Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Writer's Workshop- Cool Crowd

Homecoming Court Pictures, Images and Photos
This week at Mama Kat's Writer Workshop I am picking just one prompt.
How fitting that it is #1.
1.) The popular girls.


I'm not sure who decides who is popular and who isn't?

You go to school and when you're little everyone is friends. You don't choose who is in your class but the same kind of kids generally hang together. You make friends with kids who have the same interests as you. Then you move onto middle school in my case and it gets different. Several schools merged together and the lines get drawn without much choice. There are several popular groups in the school. You have your cheerleader type, your preppy types with money, the snobby type and the government SGA type. I however was not in any of their groups and was pretty much envious of what they had and who they hung out with.
When you're not popular you copy them. You buy the same clothes, try to act the same way and swoon over the popular boys. You hope that maybe they'll notice you and that if you date one of them that you'll get into their group. But sadly, middle school was not my chance and we moved onto high school.
High school was pretty rough my freshman year. I was trying to find myself and meet new friends and met some pretty cool people. I was friends with a twin who shares my birthday. Now for some reason, twins are always automatically popular. Don't ask me why. But every twin at my school was. So I became well known to other people by having my twin friend, but it in no way gets you the popular card.
It's disheartening though when you're not in the "cool crowd". They are the same faces you see int the yearbook pages. The same faces who get picked for Student Government. The same faces that are picked for Homecoming Court. The same people that get into Social Community Groups. By the time you reach your senior year and they play videos of photos from your four years in school, the "cool" people are the ones splattered all over the slideshow. And of course, every one "oohs and ahhs" over them.
Yes, I was jealous. I love the movie Never Been Kissed with Drew Barrymore because that is exactly how life is or was for me too. Now I was no Josie Grossy but I was the wallflower. The shy girl. But I was very outgoing in high school. What gives? I can gladly say now that I'm glad high school is over and my true friends from then are still in my life. I have a great life and hope to teach my children that it's not important if you're popular or not.
If I knew then what I know now about the crap that those popular people had to deal with I might have given it a second thought about wanting to be a part of their crowd. They dealt with drug issues, drinking, sex parties, rumors, back stabbing, viciousness and bad lifestyles. They might have looked perfect but they were far from it. It was all an illusion.
Some of them have gone on to do great things and are still popular and beautiful amongst themselves but good for them. I'm happy where I am. I am surrounded by people that I love. I'm glad I got there.

Mama's Losin' It




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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed your post. I can relate to not being in the popular crowd...
Now when I bump into the ex-popular's I am relieved that I didn't end up as one of them. Most have never amounted to much and several are total wash-outs. I'm glad I was just "normal".

Single and Sane said...

You also discovered that the top of the ladder is a dangerous place to be. Loved your post!

Margaret

Confessions From A Work-At-Home Mom said...

Beautiful comment! I have my ten year HS reunion later this summer, and I'm interested to see how things work out. I was not in the "popular" crowd, but I am really comfortable with where I am in life now... curious to see if all that popularity stuff still matters!

Shelby Bukhenik said...

I can't say I wasn't in the popular crowd for sure, but I definitely learned a lot about who I was once I got to college. In high school everyone is trying to be popular and fit into whatever that is supposed to be, but in college you learn to just be yourself and you become friends with all sorts of different people.

Great post!

Shell said...

Thankfully, for me, it only seemed to matter in junior high and then it sort of went away. At least, that I noticed anyway.

Ali said...

I am a teacher and this is something I try to tell my students ALL the time, doesn't matter who is who value your true friends!

Tammy said...

I remember those days...I was not the cheerleader and always felt a little below the in crowd. Now, I know it doesn't really matter but when you are in it, it is everything! Thanks for sharing your post.

Thank you for the sweet comment on Shell's BFF post. I am glad I was able to share with so many of you!

Tammy said...

I remember those days...I was not the cheerleader and always felt a little below the in crowd. Now, I know it doesn't really matter but when you are in it, it is everything! Thanks for sharing your post.

Thank you for the sweet comment on Shell's BFF post. I am glad I was able to share with so many of you!

Unknown said...

I can sooo relate to this. I was in the smart group in high school and we got made fun of for being smart. I hated school and now I don't even know if I want to go to my reunion. I don't think people would even notice I am not there.

Karen and Gerard said...

Popularity is not all it's cracked up to be. Personally, I never cared about being popular. I just wanted to be nice to people and get along with everyone, which mostly I did. I never did anything to be popular. Glad you like who you are and are happy with your normal life. So am I.

Visiting from Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop--I did the reunion prompt.

Rebecca said...

So true about the issues they have to deal with!

I teach 8th grade and I always tell my students that I would never want to go back.

Plus, most of the popular kids from my high school never really made that much out of themselves...I feel much better that I am happy with my life right now rather than yearning for my younger years...I can still yearn for my younger body though, can't I?

Mommylebron said...

I also chose this topic, but you wrote it so much eloquently! I'm a little bitter for my own reasons! (not for not being popular, ore the pain that some "popular girls" inflict on others)
I moved! If you'd like to visit my new site it's www.mommylebron.wordpress.com