Because I was a shy guy (was? I still am), I only managed to get a formal partner within the weeks leading up to graduation and formal. She was a fairly nice girl - a girl who had been in two of my classes, I think. We didn't talk a whole lot, but enough for me to get the courage and ask. She was also a fairly quiet girl, so I had a feeling she wasn't going with anyone. I was correct.
Here in Australia (for those reading who live in another country), we have formal arrivals where all the seniors dress up, get a fancy car and one by one, arrive outside the function centre. So when I arrived, we got out of the car, had some photos taken next to the car and then got some more photos outside the function centre. Then once everyone has arrived, you go inside and find the table that you're sitting at (normally, you get to choose who you want to sit with). Most of the night was spent socialising with others, taking more photos, enjoying the three-course meal and getting professional photos taken. Towards the end of the night, I decided to go and get some professional photos done with my formal arrival partner, only to find out she had already left. So I decided to get a couple of other friends to join me and we had some fun getting photos taken, even if we had to pose just like the photographer told us to.
All in all, graduating that day and then having formal that night made it one of the best nights of my life so far!