Ever heard someone say, “I’m not going to the dance. Don’t you need a date to go?” Due to the media constantly influencing our lives, everyone expects that they need a date to attend a dance. Why is it that going stag seems so embarrassing or unthinkable? One reason that comes to mind is the fact that in almost every movie or TV show with a high school dance, the main character rarely attends without a date. When they do attend, it’s almost always with a date, and they have a whole romantic scene where they find out they’re soulmates and live happily ever after. Though it’s a nice fantasy to have, it does not often happen. Not having a date does not mean that one can’t go to a dance, and it should never be an excuse not to go.

Not going with a date doesn’t necessarily mean one must go alone. One of the most common things to do is to go with friends. Going with friends can actually be just as fun as going with a date. Getting dinner, taking pictures, and dancing altogether makes the dance a way to bond with your closest friends and make unforgettable memories. Melody Saba(10) commented, “You should be able to go with friends. You can still have fun without a date.”

In addition, unless it’s Sadie’s, it is typical for guys to ask girls to the dances. Unless they are dating, the guy is under a ton of pressure to ask a girl out. Sometimes, he goes way over the top to impress her yet still risks being rejected. Nothing is worse than spending hours planning the perfect ask and to be rejected. Something else that often happens is that the person agrees to go to the dance. By the time the dance comes, both people still have barely talked and end up spending the rest of the evening wanting to dance with someone else; yet both either are too embarrassed or too polite to leave the other alone. Instead, going to the dance with friends or alone and asking her/him to dance can relieve the pressure, and it allows one to enjoy the evening dancing without being tied to someone the whole evening.

Going to a dance stag or with friends also allows students to dress however he or she likes. If going to Morp or another informal dance, friends can coordinate their outfits to dress up in hilarious costumes. For prom or Homecoming, there’s no added stress to coordinate outfits with a date, so choices aren’t as limited.

It’s always better than staying at home. In 50 years or so, no one will care who went out with who or who had a date to what dance. However, it’s guaranteed that almost everyone will look back upon high school and remember, not the nights spent at home alone doing homework, but the days and events that stood out amongst those. Dances are those nights where people can just let loose and pamper themselves and not worry about outside pressures. If dancing isn’t your thing, do something else, like spend time with family or go out with friends to a movie. Don’t spend all weekend working and find something you enjoy. Those are the days that you’ll look back on.