I’ve gone back to middle school!
Does that sound like I’m telling you the nightmare I had last night? For me, it could have been. My middle school years were not pleasant, to say the least, but I haven’t been dreaming about them. Thank goodness. Middle school has come back to me recently in a couple of other ways.
1. I just read the book Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman. I don’t typically read non-fiction, but this book was so gripping I practically read it in one sitting. (It kept me up way past my bedtime.) It is a must read for writers with characters in this age group, all parents (especially those with daughters,) and anyone who just wants to understand those awkward years. (How’s that for an understatement!)
2. I just visited Shepard Middle School, and will soon visit Caruso Middle School, to talk about writing. I was blown away by the talent and enthusiasm of these students! Some of them had story concepts that would make many agents and editors salivate. I think I’ll hold on to the attendance list, because I have a feeling we all might be hearing from these kids in the future.
3. In preparing for above talk, I found my writing journal! The one I kept all through middle school and high school. I thought it was lost forever. But now all that teen angst is right there at my fingertips. Every emotion that passed through my body for seven years imortalized in bad poetry. Have you ever heard anything so exciting?
exhibit a:
exhibit b:
a trusting soul
trying to find
an interlocking soul
one that is
just the same
and very different
-jenny, age 15
Any of you care to relive grades six through eight with me?
Here are my thoughts on my middle school experience:
I thought I was way cooler than I was.
Everyone thought they were way cooler than they really were.
Seriously, what happened to all those popular kids whose parents let them get away with everything?
I discovered I should never write a poem that doesn’t rhyme.
Congrats on all the great school visits!
Middle school… *shudder*
Sixth grade was probably the worst year of my life. I’m always amazed when I meet wonderful, bright, funny middle schoolers — because it means they’re incredibly resilient, too.
I have some embarrassingly wretched poetry from 9th grade which I am still not ready to let see the light of day. 🙂
Let’s see – My 6th grade teacher disliked me and did not believe that I read what I did. All throughout middle school, my classmates didn’t like me. But you know what? I was fine. I, like always, knew who I was and who I was going to be.
You have your journal from middle school??? That’s very cool. I’d rather go back the way you are–as a visitor–than live through it again. 🙂
BTW, my book cover popped up when I loaded your page. Very fun. I don’t actually see it all that often.
I’m sure you were cool, PJ! You are way cool now.
The thing that’s great about looking at teen poetry, Lisa, is that you really get a sense of how you felt as a teen. (Well, it’s great for a writer. I don’t know too many other people who want to relive those feelings.)
Little Willow, that’s funny! I had a very similar issue with my sixth grade teacher.
And Barrie, I’m with you, I don’t think I could survive it if I had to go back.
Have you heard of the show “Mortified”? Adults read from their adolescent diaries. Hilarious stuff. Why don’t you sign up to be a participant? LOL!
Too bad my teenage journal is gone forever, I remember pages of stress over my big hair, boys, and exams. I bet some pages were glued together permanently with Stiff Stuff.
Oooh, middle school. I’d just moved from TN to IL and had As in all of my classes except for a D in math. Ugh. 🙂