Add me to the list of people raving about American Teen, the documentary that follows five students through their senior year of high school in conservative Warsaw, Indiana (watch the trailer below). It hits select theaters July 25, and when it comes to your town, you’ll want to see it. Cameras follow princess Megan (a very, very mean girl, who claims to have matured since filming); sweet geek Jake (who needs some help with the ladies — "we both suck at life" isn’t a good pickup line); jock Colin (who has the pressure of scoring a basketball scholarship if he’s going to afford college); heartthrob Mitch (the Blane of this real-life homage to John Hughes films); and rebel Hannah (pictured, center, the Andie-like outcast/artist with a fragile heart, who just wants to get out that town and make movies).
I definitely related most to Hannah: At a screening last week, I found myself wanting to scream, "Just hold on! We all think you’re the coolest!" (A fact confirmed when the room applauded after reading her where-are-they-now graphic at the end of the film.) I left thinking that most EW readers would love her. Which got me wondering if we were all a bit like her in high school… I wasn’t a "rebel"; I was an "in between." I was a cheerleader, but chubby, and never invited to the post-football game cabin parties that I only found out about years later. I was also in band, chorus, and National Honor Society, which meant I got along with most people, but never had a date (unless you count my gay best friend Mark, who came home from art school to take me to my senior prom). Like Hannah, I knew by the start of my senior year that I didn’t belong in my town, and that made those last 12 months there excruciating. Just a few of the moments I wish had been filmed during my senior year: (1) Me getting annoyed with my AP History classmates for laughing at Kenny G when he played Bill Clinton’s inauguration. Why is everyone so close-minded?, I fumed. Silently, thank god. (2) The time I told my mother that I could "figure my life out" if I just stayed home from school that day. (I actually believed it. She let me. Of course, I still haven’t.) (3) When a reporter from the local newspaper interviewed me and my best friend Susi at graduation because he thought it was cute that we finished first and second in our class. He asked her how she felt about graduating, and she answered, "I’m happy to get out of this s— hole. You can print that." (Strange, he didn’t.)
Your turn. What label were you in high school?
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I went to a teeny tiny Catholic high school in central Illinois. Most of us had attended there since kindergarten (there was an affiliated elementary school), so by senior year…yeah. Not that I was ever wild about most of my classmates to begin with.
I was a Hannah, through and through. I was president of the National Honor Society and valedictorian, but what I loved the most was speech and drama. I had friends who shared these passions (also music–yes, we were choir geeks too!), but there was also a lot of resentment among people because I got a lot of lead roles, etc. Truthfully, that happened because I’d had a lot of experience in theatre prior to high school AND I wasn’t involved in sports (other than dance classes), so my schedule wasn’t quite as compromised.
Luckily, while doing an outdoor theatre show the summer before junior year, I met a funky senior guy from another Catholic high school who just wanted to make movies, so I had both a cool boyfriend and a prom date!
I had a pretty sweet deal in High School because while I was Valedictorian and President of the National Honor Society, I also played lacrosse which was my ticket to cool. So I managed to avoid labels and float between all the crowds. Oh, those were the good years.
I was a brainy theatre geek (hell, I kinda still am) – I was in every play produced during my four years of high school and on speech team all four years; I also was in NHS and graduated with honors. I was “known” because of being in plays, but I certainly wasn’t “popular” – nor did I want to be. So I suppose I was a Hannah as well, but unfortunately not as sure of myself at that time as she was. Go Hannah!!!
I was a geeky rebel/partier. I hung out in the parking lot smoking cigs with the “cool” kids, then the library with the geeky set. Hard to place me in any one archtype.
I was a Band Geek/Smart Kid/Varsity Athlete in high school. I was never really popular (but I knew a lot of popular kids) and I did get teased the first two years while I was in school (probably due to being a band geek and a smart kid), yet somehow or another after 10th grade, I ended up in the middle, which is probably the best place to be in high school. I don’t really feel as though I fit a label, but I would probably identify with Hannah, since at sometimes I truly did feel like I was an outcast.
I was a really quirky kid in mean girl clothing – I was part of the ‘in’ crowd while also being president of the drama club and the civic teachers’ pet for four years – plus I rocked really big hair, shoulder pads and snakeskin pumps better than the Homecoming Queen so I could never be mocked. Until recently.
I was definitely the straight-laced geek. I was (and still am) a devout Christian, and a math nerd, so I was seen as about the least cool person in my entire class.
