Prom is a magical experience for every high schooler looking for an excuse to dress up and spend the night out. Although some faced the stressful selection of a date to go with in the past, prom in the present doesn’t require you to bring a date, so why not go solo? With prom approaching on Saturday, May 7, for MSD seniors, the question arises on whether it is appropriate to attend the event without a date.

Going alone, you might face the matching couples, the gripe of heartache or the loneliness of not slow dancing with a significant other. However, there are several advantages to going alone.

By going solo, you will have no bad photos with a date that might have ruined your night. It is also a statement of independence as you are showing up looking your very best and having the best night at the afterparties. You can shine in your own light, rather than share it with someone else.

Going solo does not have to mean being absolutely alone; students can meet up and hang out in groups. This can prove to be even more pleasurable than being with a date.

Having a date can sometimes add unnecessary pressure to the evening, so not bringing a date to prom might be preferable. You will not have to worry about matching with your date or planning any activities after. All you have to worry about is having fun and doing activities that you find exciting, with no one else intruding in your boisterous atmosphere.

Not tethered to one person can be very stimulating when you are having fun because you are just doing what makes you happy. You will create memories that will most likely become ones you look back on and laugh about, as they will remind you how much fun you had.

Unlike going solo or with a group of friends, having a date requires extraneous effort. If you put a plan together at the last minute, it shows, so the pressure and time is stressful and is only worth it if your date is truly someone you care about. The cost is also something to keep in mind, as it is much more cost-effective to go alone.

Instead of being limited to matching colors with your date, which could lead to more expensive options of outfits, you can choose any variety of dress you please. However, the most expensive thought-out plans would be the after-prom activities–going out to eat, booking a room at a hotel and hiring a limo service.

All of the examples mentioned are costly; instead of spending more than you need to, you can have all of these activities available to you with a group of friends, sharing the cost and making it cheaper and more cost-effective.

It is absolutely okay not to bring a date to prom. Going solo can be an empowering experience in which you can carry with you as an adult. Will you want to remember that date you cannot remember the name of 20 years later or will you remember how you danced until your feet hurt and sang out loud without a care in the world?

Whether you bring a date to prom or not, prom is a memorable event that impacts the lives of adolescents and should be considered with careful decision and no shame. Bringing a date does not have to be a bad thing, but neither does going without one.

Dates can be high maintenance and too much work to look after. Going solo is okay, it is a preferable option even. We should normalize the act of going without a date to prom, in doing so, we will change our society’s rose-colored lens on the prom date stereotype.