you and your date. Parents will often snap a few quick shots before you walk out the door so chances are good that at least one of those photos will be of good quality. If you want photos taken during the prom get friends to take photos of you with your cell phone, or alternatively you could take a small camera with you that will fit in a pocket or purse.

 

You must fulfill your date’s expectations – For guys the pressure of prom night can be extremely stressful. Their date may expect to be picked up in a limousine, given an expensive corsage, wined and dined before the dance, and then taken to an expensive hotel to spend the night. If your date has expectations of you that you cannot meet just tell her. If she chooses not to go with you then you are better off without her anyway. For the girls it is a very common myth that you have to sleep with your date on prom night. This simply is not true. You should only sleep with your date if it is something you want to do, and if not, let him know beforehand. If he dumps you because you don’t want to sleep with him on prom night you are likely better off without him. Find a date who will respect your choice.

Prom night should be lots of fun. Forget about all those myths and misconceptions and enjoy the evening. Whether you go alone or with someone you care about it is sure to be a great way to end your senior year.