Does This Blog Post Appeal To Millennials?

Given the number of people that tuned in this Monday, chances are you saw the first presidential debate. And given the number of Snapchat users at OPRF, chances are you also saw Donald Trump's debate day geofilter.

Now I supported Bernie Sanders in the primaries and I proudly support Hillary now, so I might be a little biased in saying I found this to be completely obnoxious, especially considering that there was no alternative filter of Clinton supporters. 

Throughout the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton has developed a reputation for trying too hard to appeal to millennials. While there is absolutely truth in that, Donald Trump is having an even harder time appealing to young voters with less than 2% of his supporters being under the age of thirty (source). His struggle to win over young voters can be chalked up to the fact that millennials are an exceptionally liberal generation, both socially and economically. So how is Trump going to win over that key demographic? Social media, obviously. Everybody knows about Trump's twitter and if don't follow him at this point, you're probably not ever going to follow him. So Trump has to find another platform to reach out online. And if you're trying to appeal to millennials, you go to Snapchat.

While the average age of Twitter users is roughly 32, the large majority of snapchat users are under 30. Nearly half of all snapchat users are under 25 and another 30% are under 35. And despite being unpopular with most people in that demographic, Trump's filter actually got a lot of use.

Going back to how Clinton has struggled to win over younger voters; she has developed a reputation for desperately trying (and failing) to seem cool and relatable, which has ultimately led to people mocking her online for being out of touch. As much as millennials dislike Trump, the majority of them aren't too enthusiastic about Hillary either. More and more young voters are choosing to vote for third party candidates or just not vote at all because Hillary doesn't appeal to them like Bernie Sanders did. Bernie was an uncomplicated candidate who wanted to stand up to economic and political institutions, and Hillary crushed him in the primaries. For this reason, the simple attack on Hillary's character rather than a projection of Trump's platform was probably the most effective way to entice snapchat users to actually use the filter. Had it displayed the border wall at the bottom, it just wouldn't have been used.

Racism in Peter Pan

Peter Pan is regarded as a beloved and classic Disney movie. The film was released in 1953 and was an instant hit. At first look, Peter Pan is a fun story about an adventurous and magical boy who introduces three siblings to his home in Neverland, a place where children never grow up. Once further analyzed, the movie is revealed to be perpetuating Native American stereotypes through the depiction of Princess Tiger Lily and her tribe.

The Native Americans in Peter Pan are portrayed as inaudible, red faced savages. In a song featured in the movie, "What Makes the Red Man Red?" the Native Americans are all seen drumming and jumping around like animals, while wearing feathers in their long black hair. The Indian Chief explains his people's history and culture. The song says "Let's go back a million years to the very first Injun prince, he kissed a maid and start to blush and we've all been blushin' since." According to this, their genetic make up is the way it is because one Indian blushed red when he kissed a girl. They state this because there "needed" to be an explanation as to why their skin is not the "normal" human color of "white." The Native American's are also depicted as misogynistic; the woman Indian reprimands Wendy for dancing with the Indians and tells her that the women do not dance, they are supposed to gather fire wood instead. Near the end of the song, Wendy is also seen scolding her younger brother for joining in on the Indian's dance, demonstrating the Indians primitive nature.

This depiction of Native Americans reduces the culture to a subservient cartoon. If not obvious, this portrayal is extremely offensive. It blends all Indians together into one barbaric caricature, ignoring the diverse societies that are within the Native American culture.

The extreme racism against Native Americans in Peter Pan is problematic and is still commonplace in American culture today. There are still many sports teams that have Indians as mascots, including the Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, and the Blackhawks. Promoting the Native American culture as a mascot is inappropriate and oppressive. Racism against Native American's seems to be overlooked in today's society and although discrimination against Native American's may not seem as prevalent, it is still present and alive.

Dexter - Control of the Mind

It’s safe to say, the majority of people have some type of need; whether it’s always having a phone or constantly washing your hands, it has to be done. For Dexter, the main character of a hit T.V. show, his need is killing people. It’s typical to think the main character is the enemy, but this serial killer specifically kills serial killers only. On special occasion, a rapist or kidnapper has tasted his knife as well, but it’s portrayed that these people are well deserving of their death.

