originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:21 PM

@delicatedreamer a pamper day sounds amazing! what a good idea.

except the food poisioning... nooooooooo!

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:16 PM

Songs, texts and gravy? Save that good stuff for our tips for year 12s at the end guys! haha

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:17 PM

We should have asked our dates out via acrostic poems!

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:15 PM

WRITING SONGS IS NOT COOL. WRITING SONGS MAKES THE REST OF US LOOK BAD! HAHA

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:17 PM

Going to the formal is not for everyone. What are other ways to celebrate the end of Year 12?

We had a book burning in my backyard the night after the last exam. There was something incredibly cathartic about seeing all those notes go up in flames. 

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:20 PM

@Billy-RO Ah, damn! Wish I did something as badass! I just chucked mine out in the recycling bin. 

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:25 PM

When I was in high school we didn't have a formal, I didn't get to year 12 but I know my school didn't have  end of year formals. We had mid year formals for year 10 and 12's but that was it so most of my friends just celebrated the end of school at schoolies 

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:29 PM

Hey @j95 ! Welcome to our chat and thanks for joining us!

Yup, I've heard of some schools do their formals earlier than Yr 12. Still sounds like a great way to celebrate the end of the year!

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:28 PM

Do you think that some formal traditions; like dress code, having a date, arriving in a limo, or getting a corsage, are important?

I think they're important if you want them to be, but it's a personal thing - some people love the idea of getting dressed up, and others couldn't give a stuff about that kind of thing. I think it's when the former group pressure the latter group into abiding by their "formal" rules that the whole experience can be stressful. One of my best mates in high school was a girl who didn't like dresses - they just weren't her thing. Even though she didn't want to, she wore a dress to the formal and everyone made such a big deal about it ("OMG DID YOU SEE SHE'S ACTUALLY IN A DRESS?!") that she was self-conscious and miserable. Some of the traditions are pretty conservation and out-dated, hey?

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:24 PM

Here's our next question!

Do you think that some formal traditions; like dress code, having a date, arriving in a limo, or getting a corsage, are important?

> Nope! I don't think that it's important at all but I believe that so many people stress on it and think it's disastrous if they don't do them! To be honest, I bought my dress a month prior to formal and bought everything else the night before  Arrived late in my friend's parents' fancy van, to meet my date there. There was some strange aftermath drama because out of my friends, I was the only one with my date. Let's just say that passive-aggressiveness is not fun for formal! Also forgot to get my date a buttonhole - only figured that out a few months ago 😕 Yay, me!

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:28 PM

Do you think that some formal traditions; like dress code, having a date, arriving in a limo, or getting a corsage, are important?

Dress code - no. I would love to see someone rock up in like a pikachu suit or something like this...

Having a date: No! As we have heard the whole date thing can turn out terribly and you can still have fun with your friends anyway.... It's not like you have spent your whole year 12 experience with a date. Which brings me to the question - why are people allowed to take dates outside of school who didn't even go?

Limo: WHY ARE THEY SO EXPENSIVE - WHERE DID THIS TRADITION EVEN COME FROM. THIS IS NOT A WEDDING.

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:32 PM

@lanejane Oh yeah! I had people in my grade who brought people who weren't in our grade, let alone our school! I suppose each to our own, but it does make it pretty awkward. Some schools in my hometown or somewhere close by make out-of-school dates to pay a fee, due to catering costs. 

@Billy-RO Yup, some traditions are pretty out-dated and sometimes, an invitation to very rude remarks (i.e. Hollllyyy shhhh****tttt, you're in a dresss?! You're actually hot!?) No, go away!

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:28 PM

Do you think that some formal traditions; like dress code, having a date, arriving in a limo, or getting a corsage, are important?

Nah. I'm all for having a badass suit (although I remember I had a bowtie that came loose and I took about 20 photos with it on a 90 degree angle, noone told me lol), but none of the other stuff really mattered to me. I didn't have a date either. 

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:30 PM

@Billy-RO I had a book burning party too! Sooooo satisfying to see those math textbooks turn to ash 😛

Do you think that some formal traditions; like dress code, having a date, arriving in a limo, or getting a corsage, are important?

Not really, it can be kind of fun to do though. Just so long as you don't feel pressured, do whatever you want 🙂

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:34 PM

@Billy-RO I think that is such a good example. Girls not wanting to wear dresses.

Not that girls necessarily want to wear suits either... But just want this opportunity to bring mean girls into the conversation

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:33 PM

@lanejane These dresses are close to a Pikachu suit, I guess...

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:32 PM

I ripped up my maths notes! So much satisfaction

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:34 PM

I had no notes to burn LOL.

I did this thing in year 12 where i'd write all my notes in class in random books because I didn't have specific books for each subject. I'd tear out the page with the plan to organize it later, but it all ended up scrunched up in my bag and ultimately, the bin.

I crammed in the end and did ok, but still, I don't recommend this process. 

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:35 PM

Hehehe  @benjamin_  I've just started cramming for an exam I have tomorrow morning!

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:38 PM

@florenceforever Ah the cramming, it never ends 😛

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:39 PM

Haha nope @Chessca_H! 

I'm still learning new content as we speak! note: NO ONE take studying advice from me...

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:40 PM

I actually don't know... The school was fine with past students coming as 'dates' to the formal, however no one tried to bring another girl who didn't used to go to my school.

Sadly, I don't think my school would have been okay with it. Although, I really don't know...

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:28 PM

Do you think that some formal traditions; like dress code, having a date, arriving in a limo, or getting a corsage, are important?

I think it depends on the context and the formal that you are going to. For mine, the only real formal expectation we had was the was we dressed. Not everyone took dates, and no one came in fancy cars or got corsages - some received flowers. And that was totally okay!

I went to a very small, independent, all girl's school and at our year 12 formal, a lot of the girls took girls who used to go to our school but didn't anymore as their dates. It wasn't a sexuality thing, it was preferring to take a friend over a guy they half knew and it meant they could be included in a celebration at the school they used to attend!

originally posted on 03-11-2014 8:35 PM

---

@florenceforever wrote:

Do you think that some formal traditions; like dress code, having a date, arriving in a limo, or getting a corsage, are important?

 

I think it depends on the context and the formal that you are going to. For mine, the only real formal expectation we had was the was we dressed. Not everyone took dates, and no one came in fancy cars or got corsages - some received flowers. And that was totally okay!

I went to a very small, independent, all girl's school and at our year 12 formal, a lot of the girls took girls who used to go to our school but didn't anymore as their dates. It wasn't a sexuality thing, it was preferring to take a friend over a guy they half knew and it meant they could be included in a celebration at the school they used to attend!

---

That is such a lovely idea to take friends that used to go to the school @florenceforever ! Unfortunately at my school we were only allowed to bring people from the same school, so options were limited!!

Do you think that some formal traditions; like dress code, having a date, arriving in a limo, or getting a corsage, are important?

I think the dress code is somewhat important, e.g. everyone wears formal wear, but that people can still wear whatever they want within that (E.g. girls can wear suits if they want, or you can wear both short and long dresses). The rest of it can go as far as I'm concerned - I came in my parents car (with my family) and didn't have date or a corsage and still had a perfectly fine time :). I think that those traditions can create more stress and stop people from having a good time (definitely true for some of my friends unfortunately).