High School Labels

Growing up, parents, teachers, and elders always emphasize the importance of an education to the younger generations. High school students are pushed and encouraged towards college for the next big step in their life. By the time kids step into high school it’s drilled into their heads that to make something of oneself they need to pursue a college education. In reality, are high school graduates even prepared for the challenges that they will soon face? High schools are not preparing their kids for the “college experience” that in turns leaves them lacking the know-how they will need for the workforce.

Every teenager has a strong need to fit in and be part of a clique. It is hard to be an individual in high school; teens often feel that they need to conform to what their peers are doing to fit in no matter what cost. The elite group in Gossip Girl was popular based on their status in society and the designers they were wearing. In a typical high school the popular kids are the ones that are involved in sports and can afford to follow the new clothing trends. During adolescent years teens want to form an identity, Erikson’s identity crisis explains the struggle between identity achievement vs. identity confusion (Jafari, J. Identity.). Erikson believed that at each stage of life there is a particular issue or crisis, and during adolescents it is the struggle with identity (Jafari, J. Identity.). Dan and Jenny had a difficult time forming their own identities; they wanted so badly to fit in that they lost themselves along the way. I am sure there are many high school students who experience this crisis of identity achievement and confusion, when trying to find a clique to be a part of or simply trying to find

High school is an important time for developing a sense of who you are as a person. Each kid who starts out high school will usually asks themselves what they are there to accomplish. For the most part, many set personal goals for themselves and strive to achieve above and beyond. However, some are just there for the experience and to see where it takes them. It’s apparent that some kids have an easier time and don’t have to struggle with their high school career. For example, some of the students have followed strong academic paths that have prepared them for this time in their lives, where as others have struggled with educational influences and feel unprepared or lost. Swerdlow mentions that the students, who attend J.E.B. Stuart, are given many chances to improve their educational foundation in order to

In addition to the students who does not fit into these categories, they were considered as “others”. One of the questions I had asked Ms. Elena is “when you were in high school, was social class, gender, and race classified?” She explained that “in high school, I remember much emphasis placed on race and ethnicity. There were many rallies discussing how our school was a melting pot of various races. That didn’t seem to make a difference; however, because when I think back to the different cliques of students, I remember various races segregating themselves from others such as Filipinos, Whites, African American Asians, etc. The different groups did not seem to meld together at school or outside gathering.” In her book “Women Without Class”, Bettie argued that “a primary way students understand class and racial/ethnic differences about themselves is through their informal peer hierarchy, with cliques and their corresponding styles largely organized by racial/ethnic and class identities” (Bettie, pg. 49). With that said, Bettie explained that the way students understand class racial/ethnic difference is by their own complementary with peers because they build their racial/ethnic and class identities together. In addition to this, I followed up that question to briefly tell me how social class was describe throughout her school days. She briefly told me: “I went to

In ‘Abolish high school’ by Rebecca solnit, she writes “High school is often considered a definitive American experience, in two senses: an experience that nearly everyone shares, and one that can define who you are, for better or worse, for the rest of your life.” which means high school isn’t wonderful for many people, it has a lot of challenges for teens and some of them may be ‘kill’ by pressure, it would effect your rest of life. The high school is not a wonderful place for everyone. People should skip it and escaped it don’t be suffered by it. However i disagree with her, because i believe high school is a wonderful and kindly for everyone. It is a place for teen to meeting friends and a place to learning. I believe the environments would definitive teens who they are. For example, the parents is most important for kid, they would shape everyone’s identity, make you more stronger to face challenge. For example, in my childhood, when i was lived with my parents, i was

In "Let Teenagers Try Adulthood", an essay by Leon Botstein, Botstein argues that the "superficial definitions" of high school students are a reason to let teenagers begin their lives in the working world rather than to perpetuate their education. Botstein is correct in proclaiming that high schools are breeding grounds for "cliques" and "artificial intensity”, and his address of the “flawed institution” of high school are cogent and fitting.

Let me start off by saying this reading really opened up my eyes. It’s crazy that there is so much that comes into consideration when being apart of a society. High school is a big part of many people’s lives, they need to make it out big in the hallways. This means that people will do anything in their power just to fit in with the “cool kids”. In reality there is such a thing of a higher status and a lower status, but the fact that in high schools it’s a huge problem is sad. When I was in high schools, which wasn’t that long ago, this was a big problem. People needed to have the hottest clothes, shoes, phones, and music, in order to just be recognized. The funny thing is was that, the “nerds” were very high in demand as well. The cool kids wanted to be on their side as

In the essay "Let Teenagers Try Adulthood", Leon Botstein expresses that the "superficial definitions" of high school students present a reason that they should be allowed to begin their lives in the working world rather than to prolong their education. Botstein is correct in proclaiming that high schools are breeding grounds for "cliques" and "artificial intensity”, and his address of the “flawed institution” of high school is cogent and fitting.

The fact that the students in this movie actually become friends at the end shows that when looking at this situation from a sociological view, it can be said that cliques are not always what defines people. Cliques can be a negative and a positive thing. Obviously the negatives to cliques are that people get labeled into stereotypes which can be hurtful to some, and that people isolate themselves from other peers that are not in the clique. Positives of cliques can be that the people in the group have a sense of belonging, support from their friends during tough times, and also have a form of identity.

First, high schools do have cliques that unify students by groups. However, that doesn’t mean students confine in the groups they are “assigned” to, as shown in most movies representing cliques. In the movie The Breakfast Club, the five main characters used to represent the school all come from different crowds, which ultimately results in showing how they can still get along even though they don’t necessarily hang out with the same people. The characters are defined as “a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal.” These labels divide the characters into

At the start of the movie they are all segregated by rank in the social pyramid, but as it progresses the students talk about their problems in a moment of trust with one another. The princess explains how her parents use her to get back at one another while fighting, the brain tried to commit suicide because of a bad grade, the basket case is a compulsive liar, the athlete can’t think for himself, and the criminal comes from an abusive home. By the end of the movie the group is dancing around and enjoying each other’s company as they broke the segregated barriers and wanted to fit in as a whole. People are still that way; we will still fight for acceptance of others, as it’s human instinct to want to be

The media portrays high schools being full of identity stereotypes, whether it is in movies, TV shows, or sometimes music. Each school has the group of star athletes, the kids bound for broadway, and the kids who could become the next Einstein. Every show or movie has the same supporting character who each belonged to different cliques.

The students are so unwilling to associate with each other because they’re not used to getting along with the other group of people. Their used to having to run or shoot at the other ethnic/racial groups. This intolerance comes from growing up in hostile environments towards the other ethnic/racial groups.

I’ve always believed that being individual was good. But other people prefer to believe that conformity is better. Although I should know better by now, I cannot help thinking that sometimes people do need to get involve with other people. Furthermore, I believe that people should just try to be in the middle, so that they would be able to make their own choices

In addition, this only creates patterns of inclusion and exclusion, which demonstrates the creation of peer and social cliques. These types of students avoid others