I just don’t get it… Why is that important, especially for kids now, that feel like they need to do a YouTube video asking for a date or doing some meme stuff. Some teens even hire the hottest celebrity or ask them to appear in their prom? This is so bizarre for me, all that just for a frivolous night.

In my country prom was a thing but nowhere near as theatrical, I didn’t went to either my prom trip or the party. Also skipped half of my middle school trips.

  • CYB3ROP
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    12 days ago

    Is just weird for me, in my country nobody ask anyone dates is was just a party. And even like that I didn’t went… Always had the impression that USA gives this idea that you must get a date to go

    • @cm0002@lemmy.world
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      712 days ago

      you must get a date to go

      You really don’t, it’s where the phrase “going stag” (To go without a date, or with a group of friends rather than a date) is commonly used.

      Also, HS is important for developing social skills and prom is usually for seniors. The end of the last stage of childhood and an opportunity to flex those skills out as graduation is usually within a couple weeks after prom at which point you’re ejected into the adult world.

      It’s just a fun event for teens to be teens before they go fully into the workforce or college

      • @Today@lemmy.world
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        312 days ago

        Yeah, with my kids and their friends, it was mostly one or two couples and then their girl and guy friends all went together as a group without dates.

    • @kevincox@lemmy.ml
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      712 days ago

      FWIW I think it is actually a valuable social skill to be encouraged to ask someone out to prom. A lot of people don’t have many similar experiences throughout their lives.

      • CYB3ROP
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        712 days ago

        I’ve never been with anyone in my life. I highly doubt it has to do with not going to a dumb party though.

          • CYB3ROP
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            512 days ago

            I don’t put anyone down just because I think a party is lame dude. They can do whatever they want, I can’t stop them.

            • @protist@mander.xyz
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              1112 days ago

              When you call an event where kids get together to celebrate the end of high school “frivolous” and “dumb,” it really comes across as putting other people down.

        • @kevincox@lemmy.ml
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          512 days ago

          I don’t really mean literally to practice asking people out. But there are times in your life where you need to ask people for things. It is hard to get over the anxiety, risk of social embarrassment and practice showing confidence (even if you are not). These are valuable skills in all sort of social circumstances.

          • @lolcatnip@reddthat.com
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            112 days ago

            I asked sometime to the prom and got turned down. All I learned was that rejection hurts a lot more than I would have thought.

            • CYB3ROP
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              112 days ago

              Yeah, being rejected can destroy someone’s confidence

    • Wugmeister
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      512 days ago

      The rituals started in the 1950s. At that time, in order to go on a date with someone, your parents had to chaperone you. It was the wisdom at the time. Prom and homecoming were the only exceptions, so it became a really big thing. Then those people grew up, impressed upon the next generation how homecoming and prom were the best times in high school, started making nostalgia movies about homecoming and prom. That created pressure to live up to this, girls started getting overly fancy dresses, guys started doing elaborate prom-posals, the wedding dress industry jumped in to fill the gap, and now it’s a whole capitalism-fest like Christmas and Valentine’s Day