As a little girl, playing dress up with my friends and sisters had to be my favorite pastime and becoming a Disney princess was my life goal (obviously). We would tiara-it-up, don excessive jewelry from my mother’s closet and dream the day away.
Once I got a little older, however, I began to realize that dressing like a princess everyday wasn’t the easiest, cheapest, most socially acceptable or practical way to live.
This is why events like prom become such a big deal to teenage girls. We spend incredibly too much money for one night, become overly emotionally invested, and maybe even a little crazy, in the days leading up to our big night.
The question us girls with big dreams of winning prom queen and having the best dress forget, or just neglect, to ask ourselves is, is it worth it? Is the experience of prom worth the expenses, the hassle and all of the stress it puts on our fragile, hormonal hearts full of expectation?
In my case, was an $85 ticket, $400 dress, $60 shoes, two nights at a hotel and incidentals worth the experience I got out of it?
My answer, yeah, it was.
Did I spend a little too much money for one night? Obviously.
If I could do it over would I spend less? Absolutely not!
Girls have two opportunities to fulfill that suppressed childhood dream of looking and acting like a princess: prom and their wedding day. Both events can cause a girl to cry pointlessly due to excessive stress, which I may or may not be guilty of, but also have the time of her life – their inner-princess appeased for a brief moment of time.
Prom for me was worth every cent of debt I am now in with my parents, every mental breakdown and how broke I am going to be until the next direct deposit from Old Navy rolls around.
There was a deadening feeling my normally fiscally-responsible self experienced when Monday rolled around, and the Wells Fargo app flashed the $1.27 I had left. Good-bye, all my money.
Saying this, there is still not one thing I would change about my prom experience and I would do it all again if given the opportunity.
Prom was worth it to me, but I want to know how it was for you! Comment below with your prom experience and whether or not it was worth it for you.
