Why Going to Prom With a Guy I Didn’t Like Was Exactly What I Needed
Most girls (including myself) grow up dreaming about their senior prom.
It's supposed to be the perfect night, with the perfect dress, the perfect shoes and—most importantly—the perfect date.
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When prom finally rolled around for me, I couldn't contain my excitement. Months in advance, I bought my dress, I knew exactly how I wanted to style my hair and I already practiced how I would do my makeup—the only thing that I was lacking was a date.
At first, I wasn't worried. I had several crushes still on the market, and I thought surely one of them would eventually stop procrastinating and ask me to go. Right?
Three weeks before the big dance, I started to get anxious. I still had no date, and one by one, all the guys I was interested in started swooping up other girls to take with them.
Two weeks from the big night, panic struck. I immediately began to think up the worst case scenarios. "What if I don't get asked to prom?" "What if I can't find a group of friends to go with?" and even, "Oh my gosh, what if I don't go to prom at all?"
After my momentary freakout, I called up my best friend from another school, Tanna, and vented to her about my dilemma.
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"Brittney, first of all, don't freak out," she said, "I might just have the perfect solution."
Tanna began to tell me how she had actually just been invited to my school's prom by our close guy friend Chas. Chas' best friend Jared, who we both happened to be friends with, was still dateless and looking for someone to go with him so he could share a limo with Chas and Tanna.
Was this the answer I'd been looking for? Was I meant to go to prom with just a friend and not someone I had a crush on?
Going with just a friend to prom had never really occurred to me only because I had dreamed that the night would be a magical experience with my dream boy. But when I sat and really thought about it, I realized it might not be the worst idea.
I'd get a date, I'd get to go to the dance with a group of friends I knew I'd enjoyed hanging out with and there would be so much less pressure knowing that my date and I were strictly friends.
Later that evening, I called Jared up and super casually asked him if he was still thinking about going to prom and if he had any potential dates.
He dejectedly responded, "Yes, I want to go, but I have no date options at the moment."
I took this as my cue to inform him that I, too, wanted to go but had no date.
Even though we were chatting over the phone, I could tell that Jared immediately perked up when he heard that I was still searching.
"Crazy idea," he said. "Want to go together?" And just like that, I had a prom date.
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Getting ready for prom was just as special as I imagined it would be. I still got to wear that dress I planned, I still got to do my hair and makeup exactly how I had pictured it and even though I didn't get asked by who I expected, I had an amazing date.
Jared was charming, sweet and surprisingly, a very good dancer. He opened my doors, he never left my side and best of all, he didn't make me nervous like a crush would have in the same situation.
Because Jared was familiar, I was able to enjoy my night fully—I can't say that it would have turned out the same way if I went with someone I liked.
Although I didn't get that romantic night I pictured as a little girl, I got a night that was far better. I got to spend my time with the core people who made my high school experience so memorable.
Shouldn't that be what prom is about anyway?
Looking back, I'm so eternally thankful that things worked out the way they did. Having a no-pressure-just-fun kind of night was exactly what I needed to round out my high school experience.
If you're stressed about going to prom, not going to prom, going with your crush or going with a close friend like I did, don't be.
Whatever happens, just remember it's one night.
Not sure what dress you'll wear to prom yet? Don't fret! Let your zodiac sign determine the perfect gown for you HERE!