What It’s Really Like To Have Sex On Prom Night

Losing your virginity on prom night has become a common plot point in teen movies and TV shows — whether the teens in question decide to go for it (American Pie) or not (Boy Meets World). But IRL, how many teens have sex for the first time on prom night — or have sex on prom night at all? Research suggests not many. A 2013 survey of 12,843 high school students found that just 14% of girls had sex on prom night, 5% of them for the first time. An even smaller number — 3% — of high school boys had sex for the first time on prom night. Plus, less than half of students of any gender (41% in 2015) have sex in high school at all.

Although movies and TV shows about sex on prom night can be fun and even send a progressive, sex-positive message about teenage girls’ autonomy over their own bodies (hello, Blockers), very few of the teens who do have sex on prom night are shelling out for luxurious, rose-petal-covered hotel rooms. Here, seven people anonymously share their prom night sex stories.