If he goes too long without killing, he faces everyday challenges that could result in harm of an innocent or loved one. Multiple people feel a not-so intense urge, or else anxiety builds up in them. Half the people say it’s all mental and they can make it go away without achieving their need, while others would differ. Dexter like many others, have habits that are imprinted in their brain that they cannot break, but that’s the same as saying they aren’t in control of their own mind. Everyone has the power to break such a habit, it can only take over if they let it. 

In our society, things like O.C.D. and anxiety are looked upon as weaknesses, which the only way to cure is by getting help. It's becoming programmed in many kids that there is something wrong with them, that only outside help can cure them. Sometimes, that may be the case but if more motivation and information is represented as much as "help" is many more people would understand that they are in control and that they can teach themselves to fix their habits, without any pricey outside help that's portrayed as necessary to these people. In Dexter, he doesn't believe he's in control of his life. His "dark passenger" has been inside him since Harry, his adoptive father, took him in and gave him "Harry's code" to live by. The idea of having his own life, and being free of his habits was never viewed as an option from his eyes. His need to kill is always a must, and never an option to him. Our society has formed into a weak-minded community who don't believe they are as strong as they truly are.

Teenage Girls... Of Course

Strangely enough my dad was the one to show me this TV show. The name of it is Ja'mie: Private School Girl. This show aired on HBO (not sure if it still does) and was the epitome of the stereotypical high school/teenage girl. It's very funny how much I actually agreed with it.

In this Episode, Ja'mie (Chris Lilley) is walking with her group of friends and her "service project". Her project for school is to help the less fortunate and she chose to take an African kid from her town in Australia. First off, how shallow is that? As I watched the whole season I learned that he is not needy. He might be less fortunate than Ja'mie, but so is every one.

This is the perfect scene to give the show's message. The show is to flat out make a mockery of high school girls by embracing the stereotypes and tendencies; Tendencies such as using the works like and literally to a fault, playing with their hair, constantly judging people, and so so many other things.

For one the show really makes me laugh because I know people who act like this. Sad and funny, yes I know. The scene revolves around the one group of "popular" or maybe Quiche, as Ja'mie would say, girl who are trying to show Quamie around their school. Ja'mie continues to make for of every one in and out of sight, asking ignorant questions and making HUGE generalizations.

This whole show, every episode, is a hyperbole. I think that yes this show is to enjoy and laugh at, but since the exaggeration it so immense, it aims to show others how dumb and ignorant some high school girls actually can be.

All I have to say is three words: I. Can't. Even.

Trying To Find Middleground

As most things are in life, the balance between order and freedom is paradoxical. Take, for example, teenagers in contemporary America. We are forced to behave and do everything we are told in school, yet so much is expected from us on our own. Either we are supposed to do everything, or are treated as though we can't do anything. This skewed balance of freedom is what Arthur Miller refers to in The Crucible, "between the needs of the community and the desires of individuals."

I believe that as a society, we still have a lot to learn when it comes to this balance. High schoolers are so repressed and guarded, yet we have more responsibilities then we're able to properly handle. We are so close to being adults, but not quite there to experience the benefits of the world fully trusting you. This became especially obvious to me this year, while facing the usual loaded junior schedule and a serious sleep deficit. Doctors preach that our developing brains need a whopping nine hours a night, which seems as impossible to me as Miller's previously described balance is. How are we expected to take on everything we need to, when teachers sometimes won't let us go to the bathroom or get a drink of water during class. Also, seldom can a student ever take all of the classes that they truly want to take, due to an unbudging list of mandatory classes.

School systems and our community as a whole seems to value order more than freedom, simply because it makes things and people easier to handle. Therefore, one could argue that valuing one over the other is more efficient, but I still disagree. Adults and school need to fully trust us and properly prepare us for the real world. It would add to the balance if we were treated more like equals, rather than looked down upon by some adults. Other than the selective student government, I think more ways for students to voice their opinions in school happenings would be beneficial. After all, we have freedom of speech (which is more today then what they had in Salem), but what good is that without a proper outlet for it?


