Do you ever reminisce your teenage years?

[Dancing Fire]

How fun it was going out on dates with your BF(s)?.. listening to all those great songs on the radio, wish I can "relive" 70's again. Gas was 49 cents per gallon. A two piece KFC dinner was 79 cents. A drive-in movie was $1 per person.

 

[JewelFreak]

Oh, right...in college I had a (very) used turquoise VW beetle that took $3 to fill the tank. I didn't often have it, so put in a drop or 2 of gas every now & then. I LOVED that car! Sun roof open, drive through sunny farmland with the Beatles blaring on the radio...heaven!

I used to "stay overnight with a friend" & go to a dive coffee house in the icky part of Rochester to listen to Chuck & Gap Mangione play the best jazz from 2 a.m. till dawn, after they'd finished their paying gigs for the night. Party afterward at Larry Gleason's house with a bunch of stoners & funny buddies from h.s., where Chuck always brought the most beautiful girlfriends. Years later he played in the Village when I lived in NYC -- he didn't remember me, but did recall those parties; we had a good giggle.

Some of those times were a blast but I would not relive teenage angst for anything!

--- Laurie

 

[Rhea]

Not really. I started working in retail at 16 and babysat before then. Most weekend evenings and days were taken up working and saving to be able to afford college. I ran cross-country and track and enjoyed the training and had good friends there. Most of my friends in high school were working and training just as hard as I was to either get on college teams or be able to afford college. Probably running was my best time. Not because I particularly loved running but because of the team spirit and encouragement. We had short practice on Fridays before Saturday meets and so had pasta nights regularly.

In college I worked 20 or more hours a week and really hated it because I went to school with a bunch of rich BMW driving kids who spent mummy and daddy's money while I was attempting to survive on $30 per week. I was careful with my gas, bought groceries as inexpensively as possible and worked or ran in any free time I had. I made good friends with 3 women who were on a similar work schedule but as you can imagine we didn't spend a ton of time together. I'm not in touch with any of them still. Bonding over the fact that you work a lot doesn't create a lasting bond

I'm not saying that it was terrible. I did a lot of lovely things, a lot of hiking, a bit of an anime addiction and read a lot of classics, but I can't relate to having free time or money. I wouldn't care to relive it except maybe the road-trip I took with my now husband my last year of college.

 

[JewelFreak]

Your teenage time sounds somewhat like mine - I worked after h.s. in the local grocery store -- rather than minding, I have good memories of it. Heard all the town gossip first, the other kids there were fun to joke around with, and I learned to my astonishment that you were expected to be at a job on time, not 15 minutes later!

Also went to a college with a lot of wealthy students, but I learned there that money has NOTHING to do with how nice, how shy, how inadequate or anxious, heartbroken or hopeful someone can be or feel. I worked in the snack bar at school & every summer at home while classmates went to Europe -- so what? I knew some lovely people, others not so much, like anywhere, and got a superb education which I value maybe more for having had to earn it.

I hope you have as many good memories as I do, Rhea. For me, the knowledge that I could take care of myself just fine influenced the rest of my life -- as well as seeing that wealth creates as many problems for the possessor as it solves. In many ways it can be a tragic burden & does not insulate anyone from life's left hooks. People truly are people are people are people, no matter their different circumstances. And I like a world where someone can get rich through their own industry (or their grandfather's -- wouldn't you like to leave money to your kids?) even if it's not me!

--- Laurie

 

[dragonfly411]

I reminisce on the horse back riding days yes, but I really try not to remember high school itself. It was the beginning of a very abusive situation for me, and my mind tends to selectively block any memories that include that person of it's own accord. There's a good part of Senior year and the beginning of college age that I don't remember. Sad really.

 

[Rhea]

Laurie, It wasn't bad at all. My answer to the question is just that I don't think about it often and wouldn't repeat it. I noticed the same things you did about people, but didn't have time to delve into deeper relationships with them. Relationships take time to build and it was time I didn't have unless it counted toward credits or earned money. I did get a head start on most of my peers because two of those part-time jobs turned to permanent job offers when I graduated. My sister on the other hand believes that spring break means partying! I can't relate to that at all. It's nice to have those skills, had the jobs and graduate mostly debt free. It was fine, just not fun, with no lasting friendships built so I don't reminisce and wouldn't repeat it. It just was what it was. I'm pretty practical and life just goes on.

