The Internet may be seen as one of the greatest inventions of all time, especially to the growing adolescent brain, but this relatively new phenomenon has been rapidly changing and growing in a short amount of time. The long-term effects of having hand held devices with Internet access at our disposal at any time have … Continue reading Internet Dissociation →

One of the greatest hallmarks of adolescence is rebellion. Rebellion against parents, school, the norm, society, anything. It is what parents and teachers prepare themselves for, as if teenage rebellion was the start of World War III. But the idea of rebellion is actually quite simple: teenagers merely go after something that is forbidden. It … Continue reading The Forbidden Fruit →

The desire to escape swarms the minds of many adolescents, whether it’s their school, town, thoughts, family, or friends. Eric Gansworth’s, “If I Ever Get Out of Here,” represents this feeling of wanderlust, exemplified by its straightforward title. Although Lewis Blake struggles to physically leave behind his problems, music enables him to momentarily drift away … Continue reading Music as an Escape →

Just a few days ago, on a routine trip to Giant Eagle, I stumbled upon a magazine so absurd that my immediate reaction was an audible giggle. The headline of the magazine read, “BARACK HIRES DIVORCE LAWYERS,” with a big picture of President Obama without a ring on his wedding finger. The text was so … Continue reading Magazine Mayhem →

On our class visit to Special Collections, the selection of items shown to us was specifically tailored to be an example of adolescent entertainment through the years. To me, it felt almost as if we were able to time travel through the selection of archives. From early editions of The Lowell Offering published in 1842, … Continue reading Wonder Woman’s Impression on a Teenage Girl →

In the 1900's etiquette books were a popular form of reading for young people, especially girls to model their behavior and appearances after, like self-help book in today’s world. Unfortunately, looking at these texts from a modern lens 60 years later in the Special Collections visit leads to feelings of aversion and discomfort as one … Continue reading Etiquette Guides And How Times Have Changed →

While visiting Special Collections, I was drawn to the Etiquette Collection the most. More specifically, my interest was engulfed by the book titled The New Seventeen Book of Etiquette and Young Living by Enid A. Haupt. This book was published in 1970, and it details everything a girl should do to maintain proper etiquette. The … Continue reading The Etiquette Collection →

From our visit to special collections, I chose a copy of an etiquette book from the 1970’s. Etiquette books are especially intriguing to me because I feel like they set standards and expectations about a certain lifestyle that young people are expected to have. The New Seventeen Book of Etiquette and Young Living by Edin … Continue reading Etiquette at Special Collections →

While exploring the vast assortment of Special Collections, I found myself particularly drawn to the magazine Calling All Girls. The set of magazines available was attention-grabbing because magazines aimed toward female adolescents are still published today. The individual copy I examined was in fantastic condition, disregarding the way all papers from the 1950s have aged. It … Continue reading Calling All Girls →