With a date

PROS
+ Somehow, the dance is the impetus to something new. Something better than you've imagined before...
+ You now have fond memories that you can look back upon for months and years afterward.
+ Cuteness hits the threshold.
+ You don't have to worry about not having anyone to talk to, or getting lost in the crowd.
+ PICTURES! ZOMG PICTURESSSSS. NOW SIGN 'EM AND GIVE THEM TO YOUR DOTING FRIENDDSSSS.
+ Dressing to impress raises the bar, so now you look even spiffier in those pictures.
+ Dancing the night away and feeling completely confident and enchanted.
+ The bubbly feeling when you can make a joke with your date and he/she laughs.
+ STATUS UPGRADE. BRO HIGH FIVE.

CONS
- You chose the wrong person. Awkwardness ensues.
- Realizing that you could have said no and things could have been prevented.
- The hollow feeling you get after a dance when you look at photos again, but you don't talk to so-and-so anymore.
- Someone spikes the punch and you're having too much fun to notice.
- Your date can't dance. Neither can you.
- Planning hell. Wrong shade of purple, forgot the corsage, forgot the wallet, your date's mad.
- The awkward "as friends" or "as dates" question afterward.
- You don't want to further the relationship. It furthers anyway.
- Your parents are Asian. FML.
- You spent the money on your date when it could have been used on boba and snacks. Damn.

Without a date

PROS
+ Raiding the refreshment table. No one can judge you.
+ Corsages? Pictures? Matching outfits? Screw it, screw it all!
+ Awkwardly joining together with the other single ladies/gentlemen, trying to drop a hint that you're up for the next dance.
+ Having fun without caring about who's judging you and whether they'll think of you when you go home.
+ Slow dancing is overrated, anyway.
+ You make no promises, and ditch when you want to ditch.
+ Not having to do math when splitting tickets, photos. (This is a big thing for me.)
+ Realizing that a time well spent with friends is a time well spent regardless.
+ Your parents aren't worried, knowing that you won't be sneaking off to some hotel room later.

CONS
- The melody of Green Day's "Nobody Likes You" from American Idiot rings throughout your head whenever you amble awkwardly around your circle of friends that have dates.
- A slow song comes on. Where'd everyone go?
- The churning feeling in your stomach when your best friend makes out with your crush during a slow song.
- Sweating outside with some punch, waiting for the slow song to end.
- And then, the wrong person asks you to dance during a slow song. Noooo!
- Someone spikes the punch and you're too depressed to notice.
- Knowing that you could have prevented this, but didn't.
- Vulnerability.
- No one matches you.
- You wanted a picture too...