If you've read the title of this article and thought, "Gee, Megan! Why would anyone say that? Middle school was a precious time in mine and my classmate's adolescence and I wouldn't replace it for anything in the world!" then let's have a quick chat.
Well, first of all, I love your attitude. Second of all, you should probably stop reading this article right now. Flutter away on the wings of the butterfly that you're wonderful attitude has floated on all of these years. Avoid my negative energy and needless introspection. I admire you, you precious gumball of optimism.
I'm not sure that I can say why we all hated middle school, but I can say why I think we all hated it. Like any liberal arts major, the one thing I have learned is that my experiences are not universal (that's a pretty good point that I give you permission to use on exams and papers). A lot of it has to do with the basics that every article, child psychology study, and tweet has noted: puberty made us all act like awkward, hormone driven toddlers. I'm sure some of it has to do with the fact that most of us had a sudden increase in responsibility and accountability. But I think the biggest factor had to do with ourselves.
I'm not proud of this, but I am afraid of middle schoolers to this day, and I didn't even really have any traumatic middle school memories. Why? Middle schoolers, and I can say this because I was one, are idiots. For some reason, a small population of them have enough confidence inside of their teeny tiny bodies that allows them to say whatever they're thinking, no matter how mean it is. I, meanwhile, have trouble saying what floor I need to get off when I'm on an elevator with a stranger.
Growing up is hard, and I think a lot of the reason that some middle schoolers can be so cruel is because, like all bullies that have come before them, they are afraid. And when people are afraid, they do stupid things, like tell their fellow classmate that they look like dog shit. Middle school is a turbulent time and most kids are just looking to be accepted.
From the outside looking in, it is easy to think that middle schoolers meanness stems from an innate confidence that kicks into high gear as soon as they enter the sixth grade. But in retrospect, I don't remember myself or any of my classmates feeling or claiming to be confident: we were incredibly insecure. I think that point is the most important to remember when dealing with an unruly middle schooler. With every charming insult they throw, the child inside of them is screaming out for help. And in a world where most popular culture equates meanness with coolness, it gets harder to blame them and easier to see their side of the story. In short, we all hated middle school because of each other.
