OMGPROM

Catalyst:

1) Glee's prom episode aired on Tuesday

2) News of a senior banned from prom for his public prom proposal

3) Disney movie "Prom" came out recently (I think last week)

Along with class rank and homecoming festivities, my high school didn't have the typical tradition of electing a prom king or queen.  But this doesn't mean that there was a lack in prom-related stress; you could practically cut it with a knife and spread it like cream cheese on a bagel or some other caloric spread that was fastidiously avoided by girls who purposely bought dresses that were a little too small.

Prom is the high school equivalent of a wedding, isn't it?  Massive amounts of dough dropped on the garb, the hair, the ride; elaborate proposal; lots of dancing and picture taking; and maybe maybe getting lucky when the event ends in the wee hours of the morning.  Especially nowadays when a bride's white dress is more out of tradition than a representation of chastity, and prom is the night when kids become adults (or something). I rarely ever watch TV but I happened to catch the prom episode of "Boy Meets World" a few weeks back and it touched this topic in its own charming, sitcom way. (Cory and Topanga, ever the communicative couple, decide in advance do it when they both feel ready.  The night of the prom, after they've got a hotel room and everything, they find out that Cory's mother is pregnant(!).  Without being too preachy about it his parents explain the child was unexpected but they, as responsible adults, are happy and ready for it.  The episode ends with Cory and Topanga looking at each other, smiling, and they go back into their hotel room!  But then they come back out, wearing their crowns [oh yeah, they won prom king and queen] and leave the hotel.)

I don't think my prom experience was anything unusual, but I did break from some of the typical routines:

1)  I spent less on my dress than any other prom expense.  Well, except for the boutonniere, which cost around $10, I think.   But I wasn't the one who got to wear it, so I don't really count it. 

2)  I asked my date to prom.  I had planned to go sans date, but a week before The Day I found out that this guy I knew didn't have a date and asked him if he wanted to go with me.  And he said yes. Simple as that.  We had a good time.

3)  The most exciting thing I did after prom was massage feet.  My friends and I knew of after-parties that would be taking place but we didn't really plan well so we just had our driver take us back home.  A few days prior I had picked up a massage book from a clearance sale, and during the ride back I decided to put my (book) knowledge to practise on four different people's feet.  The day after I found out that I had performed the exact steps in perfect order...for a hand massage. Not for feet.  But I think that everyone's feet were so beat at the end of the night that any kind of massage felt beneficial, and to my knowledge no one sustained any complications with their foot muscles.