Ok, I might not be writing an ode— I’ll be a little more normative (for the sake of it). To peak in high school is defined as the experience of someone who’s most enjoyable time of their lives was in high school. Funny how fast this expression got to become such a popular insult, after our parents spent our whole lives raving to us about how high school would be the best time of our lives. Now, when we do affirm how great it was for us, many are faced with judgemental glares; how can someone who loved high school ever be successful? Y.A. surely never prepared us for this plot twist.
I think we can all agree that societal expectations of adolescence are twisted. It’s important to deconstruct the totalizing view we have of teenagers that places them all into narratives of recklessness, sexualization, impulsivity, and problematic. This narrative is ever-present in the literature and media we consume. Young Adult literature is literally dominated by the trope of the misfit teen and their untamed popular counterparts (portrayed in a negative light). This trope has also had its claim to fame on TikTok, after Jack Harlow sang “I didn’t peak in high school I’m still out here getting cuter.” This trend feels unsettling— it’s tricky enough already to navigate through adolescence; still, painting those who just happen to fit in better in such a negative light is highly unfair. It ignores the idea that some may succumb to societal pressures in the same way some may not; there’s a certain toxicity in trying to dismantle hurtful stereotypes by attacking those who “fit” the stereotype. This also perpetuates the idea that those who fit in were only to be defined by just that and nothing else.
For those who fit in, high school may have been a dream and they may be nostalgic for those days. My high school experience was great (and I recognize that for some, it was far from it) and I love to remember the parties, tournaments, classes, teachers, and things like setting up tent for a senior sunrise on the field. Does this mean I peaked in high school? Does my enjoyment of those years belittle the future ahead of me?
In reality, you define your peak. There’ll be some better years than others.
If you loved highschool and miss it, this doesn’t mean the rest of your life can’t be just as amazing. Remember that.
… And if you feel like high school you was the best version of yourself, find refuge in the nostalgia and look forward to more. Appreciate the person high school helped you become. Put yourself out there and embrace new (and old) social interactions. If it’s what you need, keep looking for a similar thrill. Forget this fad, it will end. The memories, on the other hand, will stay.
Sincerely,
A girl who loved high school and refuses to hide it.