As spring rolls around, the hallways begin to fill with chatter about prom dresses, pictures, and– most importantly–dates. In order to officially secure one, you must execute a perfectly planned out promposal. Even if it doesn’t turn out the way you imagined, it’s the thought that counts. Here are some tips from The Lance on how to nail your promposal. 

First, think about what kind of promposal your date would enjoy most. Even if you are in a relationship, your promposal should still be a surprise for your date. That doesn’t mean you should ignore what your date wants, though. Our advice is to figure out what your date prefers. Are they the type of person to want something big and extravagant? Or would they rather something more quiet and personal? If you don’t know your date that well, text their friends for their opinion. But no matter what you do, make sure your date suspects nothing because it ruins the fun.

Secondly, make sure you add your own personal touch. Nobody wants the generic “I would Crumbl without you” or “I couldn’t bear to go to prom without you.” Get creative! Think deep into your prom date’s mind and see what they like. Here, we’ll give you a little freebie: if he or she likes matcha-flavored beverages or desserts, use a witty pun like, “We would be the perfect match-a at prom.” To make sure you really hit the mark, use props! For this promposal, a nice matcha latte from Closter’s Machapresso would be more than enough. We want this promposal to be a memorable one, not a lame afterthought. Especially for our seniors out there–don’t ruin your date’s most important high school experience with a poster that took you five minutes to make. 

Lastly, have some confidence. When you’re about to prompose, make sure your head is held high and your posture is straight. You don’t have to prepare a whole speech because that’s just cringe. Make sure you’re dressed appropriately, and try not to be too awkward. For the guys reading this, you don’t need to be wearing a whole tuxedo, but at least try to look put together. A nice sweater would definitely suffice. And yes, the moment where you knock on your date’s door will be stressful. Trust us, your date is going to be just as nervous. But if it helps, you can always bring a friend or two to tag along to help break the tension.

If you take away anything from our advice, let it be this: prom only happens twice here at OT. Make sure to make each one count, or you’ll end up regretting it. Your promposal doesn’t have to be the most extravagant or the most sensational to be memorable. Sometimes, all it really takes is that one inside joke for your prom date to say yes.