Growing up in the Northern Suburbs of Chicago was nothing short of a thrill ride, even for an eleven-year-old. Middle school is marked as a time of self-discovery, puberty, and innocence, and for a North Shore girl, the pressure to be in touch with what's trending starts right about now. If you've repressed the painful fashion and fads of the early 2010s, here are some memories that will take you back to your youth.
Your playlist included...
"Tik Tok" by Ke$ha, "Pretty Girl Rock" by Keri Hilson, "The Lazy Song" by Bruno Mars, and "Sexy and I Know It" by LMFAO, just to name a few.
You begged your parents for a Juicy Couture sweatsuit.
The most fashionable I'll ever be.
You traded endless amounts of Silly Bandz and thought you were extra cool when you claimed to have the "rare" ones.
Hate to break it to you, but if everyone has them, they're not rare.
Do you also remember Food Erasers?
My biggest and literally only crime ever was stealing them at a store in fifth grade—I still feel guilty about it.
Oovoo served as the best way to connect and talk to friends you were too scared to interact with in person.
VC?
You thought you were the trendiest girl layering your neon-colored Sugarlips.
Lauryn Smith
Here is me in my prime.
You either started a business in making duct tape bags or making Picnik edits for your friends.
Lauryn Smith
Early entrepreneurship at its finest.
AIM was the only way to communicate with friends.
me: hey
them: hi
me: wats up
them: nm jc jbu
me: nm
Owning a rainbow pair of Osirises were a necessity.
Lmk who let me walk out of the house wearing these.
Movie night with your BFFS consisted of watching "The Clique."
Did I invite you to my BBQ? Then why are you all up in my grill?
An "I <3 Boobies" bracelet was a must have.
At least they were for a good cause.
It was more normal to spell every word incorrectly over text than spelling it correctly.
Y dide eye tink taht tis wuz haw u shuld txt ppl?
If you didn't shop at Such A Deal, Cloz, or Tales and Toys to buy stuff for overnight camp, you were shunned.
Yes mom, please buy me all tie dye luggage and peace love camp stationery that is extremely overpriced!
Going to at least three bar or bat mitzvahs every weekend was the norm.
Lauryn Smith
Whoever you picked for your first Snowball was the stepping stone to an engagement ring.
Getting the ~coolest~ poses for pics was always the most important.
Lauryn Smith
Spicing up my Instagram feed.
Your only mission in life was to beat the "World's Hardest Game."
Yep, I'm pretty sure it was rigged.
Whoever could eat the most of these without dying wins.
My eyes are watering just thinking about it.
You either were madly in love with Justin Bieber or hated him with a burning passion... no in between.
Lauryn Smith
My dream is still to be his "One Less Lonely Girl" serenade.
Lollapalooza? More like Jingle Bash!
Ugh I wonder what the line up is gonna be this year!
You had no other option but to own a Vera Bradley lunch bag.
Still triggered by the fact that my middle school lunch supervisors would not budge over the 8 person to a table limit.
The only thing you cared about ordering when you went to Tsukasa.
Lauryn Smith
Better than just regular sprite.
Plans with friends always included recreating the "Songs in Real Life" YouTube video.
Low key anyone wanna do this now?
Your biggest struggle was deciding which friend who be tagged in each of these.
Lauryn Smith
And someone would be deeply offended if they weren't tagged as your best friend.
You competed with every overnight camp in the area to prove that yours was the best. News flash: they're all cults.
LWC, Beber, Agawak, Chippewa, Chi, Marimeta, Osrui, Birch Trail...they all suck.
The day your parents finally let you watch "Glee" was the best of your life.
Lauryn Smith
And Finn Hudson will always have your heart.
Although these may give you awful flashbacks to an awkward, cringey, embarrassing time of your life, there is no doubt that it would be nice to go back for a hot sec. Hopefully I can save my children from the pain and misery I went through because I am unclear as to why my parents approved. Middle school may have been rough, but it shaped you into who you are today and you gotta be thankful for that.
man running in forestPhoto by 
