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.