Popping the question: How to ask someone to the prom

Popping the question: How to ask someone to the prom

All right, you’ve found someone you’d like to take to the prom. You come up to her, flower in hand, and open your mouth. Nothing comes out. You freeze in your tracks. She looks at you in a funny way, then walks to the other direction.

That’s what happened to me almost a decade ago. I got rejected a total of seven times, and almost in almost all of them, I wasn’t able to state my intentions properly. I’ve gotten more mature since then, and I know a lot more about asking girls out. I’d like to share with you some tips I’ve learned over the years:

Be creative.

In western Michigan, teens are finding all sorts of creative ways to ask out a prospective date. One student who was enrolled at an honors class was surprised when a guy she’d been seeing suddenly walked into her class and opened the blinds to reveal something he’d painted on the window. Written there was her (misspelled) name, and the words “Would you be my date?”

Others were cheekier: a bunch of lacrosse players wrote the message on their buttocks and mooned the crowd during a game. They forfeited the game and were suspended, but the girl said “Yes” to the guy who thought it up. However, this method is not recommended.

Be straight to the point.

Some people attempt to be too creative in asking someone out; sometimes, the prospective date gets the wrong idea and says “Yes” to the wrong person. If you want to be creative, put in your name, or at least let him/her know that you’re the one doing the asking.

Keep it private.
This works both ways – he/she will not feel pressured to answer you right away, and if ever he/she says “No”, you don’t have to share the shame of rejection with the rest of the world. Plus, it’s more comfortable this way. Take him/her to a place where there are only a few people around (it’s better if there’s no one you know), and ask the question. Give him/her time to think about the answer, and don’t rush things. You wouldn’t want someone going out with you just because he/she was just pressured into going. Waiting patiently for the answer will show that you’re mature enough and that you’ll be fun to be with.

Try a Romantic Note
This is a great way to ask someone to the prom, because it‘s private and lets him/her think things over, plus it adds a touch of romance. It doesn't need to be written with long, flowery words. It should be handwritten, and have of both your names on it so there's no confusion. How about "I would be honored if you would attend the prom with me as my date"? You can also try writing a poem, or if the recipient is rather sophisticated, you can use Elizabeth Browning or any of the other established poets. This lets the person read it in private, plus lets them take their time in answering you.