This isn't a story about the ugly duckling becoming a beautiful white swan, or a sexy black swan. It isn't about the nerdy girl ditching the glasses and becoming the apple of the popular boy's eye. No, homecoming 2011 was simply about me taking a foot outside of my awkward stage and actually having some fun with my classmates.
At first I wasn't even going to go; freshman year I didn't know any friends to go with, and sophomore year I just wasn't feeling it. This year was junior year, though; I had only one year left of high school after this. I couldn't leave high school with regrets in not partaking in activities that would leave me with awesome memories. So I squelched my doubts and awkwardness, endured tedious dress shopping and day-of-the-dance preparations, and actually got excited for this dance. Never mind that I felt weird in anything that wasn't a jeans and T-shirt or pajama ensemble, or that my dancing skills severely paled in comparison to the contestants on So You Think You Can Dance, or even that I'm such an awkward shell when it comes to social interaction with people. I was gonna go and fully enjoy myself on this one night, Saturday, September 17, 2011.
I went with my friends Nicole and Meg (the latter of whom is a senior), and a few of Meg's senior friends. That made me panic a little, because, well, they're seniors. Seniors equaled intimidating and way too cool for a little fish like me. Nevertheless, I learned to relax and be a bit cooler than I am, and discovered that they liked me! And we got along okay, no weird silences or pauses in conversation included. It was nice; I should definitely try to do this more often.
As I already mentioned, the dancing part was one of the things I was most worried about. I shied away from the obviously couples-only slow songs, but for the faster ones I danced with my friends, who would not send me home if I performed less than stellar, because they aren't superb dancers either. (So they say.) As I made my rounds about the cafeteria, dancing and just walking around, I heard tons of compliments about my looks and dress. Sweet. If I couldn't "shake it" without looking like a chicken, at least I could look pretty doing it.
So basically, that was the lesson I learned this month. High school doesn't have to be all stress over tests and grades. It's okay to get dolled up every once in a while and have fun, maybe even make some new friends along the way. :) Onward and upward to October now, where hopefully I will blog more (I'm a terrible updater, I know. Writer's block!), learn more, and take another step on the road to becoming a better person.
How fun!
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