Here’s What Your Year 12 Ball Will Really Be Like (According to the Student Edge Team)

"I had a crush on the guy who asked me and then found out he had been bribed by his sister." 💀

It’s ball szn.

Let’s be real—if you haven’t been obsessively planning your ball for months (or years), then at least half your cohort has.

And whether you like it or not, ball szn is finally here in all its dress-hiring, corsage-matching, partner-asking glory. You may be feeling excited, possibly unenthused, and most likely nervous.

Our American counterparts who like to call it “prawwm” (aka: prom) seem to make it the event of a lifetime in films like Grease, High School Musical and 10 Things I Hate About You. But the reality can be starkly different, and we’re here to prepare you for that.

Whether they’re good or bad memories from our Student Edge team, here are some hilarious anecdotes to show your ball may not be what you expect—and that’s okay!

Kaylee, 2013 ball.

I remember my friend started a countdown about 280 days out from the ball and she had it in her locker. She would tick it off every day at school... we were that excited!

It was everything we hoped for. Getting all dressed up, having hundreds of photos taken of us, the limo, the dancing, the food! We talked about it for months afterwards and I’ve only been to one or two events since then that were even close to that fancy!

I had a crush on the guy who asked me and then found out later that year he had been bribed by his sister to ask me in exchange for a waffle maker. I know.

Teri, 2015 ball.

Didn't have a date. Had my peers of five years introducing themselves to me 'cos they couldn't recognise me through the glo-up. Sat there the entire night waiting for the afters!

Henri, 2010 ball.

Every time I hear "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz I have mad flashbacks of my horrible Year 12 ball which consisted of 1. bad hairdos, 2. a whole lot of acne, 3. the poor excuse of dancing and finally, 4. we actually legitimately thought we were cool.

Anica, 2017 ball.

Somehow the makeup lady I went to down the road made me look like I was going through an emo phase.

I was super awkward and anxious from the sheer intensity of it. Going to an all girl’s school meant most people were constantly talking about their manicures, tans, hairstyles, shoes, makeup, and all the stuff I just wasn’t interested in at the time.

I don’t really remember any of it. I think I was wishing I was somewhere else!

Intan, 2013 ball.

The school didn’t organise our ball, we had to do it ourselves. I dont know who thought it was a great idea to have it at AQWA…

So we all arrived in our limos, we get there, and the room wasn’t ready apparently. We were all just waiting around at the hall admiring all these fish in the glasses.

When we walked in, it was actually so great! The dance floor was a little small but we made do with it. The DJ was some older lad but MANNN HE TURNED IT UPPPPPP!

FOOD WAS 10/10 buffet style. Can confirm we all wished we bought containers to bring food home ‘cos there was still heaps left.

We invited all the cool teachers and they actually tore up the dance floor. Who knew a maths teacher could actually break it down.

Overall, definitely would relive that night again. No ragrets.

Header image: Canva.