The nerves took over my thoughts and actions. I looked in the mirror and saw a small, naive freshman. Questions ran through my mind wondering if every curly strand of hair looked perfect or if my sparkly purple dress was appropriate for the occasion. It was finally time to set out on what seemed to be an eternity car ride to the pictures and dinner with girls who I met only a few months before the big dance. My first Winter Formal finally arrived.

The night was filled with countless awkward and uncomfortable firsts. With many trials and errors, I was unsuccessful at pinning my dates boutonniere. Pictures took forever as we figured the correct posture in the classic group photos. And let’s not forget the correct way of dancing, which excluded the popular robot dance. Dancing with a boy alone was completely out of the question. Instead, dancing with a group of other awkward couples to “I Gotta Feeling” by Black Eyed Peas was what we relied on. The night finally ended with the awkward car ride home with my mother chauffeuring us around.

As I prepared for my final Winter Formal dance, I was no longer nervous or afraid of what the night would hold for me. I learned that by taking a friend, which could be the same friend you took freshman year like me, relieved date drama. Also, don’t get too stressed out by the littlest detail as the night will work out the way it is supposed to.  I no longer worry about how my hair, makeup, and dress are in perfect condition because by the end of the night, none of this mattered anyway. It only mattered that I was spending time with people that I cherished.

I did, however, still make many mistakes throughout night. My hands still shook as my fingers fumbled around the sharp pins that held my dates boutonniere. I also seemed to intentionally embarrass the people around me with my own creative dance moves. Lastly, I failed to balance my time throughout the night between hanging out with my fellow friends and my date. But by the time the last song resonated from the 10-foot speakers, all the mistakes were completely forgotten.

Arriving at the dance, my thoughts focused on a bittersweet feeling. I will no longer have to feel the stress about an upcoming winter dance or worry if I need a last minute tanning appointment because the dress somehow clashed with my natural skin color. I will, however miss the hysterical laughing and dancing to the last song “Come on Eileen” by Dexys Midnight Runners.

As I stand in the center of the dance floor, I see how my life has changed throughout my four short years at Sion. I am no longer the once insecure freshman who was afraid of how I was judged at dances; instead I am now a young woman clothed in confidence and accessorized with a strong character.