by Jody Barnes

Created on: May 12, 2008

By the time prom night arrives, you've spent hours planning and shopping for your big night. You have transportation, reservations, tickets, and of course, the perfect clothes, but there are still a few more things to consider to make your night go smoothly. Consider these tips to avoid potential snags in your carefully developed prom night plans.

1. Communicate with your Family

The last thing you want to have on your prom night is a disagreement with your parents. Make sure your curfew is clear to both you and your folks before you head out the door. Walking out the door is also not the time to let them know that your date is someone they don't approve of or that your friend who passed the driving test yesterday is responsible for chauffeuring your group around town. Any potential problems should be cleared up in advance.

2. Be Prepared for the Unexpected
You never know when the car will get a flat tire, your camera batteries will die, or the restaurant will overload your meal with enough garlic to kill ten vampires. Carry at least 50% more cash than you think you will need for the evening. This way you are covered if the dinner tab is larger than expected, or if you need to call a cab for any reason. While girls can probably keep breath mints, extra batteries, or emergency hairpins in their purses, guys don't have the same luxury. Guys need to minimally keep some mints on hand, and a well-charged cellphone in their pockets.

3. Keep Things Light
Although this night might be your only chance to live it up at a fancy restaurant, try to choose something light from the menu. While the Porterhouse with mashed potatoes sounds delicious, you have a long night of dancing and hanging out with friends ahead of you. You don't need to eat a plain salad, but make sure you don't over-indulge. Also, make sure you have been drinking hydrating water in the hours before leaving home, and don't forget to keep sipping plenty of water throughout the night. Dehydration can make you dizzy, sleepy, or give you a terrible headache, and you don't want anything slowing you down on your big night.

4. Be Picture Perfect
No matter how many fun memories you make on prom night, the pictures will clearly record everything that happens. Of course you will check your appearance before stepping in front of the official photographer, but both guys and girls will want to occasionally check the mirror several times throughout the night to make sure that nothing is lodged between their teeth, hair is exactly where they carefully styled it, and their clothes still look fresh, clean, and neat. Appearance obsession is obnoxious, but checking the mirror occasionally is perfectly acceptable for both genders.

5. Stay Safe
Hopefully your friends are as considerate and smart as you are, but if you find yourself in a position to worry about your safety or the safety of your friends, make sure you speak up. Carry a cell phone, stick close to your friends, and don't let anyone who is too tired or has been drinking slip into the driver's seat.

Finally, make sure you keep a positive attitude and go with the flow. You never know when something might not go quite as planned, and you shouldn't let minor inconveniences ruin your big night. If the reservations get lost, you end up stepping in a muddy puddle, or your date ends up with the flu, the prom is not ruined, and you should still have lots of fun. By keeping your spirits high and following these tips, you can make sure that the evening is as amazing as you dreamed it would be.

Learn more about this author, Jody Barnes.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.