How I won't have anyone to take me to Prom & drinking culture where I live

[tallandsweet]

With my Prom around the corner, I wanted to get this off my chest.

I mentioned that I have a kind of crazy ex who can't let go before, and I'm worried that he'll drive the ~300km separating us to come to my Prom.

Prom here is different, you usually don't go with a date but with your friends - and yet I fell for someone who I would have loved to take me to Prom. He won't, we got in a big fight, which is not okay, but I decided that it'll be fine.

Here's why.

#1: Nobody cares

Again, in Austria, people don't really go to Prom with a date but with their friends, to enjoy the atmosphere, to dance, to drink, to have fun.

#2 Dancing is more important than who you're with

We loooove our Bälle lol

At Prom, most people will come to look good or dance.

People wearing ballet shoes and the traditional dress of Austria

#3 My Prom won't be scandalous

One of the Proms had Micaela Schäfer, who is a famous model, strip.

You can see Schäfer in the last 40-50 seconds of the video below.

"ausziehen" means "to undress"

#4 Most go to these Proms because of the atmosphere - and to drink

Austrian BROS

Thanks for reading, feel free to share your thoughts on prom, drinking, prom dates, promposals and the like below!

These are not proms but regular parties in rural areas. However, people behave similarly at proms, just a little tuned down.

Just look at these videos, especially 1:07 in the first one and 1:21 in the second one.

This looks bad, but it makes sense, drinking is important in Austria and I've never heard anyone other than myself voice concerns about Austrian drinking culture.

Binge-drinking statistic

To Americans and Australians, this probably sounds like people here are always drunk, and to be honest, many start going out at 14 and have access to alcohol earlier than the legal drinking age.

Austrian drinking culture is an actual problem. We can start drinking beer and wine at 16, and hard liquor at 18.

[SteveSmith1985]

Interesting MyTake. I am in Canada. And when I was in university (more than a decade ago)... the "drinking culture" was absurd. I was very much a part of it. I was the king of the drug/booze thing. It was a university town, and so there was literally a party every night somewhere. Somehow we made it to classes and got papers in on time.

The older I get... looking back on JUST how crazy we used to be... how many things didn't go "the wrong way"(but so easily could have) during some crazy, stupid, reckless shit we used to do.

Now we were crazy... but my friends were good people. Not the "bro" types.

Anyway, It was interesting to hear someone your age who was so against the 'drinking culture' just at the age where it starts to REALLY pick up. I think you'll end up better off for seeing it the way you do.

Most everyone did grow up and put the crazy days behind them. If it makes you feel any better; all the people who are acting like jackasses will actually become responsible, productive members of society...(as hard as that may be to believe).

It's really a "phase" or a "time of life" thing. I do agree that it's gotten worse. Not since I was in school... but say, since my parents were in school. I'm not going to lie... I did have a blast. I had a lot of fun, made some great lasting friendships... and some crazy memories.

At the same time... there were a lot of "close calls" of every possible description. Many of us would be dead or locked up iif some small thing had gone differently on some particular drunken night.
Looking back... I think it was maybe little 'too much'. It used to be partying anywhere from 2 to 5 nights a week... until the sun came up. The sheer volume of liquor we consumed was staggering.

I don't have kids. If I ever do though, I hope they think more like you do; rather than how I thought at your age.

I think it's great that you've realized that you can have a great time at prom even if you don't go with a date. I think that's FOR SURE true.

It's a party with your friends. If people don't even really bring dates in Australia, then it's even more of a reason to not sweat it.

Plus... when you get out there on the dance floor (for some reason you strike my as the type who'd be down to boogie-down) it really won't matter one bit. Its just everyone having fun... and marking the "end of an era" of your lives.

I think a lot of girls would have themselves a pity party if they got into a fight with their prom date and were no longer going with them. I can't tell you how awesome it is that you're not being stupid and doing that.

What you're saying here is RIGHT! It would be so stupid for you to allow not having a date to ruin your prom experience. It really really doesn't have to! Not in any way. It's just most people 'refuse' to see that, and instead 'choose' to take a 'woe is me' view of the situation.

I think you sound like a pretty cool chick.

As a last note... it's concerning that you have an ex, who is "having so much trouble letting go" that you worry about the possibility of him driving 300km to come (UNWANTED AND UNINVITED) to your prom. You shouldn't have to worry about that. You may need to make it more clear that he NEEDS to let go. But you shouldn't have to worry about that. If I were you... I would take care to make sure that ex 'gets it'. That part was concerning.

Otherwise, I really liked your myTake! :)

[Girther10]

Interesting take on a mytake. Note: you wrote approx. 350% more than the mytake you wrote about... lol

[Barbarian8]

Hey there, I used to live in big city in Austria, so there most clubs and dancing are reserved for adult +18 and some +21.
I thought It was same but when I moved to very rural area, I was shocked: kids in bars and clubs. I can tell you they are around 12 years old, drinking alcohol and smoking weeds. I think because, it is rural area and they don't have much thing to do as in big cities, they only have alcohol!!!

[tallandsweet]

My point lol
Wennst da de Videos einiziagst sigst wie sie siechen - scho schad und traurig ehrlich gsagt

[Barbarian8]

Ja schade

[Dongtai]

Prom is really what you make it. I personally went for my own self improvement. I struggled with being confident with girls so I didn’t date much in high school.