With these things, we can hopefully come closer to attaining to balance of order and freedom, in respect to teens in today's society.

You (Plural) Analysis

In the story "You (Plural" from A Visit From the Goon Squad, the reader is placed in a different time since they had last encountered all the featured characters together - Lou, Rhea, and Jocelyn. The story depicts how different their lives had changed, Lou had gone though heartbreak along with the loss of his son, Rhea had a family, and Jocelyn - well Jocelyn seems to have difficulty grasping the idea of how to get her life together. In the event of Lou's declining health, the characters are forced to comeback together for one last time. Being together forced unresolved memories and feelings to resurface but the characters somehow were reverted back to how things were before "Rhea holds his hand, and I take the other one... We're there, the three of us, like before. We're back at the beginning" (91). They grew so far apart but were forced to be together for "One more. Like this". However, Jocelyn still finds herself stuck in the past of her memories and the haunting comparisons to Rhea. In reality, the three characters were all searching for something they never found; "There was no mark. The mark was everywhere. The mark was youth". Youth flew by the three of them without they even noticed. Now since they are far past their youth, they try to grasp what they can whether it's trying to relive your youth in the actions you take/the way you behave or just the simple gesture of a stance or position you used to have.

I Love You to the Moon and Back

This is the beginning to my personal narrative: 

I've been waking up earlier and earlier. Today woke up at 3 or 4 in the morning. I had to be at the school at 7 to see a teacher. I had continuously told her that I was going to come in early, but things kept coming up. “This is your last chance.” She had said.  

I was ready. The clock read 6:40 am. I was going to wake my mom up and ask for a ride. But before I decided to go get my brown shoes from the back. I took the key that was in the door out. When I open the white door the alarm sounded, it was deafening. My mom slumps out of her room.
"Fuck, Jessie."

"Do you want to hear a bedtime story?" My mom said.
I had a nightmare. I never had to tell my mother I had a nightmare. I just cried in my room until she came in asking what's wrong.

"What's wrong with you! Do you not understand what the key means?"
"I didn't know that's what that meant. I'm sorry." As she yells, I try to stay calm.

She would try to make me calm down. I would grab my stuffed panda and now grey blanket very tightly. She sat next to me on my blue sheets with pink flowers. My night light lit up the room enough where she didn't have to turn on any lights.

"I'm sorry." I said this. I wasn’t really sorry. I didn’t know what I did.
"Stop being so short. Give me a response. You arrogant ass."

"Do you want to read a story or would you want me to sing?" She asked.
"Story." I said. I liked my fathers stories better. He would personalize them to me or he wouldn't tell me the normal stories. I didn't dislike hers but I just thought my dads were more creative.


My Dad's not home so there's no one to protect me, when my mom goes close to crazy. She hits the box that controls the alarm. She has to enter the code 6 times. During this repetition, She continues to yell the same points at me.
“We never see you anymore.”
“You leave all the time.”
“You’re always up in your room.”
Different curse words are yelled in these sentences as they repeat.
The alarm won't go off so she picks up her phone. She dials the emergency number off the box. I feel bad for who ever is on the other line.
She's yelling, "Turn off the fucking alarm in my house. The code is blah blah blah. Just get it off!" The alarm seems like it's getting louder and louder by the second.


My mom had loud voice. Even when she was telling me a story. We were the only two people in the room but her voice would carry. She looked over at the book self “Which one do you want to night?”


“Im sorry.” I say blank faced. I didn’t have as many feelings as my mother did at this moment.
“Stop. Being so short with us.”
I hated when she did that. When pretended like my father and her were one. She likes to tell her self that I say the same things and acted the same way around both of them. I wasn’t short with my dad.
“Don’t use us.” I mumble under my breath.
She doesn’t hear what I say but she hears the murmur of words come out of my mouth.
“What was that?”

There were so many stories to choose from. So I begin to ramble. “Umm… The one about the Fairies or the witches or the big red dog or the black and white dog or the man and the tree or the ones that rhyme or Winnie the pooh or...No the one with bunnies.” By the time I pick a story all the tears on my face have fade away. My mom goes over to the bookshelf and grabs “Guess How Much I Love You?” The books cover is green and yellow. There is a picture in the middle that has a big bunny and a little bunny on it. Its very bright and comforting.

