When we think about our “firsts” there’s an instant impression that comes to mind. Maybe for your first date it was the dim lighting and the feeling of holding hands with your crush. For your first kiss, it might have been the smell of your boyfriend or girlfriend’s shampoo. At your first school dance, you might remember how nervous you felt asking someone to dance. On the other hand, you’ll probably forget some of the things that seemed like major inconveniences at the time – like your Curfew, worries about looking unskilled on the dance floor, etc. To help you make the most of your “firsts,” here’s a list of the things that really count, and the things that aren’t worth stressing over.

You’ll always remember…

• Going to a dance with your crush
• Going with your best friend to a dance when you’re both date-less
• Wearing a tux/prom dress you feel awesome in
• Doing a crazy move on the dance floor (think “the chicken dance”)
• Doing something unusual for your first date, like going to the zoo with your crush
• Getting stuck in a rainstorm on a date/after a dance, etc.
• Laughing (instead of crying) over a not-so-funny situation (example: showing up at the wrong place for pre-prom dinner reservations, bumping noses during your first kiss)
• The great conversations over your first date or after your first kiss

You’ll wish you could forget the time…

• You went to your first school dance way, way overdressed
• You invited the most popular boy/girl at school on a date, and then realized that he/she was a complete bore
• When you went to a dance or on a date with someone you didn’t really like just because you didn’t know how to say “no”
• You wore the wrong clothes or shoes on a date (note: don’t wear dress shoes or high heels on a hike with your crush, and don’t show up to the prom in sneakers!)
• You spent way too much money on your first date or on your first prom