Prom: Did I Miss The Point?

[green_the_fish]

Well, I just got back from my senior prom. And I can't help but think it was completely overrated. I had been counting down for a month, I bought an expensive dress, had my hair done, my makeup done, and I went expecting to have a magical night. My date got a really nice tux, and we got each other the corsage and boutonniere. But when I went, it was just... a dance. Just like every homecoming and turnabout for the last four years. There was nothing magical or romantic. I kept thinking, is this all there is to it?

Halfway through, I could tell some of my friends were disappointed too, so we all went to this one chick's house and had our own little party there. Then we went to afterprom, and that was pretty fun.

I just don't get it, though. Have I missed the point? Was I just expecting so much that the dance couldn't have lived up to my expectations? Or is prom really overrated?

[tigger_gal]

Well its been 23 years since I went to Prom, my date was my best friends brother because my b/f was out of town. We had dinner, dancing, and pictures. We had a great time, we were one of that few people to leave. Then we went to Rams horn in our prom attire and ate. We all came home about 5 or 6 am.I would say we had a great time.
sorry you were disappointed. I often wondered why people spent a massive amount on money to have there hair and make up done, and spent hundreds on the dress and tux, not to mention the price of tickets. then you are disappointed in the end.. Hugs

[dancemomof2]

Sorry Fishy, I had the same thoughts **ack** 20 years ago. It was just a dance to me as well. ((((Hugs))))) Glad you had fun later though.

[sacausa]

For most of my friends, the big deal about prom was AFTER-prom parties...

[GriffsMommy]

Sorry that you didn't have fun at your prom. I think mine was fun because I was with all of my friends. I think that I actually had more fun at my junior than my senior because my friends liked my boyfriend that I had for junior prom more than they liked the one I had for my senior prom. Gosh it was 11 years ago, it seems like forever ago.

[yvette]

The point of the Prom

Yeah, I think gets a little lost along the way with dresses, hair, limos etc. But with me...I remember we had actually had a small ceremony at the high school...a huge archway...you walk thru it...they announce you and your date....it was nice, eh...whatever.

the point of Promenade: Its sort of like announcing your passage into adulthood...Senior prom especially. That's why you get all dressed up into fancy clothes and hair you Promenade in front of the community showing your entrance into adulthood.

Junior Prom, who knows...I had fun despite my date got suspended and I ended up taking someone else.

i remember Senior year it was like a big friendly game of who could get the nicest dress for the cheapest money.

[vm]

I thought of prom that way, too, green. LOL I actually had more fun when I went my Junior year with a guy I could not have cared less about than when I went with my "true love" my Senior year.

For many it is over-rated. Certainly was for me. But it's still a GREAT memory and one you'll still probably look back on fondly.

Either way, if you had an absolute blast or just an "ehh" time - it's OK. No shame either way, we're all different! Doesn't mean you did something wrong if it didn't live up to the hype!

[Susie2271]

I'm sorry about the let-down. I, too, built up prom, I think, which was in 1989I might add, but I remember the highlights. I went with one of my guy friends and his buddy and date, Carrie Ann. I think the magic of it will come with the years that pass and you think back on it and share the story with other people. I do remember thinking, "This is IT?", but now remember that I was comfortable, happy and laughed a lot, something at other dances was not there because before I was usually too nervous about saying something stupid or eating and dropping food out of my mouth or something with my date at the time. Yes, I had issues when I was a teen.

I remember funny things too like the fact my date went and danced with a group of guys and I hung out with his friend and date and had a blast without him. What was THAT all about? lol But mostly I think it's that last celebration before we're all together again for graduation and after that only for reunions for some of us. It's a sort of rite of passage, for sure. I wish I had captured mine in a scrapbook. That's something I would definitely recommend doing to preserve the memories.

[Berkshire Road]

Wow, I remember my senior prom too. Because we lived back and forth between France and the U.S., I was enrolled in a private school in New Jersey and they accepted my credits from the public school in Lyon. So I had spent my senior year in France (had to travel to Paris to take A.P. exams), and I got back in time for the prom. My best friend and I both went with guys we weren't really dating. These were the days before schools had "after prom" programs. Those were put in place because of all the wild, insane things students used to do after the prom -- we were a classic example. I think I'll leave it at that... there was some kind of event at the school the next morning, so suffice to say that I showed up at school in Ruth's shorts, Scott's sweatshirt, and no shoes, not having been home yet... It's not the prom I remember vividly, but the night, oh yes. I'll never forget that.

We had nothing like that in France, no rites of passage, not even graduation ceremonies and parties. Glad I got back in time!

