Ahh, the prom. Everyone tells you it's supposed to be the biggest moment of your high school career. It's the climax of both your junior and senior years. It's a time for you to be the princess you wanted to be when you were a child. It's an excuse to wear big dresses with flowing skirts and flashy tiaras. It's supposed to be a dream.

In reality, my prom is turning into a nightmare. It's about three weeks away, and causing more problems than it's worth. I mean, I'm trying to afford a car, take my SATs, act in a musical, and sort out those college brochures that come daily. Forget about being a princess, that's the least of my concerns. And when I do concern myself with it, I get a headache. Just because I have no dress and no date.

Dress shopping is a waste of my time; those dresses were not made for girls with average bodies and less-than-perfect waistlines. When I do find one I like, the high price is almost enough of a shock to send me into cardiac arrest. At this point, I'm ready to make myself a dress - without all of those annoying feathers and trendy sequins that cost more than that car I'm trying to afford.

Never mind the dress. I'm sure I can find something to wear, even if my parents do have to take out a second mortgage to afford it. But which boy should I invite? Going to an all-girls' school, you have a limited array to choose from; you can't just go pick one up at the corner store. And when you finally decide to ask one, you have to find some way to ask the question and risk complete and utter humiliation, as some of my friends have experienced. What do you do if he says no? Hide from him for the rest of your life? I've never dealt with such important risks. When do I get to have fun and be the princess that I'm supposed to be?

I've never been so indecisive in my life. Still, these simple decisions are not as serious as my peers make them out to be. In ten years, I won't care. I am well aware of this fact. You know, the tickets cost so much, why don't I just stay home? That's the problem. I can't miss my prom. No one will let me. And something inside me won't let me brush off my prom like it's some regular dance. I am forced to make the best of my situation and invest in one of those frilly dresses that I'll never wear again, pick a date I can tolerate and try to have fun.

I just have to remind myself that it's only a dance. An over-rated dance with a really expensive admission price and lots of parading princesses. Right? ?