Hi Heather,

As most high school seniors know, prom is coming up. I’ve not always been the most “popular” girl ever, but I really want someone to ask me. I’m friends with this guy I really want to go with, but I’m not sure if he even wants to go to prom. How can I get a prom date?

Being popular might make it easier to snag a date, but it doesn’t mean that you won’t get asked. But I have to ask you, why can’t you be the one to ask?  Why do you care about being asked? The way your question was worded makes me worry. While it’s natural to stress out about a prom date, it almost seems that you feel that being asked to prom would give you some sort of validation of some level of your popularity; that somehow, you’re going to have more fun, or climb higher up the ranks of your school’s hierarchy because you got asked.

|Want to know who you’ll go to prom with? Well, we don’t have a crystal ball, but this new quiz will definitely help!|

Here’s the thing (as I’m sure you know already — after all, you’re nearly done with high school and have lived and breathed it for the past 4 years): popularity is not worth. Popularity is not validity. Popularity is not personality, talent, personal-strength nor is it, in any way, a judge of your character, looks, intelligence or value.

So I ask again, why do you care if you get asked to prom? In my opinion, prom should be about having fun. If you think this boy will be the one you could have the best time with, I totally think you should bring it up. Maybe he’s too shy. Or maybe he’s on the fence and looking for a good excuse to go. Maybe he isn’t planning on going but would change his mind if you were in the picture. But the point is, don’t wait for other people to plan your destiny. Take it into your own hands and control your own happiness.

|If all else fails, at least you know that you can ALWAYS Make Your Own Prom Night on gURL!|

I’ll admit, I really wanted a guy to ask me to senior prom, and I dropped what I thought were hints, but he didn’t ask and ended up taking some random gURL. I went with my BFF (a gURL too) only to find out at the after-prom that he really wanted to ask me but was too nervous. I look back and think, dang, all I had to do was woman up and stop dropping hints and just ask him. Casually, cooly, in a way that didn’t seem like I was too excited. Something like “Hey Nick, I don’t know if you’ve figured out your prom plans or not, but don’t you think we would have a lot of fun if we went together?” Nerve wracking, yes. But worth the few moments of awkwardness for a night of fun and a lifetime of memories knowing that I was confident enough to put myself out there? Totally.

If he doesn’t agree, it’s OK, he’s not the ONLY person you’ll have fun with! But realize that you’re awesome no matter how popular you might be at your school and that anyone you go with is lucky to share those memories with you.  And you to them! Enjoy this special time as much as you can and don’t forget to shred up that dance floor.

|Planning on drinking at prom? Or ever? Well, we’re not scaring you, but you should read this first.|

gURLs, have you ever asked someone out to a school dance? Successes, failures, whatever — Tell me below!

take care,
heather