The Stages of Ball Season Stress

While end of term means skipping lectures because you cba anymore or living off toast because you're knees deep in your overdraft, it also means that it's time for Winter Balls and Christmas Dinners. Although most of us live for any event where we can dress fancy and pretend to be all posh, balls can seriously be stressful.

Picking the perfect dress

Stepped on for the entire night

Dressing for a blacktie events take effort. As much as we all appreciate a good tux or a suit, you could (and probably do) wear the same one to every single event throughout your uni life and no one caress or notice. But getting a dress holds more stress than any deadline ever has. It really shouldn't but every ball is my TIME TO SHINE. You have to look for dresses months in advance to ensure you don't have the same dress as someone else.

The Hunger Games

He's dreaming of food

There are several reasons why eating right before a ball is far from ideal. The fear of a food baby or even worse, chundering keeps you from having a proper meal. Now, the fancier the venue, the smaller the food portions are likely to be. If you're vegetarian or vegan your starter shall be a salad with about five pieces of veg in it, so if you've strategically survived on liquids that day, I feel for you.

Strategic Drinking

Definitely had more than half a bottle of wine

Now, lets be honest, if this were a standard black tie event, you'd have to stay classy and sophisticated. But this is uni. A ball is an excuse to get shitfaced. But your drinking has to be strategic. Too sober and you'll probably end up being mum for the night but too drunk and you're probably going to get your three course meal over your three piece suit (or dress). Even worse if you have to travel back to Exe on a coach and pay £50 for getting sick everywhere (been there, done that).

Photoshoots and Photobooths

When your narcissism gets caught on camera

Every photo at a ball is an opportunity for a potential profile picture. While there will be candids, there have to also be fandids (fake candids) to get those likes in. And if getting a bunch of perfect photos wasnt enough, there's always the photobooth to stress you out. Long queues followed by getting your poses in sync and using the right accessories. Is it going to be a silly photo or a cute one? So much stress. If you don't have a plus one, it's also a long night of awkwardly thirdwheeling in couple's photos and having to scout for friends who want to get into a photobooth with you.

The Afterparty

Now if you've managed to survive a long night of looking dapper and getting smashed simultaneously, you deserve to celebrate by dancing it out all night, just try not to get stepped on or step on people (especially if you're wearing stilettos). The only thing you've got to stress about is your hangover the next day.