Headgear, clumsiness, flooding jeans, and insecurities: these are all vital components of the middle school transitional stage. You never know until you’re out of it just how vital it is to go through; a rite of passage for growth and self-identity.
The so-called “awkward-stage” typically occurs in middle school, when everyone is navigating through growth spurts, hobbies, and friend groups. Over the years, the awkward stage has spanned from bowl cuts to fuzzy perms, emo side-swoops to frosted tips. Regardless of what the style may be, it’s a significant part of one’s life as they explore their self-identity.
In my case, the awkward stage couldn’t have fallen at a worse time. Just as middle school was commencing, and my “emo” phase had already sparked, COVID struck and booted us all to our homes. Quarantine only fueled the fire of the awkward stage, impairing social abilities and self-comparison with social media. My age group certainly got the short end of the stick with such circumstances. Well, I’ve done my part. Onto the next generation, I thought. But the more I explore social media, I can’t help but pose the question: are middle schoolers skipping the awkward stage?
“They look older than me!” Claims a BHS senior, “I never looked like that at that age.” Some would argue that the awkward stage is an important path to endure for self-growth, yet some aren’t experiencing it. So what exactly is to blame?
Social media has been prevalent within our society for over a decade, promoting certain beauty standards, clothing trends, hairstyles, and makeup/skincare brands. “Why is there a nine year old in Sephora? Claire’s just isn’t popular anymore.” Says senior Kendall Duncan. The youth is very impressionable, with social media setting unrealistic beauty standards and urging them to take the steps to meet them. “The excessive engagement with digital platforms has been associated with heightened impulsivity, attention deficits, and an increased risk of addiction-like behaviors.” States the National Library of Medicine.
Some proclaim that these changes are superficial, but others argue that this is actually biological.
According to the New York Presbyterian, Puberty is occurring earlier than usual for the younger generation. Precocious Puberty, as they call it, stems from certain genetics, diseases, eating disorders, and even lifestyle changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Certain chemicals commonly found in toothpaste, cosmetics, and other personal care products may also explain the increase in cases, especially among girls.” States Dr. Aviva Sophe, a pediatric endocrinologist from the New York Presbyterian. It is evident that social media is a major factor of children maturing so quickly among the new generation, but there is science to blame as well.
Whether it may be the screens or the hormones, precocious puberty and early maturation has been prevalent within the past few years. So are kids skipping this essential milestone? With the rise of social media and endocrine disruptors, this may be the case. It is only a matter of time until this stage fades away, yet some may never know the self-growth that this stage entails.
