How to be a teenager

The music video Last Friday Night by Katy Perry came out when I was in tenth grade. I remember being obsessed with it. It portrays Katy as an teenager in the 80's. She is supposed to look like a "geek" in the video, and goes over to her neighbors house to tell them to quiet down while they are having a party. Katy Perry's character ends up getting swept up in the whole scene, and making lots of  decisions she later regrets. The idea is that she is going to continue to do this every weekend. Even though I knew this music video was ridiculous and not a real representation of teenage life it made me want to "experience" things while I was in high school. It gave me that idea that high school is the time where I can make mistakes and get away with them.

This was one of my favorite movies when I was a teenager. The plot is about a girl in high school who takes her twin brother's place at his boarding school, so she can play on their soccer team. This whole movie is about gender roles, and what is expected of boys and girls in high school. Amanda Bynes who plays the lead character kind of challenges those typical gender roles by trying out for the men's soccer team. This movie taught me all about social roles and norms in a "typical" high school, and values within high schoolers as well.

When I was in middle AIM (AOL instant messenger) was extremely popular. It was I guess the first form of social media that I was aware of. It's sole purpose was just to message people when you were online. However, you could put messages while you away sort of like a facebook status. Also, I remember putting your "relationship status" on your profile. So I had my boyfriend's initials and a bunch of hearts next to his name to show people who I was in a relationship with. AIM introduced me to the concept of flirting online. It was used to talk to friends, but also to talk to guys that you might not have the courage to talk to in school.

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Framing Youth

Three Quotes

For this blog I chose to pick three quotes that really stuck out to me.

1. "As adults we believe we know youth- we once were youth, and some of us share our daily lives with youth as teachers, parents, and friends. But to rely on that which we already know is to reproduce that which we already 'know'" (Bogad, 3)

To me, this quote means that as adults we must grow and learn with youth instead of trying to teach youth what we already know. We can learn from youth as much as youth can learn from us. Youth culture is constantly changing and growing. Adults must keep up with the changes in order to better understand and relate to the youth they are working with. It is not productive to "live in the past" when time keeps going. Some lessons are life lessons, most learning is done throughout your life into adulthood.

2. "This magazine cover advertises adolescence as a stage, specific and distinct by age-based criteria: on the eve of her twentieth birthday, Katie Holmes is granted a moment of nostalgia for her teenaged self that will disappear like a glass slipper at midnight" (Bogad, 5).

This quote is referring to a LIFE magazine cover with Katie Holmes on the front talking about her final days as a teenager. I liked this quote because it made me think, when do you start becoming a teenager and when do you stop? Does age really change who you are as a person? Or is simply just a number? I don't think the moment Katie turns twenty she will have some sort of epiphany of "becoming a woman". This is all so socially constructed that it is ingrained in us, and the majority of us buy into it. I bought into it. I remember having a huge 13th birthday party to celebrate "becoming a teenager". But what does that even really mean?

3. "Understood as a linear progression marked by the comings and goings of birthdays, the discourses of adolescence development suggest that every young person passes through these stage enroute to a mature and stable 'self'" (Bogad, 7).

I think this quote is referring to "going through those teenage years". The media often displays being a teenager as difficult. Either high school can be amazing and fun or depressing and awful. There is no in between. Parents are often shown talking to their kids about, "just making it through high school, and college will be better". Why is this "stage" of a person's life looked at as something we have to make it through instead of something to enjoy? There is often a sense that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, as long as you make it through high school you'll be okay.

Welcome to Ari's World :)

Hi! I'm Arianna. I'm 23 and a Youth Development Major :)

I'm obsessed with the ocean. Everyday I'm not in class or at work this summer I'll be at the beach. I have a wave tattoo:)

I work at an Architect Company as an office assistant 2-3 days a week.

I'm a wrestling coach at Beat the Streets Providence.

Media and Ideology By Croteau

The name of the text I will be blogging about today is Media and Ideology and it is written by David Croteau. Croteau argues that media has its own ideology and has a tremendous influence over cultural and social norms in society. Many people say that the media doesn’t portray reality. Well, reality cannot be clearly defined because everyone’s reality is different then everyone else's. Media has its own ideology because it is used as an outlet to display beliefs and values whether the person behind it is aware of it or not. This ideology can be very powerful over people. For example, it can normalize certain behaviors that not everyone will agree with, or not everyone will feel is truthful. If one asks themselves what the purpose of media really is, most people would say to make money. Because this is it’s driving force, it is going to impact every single decision made after that. Media cannot be a reflection of society, because it is controlled by people in power. Instead it is a representation of something. However, even though people may be aware of this it does not have any less influence on them. The media is a thriving force that has more power than most people realize. One question I had after reading this article is why do so many people truly believe what they see and read in the media? My grandmother watches the news every night, and believes every single word that comes out of the newscaster's mouth. Is this because it’s easier to deny the truth? Or we want to think that the media could never be bias? After reading this article I definitely got a different perspective on the purpose of the media. There are so many contradictions within the media, and therefore contradicting ideologies as well. 

Teaching Film, Television, and Media