Since I have six granddaughters ages 11-15, I am well aware of what is going on in this world of young people. So different from when I was young (long ago)!
I am sure you have noticed the short shorts. Remember the song-(who wears short shorts?) They are shorter now than then. I do not remember wearing jeans with holes-I don’t think I even wore jeans. When I started high school you could not wear pants. Everyone … everyone wears Hey Dudes! Have you noticed all the kids wear sweatshirts all the time? My Grans wear them to bed. Guys wear shorts year around. (Not short shorts).
For fun, teens now go to Kings Island, movies, maybe out to eat, etc. When I was a tee,n we went to sock hops. So called because they were held in the school gym and you could not wear shoes on the gym floor. You remember the dances, the Stroll and of course the Twist, and Chubby Checker. I was a pretty good dancer. I dislocated my knee doing the Twist at my High School! Geez! The best part was—I got carried out by the best looking boys in school!
My favorite place was White Gables skating rink. So cool! My aunt made me a skating skirt red with a top skirt of black gauzy sparkling material. You had to have Chicago Skates. I got a pair for Christmas. They were used but I didn’t care. They were Chicago Skates. I really liked the flashlight dance. You stood in line in the dark, in the middle of the rink and shined the flashlight on the person you wanted to skate with. If you were lucky a cool guy shined the light on you. You could brag for week at school.
Have you noticed the piercings? Geez Louise! My sister Nancy who could do anything decided she would pierce my ears. She put an ice cube behind my lobe and gave me a stick with a darning needle. Mine went fine. Connie was another story. Nancy got her backed up against the wall and proceeded to poke her ear lobe. Connie slowly slid down the wall. She fainted! I don’t remember if Nancy pierced her ear or not. Mine are still pierced! I noticed a young guy and he had a weird thing in his earlobe, black, long back sticking out. So I asked him. He was stretching his lobe so he could wear gauges! Geez! It was cool. Don’t tell my sisters but I think some gauges are cool!
I certainly never saw anyone with a tattoo. Well, maybe a sailor. Now everyone has a tattoo. Some are very interesting. Some not so much.
The music, oh the music! Rock ‘n Roll!! Elvis. Righteous Brothers. Fabian. Tommy Sands… I was raised on country-still love it. My dad hated Rock ‘n roll. I could not watch Elvis on TV. He just thought it was evil. Elvis shaking his booty!! I don’t listen to a lot of pop music… I like Ed Sherran and The Jonas Brothers. I love Adele. I got interested in The Who later in life. Some rap I like. My favorite now is Old Dominion. I love the stories in their songs. Sure is different from when I was a teen. There was no story you just got into the vibe and danced till you were half dead.
Times have sure changed some bad, some good. I hope my granddaughters and you all remember back to your teen years with smiles.