Hannah. I was the outsider (by choice more than fate)as I had a fair number of friends in all various cliques but didn’t let people get too close – or vice versa.
I was a between person I guess. I was on volleyball with the cool kids, but then spring time rolled around and I played badminton with the not so cool kids. But I loved it. I also was in an assortment of clubs including choir, NHS, science club, SADD. I had a variety of friends to say the least. Two years out of college and I’m still friends with most of them. I went to school dances and I had a b/f for a couple of months. Definitely in the middle somewhere.
I was SUCH A JOCK. It was so gross.
Wow, I went to college in Warsaw – had no clue they were doing a documentary there. I was the straight-laced Christian smart girl. I wasn’t hopelessly mocked, but I wasn’t really that close to anyone in school either.
I was the floater. I had friends everywhere, but nobody on Friday night. I wouldn’t accept a million dollars to do it again. Though, that’s a brilliant reality tv show.
It’s hard to say where I’d fit in. I was the shy, quiet girl who always sat in the back with a nose stuck in fantasy novels and who even the teachers forgot existed.
I was in band (concert and marching however I quit marching band after 2 years as I absolutely hated it with a passion), choir, traveling choir, women’s choir and drama. I was also obsessed with Star Wars (and still am) before it became cool again and have always had an offbeat sense of humor. I went to Ren Faires and excelled in history and literature while scraping by in math and science.
Ever notice how the things that were made fun of and considered uncool when you were in high school are now cool and/or trendy? I mean, I graduated in 1997 and as a girl who read lots of books, liked computers, Star Wars, video gaming and had a thing for corsets, I was made fun of…A LOT. Now computers are in, Star Wars is cool, gaming is everywhere and teen literature is actually GOOD. It’s not fair.
Now thinking about it I was kinda weird. I was in the top ten of my class, member of student council and NHS. My senior year I was the treasurer of both. I never really studied but was always making A’s and if I did have to study to make an A i would do it. I loved chorus and was in musicals. One semester i was in 2 chorus classes because i loved it sooo much. I made friends with all different kinds of people. However I was also in the “in crowd”, so after my civic duties and musical practices I would go get drunk and smoke pot at my popular friends’ beach houses. Went to a party every weekend in high school, but somehow managed to make the grades to get into the best college out of all my friends. This movie sounds really great and I think Hannah sounds awesome. High school was a stressful time, but looking back on it I rather enjoyed it.
First of all, LOVE this post… so funny. In high school, I was so happy and loud–very involved in leadership/assemblies, AP classes, choir, lots of friends. However, two things I regret: being that girl that would argue with her boyfriend in the hallways (yes I know, cringe-worthy) and not exercising on my own.
Cheerleading and X-country didn’t do it, believe me; I was too outgoing without realizing I would’ve looked 10 times better if I lost that 10 pounds. UGGGGGHHHHH!!!
I went to a high school that defied all norms and traditions. For example, I “lettered” in Drama after doing some stage productions. The varsity math team had cheerleaders, and the cigarette smoking punks on Ash Street tended to take AP classes.
So in that context, I was a Rudeboy wanna-be serial monagamer, dating all the punk rock and semi punkrock girls.
I’m not sure what character that places me with, but I’ll also point out that one of my high school buddies was a somewhat studious kid who played a mean set of drums. He now plays with Phantom Planet. So I’d argue most of the EW readers would have excelled at Madison’s West High School (represent!).
I was a total car wreck in HS. Smart, chubby, totally unable to talk to most boys, from strict Hispanic family & not allowed to go out at night AT ALL, but totally determined to have one of those long paragraphs of activities under my senior picture in the yearbook. I did it too..joined lots of activities: student council, language clubs, aide, NHS, athletic assn board, whatever. I was on homecoming & prom committees but not allowed to attend the dances, not that anyone asked. Life started after HS for me, but I’m not bitter, they were 4 great years anyway.
I was the smart kid who everyone wanted to be teamed up in class with, but would then have nothing to do with outside of the classroom. I knew every person in my class, had conversations with them , but was never asked to a single party. Plus, my one date was for prom and I had to ask the person. I was the nerd who read during lunch. I also rode the bus as a senior. High school wasn’t fabulous, but it could’ve been a lot more scarring.
