Prom Music

My first high school prom was over 30 years ago, but have proms really changed all that much in these last thirty years? Having a teenage daughter that is about to attend her very first prom, from what I've seen so far, absolutely nothing has changed.

Prom Night is still all about dressing up, getting together with friends, dancing, and having a memorable evening. For girls, it's about finding the perfect dress and shoes and having the cute hair-do to match. For guys, it's about finding a tuxedo that actually fits, buying the girl a corsage that your mama will have to pay for, and somehow making it all match the girl's outfit. I feel for you guys if she picks some off-the-wall color like lime green.

Some of my daughter's friends have gone to a few proms already and report that they found them to a bit boring and over-rated. I did point out to my daughter that these girls were attending proms where they knew virtually no one except their date. Of course, it's going to be a bit boring if you have no one to talk to all night and have to rely on a guy in an uncomfortable tux to entertain you!

When it's all said and done, and the corsage is pressed in book on the shelf, the dress is bagged and hanging in the back of closet, and the boy has moved on to his next girlfriend, what you'll be left with are the memories. Those memories will be resurrected years from now when you hear the songs played at your prom. Prom music is one of the triggers that years from now will make you smile and take you back to your youth. I promise prom night will be a night you'll relive many times over.

Music is a powerful trigger for memory recollection. As you get older you appreciate this more and more. You can test this. I don't care how old you are, just open up YouTube and type in any obscure song from your past and as you listen to it, close your eyes. Within seconds, you'll begin to recall things long forgotten about. You'll be able to recall not only the sights and sounds from your past, but also the feelings. The feelings can be bittersweet if the events around the song were not pleasant. In the case of your prom, you'll suddenly smell the corsage, assuming he sprung for a live one, and recall every swish of your dress as you danced. Music can make magic.

My advice to all teenagers is that no matter what, attend your high school junior-senior proms. It doesn't even matter if you have a date, go to your prom! In fact, you'll probably have more fun if you don't have a date!

Enjoy dressing up, enjoy your friends, and especially enjoy the music! One day the music will remind you of the fun you had.