(If you want to read the rest... Well just ask.)

Music Video Experience

When I rode my bike to meet up with my fellow group members, I didn't really know how we were going to tackle our music video. I worried that we weren't going to be able to come up with visual ways to represent our theme, but in the end we had pretty good thoughts and ideas. I have never really talked to any of the people in the group, but I enjoyed working with them because it gave me a chance to get to know them a little better.

We filmed in a lot of random places in Oak Park such as George's, the record store, and sketchy alleys. The best area where we filmed was in Thatcher woods by this bridge covered in graffiti. All of us really enjoyed the beautiful forest scenery because the night before (Halloween) was extremely unpleasant. This part of the video showed a teenage mind. There were several short clips that captured it such as the entire group walking past a no trespassing sign or Evan fake spray painting graffiti on a metal tower. About half way through our time in the woods all of us managed to pop a squat on the bridge. The sun was shining brightly and it was the highlight of the experience. I wasn't expecting that all of us would actually have an enjoyable time chilling in the woods.  

Past vs. Present vs. Future

I think that one of the most prevalent themes in all of the chapters of A Visit From the Goon Squad is the idea that you will never be satisfied with life, and have a constant desire to go back to a time when you were happy, or when you were younger, however, there are also drawback to that time period as well. This theme is exemplified by many different characters throughout the book, because none of them are ever really happy where they are in life.

Bennie is one good example of this theme. Bennie is confused, because he no longer had sexual feelings toward women the way he used to, so "at times Bennie didn't... mind its disappearance" but he also acknowledged that he missed the feeling and wondered "[if he wanted] to live in such a world" (22). He tried hard to get these feelings back in order to feel younger, and remember a time at which he thought he was more successful, by starting a gold flake remedy in order to bring back what he thought would make his life more exciting than it was at that point.

Jocelyn also expresses this dilemma, because later in her life, she shows confusion as to what she wishes she could be. At one point in the story "You (Plural)" Jocelyn talked about how the majority of her life was made up of partying, which her mother called her "desultory twenties" but she said that "[She's] praying it's over" which shows one side of her internal struggle (86). Later in the same chapter, she expresses some sentiment about growing old, and what comes with it- "age, ugliness- they had no place. They would never get in from outside" (88). Jocelyn is conflicted with sentimentality of the past mingled with hope of the future, which is a very post modern idea.

This theme that the novel addresses postmodern because the characters are always somewhat happy and unhappy with their lives all at the same time. The quick pace of their lives leads them to constantly reflect on different times in their life, and the quality and worth of the time they lived. By addressing this theme in her book, Jennifer Egan makes the reader think about their lives in this postmodern way as well.

Being a Teen??

A couple weeks ago, after reading "Ask Me If I Care" I was struck by the all-too-familiar feeling of teenage existentialism. Seeing bits of Rhea's teenage life played out as they were made me think of how, one day, I might look back at my life right now. Will I have some great adventure or dilemma to tell of? I feel that no amount of books or movies can prepare us for what really comes with being a teenager. Afterall, this is your life! It’s completely and uniquely yours, which is so scary but great at the same time.

The chapter itself is really interesting, especially in how it changes point of view so abruptly. So much that Rhea is feeling can also be found in the reader, something that made me like reading the chapter so much. Everything coming from Rhea’s perspective is so real and unfiltered.

While enjoying her point of view a lot, it still made me question myself. Though it’s only a book, it made me the ask the question: am I doing enough as a teen? Why aren’t I part of a band or meeting strange and fascinating men like Lou or partying to the extent they do? Yet when it all slows down, and Rhea is sitting on Lou’s balcony looking at San Francisco at night, I see myself in her again.

Books and movies can’t clearly represent what it is to be a teenager, but they can provide us with a break or let us live out experiences we might never have gotten otherwise. Adolescence is a wonderful and confusing and exciting time, and I just have to accept that there is no ‘right’ way to live it.