Prom was my turning point. I made the decision to go, regardless of not having a date and have fun meeting and dancing with girls. I also wanted to have a motivating story for my son whenever I have one and if prom is a thing when he hits that age. I didn’t want to be the lame dad who goes “Oh I didn’t go to prom because it’s stupid.” Ok. It’s dumb to you but not everyone.

So I prepped. And I honestly shocked myself. I got turned down by a few girls which wasn’t a big surprise. But I also danced with a few good looking ones too. I didn’t think “any girl” would dance with me. The kicker is making out with one in the middle of the dance floor.

I didn’t drink. I didn’t have sex. Nothing scandalous unless you consider kissing scandalous. But going to prom gave me the confidence I needed to face my fear of rejection and start meeting girls but also a great memory and lesson I can pass to the next generation.

If you go to prom. Go for you. Not what anyone else says it is. It’s YOUR prom. Do with it what you will. But if you discard it, it isn’t “yours”. I say go if just for 30 minutes. It’s a once in a lifetime memory.

[wynn-ing]

Great attitude! This is the way to go. And thanks for the education o drinking culture there! The country I'm in is not far down the list (2nd actually) and it's more or less the same shit 😂

If I were you, I'd go to just enjoy myself. Whenever I go to events like this, if enjoying myself means going alone - no friends or date or lacking in other things like an actually nice outfit or dancing skills lol, then so be it! I really don't care!

Drinking isn't really my cuppa tea tbh and Austria sounds like it would overwhelm in that sense haha but it could be a nice addition sometimes.

I hope you have a blast!

[Kaneki05]

I am pretty sure everyone drinks like this in most countrys. I started drinking at 13 and i am in uk. Pretty sure same drinking culture. the statsics well dunno how accurate they are since lot's of people here drink plus they wouldn't know about everyone just ones caught or at a pub.

Prome over here sucks tho and taking anyone to it would be toture lol. Spiked punch is good tho and cocain in the toilets bahahaha

[4mazing]

Am very surprised by that graph with the binge drinking statistics. Thought Denmark would DEFINITELY be close to the top. Maybe drinking culture is finally receding here. Kids start buying crates of beer when they're 12 here...

[chriscdi]

im about to go to austria and live there, i would legally be able to drink, im a loner so this prom thing seems like heaven, cause you dont gotta bring anyone, and dont worry y'all come second for drinking if anything, i think all of russia comes first, those mf can't live without alcohol

[Jjpayne]

It looks fun but also risky, you need to be careful and safe if you decide to go. But if you do go I hope you at least have fun

[lovasucka]

To make it feel better for you, I’m your neighbour I’m from Slovenia and I haven’t attended prom haha At the time I was not confident enough and also all of my schoolmates at that class were very mean or lame. I don’t regret not going though

[lovedejj_xo]

Interesting never went to prom. I didn’t start drinking regularly until around 18 since I started college everyone had fake IDs for 21+ clubs

[JimboGB]

I grew up on fake ID's 😆

[lovedejj_xo]

Lol my friend got caught and got us all kicked out like a dummy fun times lol

[JimboGB]

I admire how you didn't throw your friend under the bus lol You were probably a lightweight, they did you favour 🤭 I knew a couple of doormen, they would look at my ID, laugh, then let me in. I had a right touch.

[Avicenna]

Prom is fun
Thanks for sharing what it's like there.

[Jltakk]

Never even bothered going to prom. Found the prospect of it dull and boring, so I'd just spend the night playing N64 instead.

[JesseTheMan]

I didn't go to prom, I stayed home sleeping.
I would have gone if we got to drink lol but pur prom was when we're 17 so RIP.

[engel23]

Wao i thought my native country of Dominican Republic was far worse than most but is not even on that chart. But try to find a designated driver, which I thought I was a myth but there are quite I just find out, get your crew and have extra FUN

[tallandsweet]

What do you mean when you say you thought designated drivers were a myth?
You do realise that that's simply one of your friends that doesn't drink, right? It's not like you can hire someone...
I mean, I live in a fairly rich country and attend a school with high class, top 10% people, they just take a taxi home lol.

[engel23]

I know but I had designated drivers that got drunk before me. Couple of my3 friends got DUI because there designated driver couldn't even speak. Its hard to say no to drink

[zagor]

Yeah the drinking at proms is not legal here; 21 is drinking age all over now.

[Anonymous]

you got in a fight but decided everything's fine? ya... great, I doubt he feels the same way however. if you want to reconcile, then your going to have to talk to him about it...

[tallandsweet]

The take isn't about that guy at all lol. I mentioned that to share my thoughts on going to prom with someone.

[Opinion Owner]

my point---------->
you

*sigh*

[igiem]

Just enjoy yourself. If the ex shows up, just take him to court later and put a restraining order on him. You’ll never see him again. Problem solved.

[Melissa01979]

In Greece the The binge drinkers tend to be from the US.

[COMMODOREII]

Why was i born in the united states? 😮

[Girther10]

You’re a lucky bastard.

[Anonymous]

I want Micaela Schafer to strip at my next party

[DrewGee]

I'll go to prom with you

[Anonymous]

Then maybe Austria should change their rules?

[tallandsweet]

I mean, I think it’s really important to learn drinking alcohol responsibly, which is why my parents introduced me to it when I was ~14. They’d let me have a sip of wine once or twice a year, which was more than enough, I still don’t like wine or beer or liquor, but I appreciate it. Gin for example is a lot of work to make, takes years.