With senior prom in the rear view there are several things I wish I would have done. So I'm here to ensure that you don't have to go through the same agony. It only took me 3 proms to figure out what I did, yet each time I spent so much time stressing over what to wear, how I could do my own makeup and hair, and what I needed to take in order to make prom the most fun on the smallest budget as possible. These tips could essentially work for any event pertaining to a dance or event. So, here ya go! If you have any questions or additional tips, feel free to comment below. I'd also love to see how the night turned out for you so send pictures!!

First, let's start with the state of mind beforehand…

1. No expectations.

Prom is already supremely stressful as it is, so why hold it to even higher standards? This advice is true for many other experiences as well. If you just go with the flow, roll with the punches, it'll help keep you from feeling frustrated or disappointed when something doesn't pan out as expected.

Dress breaking? Corsage not exactly what you wanted? Feeling micromanaged? Phone fall in the sink? Instead of allowing the situation to get you down and ruin the rest of your night, just shake it off and say"oh well"¯\_(ツ)_/¯ There's so much more fun stuff in store for the night and getting caught up on the little, unimportant details would be such a waste of an awesome night.

Besides that, everyone else is in the same boat as you: they're trying to make sure their hair, makeup, dress, shoes and nails are perfect. Even if your hair won't stay curled or your eye makeup is not enough or your nails are a bit messed up, all that you need to be "perfect" for, is you. Plus there's a very slim chance that you'll stay looking as fresh for the entire night as you do when you first put everything on. Once pictures are over (which can always be edited and are the only actual memento people will have of how you looked) and you hit the dance floor, it won't matter. As long as you're confident with how you feel and are having a fun time, no one else notices anyways.

2. Going stag can be super fun!

Don't let not having a date keep you from going. The years I went with dates I found myself stuck with them the whole night, almost following them as they went where they wanted to go or do what they wanted to do. Don't get me wrong, they were amazing dates and looked super handsome. And, if you have a significant other that you want to go with, then by all means, go with them! But what I'm saying is that if you're planning on not going to Prom or another similar event simply because you don't have a date, don't.

What I ended up doing was going stag with a group of my friends that had a mix of couples and other solo promgoers. My best friend and I took the usual "Prom couple" pictures together, but when it came time for discovering what was offered at the location, I was able to go where I wanted to go and be with whomever I wanted to be.

Next up, planning:

1. When?

Prom is usually in mid May and in some cases, early June- near the end of the school year. It's definitely something to look forward to to keep up your motivation up for finishing the year strong since some schools have a "no-go" list for below par students. People start asking their dates in creative and unique ways about a month or two prior to so that they can plan matching outfits and corsages, etc.

2. What appointments should be made?

Earlier is always better...with that in mind...

Hair + makeup appointments should be made for the date of your event. They should occur in relatively close locations of one another (if you can get them both done by the same person/salon, perfect!) about 2 or 3 weeks to your event date- earlier if there are other school's Proms taking place on the same night as yours. Until then, figure out what you want your hair and makeup to look like. Also, I'd like to note that if you decide to do your own hair and makeup for the big day, I recommend performing a couple test runs before you do it for real on the day of the event.

Nail appointments can be made closer to when you need them done. They can be made a week or less in advance, depending on how busy you and your salon are. Whatever you get done- mani, pedi, acrylics- should be done rather close to your event date so that they can still look fresh for the big night.

Dress fitting/altering appointments might be necessary if you live somewhere with a high demand dress store. If you're just trying on different dresses, you can make an appointment a day or two prior to the day you're planning on going dress shopping. Alterations should be done a week or two prior to your event date, that way there are a couple of days for them to make the adjustments and for you to try it on again to make sure everything works for you. A lot of places don't require a specific appointment for alterations, they just need to know what you want done to your dress and when you need it by.

3. When should I get a dress, shoes and corsage?

I suggest starting to look for a dress about a month and a half prior to your event's date. That way, you know what you want, how you want your look for the night to be, if it needs alterations- there's time, and your date can match. This isn't necessarily a rule per-say, but the underclassmen usually wear shorter dresses while the Seniors wear long dresses. However, if you find a dress you absolutely love but it doesn't go with that, go for it anyways. Furthermore, if you purchase a dress online and don't really like how it looks, you can return it with enough time to get a new dress. Lulu's has some really cute and inexpensive ones!

Shoes require less planning than the dress for sure. If it comes down to timing and comfort, you can always pull out your sick Jordan's or Converse and wear those. But if you're not necessarily into that, you can start shopping for shoes once you have your dress, since they should go together. Jewelry shopping is similar, you don't need much but make sure it matches with your dress.

Girls, the guys should purchase the corsage for you. But, in the event that you're going stag or your date is not that great at managing time, you should order your corsage with at least two days notice from when you need it. Prom is on Saturday, you order it by at least Thursday. There are some places (Vons, Kroger, some florists) that offer pre-made corsages that you can purchase on the day of your event, however I wouldn't recommend relying on that method; there are limited varieties and quantities available. The corsage should have colors similar to what you will be wearing in your dress as well as be available for pick up on the morning/afternoon of the day of your event to ensure the flowers look fresh and beautiful.

4. What to pack in my evening bag?

You don't need that much at all. Really, you could almost go without this extra accessory. Aside from what the school asks you to bring (School I.D. maybe your ticket) you should take:

Cell phone
Camera (only really need if your phone can't take pictures)
A couple extra bobby pins
Lip gloss
One or two feminine products (if it's that time of the month)
Gum

That's really it. You don't need much. Plus, your date can always hold a few items for you and your school might offer a "coat check" system so you can check it in and not have to worry about carrying it around the whole night.

Day of:

1. Order of prep ceremonies

As I stated above, if you're doing everything yourself, practice first! (If you're getting your hair and makeup done professionally, you can skip this part. I did my own prep every year to save money and I'm honestly happy with how it all turned out). I'd suggest starting to get ready about 3-4 hours before you're planning on taking pictures. You don't need the whole day.

I always start with hair because it seems to take the longest (an hour or two). Wash it if it's really oily, then blow-dry it, otherwise slightly dirty hair is great for styling because it has texture. Determine what kind of hairstyle you want based on the neckline of your dress.

It might be best to wash your face before you start putting make up on, just to remove any oil or sweat from the day or that may have accumulated while doing your hair. For makeup, as far as my amateur abilities: concealer, contour, blush, powder, eye shadow base (lightest to darkest), eye liner, falsies (optional), mascara and I'm done. The only difference from my regular makeup routine and my Prom makeup is the contour, heavier eye shadow and bolder eye liner. Keep in mind that as the night goes on, you'll get hot and your makeup might smear, so unless you're going for the really dark eye shadow and potential dark under eye makeup, use eyeliner sparingly.

2. Take lots of pictures

Before the dance, take lots of pictures; take individual shots; take crazy cute photos with your best friend. Don't be afraid to be artsy or take even more photos because this is a special day for you and capturing these moments via photographs is the best way to look back on it. With that being said, don't waste the night away being on your phone. Take in all that the evening has to offer you. You can post those super cute pics the next morning, I can assure you they won't look any less beautiful.

Lastly…

Finally, go have fun! Let loose and don't be afraid to smile for all the pictures, dance your little heart out like no one is watching, and enjoy every moment of the night because it'll be over before you know it.