Is prom night the most important evening of the year for a high school student? Or is the high school prom an unnecessary event that ought to be abolished? Or is the truth somewhere between the two?

There are a variety of attitudes toward high school proms. Many high school students devote a lot of time, money, and effort toward making prom night a special once in a lifetime event. Some rent limousines and tuxedos, buy special dresses , rent hotel rooms for after the prom, etc.

On the other hand, many students consider proms unimportant or even unnecessary — and do not even attend their high school prom. Personally, I did not attend my high school's prom during my high school years in the 1970s and don't regret my decision – but I realize others were happy with their decision to attend.

Let's first consider good reasons to consider skipping the prom, then look at ways teenagers who attend the prom can enjoy a fun, memorable experience with a reduced risk of major negative results many proms are notorious for.

Good Reasons Many (Including Me) Chose to Skip the Prom

My closest friends and I were more focused on preparing for college and our other activities than the prom. For persons who are busy preparing for college, working a job, active with hobbies, prom dresses for girls or focused on enjoyable endeavors of some other type, the prom may not be very significant. Even some teenagers who considered their high school prom the most important event in their life at the time, valued it much less in hindsight – possibly even regretting what they did that night.

Students who consider high school a preparation for the beginning of adulthood may value getting ready for upcoming opportunities after high school graduation the most important thing during their secondary school years. The prom can be much less significant in this regard than the “in crowd” at a high school says. Believe me, there is life besides the prom!

It can be better to enjoy other fun activities in a way that requires less preparation time and money, as well as fewer risks, than a prom involves for a lot of teenagers. Why risk one's life and future on one event that consists of a few hours in one day of one's life dresses for wedding guests dresses for wedding guests?

I enjoyed my high school years without attending a prom — I do not regret choosing to skip high school proms. After high school I entered college and found a wide variety of activities available there. College offered loads of opportunities to attend seminars, lectures, discussions mother of the groom dresses for fall , and a wide variety of sporting events, foods, volunteer opportunities, etc., in addition to classes. I didn't mind that there was no college prom!

Even for high school graduates who forgo college, there are community clubs, careers, religious activities, etc. short cocktail dresses on sale short cocktail dresses on sale cheap prom dress uk , that can provide experiences that are more educational and rewarding in various ways — and less pretentious — than much of what a prom consists of.

Though I skipped the high school prom for secular reasons, many conservative religious groups oppose proms for reasons related to their faith. zoodress.com1 is one of the websites that expresses some reasons a conservative Christian might do well to pass up the prom. One of the websites expressing a conservative Muslim perspective on proms is zoodress.com.2

But the two websites I cited above are not intended to be representative of all Christians or all Muslims. Many (perhaps most) Christians and Muslims are far less conservative. And there are a variety of other religious faiths with various beliefs.

By the way, if you choose to skip the prom, many other choices are available. Check your area to see if either a religious organization or a trustworthy secular group offers some fun alternative event(s) on prom night. If not, perhaps you or some responsible teens (and parents) can plan something.

Laughing, talking, and enjoying the company of friends in a relaxed, fun, secure atmosphere can happen better in events besides a prom in a lot of cases. Isn't that what many really want and need?

Getting together with friends in a safe, well-supervised place for board and card games, wedding party store wedding party store bowling, volleyball, a buffet meal at a restaurant, or a huge variety of other activities can often be as much fun as the prom. Since these alternatives are typically much cheaper than the prom they offer a further advantage by allowing teenagers to save money for college or some other future activity, while having a lot of fun in a safe place.

In the above paragraphs I've mentioned some reasons to skip the prom that apply for many students. But for lots of others the prom is a very special “once in a lifetime” event.

If You Go: Enjoy a Very Special Prom Safely (and Keep the Prom in Perspective)

I realize prom night is a very special experience for a lot of teenagers. Even many years after graduating from high school a lot of people still enjoy talking about the fun they had at the prom and sharing pictures that preserved a record of the event. A lot of individuals look back upon a high school prom as a highlight (or even the most memorable event) of their lives. For many of them, those prom tickets, the special dress or tuxedo, limo, and hours spent decorating and making other arrangements seems well worth it. Other prom attendees enjoyed a great night without the limo or expensive clothing — different approaches for different people.

One key to increase the likelihood of a positive prom experience is to take precautions that reduce the risks. What can go wrong? Perhaps the biggest tragedy of prom night involves the reckless behavior so many high school students engage in. A drunk driving accident, an illegal drug slipped into a soft drink, or a casual sexual encounter on prom night can end a life in a second — or negatively impact it forever through an unplanned pregnancy and a sexually transmitted disease.

You may have read some of the numerous news reports about tragedies that have occurred on prom nights. These cause parents numerous worries. Teens need to be concerned also – as many are. Students, take steps to reduce the chance of something tragic happening to you. Yes, you! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention3 and zoodress.com4 are just two of the many sources that offer specific safety tips to help parents and teens enjoy a trouble-free prom night.

I encourage those who doubt the risks of premarital sex or drinking alcoholic beverages (or who desire more information on them) to read my article on why sexual abstinence until marriage is best on Associated Content5 and my article discussing the risks of consuming alcoholic beverages, which is also on Associated Content.6

Please keep in mind also, that even if you attend the prom, you may desire to attend a structured, chaperoned event later in the evening after the prom is over to avoid the large number of problems that often occur in informal social events after the prom. If such an event is not planned for your high school, consider initiating plans for one.

If you choose to attend your high school's prom, I hope you enjoy a fabulous time that you remember fondly afterward. Enjoy fun with others without endangering your life through casual sex strapless cocktail dress by scala8 , alcohol abuse, or other risky behaviors. Loads of fun can be enjoyed without taking major risks!

Yes, you may treasure your prom memories for a lifetime. But don't forget to live in the present and prepare for the future, instead of dwelling excessively upon a long past prom.

Please remember, no matter how the prom goes, it is only one day in one's life. There are lots of wonderful future opportunities afterward. Your future can contain even better and more memorable events, especially if you don't suffer due to risky behavior on prom night!

Enjoy going — or not going — to your high school's prom!

Note: This article was last modified on March 20, 2011.

Sources: grecian style wedding dresses grecian style wedding dresses

1 “Should Christian Teens Attend High School Proms? Christian Teens and High School Proms A Biblical Perspective” zoodress.com (Website accessed March 9, 2011)

2 Siddiqui, Samana “The Prom: Not Just One Night of Haram”; zoodress.com; (Website accessed March 9, 2011.)

3 “Prom Health and Safety Tips”; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Last modified October 20, 2009) (Website accessed March 9, 2011)

4 Kendrick, Carleton; “Prom Safety” zoodress.com (Website accessed March 9, 2011.)

5 Gibson, James; “Sexual Abstinence Until Marriage is Best”; January 26, 2010, (Last revised on March 14, 2011); Associated Content by Yahoo!. (Website accessed March 20, 2011.)

6 Gibson, James; “Drinking Alcoholic Beverages: Risks Typically Outweigh Benefits”; September 26, 2010, (Last revised on March 10, 2011); Associated Content by Yahoo!. (Website accessed March 20, 2011.)

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