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Old Rules for the New School

By: Inez T. S. Woody, Feature Writer

Prom Etiquette

With Prom season upon us, every girl aims to be the most poised, beautiful and envied at the Prom. It is of course the most important dance if high school senior year. It is one night where you are more dressed up than you have ever been, with gorgeous dresses and suits and everyone is eager to watch you drive off into the sunset for the most anticipated event of senior year. It’s all about the dress, hair, make up, shoes and of course, accessories! But more importantly, your date. Will you take your high school sweetheart, a neighbor, the boy in your 3rd period Biology class, ot have you no clue at all? Either way, prom should definitely be a night to remember.

Times definitely have changed, but please know that proper behavior is always in good taste no matter what generation you belong to. I know you’re shaking your heads thinking, here is another “It ain’t like it use to be” and “Back in my day” stories, but please know that it was only (ah-hem) a little over ten years when I attended my senior Prom. ☺ Trust me, that’s not that long ago. I am very positive you will look absolutely glamorous and stunning on your big day so I won’t bore you with tips on material lavishness and which color is hot this year but my goal is to remind you of a few tips for prom etiquette.

- You don’t have to have a date to the Prom. Go solo, or with friends. There’s no reason to miss out just because someone did not ask you.

- If you have not been asked, you should probably ask your potential date to the Prom a month in advance to give them time to prepare.

- Dress appropriately. Know the difference between tasteful and “over the top.” (Would hate for you to not be able to go into the the Prom because of your outfit…)

- It’s proper for the guy to buy his date a corsage.

- It doesn’t matter who drives, or whether you rent a limo. Rented cars are not a requirement. If a parent ot older sibling has a nice car and trust you, it will definitely be cheaper but make sure you’re responisble.

- It’s Senior Prom! Don’t stand around looking at each other at the Prom. Make sure you DANCE! However, if you dance with others, be sure your date gets the first and last dance of the evening.

- Do not forget your manners. Whether you want to believe it or not, manners and etiquette are highly important when it comes to the Prom.

- Do not create Prom drama. Drama arises from dress to date choices and everywhere in between. Do not be the one to stress it! If things really do get bad for you or your feelings get hurt, take a break and get some fresh air. Things will work out in the end even if they turn out to be different than you imagined.

- Do not be late! I know that you want to make an entrance, but all of that hard work should not go to waste and you do not not want to be left behind either.

-  Do not feel pressured into doing anything you do not want to do. Whether it’s having sex, drinking alcohol or doing drugs. Remember, it’s your night to remember and you want it to be a pleasant memory.

- If you’re attending an after-party at someone’s house or hotel room, please be respectful. No loud behavior and no destruction of property. Be especially respectful of your hosts’.

Remember the bottom line is to adopt rules of etiquette that promote mutual respect, support safety and security, while maintain personal dignity. These ideals never grow old. You want it to be an experience that you can treasure for a lifetime. Have fun on Prom night! Be fablous but more importantly, be responsible. Do not behave in a manner you will regret later. Relax, have a good time and enjoy your friends, after all, Senior Prom is once in a lifetime.

This entry was posted on Friday, April 10th, 2009 at 3:05 am and is filed under Decisions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.