School dances…they’re not for everyone. Expensive dresses, itchy suits, and a room full of teenagers dancing to bass-heavy pop music can be a headache. “I’m not one for school dances. They’re kind of awkward.” said Freyja Shepard, a sophomore at Northeastern High School.
However, no one wants to sit at home alone while all their friends are having the time of their lives. What should I do? You might ask.
Well, you’ve come to the right place. After talking with several students at my school, I’ve discovered that the average teen, male and female alike, spend anywhere in the range of $40 to $200 on homecoming. With that said, below is a compilation of things you could do this fall that you could spend the same amount of money (or less!) on instead of dresses and tickets.
1. Why dance when you can mosh?
There are many big concerts coming up this October, and there’s a variety of music types to suit nearly anyone, including music from Bastille and Demi Lovato & Christina Perry. There’s also Self Help Fest, a music festival featuring bands such as A Day to Remember, Bring Me The Horizon, The Wonder Years, and many others.
Katlyn Breen, a junior at Northeastern High School, even turned down invitations to Homecoming to attend Self Help Fest. “I don’t like to dance and don’t feel the need or want to spend large amounts of money on a dress. Plus, music festivals are super fun!” she said in an email.
2. ‘The Maze Runner,’ anyone?
Imagine this: you and a group of friends go to the movies on homecoming night. Walking into the lobby, there’s practically no line to get popcorn and the theater your movie is playing in is totally empty besides your posse. You have your choice of seats and when there’s a major plot twist, you don’t have to worry about keeping quiet. Also, considering that the experience of going to a movie costs considerably less than that of Homecoming, you could find anywhere from $20 to $80 extra in your pocket. “I would rather go to the movies with my friends,” said Stevie Winter, also a junior at Northeastern. “I have a lot more fun at the movies than at dances.”
3. Treat yourself.
Sometimes the stress of school, jobs, friendship drama, and extracurricular activities can be overwhelming. Homecoming can be the perfect excuse to take a night off from everything and indulge in a bit of me-time. Most drugstores and grocery stores sell some sort of home spa treatment for a decent amount of money. Or, if you feel extra creative, there are countless remedies and treatments using common household items to experiment with after a quick Google search.
However, if beauty care isn’t the way you’d imagine spending your night, you could buy that food that your house never seems to have enough of or get that new video game that you’ve been dying to get your hands on and spend your homecoming night comfortably in bed and not have to worry about getting blisters from those horrible dress shoes and heels.
4. Help others treat themselves.
Ever tried a Service Saturday? Now’s your chance! Grab a group of friends and get to work! There’s so many places in York to help. For example, the York Rescue Mission is a great place to start. Those that work there are more than willing to take anyone who can help. Don’t get discouraged if you can’t help out an organization, though! Write kind or encouraging notes on index cards and hand them out in your neighborhood or town. Have a mini carnival for the kids in your area. Even something as simple as a picnic at the park open to everyone can be a blast. This also opens you up to meeting new people and making friends of all ages.
5. DIY Homecoming!
You can dance to music you actually like with people you’re actually friends with. The same amount of money it takes to simply get a Homecoming ticket could buy you enough food and drink for at least 10 people. Using free apps on your phone like Pandora and Spotify, you can be your own DJ. Not to mention that being off of school property enables you to be able to do tons of things that may violate school rules, like wearing any clothes you want.
