an excuse to dress up and attempt to outshine one another

First of all, I'd like to apologize for not writing in such a long time. I've been extremely busy studying for my final exams. Thankfully, they're over now and I actually managed to survive! The end of finals signals the end of the school year, which is approaching incredibly fast. We've already started to discuss  what we’re doing during the summer vacation. However, there is still one major event before the holidays begin. Prom.

I'm sure everyone will agree that prom is such an important event in today's popular culture. In my school, it takes place at the end of sophomore year and senior year, so this year I will be attending my 'sophomore prom' (I'm not quite sure what the correct term would be). Anyway, it's considered the biggest, best and most important event in high school by many. It's an excuse to dress-up in a gorgeous gown, get your make-up and hair done and, as Elizabeth Eulberg once said in her book Prom and Prejudice (which I haven't actually read), "attempt to outshine one another".

Don't get me wrong- it's not that I'm not looking forward to prom. I definitely am. I've even bought my dress. After all, in my school it is the only formal dance for students. The one thing that I dislike sincerely about prom is the pressure on girls to have a date and the pressure put on boys to ask girls out on a date.

Does having a date really matter? If you have a date, that's great, but if you don't, that's fine too! If there wasn't so much pressure placed on boys and girls to have a date to prom, the entire experience would probably become a whole lot more enjoyable. First of all, guys could say goodbye to the stress of trying to figure out whom to ask to prom, and worrying about whether or not the person will say yes. If they weren't under pressure to find a date, they would probably ask girls whom they genuinely liked and wanted to go with instead of just asking every single girl in alphabetical order, like Patton in the short-lived Fox sitcom Quintuplets. It's the same thing for girls. Instead of saying yes to the first guy who asks you, out of fear that no one else will, and spending prom night in an awkward situation, you can go with your friends and have a ball, or wait until the guy whom you really like to go with asks you.

If no-one asks you to prom, you shouldn't have to feel bad and think that maybe you shouldn't go. After all, even if prom is slightly overrated (which, deep down, we all know it is), it is a chance to spend time with tons of people you know and (hopefully) like. Trust me, you'll probably feel worse if you don't go at all. If you do go without a date, think about the amount of freedom that you'll have. You won't have to stick by your date's side the whole time, or spend your night worrying about whether or not they're enjoying themselves. You can do whatever you like and want to do. So if someone asks you who you're going with to prom, don't feel bad or embarrassed if you don't have a date. When someone asks me who I'm going with, I like to make light of it, by asking my best friend to prom on the spot. 

Also, it’s important to note that no girl actually needs a guy to make her night amazing. We are all strong, independent women who don't need men. I believe that the above quote explains everything succinctly and in the best way possible.

In my opinion, having a date to prom shouldn't be a big deal. After all, as Jane Austen once said "to go previously engaged to a ball does not necessarily increase the dignity or enjoyment of a young lady"