High school will always be tough no matter what era...
Top be honest, I hated high school with a passion. Okay, most of high school, senior year was bearable. I went through serious teenage angst and it didn't help that I didn't fit in. I struggled with my identity because I grew up bourgie but lived in the ghetto, spoke with a twang and was an artist at heart. I loved pretty things but I preferred being comfortable.
And that's why when I watched the Netflix original film, Reality High, I could relate. In high school, everyone wants to be cool and fit in. Starring Nesta Cooper and Keith Powers, the movie is about awkward yet high achieving senior Dani Barnes. Dani is focused on going to college and volunteers at the school's veterinary section.
But Dani has an arch enemy not by choice. Enter Alexa Medina, the most popular girl in school who has a vlog. Alexa has a large following of nine million followers and is always moving around taking videos, and photos. Alexa and Dani used to be best friends until Alexa humiliated Dani at camp.
Alexa is dating star swimmer, Cameron Drake, whom Dani has had a crush on. In being uncool, Dani has a good friendship with Freddie Myers, an aspiring DJ. Dani has to organise a fundraiser for the dogs. However apart from Freddie and her dead grandma, she has a long way to go.
Dani then takes her sister's advice and gets a makeover. Dani catches the attention of Cameron Drake who she starts dating. After attending Cameron's pool party, Alexa catches wind of Dani and Cameron dating through her friends, Holly and Miguel. A scorned Alexa, befriends Dani who reluctantly says, yes.
Dani becomes part of Alexa's squad goals. They hang out together and Dani gets to meet Kid Ink, whom she's a fan of. In the midst of it all, Dani loses herself and disappoints those who care about her. She forgets to pick up Freddie for his first paying gig. She embarrasses Cameron during an interview and fails to meet her mentor, Dr. Fiona Shively's requirements. This puts her college recommendation at risk.
In the cliche high school movie sequence, Dani has to make things right. This comes after Alexa puts out a vlog accusing Dani of being a stalker. The video goes viral and Dani is made out to be obsessed with Alexa. Dani finally speaks up on Facebook Live, sharing a compelling story about fundraising for dogs. Kid Ink co-signs the event which becomes a success. Dani gets her recommendation, Freddie forgives her and she kisses and makes up with Cameron.
In reality, the weirdos or outsiders rarely get a high school happy ending. Mean girls and bullies often thrive in high school and even life. But the lessons learnt from Reality High is that whilst finding yourself is a journey, likes don't matter. We are in age where being poor or sad on social media is an option.
We dress up, do make up and fake up so that we are approved by the world. If you are a corporate brand or being backed up by corporate 'likes' do matter. But for an ordinary person, you need real people in real life. People who will help you out when you need them. People you can text or call for a dollar. People who see you for who you are and love you just the way you are.
I think the last statement applied for me in my senior year. I became friends with feisty, smart people who weren't into what others thought of them. They encouraged me to be myself. One friend would always support me when I was saving money. She would buy me lunch or add money to my bus fare. The other friend would encourage me to be confident in myself and even in being weird. She would always say, "You do know that high school isn't the end of life?"
However, I do acknowledge the challenges of identity. So at times we need to actually get hurt in trying to fit in, to realise that it's nonsense. Ever been in a situation where you just end up saying, I don't need to explain myself.
Sometimes you need to walk in someone else's shoes, to appreciate the comfort of your own!
P.S. : Always write your own love story!
Lady E
Ciao!
And that's why when I watched the Netflix original film, Reality High, I could relate. In high school, everyone wants to be cool and fit in. Starring Nesta Cooper and Keith Powers, the movie is about awkward yet high achieving senior Dani Barnes. Dani is focused on going to college and volunteers at the school's veterinary section.
But Dani has an arch enemy not by choice. Enter Alexa Medina, the most popular girl in school who has a vlog. Alexa has a large following of nine million followers and is always moving around taking videos, and photos. Alexa and Dani used to be best friends until Alexa humiliated Dani at camp.
Alexa is dating star swimmer, Cameron Drake, whom Dani has had a crush on. In being uncool, Dani has a good friendship with Freddie Myers, an aspiring DJ. Dani has to organise a fundraiser for the dogs. However apart from Freddie and her dead grandma, she has a long way to go.
Dani then takes her sister's advice and gets a makeover. Dani catches the attention of Cameron Drake who she starts dating. After attending Cameron's pool party, Alexa catches wind of Dani and Cameron dating through her friends, Holly and Miguel. A scorned Alexa, befriends Dani who reluctantly says, yes.
Dani becomes part of Alexa's squad goals. They hang out together and Dani gets to meet Kid Ink, whom she's a fan of. In the midst of it all, Dani loses herself and disappoints those who care about her. She forgets to pick up Freddie for his first paying gig. She embarrasses Cameron during an interview and fails to meet her mentor, Dr. Fiona Shively's requirements. This puts her college recommendation at risk.
In the cliche high school movie sequence, Dani has to make things right. This comes after Alexa puts out a vlog accusing Dani of being a stalker. The video goes viral and Dani is made out to be obsessed with Alexa. Dani finally speaks up on Facebook Live, sharing a compelling story about fundraising for dogs. Kid Ink co-signs the event which becomes a success. Dani gets her recommendation, Freddie forgives her and she kisses and makes up with Cameron.
In reality, the weirdos or outsiders rarely get a high school happy ending. Mean girls and bullies often thrive in high school and even life. But the lessons learnt from Reality High is that whilst finding yourself is a journey, likes don't matter. We are in age where being poor or sad on social media is an option.
We dress up, do make up and fake up so that we are approved by the world. If you are a corporate brand or being backed up by corporate 'likes' do matter. But for an ordinary person, you need real people in real life. People who will help you out when you need them. People you can text or call for a dollar. People who see you for who you are and love you just the way you are.
I think the last statement applied for me in my senior year. I became friends with feisty, smart people who weren't into what others thought of them. They encouraged me to be myself. One friend would always support me when I was saving money. She would buy me lunch or add money to my bus fare. The other friend would encourage me to be confident in myself and even in being weird. She would always say, "You do know that high school isn't the end of life?"
However, I do acknowledge the challenges of identity. So at times we need to actually get hurt in trying to fit in, to realise that it's nonsense. Ever been in a situation where you just end up saying, I don't need to explain myself.
Sometimes you need to walk in someone else's shoes, to appreciate the comfort of your own!
P.S. : Always write your own love story!
Lady E
Ciao!
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