I was invisible – you know, the girl who desperately wanted to be popular but was terrified that someone would actually notice her. Didn’t date. Didn’t go to any parties. Had three friends who were way more outgoing than me. Didn’t get picked on. Didn’t go to prom. I was the only girl in my neighborhood who attended the catholic high school. So most of my friends attended the local public high school (which I used to cry to my parents to please PLEASE let me attend) and I spent my prom night with them.
I remember thinking that high school was just something I had to get through. I also remember my father saying to me: “Please don’t let these be the BEST years of your life. They are only four years.”
If you look at my high school yearbook, most people who signed it wrote “I wish I knew you better. You’re so funny!” “We should have hung out more.” etc. I was in the AP classes and would always do well, but tried to blend into the background. I would make snarky comments under my breath that the teacher would blame on other people becuase it couldn’t possibly be Naomi – she’s so good and quiet. Tee hee. I was shy and looking back I wish I had put myself out there more. Life was much more fun in college and post college, as per usual for people like us.
I was a floater as well in a very small Catholic high school. In NHS, finished 6th in my class, in all the geek clubs and drama, and people had stopped picking on me like they did in middle school and switched to ignoring me. I was never invited to any parties, didn’t go to the prom (I was known as The Only Girl Who Didn’t Go To The Prom for a while), and didn’t have any real friends. Everyone knew me but didn’t care, I was just kind of there. I was so glad to get out of there. My college years were so much better.
I was a band geek, but tried to not act like one, since we’ve always had a bad rep. I was the moderately smart girl, smart enough to act otherwise so no one would want to copy my homework, but I always wanted to be in the smart kids clique. I never made it in, since that was pretty much set in ninth grade. Somehow I managed to get boys to like me, but since I had a boyfriend couldn’t enjoy it. Now that I’m steadily single, I can’t get a guy to look at me at all. Hmm….
I was the smart, gay, black, inbetween fat kid. I was in drama for two years, was given raves for my improv monologues that I would give in the perspective of a character in a novel that I was reading at the time (typically Stephen King). I couldn’t get a date to save my life, and I felt very isolated…see description above.
I also went to my senior prom by myself for 15 minutes. I was driven in a rental car by my best friend who was a junior that year and I was infatuated with, but didn’t know it. I read this now and I laugh…
Mandi – which central PA sh*thole high school? There are sooo many…mine was State High.
I guess I was an in-betweener – a few close friends and many acquaintances in various cliques.
The night of my senior prom, my best friend and I sat in her car in the country club parking lot making fun of everyone as they went inside. Sadly enough, that barely makes the top five of the most pathetic moments of my high school life.
Pretty much inivisble for the most part. I had a friend who was the saluditorain, and went to a school where if you wanted to date a guy you had to be super thin, Russian, wear way too much makeup.
I hated high school when I was in it, but now think I could have had a much better time than I did. I was also a Hannah. I was in the NHS, drama, dance classes (which I took to avoid taking P.E.), poly-sci group, and even bible study (yes, school sponsored in 1999!). I had friends in every crowd but never went to the parties the cool kids had. I went to prom with a group of friends my junior and senior year. I learned I had many admirers but few ever “asked me out” (which was pretty much a declaration of liking each other, late-night phone calls, holding hands between classes and the occasional love note). I came from a Christian upbringing so drinking before 21 was out of the question. I never drank until I was 22 (!!!) but that only means I found other creative ways to have fun with my friends. Great post Mandi!
I sorta am still in high school, but I can say that I’m a misfit, I don’t belong to a stereotype so I float around.
Oddly enough, I manage to get along with everyone so I suppose it all works out.
I was the smart girl when team projects rolled around everybody wanted to be my partner (especially cuz they knew I would get sick of them, then verbally abuse them for 15 minutes on how they were “practically mentally challenged” and “shouldn’t they be going to the special ed classes”) and in the end get so sick of them that I did the whole project myself, earning me and them a B. Everybody talkedto me but I didn’t date and had very few close friends. I just didn’t fit in at my small-town Utah hardcore LDS high school. luckily college has been much more genrous to me
To Ep Sato:
I went to Madison West as well – but there certainly were no cheerleaders for the math team, nor did students letter in drama. I can’t speak to the class schedules of all of the kids who hung out on Ash Street, but I’d be surprised if most were in AP classes – particularly, since West didn’t have AP classes per se (advanced classes, yes, but not AP). Have things changed so dramatically since I graduated in 1987?