Many people think school dances are overrated. They have to find what they’re going to wear, what group they’re in, where that group is going to dinner, and most importantly, who they have to spend the whole night with. People see this as a hassle and the dance is the cherry on top of a terrible night. In my opinion, they don’t have the right mindset for a dance. School dances are fun for so many reasons.

First, you have the opportunity to dress up as much or as little as you want. If you don’t want to dress up extravagantly, you don’t have to; you can just want to throw on some mascara and be on your merry way. Be comfortable so you can get down at the dance. After all, it’s called a dance for a reason.

Homecoming dates can be overrated. More than half of the time you’re not going to go with someone you’re dating, which can make things awkward. I once went to a different school’s homecoming with someone I had been friends with for years. We both were looking forward to it, that is, until we got to the dance. He introduced me to a handful of his friends (some of which I had known from past encounters that weren’t necessarily great) and I exchanged a couple of awkward waves. We decided to try dancing until I realized that almost everyone around us was dancing a little provocatively, something that 14-year-old Lauren was NOT ready to see or do, especially with my friend. We sat outside of the school until his sister could pick us up. This was not the best experience, and it proves that dates can make the whole night more awkward.

When you’re not trying to avoid dancing with your date in a provocative manner, you can have fun and get down. As soon as Ignition comes on you know people are ready to dance, so dance with them. Let yourself go at school dances, and don’t be worried about what people think. If you’re always worried, you’ll never dance, dancing is the reason you’re there. Don’t be afraid to scream the words to 24K Magic. Please don’t act like you’re too cool to dance, no one is.

All in all, do not be afraid of school dances’, they’re only lame if you make them lame. If you don’t want to wear a $300 dress, it’s okay.
If you turn into a complete animal on the dance floor, that’s okay too. It doesn’t matter if you want to wear just mascara or throw on some blue lipstick, just do whatever makes you feel comfortable. Most importantly have fun. School dances are not supposed to be the best nights of your life, so don’t act like they have to be. No school dance is perfect, but with the right perspective, you can still get down.