Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Oh, Those High School Dances Blog Hop

I have to start out with an apology!  I couldn't find my prom pictures.  I read the rules over again, and I don't have a funny dance story.  So, I probably shouldn't even be participating today, but I absolutely hate it when I blog hop, and the person who signed up doesn't follow through, so I'm going to just tell you my pathetic high school prom stories with words.

Please don't think I'm a big loser.

We're time travelling back to 1988.  A Junior at Chadron High School, I was so excited to get to finally go to prom.  Some of my classmates attended prom from the time they were a Freshman, but I didn't have the social skills to actually encourage anyone to pay attention to me.  I was like a mash up of Ally Sheedy in the Breakfast Club, and Mary Stuart Masterson in Some Kind of Wonderful, except I didn't play the drums as good as she did.

I needed a date.  No one in my school asked me out. Ever. Okay, that isn't exactly the truth.  I think I had two dates the whole four years of high school, though.  I decided to ask a guy I met at a church retreat.  Words can't describe how enamored I was with the guy.  I couldn't believe it when he said yes! Heaven!

The week before prom, he calls.  "I'm so sorry, but I can't take you to your prom.  I'm grounded."  Didn't tell me what for, just that he wasn't coming.  (His sister and I became friends later and she told me he had stolen a car off their parent's car lot.) I ate an entire half-gallon of cherry nut ice cream that night. Ice cream will soothe a broken heart.  Don't let anyone tell you it can't.

I still went to prom.  It wasn't so fun.  In fact, I can't honestly remember the dance at all.

Next year - Senior prom, 1989.  Did not plan on going, especially without a date.  My aunt pulls this college guy out of who knows where, who actually will go to a prom with a blind date.  What was I thinking.

Got a dress, and being the optimist I always have been, got excited for the evening.  I wish I could have found the pictures from this prom because the humor portion of this post could be from the dress.  Poufy white with black polka dot sleeves should never be allowed on anything, but especially a prom dress.  The pouf on these sleeves was astounding.

I go pick up the guy from the college (he was staying with a friend on campus).  We go to the dance.  He is too emotional too dance.  Yes, he actually told me he was thinking about his ex-girlfriend and just didn't feel like he wanted to dance.  I think we danced to three songs the whole night.

I dumped his you-know-what once the dance was over, and went to the skating party alone.  My friends were there, though, and it was more like a group activity, so it was all good.

There it is.  My teenage failure forever captured on the internet!  I'm happy to say that life improved significantly once I graduated.  I haven't looked back.

Today there is a new post at the Life List Club blog by the fabulous Sonia G. Medeiros.  If you're feeling the need for a little inspiration, click here.  Also, tomorrow you can read all about why I think my Mom is the best mom ever when I guest post at Karen S. Elliott's blog for her Mother's Day series. I hope to see you there!



48 comments:

  1. This is truly high school prom pain in a nutshell. I am not at all tempted to participate in this bloghop, but I'm happy you shared--your story makes me smile.

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    1. It kind of sums up my highschool experience. But, it all taught me a lot about perseverance, not giving up, dealing with all kinds of people (nice or not). And there were still lots of fun times, too. I'm glad you got the part to smile at!

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  2. Attendance to prom was mandatory at my high school for all four years. Luckily, this menat that most students did not have dates so there was no pressure to bring one. I don't have any embarrassing stories despite attending for four years. I wish I could think of one to contribute!

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    1. That is the way to have a prom. Well, unless you hate that kind of thing, I suppose! Did you get a new dress each year?

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  3. Poofy white and black polka-dot sleeves -- sounds awesome! Wish I could have seen pics of that!

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  4. That's too bad. Still, it's a better prom story than I have.

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    1. I am so, so sorry, Randy. Prom is supposed to be this fabulous thing, and maybe it is for some people, but certainly not for others. I did like getting to dress up...

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  5. Your dates needed a kick in the rear . . .but you know, you aren't the only one who went to prom alone. Your story has a similar theme to many of the stories here - good friends.

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    1. Friends really do make the difference. I'll go read other people's stories after work. It's nice to know I'm not alone :)

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  6. Oh I would have paid to see that dress!
    Sometimes dances aren't quite what people make them out to be. But good for you for going rollerskating anyways :)

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    1. I didn't mention the hair. Definitely poofy, too.

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  7. Yikes! I think you should write these into a book though. A lot of high schoolers can relate to the prom date fallout and the guy crying all night. Then party at the skate rink with your peeps. :)

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    1. It was a good time at the roller skating rink. I don't think you can be in high school without some sort of social trauma occurring. Cest la vie!

