Expectations vs. reality of being an average teenager

This column is for kids in about sixth grade who think high school is exactly like the movies. The kids who were just like me.

High school is nothing like how they depict it in movies. It could actually be much better or much worse depending on the movie.  In the movies, they make being a teenager look like he will have all this free time, but in reality, he’s always slammed with homework. Movies make everyone all wish to be a teenager, but once anyone arrives, he feels as though he wants to go back in time. But then again, that’s Hollywood.

Movies:

Morning- Teenagers wake up fully rested with hair perfectly done. They do a signature yawn, and get out of bed with matching pajamas. They get dressed then walk down the stairs in their very big home and eat a breakfast prepared by their mother. Their father sits across the table sipping coffee and reading the newspaper.

After eating, they catch their bus and get to school at about 8- 8:30. They go about their classes, and then somehow always end up in gym class or lunch. They then go home and go to their room, or leave school in their Tesla model X with their friends and don’t come home until like 12. They then eat dinner , and every single night, it’s either a home cooked thanksgiving meal almost, or pizza that looks way too good to be real. They then wake up the next morning and do it all over again.

My life–

I wake up to my alarm blaring in my ear and my mother yelling at me to wake up and get ready. I lay in my bed and look at my phone for god only knows how long, until I realize I should probably get ready. I get out of bed and go to the bathroom. Once I come back, I contemplate what outfit to wear and throw on my clothes. I then paint my face with makeup for about 20 minutes until my mom informs me it’s time to leave. I grab my shoes and backpack and walk down the stairs. I let the dogs out, then get in the car with my mom.

I then arrive at school at approximately 7:22 a.m. and walk into the building. I go to my locker, throw my items into it and grab my supplies for first period. I walk into algebra and sit through the whole lesson, because sadly, there are no cut scenes in real life.

I then go to English second period and do my assignment, and read whatever novel it is that we’re reading.When third period rolls around, I make my way downstairs to chorus to sing my little heart out, then head to fourth to write for you guys. After fourth period, I walk to the other side of the ninth grade floor and go into Bio. After Bio, I walk across the hall, and and go into Spanish.

Finally, after Spanish, we go to homeroom, and then to lunch. After lunch I only have two periods, seventh and eighth which is gym and civics. At exactly 2:40 p.m. the bell rings and we’re let out for the day.

I meet up with my best friends Ericka and Cassie, and we walk outside. There we meet up with other friends, then we go our separate ways to head home.  Cassie and I meet my mom, and she drives me home and Cassie to her house. Once home, I take the dogs for a walk. After that, I head inside and do my homework. I do my homework all night, then eat dinner. I then take my shower and blow dry my hair. I then lay down and go to sleep, just to wake up and do it all over again.

Big Picture

The big picture of this column is that the movies will forever be unrealistic and completely blown out of proportion. The movies never actually show what happens during an average teenager’s life, so those who are new to the experience are completely terrified by the time it’s their turn. Coming into the junior high was a completely horrific experience for me because I was expecting horrible bullies and scary teachers like the movies in real life. Yes, kids aren’t always the nicest, and every teacher won’t always be our favorite, but the friends you’ll make and experiences you encounter will always make it worth it.

In reality, school will always have things we hate about it like the time we wake up and the people we have to deal with, but one thing we can all say is, thank god it’s not like the movies.