Everything from childhood movies to teen novels have depicted the typical prom, and now as it rolls around the corner, the expectations are high.  These stereotypical depictions have created impossible standards.

Therefore while we watch or read about the characters at their glorious prom, it only sets up your real prom for disappointment. These high expectations lead to serious stress issues when it comes to planning and getting ready for “the biggest night of your life.”

First comes the dress. The dress that describes you, the dress that makes a statement, the dress that makes you feel like a princess. The dress also must have the right size and the right color. Finding a dress is stressful enough, but after you find one, you have to make sure no one on the prom Facebook page has the one you want already.

In past years having the same dress as someone else wasn’t a big deal, but now the pressure to create the perfect prom means  no one is allowed to have the same dress. On top of all the stressful aspects that go into one night scrolling through over 200 prom dress posts is excessive.

Transportation also causes issues when attending prom. Party  or limo bus planning can be quite difficult. Sharing the price and figuring out who can or cannot go is confusing and time consuming. People cancel and attend last minute, the bus might be late, or the company didn’t confirm your order. Where was all this in that perfect prom movie?

Above all, the most stress for a girl comes from waiting to be asked. Going with a date is an issue too because you may already have plans with friends or the party bus could be filled. Having a date is great but hopefully you’ll be asked sooner rather than later.

It’s sad to see that because of the unattainable prom expectations that people end up stressing out more than they have fun. The reality of this is that things happen. Know that just because the party bus was late, someone else has your dress, or you don’t match with your date and the night wasn’t perfect, doesn’t mean it’s ruined.

In these types of situations it is important to remain calm and have fun. Stressing about prom to make sure it’s perfect is superfluous.  While this night is coming up it’s important to remember the reason it was made, for a night filled with dancing, laughing and fun.