Promless and Powerful

This is just sad! At least I never had to worry
 I'd be voted the "Fat Hoochie Prom Queen."

Whenever someone finds out that I never went to prom, they always have this look of amazement and pity on their face. I receive their pitiful expression as an implication that I'm an incomplete person for not attending prom, or that I missed out on one of life's pleasures rarely achieved. I laugh inside. I know my promlessness has made me powerful, and a better person. I believe that I have benefited greatly from my lack of "experience" in the realm of high school standards. Movies seem to glorify this shallow and over dramatized event by leading the viewers to believe that a special young lady will be the belle of the ball and that all of her dreams will come true. Well, every young lady cannot be Cinderella. The mass media has falsified true individuality, in turn, creating a  rebellious generation. It's the great struggle in discovering  one's uniqueness, consequently followed by self preservation. Either the search for individuality takes over one's life, or we take complete control, therefore becoming the "Control Freak." Either way, we lose. I don't think I missed out on much that would have added to my value or confidence as a woman, or a person for that matter. I didn't have to worry about not being asked to go, or seeing the guy I like go with my ex-bff, who knew I liked him and went with the dude anyways. Or the awkward slow dance conundrum. Where do I put my hands? I don't want to be promiscuous or a prude. Is my hair staying? It should be, cause I dumped about 2 cans of hairspray on it. Speaking of cans, is he really trying to look down my dress right now? If I slap him, I'll have to leave early, and how will I get home? How could I walk through the halls of school ever again? I'll be notoriously known as the prude who slapped and ditched her prom date. I love how people think that there's no hope for those who never attended prom, hated prom, or made a fool of themselves at prom. And now-a-days, a girl has to wonder or await the decision to lose her virginity at prom to some immature 16 year old who doesn't have a clue what he's doing. Also the type of music and dancing that's acceptable at prom now, absolutely disgusting! It looks more like dogs humping. I don't think that's where a dad wants his teenage daughter running off too with her ridiculously flirtatious and boy-crazy girlfriends. I didn't worry about giving into the peer pressures or the nagging and false assurance of who society told me to be. Instead, I picked up a great classic novel and lived vicariously through my favorite young heroines. I believe that my family gave me the proper tools to create for myself a truly unique identity, therefore instilling in me a satisfying safeness in who I am. Prom, who needs you?