Girls and Makeup

Postmodernism is all about images and how we perceive them, and image is also something many teenagers (and adults) struggle with. For girls especially, the importance of image and physical appearance is constantly being pushed in our faces, and the biggest profiter off teenage girls’ desire to keep up their image is the cosmetics industry.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love makeup - I think it’s so much fun to play and experiment with, provided you are doing so under your own volition, and not because you think you won’t be beautiful without it. But it’s a fact that a lot of girls feel obligated to wear makeup because so many sources, from media to our peers to especially the makeup companies themselves, are constantly telling us that makeup is absolutely necessary.

I recently read this great article, about one woman’s experience going without makeup for a week, and I thought the points and observations she made were really interesting. I encourage everyone, not just girls, to check it out.

Does this mean I’m going to give up makeup forever? No. Like I said, I really do enjoy using makeup, and I’m not going to stop doing something that makes me happy just because it’s not necessary. But I will try to keep in mind that it really is unnecessary, and that going without it won’t make me ugly - and more importantly, it won’t make me less smart, or less creative, or less of a capable person.

What's The Point Of College?

As juniors, the typical "what do you want to do with your life" discussion is coming up more often.  However, most students enter college as "undecided".  I have found that there are two types of pre-collge students: the ones who know what they want to do or where they want to go and the ones who know nothing.  I fall under the not knowing anything category and it is very frustrating.  I find myself avoiding the college talks because I just have no clue what I really am looking for.

The truth is, what is the point in college?  Yes, getting an education is beneficial in many ways but there are successful people who have failed to complete or get a college education.  We as students are told that we need to go to college in order to succeed and to get a job.  It used to be that you would have a higher advantage in getting a job if you got an education.  However, today there are more and more unemployed well educated people.  I don't understand why college is so expensive.  What is the point in spending so much money or taking out loans for an education if you just have to spend most of your life paying it off with the job you got from that education.  It seems like a messed up cycle if you ask me.

Are We Losing Touch With Our Ability To Communicate?

It's a well known fact that our generations are becoming more and more dependent on technology. We are so dependent that we cannot even go a class period without checking or feeling the urge to check our phones. The teenagers today spend more time (more often than not) talking to each other over text than they do face-to-face. I know I can barely go through dinner without checking my phone so my mom made a rule where I had to leave it upstairs because I would constantly be looking at my phone under the table. But it isn't just the teenagers who are being affected by the technology takeover.

Even the children growing up today are rely on technology to occupy their little minds. Whenever I babysit the kids across the street from me all they do is watch tv, play on the computer, or play on their ipad. They constantly take my phone and take tons of "selfies". They tell me they can't wait until they can have a phone and that some kids in their grade already have phones. I look at them like their crazy and I told them that they don't need a phone. They say that, "everyone is getting one." The biggest lie in the book. Seriously, these are 7 and 9 year-old children surrounded by all this technology and all they want is more of it. When I was their age all I wanted was to go outside or go to a friends. All these kids do is Facetime or show each other the new game they got. It's ridiculous.

I had to interview people from certain generations about what kind of technology they had access to growing up and I had interviewed my elderly neighbor across the street. We ended up having this long conversation about how technology was affecting the generations today and she told me that when she was growing up, half the stuff we have today didn't exist. She told me that our generation was losing its touch with being able to communicate and that I had a lot of courage asking to talk to her face-to-face. She said that I was one of the few people she knew around my age that could easily communicate with others. I listened to her tell me about all the things she did as a kid and how different things were now. When I looked back at the survey we had filled out I don't even think she had a third of the things I had. It made me think of how different things are and how much different they are going to be for the generations to follow. But the technology is getting out of hand; its taking away our ability to communicate with each other in person. We need to keep using the skill of talking to an actual person rather than a screen if we want to progress in the future.

Do we really make choices for ourselves?

Recently I was watching tv with my mom and a political add for Dick Durbin came on. At the end, my mom pointed at the tv and said "My vote it always for Dick Durbin, you should vote for him when you're at voting age. Your sister should vote for him." And for a split second, in my mind I made a mental note of "vote for Durbin". But then it occurred to me, I just almost made a decision based on only what my mom told me to. I don't even know anything about Durbin or what he stands for. I started thinking about what other choices I might have made based only on what someone told me. As children, we always we told to do what are parents told us to but is that flowing into our decisions today? I know I'm not well politically educated and I probably should be. My parents defined themselves as Democrats and I just assumed I was one too. But now I'm not sure, I don't even think I knew what the difference was until 5th grade. I just always thought that I had to share the same political views as my family. But the views of our parents shouldn't dictate the choices and views that our generation has. We need to start making the choices ourselves based on our own opinions.

