Heavy breathing, intense planning and glitter on top. Homecoming proposals: the perfect tradition to add to the “all American high school experience.” but is it really all it’s hyped up to be? Homecoming proposals are anxiety inducing, time consuming and never go smoothly.
Sure, a big homecoming proposal is a fun way to make the homecoming dance a bigger and more attended-to event. It forces people to be more involved and is just in general a sweet gesture. Yet, they have become more than just a gesture, rather, a genuine phobia.
The beginning of the school year is arguably one of the busiest times for a student as you’re adapting to your schedule, attending school events and keeping up your grades. For many, taking time to figure out when to propose and planning it is a burden, as the expectations continually build. Many people desire more than just a sign, for example, some people dress up as characters, put together gift baskets and even choreograph dances. It makes you question if they are going to a high school dance or getting married. So much stress is formed by asking someone to go to a school gym, and maybe, if you’re lucky, they might slow dance with you. Homecoming proposals are not worth laying unnecessary stress ontop of everything else.
Another big factor of homecoming proposals is the surprise. The majority of proposals never actually end as a surprise due to word of mouth or even just your own gut feeling. This leads to the whole situation becoming much more awkward, you are bound to embarrass yourself. Knowing you are about to be asked builds up anticipation and anxiety, therefore making everything much more tense. There is no point in making a big deal out of asking someone to homecoming if they already know, it makes the action less special.
Let’s face it, homecoming proposals are excruciating and embarassing. The loud silence and fake giggles make the moment something you hope to forget. At this point, I have built a fear of being asked. The pressure of being perfect in the photo, knowing what to do in the moment and doing everything in your power to keep it from getting awkward is the worst part of it all. The shaky hug and reading the sign in silence creates an uneasy and uncomfortable feeling that could make anyone want to skip being asked to homecoming.
Nothing compares to the anxiety of knowing you’re about to be asked and patiently waiting on your kitchen floor, so anxious you feel nauseous, sitting in a pile of suspense. The pressure is high and at the end of the day it simply will never be comparable to the hype it gets. Homecoming proposals are cringey and a hassle.
