When I was a teen, all I wanted was to not be one anymore. I was disturbingly shy, my body had lumps that I had not yet figured out how to dress (will I ever?), all I wanted to do was kiss and listen to Fiona Apple in my car.
But I was a teen just on the brink of social media—in high school people were just beginning to figure out how to use MySpace and Friendster—and before culture, fashion, and news were not only immediately accessible, but screamed at you through every one of your apps. Today’s teens are still teens, but they’re—you are—also living a markedly different experience where fame via virality is an easily-obtainable goal and everyone has thirty different methods of sending ephemeral sexts.
This week, we’ll look at what it meant to be a teen when we were teens, and how that’s changed today, from music, to style, to politics, to first-time fuckin’, to other species. While many other publications have focused on teens through the years, often they have been objectifying, condescending, woefully out-of-touch. We’ll do our best to avoid that. If you have any suggestions or questions, let us know. In the meantime, dust off that walkman and pretend the only thing you’re stressed about is whether Borfus is gonna be at that kegger on Friday.