It’s finally spring! Warm weather, good vibes and excitement (and/or stress) over a lil’ thing called PROM are in the air.

Before any of us ever went to prom, we were well prepared and knew exactly what to expect thanks to extensively researching the subject by way of watching every teen movie ever. So imagine our surprise when it was kinda, sorta like every other school dance, except dressier. Don’t get us wrong, prom can be super fun – and it should be super fun – but don’t be disappointed by the lack of spontaneous choreography.

We did a little fact-checking for you. Don’t be duped by these other prom fanta-fallacies.

1. It’s the experience of a lifetime.
Fun? Yes. Memorable? Sure. But the experience of a lifetime? We hope not. At 16 or 17 years old, we’ve got a lot of lifetime left. Pretty sure the best stuff is yet to come.

2. I will die if my crush says “no.”
Prom can be the perfect excuse to finally make your big move, but like momma always said, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Crushes come and go, but prom pics last forever! And here’s something else to keep in mind, that big ol’ crush of yours may not even be a good date. True story time: I (who shall remain anonymous) went to prom with my big crush, and it was the pits! He wasn’t really that into it, and it felt forced, and honestly, I would have had so much more fun if I had just gone with a good friend. Live and learn.

3. It’s All About #theDress.
Blue dress or gold dress? How about neither? You don’t have to get an expensive ball gown or fancy tux. Borrow or rent something, get your DIY on, or buck the norm if traditional formalwear isn’t really your thing. Want to wear that rad kilt your Scottish cousins gave you? GO FOR IT!

4. The after-party will be epic!
The night isn’t over when the DJ stops spinning, but in reality, most people do something other than get schwasted at a blowout party. Late night breakfast, midnight bowling, a big ol’ sleepover – it’s all about the relaxed, low-key hang.