“Boys” by 13-year-old-me

(Park View Elementary, Huntington Beach, 1981)

This is a page from my eighth-grade, homemade scrapbook. I simply titled it “Boys.” This is everything I knew about boys at 13-years-old. This is how I saw them.

They rightly fell into seven straightforward categories; funny, nice, sweet, shy, cute, weird, and the ultimate pre-teen compliment, neat hair.

If I would have made one of these in my late teens/early twenties these would have been the seven categories; ominous, broke, promising, smoker, disapproving, commitment-phobe and, neat hair.

In my late twenties/early thirties the seven categories would have been; employed, clever, pliable, pre-approved, audacious, well-read, and, neat hair.

The funny thing is, when looking for a husband, the seven categories were (roughly); funny, nice, sweet, shy, cute, weird, and neat hair.

For more Junior High fun read:
“I think you’re a total babe…wait, no I don’t.”
“These were the best of time” or at least Styx told us they were.
“‘Stay Sweet'” and other well-wishes from Jr. High.”