[kuntrygurl78]

My ten year class reunion is in a few weeks, so thoughts of my proms have been in my mind.

My junior year sucked! I was so terribly shy and unpopular. I invited a guy from yearbook who was a freshman. I think the only reason he came was so that he could go to prom..not because he wanted to go with me. Post prom was even worse.

My senior year was another story. I had moved to another town, but was still going to school where I had gone all my life. (the towns were like half hour apart). I had met a guy from my new town who was a year younger than me. My prom was first. I had this amazing red dress. It fit all of my curves, and I had these really cool silver shoes. I still look at that picture as one of my favorites. I was hot :woohoo: Post prom was held at the hs. They had this booth where you could win a chance to go in. The booth had air in it and there was money floating around. I won quite a bit of money by shoving it down my shirt and my pants.

The very next weekend was my boyfriends prom. Not only was my boyfriend from this new town, but I had made many new friends. Im still friends with most of those people now. I wore a dress that one of my friends had worn a few years before. It was really pretty. I have this picture with me eating some chocolate mousse and a big smile. Its classic! I dont remember there being a post prom, but I remember that my bf and I went back to his house and stayed the night together on the couch.

The next weekend was my graduation. My bf and I left the next day to go camping. We had planned on going canoeing and doing all this active stuff. We ended up sleeping most of the weekend. The week between his prom and graduation was finals week for both of us. We were exhausted.

My bf and I broke up that following xmas. The memory is sad now. He passed away a few years ago from cancer. I am sad that he is gone, but I have fond memories of my proms.

I think it all depends on how much you make of it. My junior year was awful, but my senior year proms were amazing.

[Susie2271]

I have to say I love these stories. I would like to share my funny prom picture, but I have no idea how to post a link on my signature. I have to find the shot, too, but I laughed right when they took the photo and my nose is scrunched up and mouth open in a laugh. It's the worst and funniest thing to me now, especially the frizzy, long hair I had with the long, high bangs, too. Yikes! Totally '80s.

Thanks for the thread, green_the_fish. It's brightened my day.

[traceann]

I too love reading these stories! I mean, for as anti-climactic as they can be (mine were) at least good stories come out of them!! I remember thinking at both my Jr and Sr prom, that it was all the same people just dressed up, lmao. I think I would have had more fun had it been the whole school, as many of my friends were underclassmen as well as my class. At our school, the Junior's put on the prom for the Sr's - all the planning and whatnot, so I'd have to say my Jr year was much more fun. Sr year I couldn't wait to get the heck out there and the motel rooms me and a bunch of my friends got for the night, lol!!! I also remember my crinoline chewed up my nylons, lol.

Jr year though, that is one even I will NEVER forget - we used to hold our proms on the air force base at the Officer's Club. Well, About an hour or so before the prom was to end, a bomb threat was called in so we had to evacuate the premisis and head over to the base chapel - and sit. And sit. And sit. And as it was raining outside, the walk over ruined my lovely satin shoes I had dyed to match my dress, boo. As we were sitting at the chapel, we asked if we could extend the prom at least an hour due to this unforseen event, but nope. No can do. So yeah, I will always remember that one. The most memorable part of Sr year was the bow on the back of my dress fell into the toilet - it had fallen off earlier that evening as I was walking across the floor, so a friend pinned it back on, only to fall off later in the toilet, lol. And it was strapless, and not altered correctly - it was too big and kept sliding it's way down. Every so often I had a girlfriend go with me to the ladies room so I could unzip, hike it up and zip it up again...ah fun stuff LOL

But yeah - for me it was just another dance with good food and hardly any underclassmen, lmao!!!

[LeeAnn]

i'm with green

Hey Green,
I'm sorry it didn't live up to your expectations. It didn't live up to mine either, My bestfriend and I (with dates) walked in, took pictures, and walked right back out. For us it was all about getting dressed up, going out to dinner first, and going out afterwards. And those are some great memories in themselves. Lee Ann

[mary124]

Its been too many years for me to remember --- about 29 yrs I think(!) but yes, it was after the prom parties that we remember having the most fun at. I remember my Mom getting me a nice dress, hair fixed up etc. only to leave early.
Now, my son and his date last year, they had a wonderful time (glad someone did!!) and tickets didn't cost an arm and a leg (small school district plus got them when they were first on sale); and the after prom stuff. They had a great time.
But sorry, fishie, it didn't live up to YOUR expections. But glad you had fun somewhere along the line.

[kuntrygurl78]

This is me at My senior Prom. This is the red dress I was talking about. Remember: This was 10 years ago