This American Life

I really enjoyed listening to the middle school segment on "This American Life." I saw connections to my own experiences at that age as well as to our readings in class.

The middle school dance segment discussed the stress, uncertainty, and fear of humiliation that is brought on by this social "experiment in mini-adulthood." At this age, boys and girls are experiencing the realm of dating. According to Kerlavage, at the age of 11-13,  pre-teens and adolescents are attempting to reconcile difference in children and adult roles, which may cause great confusion and a lack of emotional control (pg. 56). As they  go through puberty, middle schoolers are starting to go on dates and see the opposite sex in a romantic way, but are unsure how to act in these new roles. This results in the fleeting relationships that so commonly occur in those years.

Kerlavage also states at this age, young people have the desire to establish their own identities (pg. 57). This was evident in the Mimi segment, where two Mexican sisters attempt to survive middle school by pretending they were from a completely different family. They dressed as if they were rich and dyed their hair blonde. They had an amazing spirit and sense of humor, and by them creating their own image (even if it was misleading) built their confidence and helped them cope with their feelings of identity.