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  8. Poufy sleeves and your date crying over his ex? Sounds like prom to me! :)

    Thanks for participating!

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  9. My sisters of great 80's pics with poofy sleeves!!

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    1. It's crazy to me that it's been 20+ years. What seemed so beautiful back then sure looks stupid now!

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  10. Oh Lara! Thanks so much for sharing honey. I do really wish I could see that pic :)

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    1. I have no idea where they went. I must have subconsciously hid it from myself!

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  11. What lame guys! You deserve better. I won't mock you for not having a picture, just tell me it was a great crazy dress :)

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    1. It was a crazy dress, with crazy permed hair. Thanks for not mocking!

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  12. That's sad. Stupid guys. There should totally be Prom make ups for adults.

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    1. Yeah! We could bring our spouses, so it would actually be fun!

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  13. Ahhh. Whiney guy sucks--suck it up, buddy. :)

    I asked a guy to prom my sr. year because otherwise I probably wouldn't have gone. We never dated after that, but I'm glad I asked him.

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    1. My thoughts exactly. That's why I dumped him as quickly as I could after the dance! I'm glad you had fun with your date!

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  14. So much hype for these dances, isn't there? We all want to go so bad and most of the time are left with some so-so memory or a dumping story. I guess high school just isn't complete without one :)

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  15. Oh man! We need to have a dance just to remedy you dance memories. I totally want to see a picture of that dress though! Oh-yeah! Ha! I love looking back at the things I wore. Some of it is so horrifying!

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    1. I guess I could have posted a senior picture - at least you'd see the 80's hair! It is horrifying!

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  16. Who grounds a guy from prom? That's just mean! You know you are leaving the girl in a pinch.

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    1. That is why I still suspect he just wanted out, and his sister was just being kind. :(

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  17. Yeah, I had a crappy high school experience in terms of dating, too, but it was probably my own fault for being way too shy :)

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    1. I'm still clueless. Now, though, it doesn't matter much. I've made my peace with my introverted side!

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  18. Hey Lara,

    I would have invited you to join me and the other "detainees" at my version of the Breakfast Club anyday :)

    I would have done prom in '88, too... only in Ireland we didn't have The Prom... we had The Pub :)

    (Still do, actually, it's a place for all ages... er, I mean all legally-drinking ages :)

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    1. Aww, that's so sweet. And I think I would have liked the Pub better than the Prom!

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  19. Oh Lara. I didn't date much in high school. I didn't share my senior prom pix, because that was the odd boyfriend. I always say you have to date one really weird guy to appreciate the really good ones.

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    1. The odd boyfriend. I think I had one of those. I didn't have many boyfriends, though. I always knew within three dates if I could stand to be around them, and most of the ones that actually asked me out didn't make it past two... That sounds terrible, doesn't it?

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  20. I had a big fat zero number of dates in high school. Proms? Hah. I was the weird girl everyone poked fun at. No friends, no boyfriends. A loner. Which I think is why I am a fool for writing. I grew up pursuing hobbies by myself and read a lot. So don't feel alone!

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  21. Proms...all my memories are quite good. Mom made all my dresses. One of them was on the poofy side, but they were all beautiful. My mom was a marvelous seamstress. Thanks for the moms' week plug! :)

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    1. I'm so glad you had happy memories. I have some of other dances. It was just prom that was kind of lame.

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  22. Proms and dances are overrated. Yes, I truly believe that! Even my daughter who just graduated last year says the same thing. "Mom, we wasted soooo much money!"

    Oh, and I'm sure your 80's hair was no worse than my mop!

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    1. Smart daughter! I have boys, so I don't know what it'll be like when they are old enough for Prom. At least girls get to keep the dress!

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  23. Sounds like Prom! I never went to mine, but I did go to college formals. Oh the drama! Most of which took place in the bathroom. :)

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    1. Ah, yes, the bathroom. The meeting and fighting place of women (or women wanna-bes)!

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  24. Hi Lara! I didn't go to the prom. My friends and I held a "prom reject party" and got toasted while plotting how we would crash the prom. I think we all just stayed comfortably in my friend's rec room, though, getting toasted.

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  25. If it makes you feel an better, I went on ZERO dates in high school. :) And it cracks me up that the guy you met at a church retreat stole a car. That's life for you. :) High school is horribly difficult in so many weird ways! :)

    (Sorry I'm so late getting around this blog hop!)

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