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Want to feel like a princess at prom? It’ll cost you.
I was sitting in math class, the day before the big night, and people around me were using their calculators to add up the amount they spent on prom festivities. The girl next to me racked up a four digit total. Turns out that’s not even crazy. According to a nationwide survey, families will spend about $987 on prom this year.
My classmate defended herself, saying she was going to look and feel like a princess. I was disgusted. It seemed like my peers equated feeling good about themselves to the amount of money they spent on dresses, limos and corsages.
But when I saw the princess, I did feel ashamed of my thrift store dress. I was caught up in the pageant — judging and being judged. At the end of the night, after I only had a so-so time, I thought — ‘At least there wasn’t much lost.’
The next day, I realized that not spending all that money saved me more than just dollars. I saved myself the pressure and disappointment that comes with putting a price-tag on happiness.