-
-
Asking a girl to prom is a major rite of passage for many a teenage boy. It might be a little nerve-wracking, but with our guide to How to Ask a Girl to Prom, you'll learn tips to calm yourself down and get her to say yes.
-
Categories
-
Introduction
- Prom season can inspire all kinds of feelings: excitement, apprehension, newfound interest in powder blue tuxes. But to avoid turning pre-prom into a real horror show, think ahead about your date. Chances are the girl you've thought about asking has thought about you, too. Keep reading for some important tips on how to ask a girl to prom and stay relaxed enough that she'll agree to go.
Step 1: Anyone in Mind?
- Have you had a crush on a special someone since 3rd grade math class? Or are you just looking for a date you know you'll enjoy hanging out with on prom night?
- You'll likely have a better chance of success by asking someone you are already friendly with or dating, but asking a friend is another good idea.
- Try talking with her casually about prom to get a sense of how she feels. Is she flirting with you? Does it seem like she would like you to ask her? Does she hate dances of all kinds and insist she will never be caught dead at any prom for all of eternity (read: choose another date)?
- Remember that if she seems hesitant about prom, it might be because she doesn't yet have a date. It makes everyone nervous, see?
Determine She is Still Available!
- There's no point in going to all this effort if the girl you have your eye on is already going to prom with someone else.
- Ask around to be sure she doesn't have a date already if you aren't positive that she is still free.
- You can try asking her if she has a date already if you feel comfortable enough, or you can ask her friends if you favor a more indirect route.
- Still not sure she'll want to go with you? Try taking this quiz to find out what your chances are. Questions like what would you do if you found yourself in a closet with this person should help you narrow it down.
Step 2: Concoct a Plan
- With a plan in mind, you'll be able to relax about the details of your prom-proposal.
- Prom proposals have definitely gotten more elaborate over the years and now may involve more than a simple face-to-face, "Will you go to prom with me?" question. Rob Kelly got creative with his video camera and posted his prom proposal (written on the underside of his surfboard, no less) on YouTube for all to see.
- But you don't have to go crazy to ensure your hoped-for date will say yes. Just find an informal place where the two of you can be alone and ask away.
- If you know this girl fairly well, you might choose a place you know she likes to ask her to prom.
- It is best to ask your date in person as opposed to over the phone or in an email or text message.
Get Creative
- If you do want to go the extra mile to show your date what a blast you'd be at prom, it's time to start brainstorming.
- Communicate how you feel about her by writing a card that says what it is you appreciate about her or get crafty with a yearbook-like collage of how the two of you would look at prom by using a few teen magazines.
- You could, like Rob Kelley, make a video, or like his some of his friends, make up an Easter egg hunt that leads to an egg holding the "Prom?" question.
- You could try crafting a silly poem that will make her laugh and realize what a fun and laid back night she'd have at prom with you.
- Turn common interests into a means of asking her to prom. Are you both total math nerds? Program her calculator screen to read PROM PROM PROM to get the idea in her head.
- Be bold. In the middle of a class you share with her, raise your hand and say, "I have a question for ____." Then ask her to prom. Or swoop into a class you don't share with her, get down on one knee in front of everyone and ask her to prom. Note: you'll need some serious confidence to pull this off, and to recover if she says no.
- And remember that not everyone likes being asked an important question in public. Think carefully about whether your date would appreciate a lavish display before decorating her locker or pulling a half-time prom proposal in front of the whole school.
Step 3: Try to Relax
- The more you can relax, the easier it will be to ask your intended to prom and convince her that going with you will be fun and comfortable.
- Even if you're totally faking it, try to seem confident and self-assured when asking someone to prom. They'll have faith that you'll be a great date. To that end, if you need to practice some relaxation techniques, you should do whatever it takes: tai chi, yoga, or simply a little meditation.
- Before you pop the question, be sure to take a few deep breaths and avoid caffeine to quell your anxiety.
- And skip the used car salesman routine. Be direct and don't over-hype how amazing prom will be with you—especially if you have no idea how you'll get that hot air balloon you just promised.
- And if after all that she says no? There are probably several girls eagerly hoping you might ask them. It really is true that there are more fish in the pond, so don't get discouraged if you don't get the answer you want right away.
