this post was submitted on 20 Jun 2024
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I just don't get it... Why is that important, especially for kids now, that feel like they need to do a YouTube video asking for a date or doing some meme stuff. Some teens even hire the hottest celebrity or ask them to appear in their prom? This is so bizarre for me, all that just for a frivolous night.

In my country prom was a thing but nowhere near as theatrical, I didn't went to either my prom trip or the party. Also skipped half of my middle school trips.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 10 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Prom is fun. You get to hang out with all of your classmates, ask someone out. A subset of people are always going to go overboard, but keep in mind that you don't see the "normal" cases. Most people just walk up to someone and ask them out. They find a date from the school or go alone.

I'm from Canada so I don't know if the US is wildly different, but here it is a bit of a big deal, but I think part of that is what makes it fun, you sort of build a bit of hype around what would otherwise be just another school dance.

[โ€“] [email protected] -2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (3 children)

Is just weird for me, in my country nobody ask anyone dates is was just a party. And even like that I didn't went... Always had the impression that USA gives this idea that you must get a date to go

[โ€“] cm0002 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

you must get a date to go

You really don't, it's where the phrase "going stag" (To go without a date, or with a group of friends rather than a date) is commonly used.

Also, HS is important for developing social skills and prom is usually for seniors. The end of the last stage of childhood and an opportunity to flex those skills out as graduation is usually within a couple weeks after prom at which point you're ejected into the adult world.

It's just a fun event for teens to be teens before they go fully into the workforce or college

[โ€“] Today 3 points 4 months ago

Yeah, with my kids and their friends, it was mostly one or two couples and then their girl and guy friends all went together as a group without dates.

[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

FWIW I think it is actually a valuable social skill to be encouraged to ask someone out to prom. A lot of people don't have many similar experiences throughout their lives.

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (2 children)

I've never been with anyone in my life. I highly doubt it has to do with not going to a dumb party though.

[โ€“] [email protected] 12 points 4 months ago (1 children)

You might consider what's driving you to put people down who are having fun

[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I don't really mean literally to practice asking people out. But there are times in your life where you need to ask people for things. It is hard to get over the anxiety, risk of social embarrassment and practice showing confidence (even if you are not). These are valuable skills in all sort of social circumstances.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I asked sometime to the prom and got turned down. All I learned was that rejection hurts a lot more than I would have thought.

[โ€“] [email protected] -2 points 4 months ago

Yeah, being rejected can destroy someone's confidence

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

The rituals started in the 1950s. At that time, in order to go on a date with someone, your parents had to chaperone you. It was the wisdom at the time. Prom and homecoming were the only exceptions, so it became a really big thing. Then those people grew up, impressed upon the next generation how homecoming and prom were the best times in high school, started making nostalgia movies about homecoming and prom. That created pressure to live up to this, girls started getting overly fancy dresses, guys started doing elaborate prom-posals, the wedding dress industry jumped in to fill the gap, and now it's a whole capitalism-fest like Christmas and Valentine's Day