Time is weird.

Or maybe the way we look at time is what makes it unreal or mysterious.

When you’re standing in line at a grocery store, two minutes feels like two hours.

At the dentist, as soon as a foot touches the lobby floor it seems like three hours.

Driving to a game in Chicago seems like it takes five hours, but the three-hour Cubs, White Sox, Bears, Bulls, Sky, or Fire contest seems like it was 15 minutes.

Same with a concert.

Last May, the drive to Chicago did three hours because of construction, which felt like eight days, while the Lil Wayne amazingness (I bring up my favorite rapper of all-time because I’m wearing a T-shirt from the show as I type this) was three hours wrapped in a four-minute music video.

I felt the same way at the Amboy Prom on Saturday.

How is it prom already?

Wasn’t I just here taking the king and queen photo yesterday?

Why is Kelton Schwamberger in street clothes putting the crown on the king, Trey Payne, instead of wearing his suite and being crowned himself?

I’m glad no one could see it, but while I looked at the screen on my phone as I took photos, my head was exploding.

The time warp, time morph, or whatever word or words you choose to say, way too fast, is real.

And it has to be fast for them, their parents, and the Amboy High School staff, too.

Three days ago, they were freshmen.

Two days ago, they were sophomores.

A day ago, they were juniors.

And now they’re dressing up, walking the Prom red carpet, having their names announced, and enjoying prom for the last time.

I don’t only say or write enjoy, but I mean it.

First, it is your last prom, if you’re a senior. If you’re a junior, blink, and it will be your senior prom.

Second, these are memories you only get to make once or twice and it’s only right now. There isn’t a prom sequestered in a work calendar or the never filled out planner (probably bought by a parent) stuffed under the bed or couch of someone trying to find out what’s next in life.

Meaning, done with school, doesn’t have a job or anything going on, yet. Hopefully the most important word on the last sentence was, yet.

Third, some of the very people you danced with, smiled at, conversed with, or kissed at the prom, will not be in your life by the middle of August when some leave for college, join the work force, or enlist in the military. Some of those changes happen even sooner than August.

Fourth, and we all forget this one as adults and don’t even realize it as high school students, this the prom is the last fun event not surrounded by responsibility.

Seriously, think about it.

Graduation is next.

The word responsibility now looks like RESPONSIBILITY as you’re either figuring out what you’re doing after high school, fighting nerves about your first roommate, first class, first time being away from mom and dad at college (which means responsibility in taking care of yourself and your parent’s nerves), or the duties you now have as a grown up with a big boy or big girl job.

If you go to a game or concert in Chicago, Peoria, Bloomington, Rockford, or another bigger city hosting professional sporting events or music attractions, there is the responsibility of buying the tickets, getting a ride there, planning before, during, and after the event, making sure you’re fed, so buying a $20 burger from a vendor that tastes worse or is colder than a $3 burger at McDonald’s.

I could literally go through every event looked at as fun for an adult and come up with a longer list of responsibilities for each of them.

For most, hopefully all the Amboy High School prom attendees, prom doesn’t have those or any responsibilities.

The one duty is to have fun.

The one duty after the prom is to remember that fun.

Because in four days you’ll have graduated college or already received a job promotion or have worked at four different places of employment.

In six days, you’ll have a wife/husband and kids.

And in 10 to 11 days, you’ll be in the stands taking photos of others at their prom.