This isnt really a story its an article I wrote for my college paper...

Hope you enjoy it

High school fearleaders.

 

   Unless, you have actually attended high school or college in the 21^st century, you can’t possibly have any idea of how conformity has taken over Britain’s teens. They have become like sheep. All following one another and the only people who get left behind are the ones who don’t meet clone standards. If you’re ugly, bigger than a size 8 or, god forbid, you just want to learn, then I’m afraid you’re not privileged enough to be involved with the “popular” kids.

   From the age of about five, girls start to become interested in make up and fashion. I did it. Raiding mum’s wardrobe and make up bag. Feeling all grown up. But it’s gone further than that. Teenage girls now look like they’ve raided Boots or fallen out of a bottle of St Tropez. Just the other day I heard a seventeen year old girl saying, “My face is already wrinkled, so I want to get Botox for my birthday.” All I could think was give it a rest love and get your primped up little head out from where the sun doesn’t shine. What ever happened to growing old gracefully?

   It’s not just their bodies girls are desperate to perfect. Their clothes also suffered the same fate. All saints. Religion. And don’t even get me started on Vivienne bloody Westwood. Their outfits cost no less than £900. Where as my outfits cost no more than £90. That’s the difference. They have daddy’s credit card on which they can pile every ounce of designer wear that they can find. Me? No dad. No credit card, it’s that simple. And of course, each and every one of these girls wants the same things out of life. They want to go to university (and if they combine their brain cells they may stand a chance), get a degree in fashion and become the next Alexander McQueen. Most will end up pregnant or in the dole queue. Or both!

   Oh and it’s not just the girls. Guys like to believe they are all butch and manly but when you’re applying moisturiser or using mascara to lengthen your lashes, you‘re hardly a caveman. I’m sad to say that I am probably more butch than half the guys in schools nowadays. Many have been aptly named “All Saint Boys” because just like the girls, they are walking adverts for the designer companies. The real Neanderthals of the past will be turning in their graves. Don’t get me wrong, if I had the money (or the body for that matter) to walk around in these overpriced, sweatshop made garments, then I probably would. But for the time being Primark welcomes me with open arms, and I embrace them. God bless their cheaper, sweatshop clothes.

   At least boys still brag about going to the gym (Their attempt to keep the gorilla image.), but they have even managed to refashion the classic P.E pumps. You know the kind you didn’t want to wear because it meant you couldn’t afford trainers. They buy them in bulk from the local school uniform shop, for about £5. Then they pair these with baggy jeans, safety pinned at the ankle. So maybe this designer look is more budget than they lead people to believe.

   But what lengths have teenagers taken to ensure they become these people? As I have already said, the boys as well as the girls spend a considerable amount of time (and money) on their appearance. And what an appearance it is. It doesn’t even seem to matter if they are even good looking anymore. Its’ simply a matter of the “reputation” they have managed to obtain. And the rest of us? Well because we have morals or even standards we are not allowed to walk the corridors with the socialites of our schools. These being the girls who think seeing who can gain a reputation as a slag first is fun.

   My idea of fun is sat at home with a new book but whatever floats your boat. Then again I suppose I did and also will consider myself a geek, at heart. I mean when you’re only seventeen and find yourself turning down a night on the town; you know something has gone horribly wrong. So maybe it’s just me. But I guess unsocial, vegetarian, bookworm, doesn’t really scream Paris Hilton wannabe, does it?

   However, high schools still have a small minority who fall into the geek category. Not the typical frizzy haired, thick framed glasses geeks, (The “populars” have decided to turn this into a fashion statement as well. Apparently “geek” is the new “chique”.) but the quiet, academic, loner type students. These people will most likely grow up, get a degree and lead a normal, happy life. Which is all anybody really wants. Well it’s supposed to be.

   So definitely not the type of people to get pregnant at fifteen. Most of my younger sister’s year are now regulars at the abortion clinic, but some decided to go through with the agonising process of labour. She talks about these girls, as if they deserve medals and she doesn’t seem phased by any of it. Most have their scan pictures hogging our facebook screens and the rest are leaving comments, cooing over the black dot. I can no longer go on without having to look at somebody’s womb. Recently, I have ended up rejecting most of the people on there (most of them I didn’t know anyway) and as a result I currently have a grand total of four friends. Very popular…

   So next time you have a hard day or feel overwhelmed, as I often do. If like me you find yourself thinking how scary the word actually is. Remember this.

 

Nowhere is scarier than high school.

 

Author's Note

let me know what you think

Reviews

[cartera]

Not being a teenage girl, and never having been one, I cannot possibly comment. having been brought up in an extremely macho environment when creams were usually applied to an athlete's foot, I can say that I find the current male makeup craze slightly disconcerting. I can agree that the face might be better kept moisturised, but mmm . . .
To the writing. You write well. You have a future as a feature writer a la Lucy Mangan and her like.
ATB
Alex.