Are Teens Really Talking?

As I have been reading The Things They Carried, there have been so many instances where I realize how hard it is for people to stand up for themselves against someone with more power or experience. While the consequences of not self-advocating in the novel are pretty extreme, hello, going to war and possibly dying, the stories have made me realize how little students actually go and confront a teacher with issues they are having in class. This is the most prominent example that I have observed.

While this is just my experience, I think it is pretty applicable. Everyday, you hear peers complaining about how little sleep they got and how much homework they have. Why are we just blindly accepting these assignments? In The Things They Carried, the soldiers are often stating that they never wanted to be in the war, they only did it because they were told to. Similarly, students do the homework they are given and do not talk to teachers about issues with the amount because of fear for repercussions, myself included. Everyone knows that a person can't change a situation until they begin doing something about it, so why do we stand idle by? I have realized that adults respect a teenager or student a lot more and are more compliant with the request if a young person advocates for themselves. I strongly believe that if instead of complaining, people worked to make things better and put in the effort, they wouldn't have to complain anymore. We need to be responsible for the way we use our time in life.

How much are teenagers expected to handle?

Kids these days are getting more and more homework and less and less sleep. The school system is pressuring teenagers so much and pushing them into unnecessarily stressful situations. Since school starts so early, it conflicts with teenagers natural sleep patterns- they need at least 9 and a half hours of sleep every day, which means they would need to go to bed really early to be able to get the right amount of sleep and wake up in time for school. This leads to kids being groggy and exhausted during school, which hinders their capacity for learning and not to mention is bad for their health.

Only 15% of teens reported to get at least 9 hours of sleep on a school night, which is a huge issue. Not only does this negatively impact their mood, making them unhappy and stressed, but it also makes them prone to catching an illness, forgetting important information, driving drowsy, and becoming aggressive or impatient in behavior.

The huge homework load does not help this issue at all. With so many projects, readings, tests, and papers assigned everyday in multiple classes, along with extracurriculars that are expected for every teen to be involved in, this leaves no room for relaxation or leisure, let alone being able to go to sleep at 9 every night. This leads to an accumulation of sleep deprivation, which can only be regained eventually, over the course of several days, which is made impossible by the short weekend. The school system has gotten so competitive in the past couple of decades, it’s very different from when our parents went to school. The kids today are being taught that everything is focused on college, and then the rest of your life is based off of that- which is putting way to much worries and stress on mere kids that don’t need to worry about that. How do you expect to give kids all this responsibility when they still need to ask if they can use the bathroom?

War is Loss

Lavender was dead.
Mary Ann Bell joined the ranks of the missing.
Strunk died somewhere over Chu Lai.
The third day Curt Lemon stepped on a trapped 105 round.
No safe ground, no front or rear
enemies everywhere.
Boom-down, and your were dead
playing catch with Rat
then he was dead.
The Fungal smell of an empty body bag
A slim dead, dainty young man.
No choice Tim, What else could you do?
Men died because of carelessness
and gross stupidity.
The emotional baggage of men who might die
men who died.
When he died it was almost beautiful
sunlight came around him
lifted him high into a tree
full of moss and vines.
A funny little half step
Tilted sideways and dropped.
He sat at the bottom of his foxhole and wept,
grieving
For the men he lost.

Presidential address to teens

Last night, the presidential address started off with President Obama walking to his podium with American written everywhere, the flag to his right, his pin, and the seal on his podium. Obama started his address by discussing gruesome things happening in Syria and Iraq due to the terrorist group, ISIS. Obama talks about his plan to keep Americans safe while trying to destroy the terrorist group.

