Most students give one specific night potential for greatness, possibly calling it “the best night of their lives.” For me, April 25 won’t make or break my senior year, and it won’t change my outlook of high school as I move forward in a couple months.
First off, let me clear the air.
I’m not lazy or antisocial or friendless: I’m simply not interested in exhausting myself in a night out with an ordinary friend or a plain-jane date, just to leave the dance with a vacant wallet and nothing to show for it except a Facebook photo album.
Instead, there’s plenty of adventures I could be taking, memories I could be sharing with friends, that don’t break my budget. If you’re one of the school’s no-shows to prom this year, have no fear: I am here with some excellent tips for what to do without prom.
Some of you will abandon ship and cloak yourself in a couple blankets on your basement sofa, obsessing with another Netflix tv series. Sure, catching up on shut-eye and cooking yourself homemade Kraft Mac n’ Cheese is luxury at times, but what about stepping out of the box?
Without a cheesy date on prom night, you can save more money and focus on somebody more important…you.
Prom is the night where juniors and seniors dress up as Disney royalty and treat themselves to a night out, but realistically, you don’t need a ball gown or a solid white tux to spoil yourself.
If your bank statement clears a vacation to the mall, do it. Hot Topic, Hollister, Pac Sun and Finish Line are all waiting for your arrival. Also, remember: a $450 prom dress from Windsor can only be worn once, but a $30 maxi dress from Deb can be worn again and again and never go out of style.
Go out for a skate-night at the YMCA with a friend or two, or even head upstairs and run a couple laps on the track. Yes, everybody at prom is dancing as sweat beads down their foreheads, but you are getting a few miles in and reaching towards that summer body ahead of anybody in a suit and tie.
Take your pals out for a nice evening escapade and remember to carry a camera with you. Six Flags in St. Louis opens April 3, and a midnight roller-coaster ride under the stars makes for a picturesque memory for years to come.
Road-trips to the St. Louis Zoo, when you’re on a budget, isn’t a snore but instead youthful, just as your last year of high school should be. Kick off your prom night with the penguins, leopards, snakes and chimpanzees. Stroll over to an ice cream cart on the trails through the zoo and pick out an orange dreamsickle. Pose for a selfie with your favorite prairie dog.
And lastly, remember that wherever you’re spending April 25, don’t follow the more than 53 percent of your peers who will drink more than four drinks on prom night, according to statisticbrain.com. Whether you’re attending after prom or returning home for some well-deserved rest, keep in mind that monkeying around in the night doesn’t have to involve substance, but always has to ensure safety.
