Homecoming is a huge part of high school for many students. For some, it’s their first dance and for others it’s one of their last. Homecoming is a chance to really make a memory with friends.

If you’re lucky, you’ll have a date– this makes the dance floor so much less intimidating. If you don’t have a date, this article is for you. You don’t want to be the kid that sits in the corner and stares awkwardly at other people.

Picture the stereotypical high school romance story: you’re at the dance and you see that special someone from across the dance floor. Your eyes meet and you walk towards one another. You meet in the middle of the dance floor and live happily ever after. Just a heads-up, that’s not going to happen.

If you’re hoping to dance with that person you’ve been staring at in study hall for the past month, then now would be your chance. Just find a way to make it casual, which is a heck of a lot easier said than done.

Maybe make eye contact and point to yourself and then that person. If they nod, then go for it. If they smile, you’re in.

Senior Ben Warneke says that it all comes down to how much confidence you have. “If you have confidence, and don’t mind making a slight fool out of yourself, things are going to be a lot less awkward and probably more successful,” Warneke said. “People admire confidence.”

Let’s focus on the key word “suave.” Don’t be so obnoxious that people stop dancing just to stare at you. Find a middle ground. Be outgoing, yet calm and be able to judge what is appropriate for the situation.

Lastly, just have fun. If you get shot down, who cares? Move on to the next person. I hate to sound cliché, but there really are “other fish in the sea.”