A Middletown high school senior strolls through the Francis Scott Key mall. Noticing a younger girl pass her, she grimaces at her Aeropostale hoodie and jean capris, remembering the years in which she wore the same. Shuddering, she pushes the thought from her mind. Middle school was a rough time for her and she doesn’t want to remember it.
Thinking back to the awkward years can be, well… painful. Through the countless embarrassing moments and bad hair-dos, the middle school years create life lessons that mold students into who they are today, regardless of whether or not they want to admit it.
“I was changing during kickball in gym and a boy walked in the locker room and saw me,” said MHS junior Celia Boudart, describing her most embarrassing moment.
One way or another, everybody gets through it. It’s not the end of the world. In time, these moments might even turn into a great story.
Boudart said “When you’re in middle school everything seems like such a big deal and when that happened I was traumatized, but now that I think about it I laugh,”
People have regrets, too; whether it’s rethinking wearing those shoes with that skirt or getting a specific haircut. Many high school students come to the realization that things they used to think were cool actually weren’t.
MHS junior Nicole Heffner thought that “acting obnoxious” was cool, however she has since changed. Heffner used to be loud and sought attention, thinking it would make her more popular.
For MHS Junior Sophie Cornell “the high pony tails and middle part” were not as cool as what she thought they were, she stopped styling her hair like that before high school.
Middle school is designed for students to get ready for high school, yet not everybody feels as if they are ready to move on.
Along with struggling through their awkward stage, students have to deal with their body growing and changing.
“Physically I’ve grown, but not really maturity wise. High school has gone by really fast, I still feel like a freshman,” said MHS senior, Tristen Wenger.
Being at the end of his high school career, Wenger can’t believe how fast the four years have gone by. It hasn’t set in for him that he will be graduating this year and moving on to the next chapter of his life.
“I’m more mature,” said Cornell, “I’m more responsible for myself and what I’m doing.”
Cornell now knows that “not everyone is your friend” and sometimes you can’t trust others. She takes responsibilities of her actions and thinks twice before doing something she might regret.
While maturing, students start thinking in more abstract ways, and are able to think for themselves. While going through these times, it is important for them to absorb as much information about life as they can, to use in the future.
“They physically mature and finish growing,” MHS psychology teacher Jeff Colsh said. “Emotionally, they learn from experiences during adolescence. Like driving a car, you start to learn from experience.”
It’s important for teenagers to learn every year and develop a good social structure. When transitioning from middle to high school, students are forced to become more independent and responsible.
When growing up, dreams, aspirations and role models change. Kids often look up to people who seem remarkable to them. It could be someone who is exceptional at something they love, like a professional athlete, or simply their parents.
“My cousin John was in high school when I was in middle school,” Wenger said, “so I looked up to him a lot for sports,”
Colsh looked up to “older soccer players and athletes” that lived in his neighborhood.
Often people don’t realize how important these awkward years were to shaping their lives. Kids start to understand their peers, and learn how harsh reality can be, as well as the difficulties of growing up.
“It teaches you exactly who you are,” Heffner said.
Once you move on to high school, teenagers aren’t friends just to be friends. People learn who they can trust, and who is truly there for them in the long run.
Looking back may dig up some embarrassing memories, but those were the moments that helped to shape people into who they are today. Be thankful for those embarrassing moments and the bad haircuts.
Pausing, the MHS girl turns around and walks into Aeropostale, peaking back into the window of her middle school years.
