How different would it be to go to high school in a different decade? From the style to the trends, everything would feel so unfamiliar. Some things don’t change much, such as stereotypes or even school dances.

 High school students wake up every day, go to school, and do the same routine over and over again. But throughout the years, everything seemed to change without anyone realizing it. About 50 years ago there were smoking lounges in the high school building, and the legal drinking age was 18. “It was a crazy time,” said English teacher Allison Berryhill. At that time, it was the normal everyday thing, but to think about it now most people would think that seems crazy to only have happened 50 years ago. Even though smoking in the school doesn’t seem like something that happens anymore it’s still carried on to this day, such as vaping in the bathroom.

The style seems it would’ve changed a lot, but it really didn’t. We see the same style patterns throughout all the years, such as bell bottoms, wide-legged jeans, which are coming back into fashion. In the ’70s, floral shirts were a big trend and still to this day people are still wearing floral prints. Not only has style changed but neither have the basic stereotypes such as the popular kids, mean girls, closed off kids, band kids, and the rebels. These little cliques have been passed down through generations. In 1978 “there were a lot of cliques,” Berryhill said. When asked if there are stereotypes in high school now, sophomore Erinchina Mark said “yes definitely”. These cliques have always been a problem, especially with mean girls and bullying. Fifty years ago, there was a saying that “if you wear orange on Wednesdays you were gay,” Berryhill said. 

School dances are a tradition that has happened forever. Throughout the years not a lot about them has really changed. Everyone went to the dances, but they only danced in a little circle with their friends, said Berryhill, which we still see happen to this day. Some of the groups are too scared to expand their group and interact with others, while other people think they’re too good to talk to the other groups. 

Over the years school is still school and you go for the same purpose. It’s just evolved over the years and has gone through small changes that aren’t really noticeable.