By Sara Meurer

Sophomores, admit it: you’re feeling just a little anxious or worried about your first high school dance.  Unless you were invited to another high school’s homecoming last year, you don’t know what to expect.  Chances are, you will be nervous.  However, chances are, you will probably have a great time.  There’s definitely no need to freak out yet; the dance is still 25 days away.  You don’t need to figure out all the small details just yet.  However, there are some things you may want to start thinking about:

1. Your date.  Unless you have a boyfriend, you may not be sure who you want to invite.  My advice would be to ask someone you know you’ll have fun with.  This could mean someone you went to grade school with, or just someone you’ve known for a while.  Start thinking about who you want to invite before you worry about anything else because there is always the possibility that someone else asks him before you do.
2. Your dress.  Finding the perfect dress can be a long and difficult process, so it is best to start early.  By shopping online, you get the widest variety in color, style and size, and are less likely to pick the same dress as someone else.  However, shopping in stores will give you a better feel for what will look good on you.  My advice is to go to a department store and try on a variety of different colors and styles to determine what will work best for your body type and complexion.  Then search online for those types of dresses so that you’ll know what to expect when it arrives in the mail.  Some affordable websites I would recommend are www.asos.com and www.renttherunway.com.
3. Your group.  Next, I would start thinking about who you plan on going with.  You don’t need to have 20 people in your group, but it’s important that you go with people you know you’ll have a good time with.  You don’t need to coordinate your group by who your date is friends with either.  It’s okay if your date doesn’t know anyone in your group; do the best you can to introduce him to everyone.  By the end of dinner, he may have a few new friends.

It’s okay to worry about your dress and your date, but don’t stress yourself out.  Teresian is an STA tradition that is meant to be fun, not stressful.  Don’t over think the details, or else you’ll end up spending your night worrying instead of having fun.  Take my advice: you’ll have an even better time if you take a deep breath and calm your nerves.