Ashley Keenan

The struggle to find a date for Prom is real. Whether it a partner for Marian’s Prom or trying to get into Prep’s Prom, this stress can hang over upperclassmen as Prom season approaches. Although having a date has its perks, like getting pretty corsages and being able to match with someone in pictures, dates are by no means necessary.

 Going to Prom with your besties from Marian can also be a great experience; some may even say it is better than bringing a date. Plus, there are many advantages, such as not having to try and coordinate plans with boys from other schools over a large group chat. 

Anyone on the Prom side of TikTok (PromTok) knows that teenage girls have been creating beautiful bouquets to match their dresses. Instead of struggling to get the boutonniere to somehow pin on to your date’s jacket, you can go to the store with your friends and handpick your own flowers to match your dress perfectly. 

After this, you can go back to your friend’s house and all get ready together. You can listen to Taylor Swift and not have any boys claiming that Kanye made her famous. You can take your time curling each other’s hair and doing each other’s eyeshadow without having to worry about meeting your dates at a certain time.

 Once ready, you can go take pictures with all of your friends in your dresses that you have dreamed about wearing since you were little. You can go wherever you want and have unlimited time to get perfect pictures. Some places you could go are the stairs at Regency Mall, Mulhalls, or your favorite restaurant. You can go to a cute dinner party and talk to your friends just like you do at your Marian lunch table. 

Once at the dance, there is no need to worry about where your date is. It’s just you and your friends throwing your heels in a large pile, and dancing the night away to songs like “No Hands” and “Cupid Shuffle.”

 After the dance is over, the fun doesn’t have to stop. You can go back to your friend’s house and have a sleepover, debriefing the night, wearing sweats with your hair still curled, and picking which pictures to post on Instagram. 

Many people may think that in order to have fun at Prom, you have to find a date, but in reality, just going with your best friends will leave you with core memories that you will pass down to your future Marian girl one day.