Will you go to Winterball with me?

On a Monday, just like all others, I listened to the announcements and slowly tuned in and out, cutting out things I don’t care to hear about. Before the speaker ends his line, the speaker added, “Now before we end we have some exciting news about this year’s Winterball! Get ready for ‘A Night Under the Stars’ at the Chabot Space and Science Center!” It was the first announcement about CVHS Winterball.

Every year, as the date for the famous formal approaches, girls get excited and plan what they’re going to wear, what group of friends they’re going with, and of course which guy they’re going to say yes to. From the day the announcement first happens to the day of the actual event, students are prepared for how others are going to ask each other to Winterball. It’s always a cute scene when someone asks another at lunch in the most creative way to the formal, resulting in a harmonized “awwww” from the spectators.  For those watching the scene, it’s a typical high school full of nervousness for the one asking and hope for the answer to be yes. I always find myself between those watching and smile at how cute it all is.

As I went on about my day on Monday, I kept hearing girls around me talking about Winterball. They talked about the dresses they would wear and who they would like to get asked by. I smiled at their excitement and began to realize that most high schoolers hope to be asked and want to feel special by being asked to Winterball.

In high school, there is an added pressure to have a date at these dances and feel the “specialness” from getting asked to Winterball.  Many people see other couples asking each other and getting flowers or posters and wish that, even for a second, they could feel what the person getting asked is feeling. In high school and from the movies, we want to feel the romance and feel like going to a formal dance with a partner is “the thing to do.”

A couple days after the announcement, I saw a boy in my class ask a girl to Winterball with a poster and flowers. One of my friends turned to me and said, “That’s so cute! I wish someone would ask me that way to the dance!” I looked at her and smiled because from her voice and words, I heard what most high schoolers were feeling as others get asked to the dance. I looked at my friend and said, “It’s not about how you get asked or who you get asked by, it’s about going to the dance and having fun! You don’t need a someone else to make you feel like you’re special by asking you to a dance.”

There is nothing wrong with going to Winterball with your friends and not having an official date. What’s important is having fun that night and enjoying the night with people you care about. While being asked romantic, not everything in high school is about romance. We’re in high school once and should live in the moment by doing things our own way and not expecting others to make us feel fulfilled because we can do that ourselves by learning to accept ourselves.

To all those stressing about getting asked, have confidence in yourself to go no matter what. Have fun because it’s not about getting asked to a formal, it’s about attending and making it the best night ever.