Christie Kilaghbian

Two friends taking pictures before Homecoming 2022.

While the weather cools down and the school load is still light, high school students across the country are hyped for their first formal school dance. For others it might be their first homecoming, for others it might be their last. But what makes this dance so special? While some look forward to dressing up and dancing to loud music, some might say that getting asked out is the best part. 

With the announcement of our homecoming theme “Out of This World” not too long ago, everyone is panicking to find a date to the dance. While it may be cute at the moment, some of these dates are not genuine and are incredibly forced. The idea of looking like a couple and “flexing” a date is the only concept that holds some people together. While these dance proposals might be the start for numerous relationships, some of these may be the end. The constant pressure and fighting over creating the “perfect” proposal might drive two people away from each other. One may want a huge, showy proposal while the other person might want to subtly match outfits instead. 

The stress of finding someone to ask you, wondering if they will make you a thoughtful poster, matching each other’s outfits, asking your parents to allow you to have a date, it’s all a fiasco. In the end, most couples spend the majority of their time with their friends at the actual dance anyways. So what’s the point of getting a date? Is it peer pressure? I believe that there is a stigma that in order to be able to go to a dance, you must have a date. There is a huge societal standard that dances are made for couples and couples only. In reality, the poster making and the color matching are all for show. But how come there is so much pressure around having a date? Our societal norms have created an environment that pushes the stigma that if you do not have a date, then you are not “cool” or “loved” enough. However, in reality less than 2% of high school relationships last until marriage. Why the big deal over three hours of your life? The point of homecoming is to dance and have fun, not to stress about getting a date. 

Senior Janvi Kheni (12) states, “I think going solo to hoco is the best way to go because you have less to worry about and you get to enjoy your time with your friends.” The benefits of going without a date is that you get to appreciate the time with your friends, not worry about getting an outfit that satisfies your partner, and being your true authentic self throughout the entire night. Some individuals tend to alter their personality to satisfy and impress someone they want to go out with. In the end, the point of school dances is to have fun and enjoy these high school moments while they last, not to stress about a date.