Now that second semester is in full swing, we’re entering the “month of love” and Central’s Winter Formal dance is coming up quickly. As a senior who’s been to more than a few dances, it seems impossible to completely escape the stress and anxiety these events can bring. Here are some things I have learned that has helped me make the most out of the experience:

1. Drastically lowering your standards

Even though Winter has traditionally been aimed more toward couples in the past, don’t be afraid to go with friends. Every year everyone is always scrambling for dates when it’s not necessary and in fact, there can even be disadvantages to going with a date. For example, if you do get asked, you might not get asked by someone you like— or worse, you might get asked by someone you don’t even know. I’m only being partially serious as you’ll (most) likely know them.

Wisdom that I wish I knew in the past is that having a date or not having a date doesn’t reflect your value as a person. If you don’t think anyone will ask you, ask them instead.
If you get asked by someone you don’t particularly know, to avoid making an awkward situation worse, try to be a somewhat pleasant date and enjoy the night regardless.

2. Take the reigns with planning

If you plan on eating at a restaurant beforehand, they will all be booked, and instead of having a nice dinner you will probably end up eating at Taco Bell. That said, Winter is expensive enough so don’t feel pressured to eat at a super fancy restaurant.

3. Comfort is essential

Don’t bother spending a lot of money on shoes because nearly every girl usually takes them off right when they enter the gym. If you’ve never worn high heels before, the night of the dance is not the time for a test run. Stick to cute flats instead.
If you’re doing your makeup, test it out the day or two before so you don’t spend the last hours before the dance getting ready only to realize you look like you’re wearing face paint. Also, I would advise against dying or cutting your hair right before the dance. You could end up hating it and have no time to change it.
I would also recommend that boys should wear a nice suit and even as silly as it might seem, color coordination is completely worth it.

4. Don’t forget the flowers

If you’re going with a date make sure you bring a boutonnière or a corsage. Also, order them in advance because stores only have a limited supply and run out quickly (happened to me). Also, try not to stab your date when pinning it on (also happened to me).

When you look back at your pictures from the dance, you don’t want to witness a color coordination crisis. As much as you may love the color lime green, if your date is wearing fuchsia they wouldn’t appreciate being decorated with a lime green flower.

5. Don’t be afraid to be late or leave early.
Dances last at least a few hours so don’t feel obliged to stay for every minute. Though, when you go you should actually dance and try to enjoy yourself. No matter the dance you go to, it will only be as fun as you allow it to be.