High School, the Multigenerational Lie

Almost every high schooler dreams of those perfect four years, good grades, parties, popularity, and prom, but is this plausible for the average teen? With enough studying, good grades are possible, but adding in trying to become popular can get exhausting. This idea of the perfect idea, isn't new.

This idea of the perfect four years has changed throughout the years. In the 2000’s, popularity was just starting to shift online with Myspace, but in person interactions were still more important, with students striving for the perfect dress or party moment. Nowadays, popularity can be built on social media, and still give that same feeling of acceptance. According to the Mayo Clinic, followers, likes and comments all feed into teen’s need for attention, but seeing someone with a “perfect high school life”, someone who seems popular, beautiful, and perfect, can be damaging to youth.

Seeing someone on a “get ready with me” video or in a “just woke up like this” selfie, with clear skin, flawless hair and loads of popularity all wrapped up with a bow of good grades can make youth think that's how everyone's life should be, but these videos and images are mostly faked. The media influences young minds a lot nowadays. This is similar to the "Sephora Kids” phenomenon, where young kids saw influencers using filters, and branded it as anti-aging products. These kids decided they should use these products too, which, according to Yale Medicine, “could do more harm than good.”

The idea of the perfect high school experience is also heavily influenced by older media. Movies like Mean Girls, High School the Musical, Twilight, and TV shows like Euphoria all show a twisted version of high school life. Social status is emphasized, as is romance, and everyone makes bad choices like using drugs, drinking alcohol, and engaging in crime. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, in real life, only a few students actually are like that. 

“I feel like everyone online is glorifying being a teenager, and like ‘you have to do this to make high school better,” Freshman Alex Colagrossi said.

Popularity takes time, and according to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average high school student will spend about six to ten hours a week on homework, and 56 hours a week at school. This leaves little time to strive for the quintessential high school experience. This time limit can put even more stress on high school students. 

“I was expecting the perfect, ideal high school life, and that was not going for me, I think that's why I felt bad… I now understand that it's not going to be perfect,” Colagrossi said.

Overall, while media shows the “perfect”way to go through high school, everyone does it differently. While some may choose to chase this idealistic path, social pressure can be too much on teens. Social media promotes this idea, making little kids want to be teens and live out this “perfect” four years. To all the high school students out there, stop trying to get everyone's perfect four years, and aim for your perfect four years.

“I realized that the perfect high school moment is in ourselves, not based on our peers.” said community member, Natalie Gage.