In many cases, guys and girls stumble over each other, trying to find the date they always dreamed about, and we’ve seen girls left disappointed if they are asked short of flowers, balloons, a cake, huge signs, fish, car paint and a box of truffles surrounded by flower petals in the shape of a heart.
The stereotype that the boy has to ask the girl in a romantic way puts tons of unnecessary stress on each guy to outdo the others. In the end, the already-expensive prom night gets even pricier as the cost of asking adds to the average expenditure of $1,078, according to USA Today. The burden of paying normally falls to the more masculine of the duo, so the girls requiring the guys to ask them in a more-than-special way are just adding cobwebs to already-empty wallets.
Some people feel like their whole prom experience would be ruined by the fact that they have no date. The thought of going alone is some seniors’ worst nightmare. But to some, going alone just means that they can spend a fun night with friends.
The perks of going “stag” can outweigh the perks of going with a date.
You will have more time to spend with your friends than if you were worrying about whether your date was having fun or not. There is no expectation for fancy gifts or corsages, and the guys can spend more money on themselves (since it is their prom night, too.) Girls can have a more stress-free evening because they won’t have to worry about the pressures of having a perfect night.
However, going to prom with a date has its benefits too. For girls, you don’t have to worry about paying for anything the entire night. In the guys’ favor, they get to show off their gorgeous date to all of their friends.
You will still be able to do all the prom stuff even without a date. You can still dress up, get your make-up done, have a corsage or boutonnière and dance the night away. You can slip into pictures with your friends and go to dinner and the after-parties without the extra baggage of a date weighing you down.
Prom is something every high school senior should experience. It beats staying at home. We don’t want to be those people looking back and asking, “What if?” We want to be able to open a photo album and remember the night for what it was worth. So whether we go with a date or stag, prom is only as fun as we make it. Go out, take it all in and let yourself have a night worth remembering.
By Drew Rodgers, Lauren Livesay and Megan Goree
