Not so High School
Playlist and Article by: Andrea Cruzado
“They say these are the golden years, but I wish I could disappear. Ego crush is so severe. God, it’s brutal out here”
- brutal by Olivia Rodrigo
Boyfriends, sleepovers, sneaking out past curfew, the “jock” falling in love with the “quiet nerd”, what do these things have in common? Well, these are high school stereotypes present in every high school movie - or at least one of these. Growing up, we have probably expected that this is what high school is all about, especially after watching High School Musical. Dancing under the rain with your boyfriend? That was the dream.
But stepping into high school was like entering another reality, and it was not like High School Musical, at all. Instead of sororities and parties, there was homework and overwhelming pressure. Behind all those cliches and stereotypes, there are problems that no one ever talks about. Pressure - may it be from family or friends, or the pressure of fitting in. It may not be the same for everyone, but this is why representation in the media is incredibly important. As a kid, we already had this incredibly high expectation of what our high school experience would be like, and this is dangerous for many because if one does not meet these expectations, they would be bullied and made fun of. These unrealistic stories from the movies and media have made us set impossible standards for ourselves, hindering us from truly enjoying our high school experience because all we ever worry about is what others think of us.
What if I’m not cool enough? Am I too much of a nerd? Am I a lame and boring person? These are all questions that typically pester our minds, but high school is so much more than that. It doesn’t matter if you’re not popular, or if you don’t have a crazy amount of friends. What matters is building meaningful relationships and getting to know yourself, your hobbies, and your passion. It’s about failing and trying again.
High school is indeed the “golden” years, but not for the reason that the media has led us to believe, it’s because it is the time to find out who you are, to build your character from failures and disappointments. You do not have to fit in the standards that society has set for you, because you create your own standards. It’s hard to fit in, but what matters most is that you find yourself, because sometimes we spend too much time fitting in that we lose ourselves in the process.
My Playlist
This playlist aims to sympathize with the different problems high school students face, whether it’s about academic or social pressures or relationships. I hope that this playlist serves as a reminder that every one of us faces different challenges and that in the end, everything will be okay, it’s just high school!
Listen here! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5PodapGCozIo6IHYzN8d51?si=NH6G10pkSfWOzMQ_vxobyw&pi=u-N3b8Fp7PQpOp
