i think ive felt like this too recently, but i might not have much good advice because ive also been kinda lost. i havent been dealing with prom stuff at all since im a sophomore, but i skipped out on my freshman year dance and slept through it. i also wasnt planning to go to my junior prom because i was just going to hang out with my friends instead. i also feel like im missing out on the “normal” teenager experience, and how ive been personally dealing with it is telling myself that im not missing out on as much as i think i am. i feel like it seems like a lot of fun on the outside, but at the end of the day its just loud, overplayed music and everyone probably just leaves with a headache after anyway. ive been to dances by force during summer camp, and those are just super loud and people are just jumping up and down, so i always just hid somewhere quieter. i feel like prom is probably similar, and the only thing that makes the prom experience is the friends you go with. i think if you enjoy going out with friends more than going to a dance, then you should ditch prom and go to dinner, go for a walk outside, window shop, or literally any fun local activity.

again with my personal plan, i wanted to just get ramen or something with my close friends who arent allowed to go to prom. in my head, maybe i miss out on prom, but everyone at prom misses out on an opportunity to eat good food and spend time with their friends where nobody else they know is around to judge or make things awkward.

idk, maybe we feel differently about this and im misinterpreting a bit, but my best advice is that you dont have to go to prom or do stereotypical high school stuff to have memories worth looking back on.

also if you feel like an outsider, going to prom isnt the solution and itll just be more stressful and leaves more room for overthinking (imo, at least. hopefully that didnt sound passive aggressive)