Personal Narrative: Modern Homecoming Dance

As part of an old high school tradition, hundreds of students crowded into a dimly lit cafeteria and danced until the air hung heavy and sweat glistened off every square inch of exposed skin. The schools that began the tradition of the modern homecoming dance most likely did not expect it to evolve into what it is today; at some point, we, as students, lost the true purpose of the event and instead became preoccupied with image. Even though I would have liked to think that those things did not matter, I still found myself altering my appearance that Saturday night to try and show off the best version of myself. I was not alone; other females joined me amidst a pile of cosmetic products and styling tools, and we had the pictures to showcase …show more content…
After striving to meet our own standards, the rush of satisfaction fills us with confidence and pride. We want to capture ourselves in our finest moments, and so, we take a selfie. It preserves the best versions of who we strive to be and serves as evidence for what we are capable of attaining. For instance, looking at my selfie from homecoming, I wonder how I drew my eyeliner so precisely and curled my hair in just the right way, and I want to reach that state again. Additionally, as we post the picture on social media, the number of likes and comments also boost our confidence and reassure us that we fulfill others’ standards of beauty. Even in person, the primary compliments given and received by females evidently have to do with image. As a group, we constantly reaffirm and search for different definitions of …show more content…
They appeared to have little to worry about in regards to their appearance; I even spotted one boy in blue jeans and a plain t-shirt. The majority of them undoubtedly spent mere minutes getting dressed that night, and as uncomfortable as collared shirts and ties may be, they always had the option to loosen ties, roll up sleeves, or otherwise alter their clothing to allow for more comfort. Dressing up was not an event in itself, but rather a minor nuisance that had little effect on the overall experience.
Nonetheless, male judgement still shapes the idea of beauty in both females and other males. They have set impossible standards for women to not be too overbearing or too slight in any given quality, yet women will still seek male approval in the form of any displayed interest, both online and in person. Men do experience effects from society’s portrayal of the ideal man, however the concept of hyper-masculinity does not come from women, but from other men. The male population determines the standard in both genders, and still does not seem to crack under their own