You are Alena, a senior in Gram High School.
You want to be Prom Queen.
[[How do I become Prom Queen?]]Usually, Gram High School’s Senior Class sends out a voting link every year, a week before prom. Everyone enters in an anonymous vote.
But since it’s an anonymous vote, there are rumors and allegations about how the voting is rigged.
[[But who would rig the votes?]]
Samantha.
Junior Prom Princess. Captain of Cheer team. Her mom is the president of PTA and her boyfriend was the Class President last year.
You don’t like her.
She stole your crush, Michael, before dumping him and going on to dating the Class President. Michael’s heart was broken and he is taking a gap year right now at a monastery in Cambodia.
[[It’s time for revenge.]]An email has arrived.
[[Open email.]]
<span class="email">Hello Class of 2022 of Gram High School,</span>
<span class="email">Recently, there has been an unfair amount of misguided allegations regarding the venerable tradition of the annual Prom Pageant. Many of these allegations are clear lies not even worth considering.</span>
<span class="email">However, we decided that satisfaction of the class body is of utmost importance. Therefore, we decided to introduce a new method of selecting the Prom King and Queen. This method is so perfectly objective and transparent. No one would be able to question the validity nor legitimacy.</span>
<span class="email">[[Next page]]</span><span class="email">The candidates with the most number of **Instagram likes** on three of his or her photos during the next month...will be **Prom King and Queen**!</span>
<span class="email">With warm regards and zero bitterness,</span>
<span class="email">Your Class Council</span>
[[Challenge accepted]](set: $time to 0)
It’s 4PM. You have to read two chapters in your US History textbook for tomorrow’s quiz. But the day is so young.
[[Open Instagram]]
(set: $time to ($time + 1))
<span class="insta">Welcome back to Instagram, **alena0706**!</span>
Immediately after opening Instagram, the first picture you see is of your crush, Michael, aka <span class="insta">**mlw01**</span>. He’s wearing a giant smile, and sunshine is pouring into his eyes.
<span class="insta">**Location**: Angkor Wat</span>
<span class="insta">**Caption**: From a distance, everything looks small😎 #zen</span>
<span class="insta">**202 likes**</span>
Wow, he’s so popular, his one selfie gets over 200 likes.
[[See comments]]
[[Close Instagram]](set: $time to ($time + 1))
<span class="insta">**lifeisajam** so wholesome, bro</span>
<span class="insta">**cw000** zensta</span>
<span class="insta">**sxmxnthx** ❤️❤️❤️</span>
You’re so angry. <span class="insta">**sxmxnthx**</span> is Samantha. How can she dare to put three red, full heart emojis on Michael’s Instagram? Michael would think she might still be into him.
...You wonder what Samantha’s Instagram is like.
[[View Samantha’s profile|Samantha's Profile]]
[[Close Instagram]]
(set: _currtime to (4 + $time))
It's _currtime PM. You spent $time hours on Instagram.
[[Study for AP US History Quiz|End]]
[[Upload a photo to Instagram]](set: $time to ($time + 1))
<span class="insta">**Sammie**</span>
<span class="insta">Gram High ‘22💚 Cheer📣 Athletes lift weights. Cheerleaders lift athletes✨</span>
Her profile picture is weird. The background is pitch black and her face is lightened up by camera flash. She’s wearing a dazzling smile but you can only see half of her face.
She’s basically naked in most of her pictures.
[[Click on one]]
[[Close Instagram]](set: $time to ($time + 1))
<span class="insta">**Location:** Seagulls Beach Club</span>
She’s laying on the beach, and is covering her beach towel over herself and her boyfriend, the Class President. She’s wearing a bikini and he is topless.
<span class="insta">**Caption:** Cannot believe it’s been half a year already😍 Thank you for always being my side baby! I cannot imagine life without you. I love you so much💓💘💝💛💗</span>
<span class="insta">**330 likes**</span>
You cringe.
[[Look at another photo]]
[[Look at your own profile]]
[[Close Instagram]]
(set: $time to ($time + 1))
<span class="insta">**Location:** Zagreb, Croatia</span>
<span class="insta">**Caption:** King's Landing. Where is Jeoffrey? 🇭🇷☠️#got</span>
<span class="insta">**198 likes**</span>
Dang, she's so rich. How does she manage to visit Croatia for a week? I've never even been outside of United States...
[[Look at your own profile]]
[[Close Instagram]](set: $time to ($time + 1))
<span class="insta">**Alena H**</span>
<span class="insta">Crazy cat teenager</span>
Your profile is pathetic. It's just you at Model UN conferences dressed up. Or you at the neuroscience lab you're interning in. The only travel photos are from New York City. You need....a strategy.
[[Close Instagram]]Alas, I guess you won't be a Prom Queen.
And Michael would never notice you.
But who cares? You are you.
Now let's think about who you are, and what you really want, without the traps of hearts and notifications.After much thought, you decided there are categories of photos on Instagram, and the sort of photos that get the most likes.
Yes, you could upload random ass things like a crocodile in your front yard, or a random movie night with your mom, but those don't get a huge number of likes.
[[List of Instagram Categories That Get the Most Likes|List]]<u>The Traveler</u>: Go to an exotic location. Any photo will get bunch of likes if the location is exotic. No, seriously, have a frowned selfie and put <span class="insta">Okinawa, Japan</span> as a location.
<u>The Stylist</u>: Look distracted in a restaurant or cafe, but be very stylish. Make sure you wear a photogenic outfit and make sure your hair looks gorgeous.