 

[nkarma]

I was walking past some teenagers the other day on my lunch break from a stressful day at work and was thinking oh to be them again, with no worries. But then I realized that being a teenager is very hard. All the social development that you go through and feeling like you are an adult, but having no way to actually be one (earn a living wage, live on your own). I also have always resented when people tell you at different stages of your life that you have it easy....as intern, as a student, as a single person, as a non-parent, etc....

Anyways, to answer the question, the time I reminisce about is college. That's where all the excitement began and some of my best relationships were formed. High school was full of insecurities, studying, teenage angst, tough times at home, and crushes on boys. I like now better!

 

[Smith1942]

Oh yeah, I reminisce. 15-18 was good. So much discovery. I went to school in a really charming Tudor town called Lewes. Bonfire Night, 5th November, is when effigies of Guy Fawkes - who tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605 - are paraded through the streets and then burned. Bonfire Night is a big thing in Britain, but Lewes had the biggest celebrations in the country. The whole town was closed off, and 40,000 extra people came in. There were six Bonfire Societies which spent all year preparing, and there was a torchlit procession about a mile long, with everyone dressed in medieval costume, parading their huge effigies of Guy Fawkes and everyone had burning torches. In the distance you could see the procession and all the burning torches coming over the hills, and it took forever to go past. After the procession, you went to any one of the six bonfires to see the effigies being burnt, and for fireworks and then Bonfire Prayers at midnight. For one night, the town - with its medieval setting - had no traffic and was like a stage set, with the castle and the costumes and the medieval burning torches.

The reason I have fond memories? Because it was one big street party, and everyone from school was there. Everyone got drunk and spent the evening snogging each other. I always used to snog Simon D. Good times.

And, a lot of the kids from school had big houses and parents who were away a lot. The parties in those houses....so good. Mainly, people drank, but I never did as I don't like the taste of alcohol. I did lots of snogging though.

The difference between 15 and 16-year-olds back then, and those of today, is that even though they were sleepovers with boys, snogging was as far as it went. Today, I hear they all lose their virginities the moment they get their first pimple!

But yes, the snogging. Lots and lots of snogging. Truly my favourite part of being a middle teen.

 

[LaraOnline]

But yes, the snogging. Lots and lots of snogging. Truly my favourite part of being a middle teen.

LOL! I wrote out a big answer to this thread on my freakin' phone last night... and then I LOST the answer!!
It was a little maudlin though heheh so I'll try again I guess.
I don't really reminisce my teenage years - sad to say.
I was at a crappy school with a very, very busy mother whom I rarely saw from day to day or even week to week.
My father had died, suddenly and shockingly, and we had moved from our cattle station in far north Qld to a country NSW town with very little to offer anyone. However, when I go back now i can see the town's appeal. It's all cups-of-tea-and-piddles lol.
(Funny, we are in a similar, equivalent environment over here on the West Coast now )

 

[AprilBaby]

Nope, much happier 35 years later

 

[LLJsmom]

The best part was meeting my husband in high school. We got married 10 years after we first met. Even so, I was not a partier. Most of highschool was studying and getting good grades to get into a good university. College was pretty much the same. I never really felt I had the freedom or courage to do what I wanted to do until I started my career. So now is really the best, most fun, fulfilling and challenging time of my life, my forties. I love having a family, feeling more settled in my career, more (relative) financial freedom, and the freedom of doing things that I had put off in my younger years, simply because I thought I would have time. I realized that I don't. I blinked...and I was at 40!! How did that happen??!!!! Can't wait any longer...

 

[diamondringlover]

I do not reminisce about my teenage years, they pretty much sucked..however I do miss my early to mid 30's...those were the best years of my life.

 

[makemepretty]

No, I've been with my huband since I was 17 and I'd never go back to those immature days. My life is so much better now. I really think in your 30's you find your true self. I'm in my early 40s now.