Later on, talking to my friends I realized not many people know about what is happening in the Middle Easr. Without having this assignment most teenagers probably would not know that Obama was speaking on this problem. Personally, I had no clue that this terrorist group had gotten so out of hand. The problem is not only in Iraq but also in America. Why is it that so many teenager do not know about these world problems. I think we need to focus more on the problem that teenagersare so caught up in their phones and celebrity gossip that they don't pay attention to the news. Obama's main audience is older people, but in two years the junior class can vote. Teenagers should try to put down their phones some times and learn more about the world outside and the problems we see facing.

High School is just about Prom, Right?

This American Life is a popular weekly podcast. There is normally several stories or talks about a central topic. On this episode, the main topic was prom. "Save the Last Dance for Me...again" was the second part of the podcast were Francine Pascal, the writer of the Sweet Valley series, talks about her opinion on prom. This portion of the podcast enforce the false truth that high school revolves around prom.

Through out the podcast, Pascel calls prom the glory of high school. Though prom is a social event that many do remember, most people only spend a few months preparing for it. She fells to mention the other events in high school that most find more impotent, such as graduation. Graduation is a event that people spent there entire high school career pursuing. An if people do not graduate this can follow them there whole life, causing them to be unable to go to college or obtain jobs. Even though Pascel talks about how mortifying a bad prom can be, this will no cause any real problems in someone's life other then maybe wishing they had a different experience. Yet, still culture shows prom as if it is a goal every high schooler is waiting around for all four years.

Pascel also says that prom is the getting married of high school. This idea gives an importance on prom that I have never seen. A bride or groom on there wedding day have much more at stake then a high schooler going to prom. At prom there are no legal documents, as far as I know.

"Mean Girls" in a Mean World

Movies and television are filled with teen stereotypes. Shows such as Pretty Little Liars and Teen Wolf seem to dominate the idea of teen life in popular culture although usually real life does not include werewolves. These shows present an idea of the perfect young person where high schoolers are independent and attractive, all dressing and acting the same. They give no sense of what high school life is actually like in today’s society. Although it is now ten years old, a movie that influenced teenage girls in particular and that has affected many young women’s ideas of teenage norms is Mean Girls. This movie not only gives insight into the accepted ideals of high school students but it was also written and produced by Tina Fey with appearances by Amy Poehler, two women who have become the modern face for females in comedy.

Although Mean Girls does not stray from accepted idea of the stereotypical teenager it unmasks these seemingly “plastic” people. Mean Girls ends in a way that may not be completely accurate but captures the inner desires and hopes of many teen girls in high school. In many ways the movie contradicts itself. For example, it presents strong characters that are refreshingly imperfect people and yet they are caricatures, such as the strong artsy feminist and the flamboyant gay man. It also presents the popular girls as the “plastics”. This group of three girls represents what most people perceive popular people to be; manipulative, cruel, petty, and stupid. The best example of this teen stereotyping is when Janis Ian, a friend of main character and new girl Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan), explains to Cady the layout of the cliques in the school cafeteria by drawing her a diagram. “You got your preps, JV jocks, Asian nerds, cool Asians, varsity jocks, unfriendly black hotties…” and the list continues and yet any actual high school student will tell you that these accepted stereotypes are not so simple.

Cady comes to Evanston Illinois from Africa, and she seems to represent the naive child who is corrupted by the superficiality of high school. As the movie progresses Cady becomes more and more fixated on this idea of popular and changes both her outward appearance and personality to impress her peers and crush, Aaron Samuels. This is something that quite often happens in society but at a much younger age. Children start to accept the idea of status and popularity much earlier, usually in grammar school. Cady begins to wear very flashy clothes and actually fakes stupidity in order to gain any sort of attention. The idea of the nerdy girl taking off her glasses and becoming popular is a cliché often perpetuated in young adult stories, most obviously in Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me” music video, but Mean Girls completely contradicts this accepted truth and instead she loses the attractive guy because she is too superficial and not true to herself. Although this movie does have a happy resolution in which she realizes the faults of her ways and gets the guy, in the end the “plastics” split up and become part of separate cliques that accept them, and while this is a nice conclusion it is not something that would tend to happen in the real world. This is a great example of teen culture today and shows that the ideal high school is a place free of social hierarchy where you are accepted by your peers while being honest to yourself.