<u>The Lover</u>: Nothing spices up an Insta like a significant other. Especially better if this is the first post that announces you guys being in a relationship, surprising everyone out of the blue.
<u>The Party Animal</u>: Wear something hella sexy and post a thirst trap. Even better if the party is on the beach. Pose with your girlfriends. You know how to have fun.
<u>The Wholesome</u>: Mother's Day. Father's Day. Earth Day. You care about everything in the world, from rising Lululemon prices to climate change. You are so different from other girls who only care about partying and eating.
[[What can I choose?]]Well, looks like you aren't traveling anywhere far in the next month.
And you don't have a boyfriend.
You can't suddenly invite yourself to parties.
You guess your only option is to combine The Stylish and The Wholesome somehow.
To be very frank, you are not in a good shape.
[[Give up being Prom Queen and go on living your usual life|End]]
[[Become someone else and try this out]]Whew...well, if you insist.
But if you really insist on combining The Wholesome and The Stylist, you don't have a chance unless you suddenly get into Harvard and somehow hold the admissions letter in a Vogue outfit.
So...here are the options.
[[Get a boyfriend]]
[[Go to a party]]
[[Travel somewhere]]You can't do this. You love Michael and Michael only. You think James in your Math class is probably asking you to Prom, but you CANNOT date James.
[[Go to a party]]
[[Travel somewhere]]Alright, you text Minah, the social butterfly, and ask what's up this weekend. Minah is surprised because you never show up to parties but she invites you to her party for Friday.
You need to order push up bras, stockings, and flashy clothes from H&M. You watch YouTube videos on how to put on party makeup. And you realize you have to order eyeliner and mascara from Sephora.
[[Whatever, order these things]]
[[Gosh, I don't have the money|End]]You seriously don't. have. the budget. And you don't have time.
What you COULD do, is go hiking somewhere in-state and just fake the location to be Kenya....but do you really want to do that?
[[Get a boyfriend]]
[[Go to a party]]
...sorryFriday 10PM. You show at Minah's house in Richtown.
...oops, it seems like you didn't get the message.
[[Why?]]Everyone is wearing white outfits. This was supposed to be a Greek themed party. You are wearing black.
[[Run away|End]]
[[Someone is calling your name]]"Oh my god, Alena! Look at you! Sooooo good to see you!"
This is Samantha. She's wearing the perfect outfit. (She is always wearing the perfect outfit.)
"I..um...love your outfit! Where did you get it? Forever 21?"
...she's right.
[[You're embarrassed, run away|End]]
[[Put on a big smile]]"Oh, Samantha, you smartie! It's so good to see you. I've never talked to you after sophomore year, I think? We should celebrate our reunion."
Samantha seems surprised you're so genuinely happy to see her. But you have grand plans.
"Samantha, let's take a picture together!"
[[Continue]]YES! Before Samantha could object, you asked a clueless boy around to take the picture of the two of you. It was perfect. It had the right flash (thank goodness you have the most recent iPhone), and you look gorgeous. It's a bit awkward that you're wearing black and her white, but hey, you could just caption it as
<span class="insta">A grim reaper among Greek gods xoxo @sxmxnthx and I complement each other like yin and yang☯️ </span>
or something.
[[Edit the photo]](set: $time2 to 0)
Choose an app to edit the photo with:
[[Instagram|PhotoEdit]]
[[VSCO|PhotoEdit]]
[[iPhone Photo Editing|PhotoEdit]]
[[Adobe Lightroom|PhotoEdit]]
[[This is too much, just quit |End]](set: $time2 to ($time2+1))Cool! Now let's choose the location as
[[Richtown, CA|Set Location]]
[[Close Instagram|End]](set: $time2 to ($time2+1))[[Write Caption]]
[[Close Instagram|End]](set: $time2 to ($time2+1))[[Tag Samantha]]
[[Close Instagram|End]](set: $time2 to ($time2+1))[[Post! Finally]]
[[Close Instagram|End]](set: $time2 to ($time2 + 1))(set: $likes to 0)<span class="insta">**Location:** Richtown, CA</span>
<span class="insta">**Caption:** A grim reaper among Greek gods xoxo @sxmxnthx and I complement each other like yin and yang☯️ </span>
<span class="insta">**$likes likes**</span>
You just hope you get enough likes...you need to <span class="important">[[Refresh]]</span> to check the most recent number of likes
[[Close Instagram]](set: $time2 to ($time2 + 0.1))(set: $likes to ($likes + 1))(if: $likes < 200)[<span class="insta">**Location:** Richtown, CA</span>
<span class="insta">**Caption:** A grim reaper among Greek gods xoxo @sxmxnthx and I complement each other like yin and yang☯️ </span>
<span class="insta">**$likes likes**</span>
You just hope you get enough likes...you need to <span class="important">[[Refresh]]</span> to check the most recent number of likes
[[Close Instagram|End]]
Just so you know...you've spent $time2 hours on Instagram so far]
(else:)[Hurrah!🎉 Your post made it to 200 likes. That's enough to be in good standing for Prom Pageant for now.
[[Congratulations!]]
]You are on good track of becoming Prom Queen, although this is only the start.
Remember you also just spent $time2 hours on Instagram. You were checking your likes and comments, scrolling thorugh the feed, stalking Samantha and Michael, looking through random videos Instagram recommended, strategizing for your next post...oh, my!
Wonder how you will do on your exam tomorrow.
But it's ok, right? You may become the most popular Instagram celebrity, and Michael may have noticed you...in fact, he just commented on your most recent photo!
Life is good, right?