In the sixth grade, my English teacher told us to write about an event in our life that we were looking forward to most. While I wanted to write I was looking forward to my wedding day the most, my teacher used her daughter’s wedding as the example. My then sixth-grade self was into being “creative and original” and all that jazz, and I knew I had to come up with something else.

And so, while I really wasn’t even looking forward to my prom senior year, I wrote about getting ready with my friends, picking out a dress and going to the actual prom. Over the years, my excitement grew, and now that prom is actually almost here, it is the one thing the majority of senior girls are thinking about.
Whether it’s the dress, the hair, the nails, the food or the photography, one thing that dominates the gossip channel these days are the “proposals”: How will he ask? For those girls out there who have dates, congratulations. And guys, hopefully you delved into that “creative and original” brain of yours to come up with a spiffy idea.
But if you’re still dateless and don’t know how to ask, here are my top 10 dream prom proposals.

10. Punny Prom Proprosal

I don’t know about other girls, but I love puns. Who doesn’t? While they may not always be incredibly clever or can be kind of cliche, they are cute. Some punny prom proposals can include laying Hershey Kisses on the ground with a note that says, “Now that I’ve kissed the ground that you walk on, will you go to prom with me?” or ordering a cheese pizza and writing, “I know this is cheesy, but will you to prom with me?”

9. Car proposals

I don’t know what it is, but I’ve always thought that car proposals were super cute.  And they’re not always exactly easy to go unnoticed.  Decorate his or her car with “Prom?” or fill it with balloons, candy, stuffed animals or any other fun item.  From what I’ve noticed, it works everytime.

8. Candle proposals

In my opinion, candle proposals — lighting candles and having them spell out “Prom?” — are the most cliche way to ask someone to prom.  But they are the classiest.  So, if you must go the cliche route, candles proposals are the way to go.

7. Make a Mix CD

Prove how well you know each other by putting together a Mix CD of all your favorite romantic songs. Record yourself asking the person to prom and put it on the CD, or pop the question by writing it on the CD.

6. Disney Prom Proposal

I don’t know how you would do it, but if someone asked me to prom and it involved Disney characters, songs or movies, I would definitely say yes.

5. An ad in The Rock or on Bearing News

You know you want to.

4. Flowers

No matter what anyone says, deep down, all girls love flowers.  And what’s a more romantic way to ask a girl to prom than providing her with a beautiful bouquet of flowers?

3. Make him or her food

Bake the special person a batch of cookies with a prom proposal underneath, spell out “Prom?” on a cake or have a special message written on a message for a fortune cookie and give it to him or her when you’re out for Chinese food.

2. Write a letter

Letter-writing is so old fashioned and so rare nowadays that anyone would be thrilled to see a formal written invitation or letter in their mailbox. Write your proposal in calligraphy on a piece of parchment paper, roll it up and tie with a ribbon and stick it in her mailbox, in her locker or attach it to a stuffed animal.

1. Just ask

Regardless of the way you end up asking the special person, the asking part is the most important. And in reality, most people just want to be asked. While the clever and extravagant prom proposal makes for good stories and Instagram photo opportunities, if the person really wants to go with you, they’ll say yes no matter what.

By Jacqueline LeBlanc