SURVIVE PROM PRESSURE

Prom is one of the most important events in your high school experience - a special night to dream about and look forward to. For some teens, though, the prom may seem like a big drag - or even worse, a big worry. Myjellybean.com offers tips to help relieve some of the pressures that prom can bring.

Your Money

With a little bit of planning and creativity, the prom doesn't have to cost a fortune. Check out Myjellybean's Prom on a Budget article for tips on a complete prom experience that doesn't break the bank.

Your Date

Everyone wants a great date for prom. But remember, getting a date is just the beginning. The important thing is to attend your prom with somebody you know you'll enjoy spending the evening with - whether it's a friend, boyfriend or girlfriend, or the object of your secret desire.

If your ultimate crush doesn't ask you, keep in mind that many teens attend the prom with a group of friends, instead of a date. Who better to spend the evening with than those who love you for who you are? As you laugh and dance the night away, you may forget that what's-his-name turned you down anyway.

If you gather up the courage to ask your favorite hottie to prom and you're turned down, remember whose loss it is - not yours! This works the other way around, too. If you need to decline an offer, do it politely and graciously. Try to step back and imagine what it's like to be in the other person's shoes.

Your Health

The pressure to lose weight to slip into a dress two sizes too small is not worth the trouble - or worth risking your health. Crash dieting will make you feel weak and cranky, It's not only dangerous, but it may also cause your metabolism to slow down (because your body will think it's starving, so it stops burning calories). Even if you make it through the big night without fainting from starvation, when you return to your usual diet, you will quickly gain back the weight you lost - and then some.

Instead of going to desperate measures, try exercising regularly and eating a variety of healthy foods in preparation for the event. Drink tons of water and get plenty of rest, especially on the days leading up to the prom, to help you look and feel healthy and beautiful.

Exercising and eating right will also give your skin a healthy glow - without wasting your time and money in tanning beds. The concentration of light produced in a tanning bed is about five times greater than that from the sun and can seriously harm your skin! You may think you look better with a tan, but your skin can pay the price later in many ways, including premature wrinkling and an increased risk for skin cancer. Check out tanning products that allow you to get a gorgeous glow safely, such as sunless tanners that you can apply a few hours before the prom.

No matter what body type you have or how much money you spend, remember: Confidence is what makes you look good!

Your Safety

You can have a blast on prom night without putting yourself at risk. There are lots of choices you'll need to make, but drinking or doing other drugs before or after the prom shouldn't be one of them. For one thing, they impair your judgment in ways that you could deeply regret later. You could risk making a fool of yourself - or worse. It's not worth putting yourself in a situation where your memories of the prom may be damaged by an evening that got out of hand.

Don't drink and drive or let your friends do it. All that stuff that your parents and teachers preach about designated drivers is true and really saves lives. You want your prom to end beautifully - not in a tragic accident.

Many teens may think that prom night is an appropriate time to lose their virginity. This is an important personal decision that involves many factors and should not be taken lightly. So don't let anyone pressure you into having sex because it's a "special night" - your night will be even more memorable if your memories are happy instead of regretful.