5 Ways To Have A Blast At Prom By Yourself

It's that season again. Whether it's your first time going to the prom or you're a fluffy dress aficionado by this point, it’s possible you’re toying with the idea of going to prom alone. There is no shortage of reasons why this is an amazing idea. When you go by yourself, you get to call all the shots. There’s no waiting on other people. No awkwardly trying to fill lengthy silences with a date you hardly know. You’re not stuck dancing with the same person all night long while your friends have a blast without you on the other side of the room. Seriously, doing prom solo rules.

Going to prom alone shouldn’t carry a stigma, and I’m here to remind you that it’s truly up to you to decide how you want the night to play out. Maybe no one quite deserved the immense honor of serving as your accompaniment for the evening. Maybe you had a date but it fell through, because teenagedom. No matter the reason why you’re going stag, there are actually plenty of benefits to hitting up prom by yourself, and the ability to tackle any event that has been optimized for couples without having another person attached to your arm is an ability with the kind of value that will (and has) transcended the ages. My senior prom was solo (I was dating someone at the time who had already graduated), and it was fantastic. Here are a few steps you can take to ensure that, dateless or not, you own the night.

1. Celebrate how amazing it feels to be single

If the majority of your friends have somehow managed to wrangle partners in crime, do not allow this to drag you down into the solo girl abyss. Why? Well, you have a lot of ass kicking to do. You know that person you've had your eye on all school year? Looks like they might not have a date either. Guess who'll be needing a completely inappropriate awkward high school grinding partner for the evening? That person.

2. Focus on your friends — you'll have more fun anyway

It's true. I think it's fair to say that much of the time, we agree to a date for any event despite our affinity for the actual human in question, just so that we don't have to do it alone. But by choosing to go solo, you've allowed yourself to be able to dance and talk with whoever you want for the night. No uncomfortable situations, dancing requirements, or hand-eye coordination necessary — tonight, your actions affect only you, and there's a lot of freedom in that. It won't always be that way, and in five years you'll be wishing it was so... take advantage of it now.

3. Put yourself in charge of organizing the night's festivities

While others might have their date to focus on, important details like coordination of your limo party, spray tan sessions, and up-do appointments could easily fall to the wayside. You've got a little extra time, so invest in being the one who ensures the night goes seamlessly.

4. Keep everything in perspective

This is the beginning of the rest of your life. There will be thousands of other opportunities to dance, date, and find someone you feel really, really good about being around who will feel the exact same way. You could allow yourself to get down in the dumps about not being asked out by your crush or a recent breakup that has left you dateless, but it's a waste of time, lady. Go have fun.

5. Remember that you are a goddess

Walk into that place owning the damn room. No date means more time to focus on yourself, and no obnoxious, obligatory outfit-ruining corsage to tout. The benefits of focusing on feeling the best you possibly can about yourself on prom night are twofold: you demonstrate that if you're alone, it's solely for the reason that you deemed it so, and you know without a doubt that everyone will be wondering why the entire night.

Win, win.

Images: David Biesack/Flickr; Giphy (5)