Homecoming is approaching soon and the hottest topic is whether or not you should have a date. Some Air Academy kids would rather skip the stress of having a date and just go with a group of friends. 

There are many pros to going to the dance alone. The stress of having to find a date is taken off your shoulders and it makes it easier to just go with a huge group of friends. Kylie Nash said, “Eating pizza and going to Sonic before the dance with friends is sometimes a better option than going with a date.”  Making plans to go to a less fancy place with a bunch of your good friends can make homecoming a lot more fun than going to a very nice restaurant with a date. For boys, it’s a lot less money to go alone than to pay for yourself and a date. The tickets for homecoming are normally around $15 dollars each– a combined $30 for a couple to go to the dance. The dinner normally averages about $40 for both to eat, totaling $70 that the guy has to pay. Girls, on the other hand, choose to spend around $60-100 on their dress.  Henry Yocum says, “I’d have more fun with friends than any option I have of asking a girl.”  If the person you wanted to ask already got snagged, or maybe there is no one you would want to go with in the first place, then why not go alone? There’s no reason to miss a dance just because you don’t have any special someone to share it with.

Going with a date means you don’t have to deal with paying for your own ticket (for girls) and you never have to worry about being awkwardly alone on the dance floor.  Lauren Petty has a very strong opinion on the matter stating plainly, “That’s what dances are for: [having a date]. It’s more special and a better way to make memories to look back on when you’re older.” Getting asked or asking in a creative way is what makes going with someone exciting.  Students these days go above and beyond when it comes to homecoming proposals, making the event all the more special. It’s not just the proposals that are a bonus to having a date but also, a lot of people like to get dressed up and have someone to match. For Makaela Powilleitt, “Buying the dress and looking nicer than normal,” is the best part. Pictures are a great way to document the day and what better way to do it than with a good looking girl or boy on your arm.

Homecoming can be a good night to take advantage of the freedom; to dress as classy as you want and eat the most expensive food you want with whomever you want; or it can be a night when you kick back and relax with your friends. Whether you’re with a date or going solo, Homecoming is what you make of it.