Stop Trying to Make Prom Perfect: An Essay on Expectations

photo+via+Pixabay+under+the+Creative+Commons+license

photo via Pixabay under the Creative Commons license

Jennifer DiTomasso, Editor-in-Chief

The moment that the first prom dress was posted to that infamous Facebook page, it seemed that every girl I knew (including myself ) was sent into a frenzy. People were walking around with phones out trying to find the “perfect” dress as soon as possible, presumably before somebody else could take it. “I like this, but I don’t love it,” became the signature phrase, and everyone went down the internet rabbit hole of promthis and promthat.com

Soon, the questions of dates followed. People gushed excitedly about the ways they planned to “prompose” to their boyfriend or girlfriend, and singles were reminded of the inevitable mixing in of friends attempting to matchmake so that the limo has the perfect amount of pairs.

It’s easy to get caught up in the rush. I was subconsciously relieved that the conversation had turned from college applications to something a bit more fun, but it really wasn’t all that different. The stress and competition was still there. Everyone was still racing towards a finish line that they wanted to cross first and better. We sat fantasizing, overthinking, and idealizing our dream proms slowly accumulating a mental checklist of what exactly needs to happen in order to achieve this vision. With the fantasy of the perfect dress, perfect hair, perfect makeup, perfect date, perfect spray tan, and perfect prom weekend all swirling around in your head, it makes it nearly impossible for the real thing to measure up.

Think of The Great Gatsby. Gatsby spent years fantasizing and pining over Daisy, but when he finally had her- it wasn’t enough. The reality didn’t live up to the fantasy, and he needed more. It wasn’t enough to have Daisy love him, she now needed to never love Tom – something that was completely impossible. His creation of expectations that were too high left him dissatisfied when something good did happen.

So in the next three months before prom, try not to get too wrapped up in the hype of it all. Prom should be fun, but not all of it has to be perfect. It’s ok if your hair falls flat or your tan is a little streaky. It’s ok to not have a date or to not like some of the songs the DJ plays. Prom won’t be perfect from start to finish, and that’s ok, what really counts is enjoying the night for what it is with your friends.