In March, I waxed nostalgic about the 30th anniversary of a favorite movie of mine, The Breakfast Club. What I didn’t make explicit then, but will now, is that I was 14 years old when that movie came out.
To be honest, I pretty much hated being 14. But something dawned on me as I assembled this list of the 14 Things I Remember about Being 14 (a response to a Finish the Friday blog prompt). I realized that while I hated being 14, looking back on it I was able to muster up mostly good memories. I chalk that up to the power of positive thinking, wine, the wisdom that only comes with age, and more wine.
Here, for your amusement and commiseration, are the 14 Things I Remember about Being 14:
1. The Breakfast Club was THE movie everyone my generation was talking about.
2. I got one ear double pierced just like Molly Ringwald, the star of The Breakfast Club.
3. Standing 5’11”, I was taller than everyone in the 8th grade except John G.
4. A mean boy, Sam R., often pointed out my lack of a derriere in the hallways at school. But, don’t feel sorry for me. It only made me stronger and able to withstand the teasing I would endure later in life at the hands of my own children, both of whom are endowed with more substantial booties (thanks to their father) than me.
5. I wore braces when I was 14.
6. I was the student body president of my 8th grade class. The experience made me realize I never wanted to be president of anything again. Not worth it! It was a blessing to realize that sooner rather than later.
7. I played on my school’s basketball team (see #3 above). I fondly recall the final score of one of our hard-fought battles on the court: 9-8.
Let that sink in, folks.
An hour of basketball played by 14-year-olds and the final score was a whopping 9-8!
8. I felt pretty unhappy and unsure of myself most of the time I was 14.
9. I had celebrity crushes on C. Thomas Howell and Billy Idol.
10. I drove to Alaska in a motor home with my family the summer I was 14. The highlight was seeing Mt. McKinley or perhaps it was being stranded by the side of the Yukon highway for 3 days when our motor home broke down.
In the middle of the Yukon territory.
60 miles from anything, like the nearest town with a mechanic.
11. Becoming a mom was THE farthest thing from my mind when I was 14, although I did have a steady gig babysitting some 4- and 7-year-olds. I was wicked good at pet sitting, too.
12. After perming my hair the majority of my 14th year of life, I cut off one side in an attempt to be more like Molly Ringwald and the hip kids who listened to alternative New Wave.
13. I laid out in the sun every day over summer vacation without wearing sunscreen. My adult self cringes at the memory, especially now when I visit the dermatologist and something “suspicious” or “evolving” gets hacked off of my skin.
14. I stayed up way too late on school nights to see Huey Lewis and the News and Madonna in concert.
But how cool is it that I saw Huey Lewis and the News and Madonna when they were the hottest commodities in music?! Thanks, Mom and Dad!
What do you remember about being 14?
This has been a Finish the Sentence Friday post. This week’s prompt was “When I was 14…” Thanks to hosts Kristi at Finding Ninee, Dana at Kiss My List, and Kerri at Undiagnosed But Okay.
I still haven’t seen Madonna – because I refuse to pay her extraordinary ticket prices. I was pretty much doing the same things, especially the sunbathing and perms. I never had the guts to lop off my hair, though! And the basketball score. Oh my! That had to be a boring game to watch.
Allie recently posted…Being Fourteen, Then and Now
I’m glad I saw Madonna when I was 14 and totally spoiled by my parents. I can’t recall how much it cost! But I can recall all the awesome dance moves she did to her “Into the Groove” set. There were cat eyes in that one!
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…14 Things I Remember about Being 14
5’11”? Oh, you lucky girl! You must have felt so self-conscious about being so tall, but I’ll bet you love it now.
Sounds like you had a wonderful time during your teen years, especially the trip to Alaska. I can’t even imagine what that must have been like — especially since there were no cell phones or Nintendo DS/Gameboys to keep kids entertained while stranded.
A.J. Goode recently posted…Beach Babies
I used to read (gasp!) every day of the trip in the motorhome. We went to the library and stocked up on books for each trip. Can you imagine that today!? My kids are glued to their Kindles on car trips.
The Huey Lewis Sports album was one of my favorites! And I wanted to be Molly Ringwald. C.Thomas Howell…ah, Ponyboy. Or pretty much any of the guys in The Outsiders. We are almost the same age, Katy – so I could relate to everything on your list! Except being tall.
Dana recently posted…When you take your teenagers to an amusement park
Have you seen C. Thomas Howell lately? He has aged normally, not Hollywood-style, bless him. I still catch him in odd pieces here and there. I should friend him on Facebook, since he probably forgot he was my boyfriend then.
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…14 Things I Remember about Being 14
As Allie mentioned in her post, sometimes nostaligia sugar coats memories. I hated being 14 also. Such an awkard age. I couldn’t thing thing from me at 14 involving school.
Funny I did read that line about the basketball score two times before you said “let that sink in”. I was trying to get it to register. LOL!!! Did you all keep each other from making shots or no one made any shots? I’ve seen some low score boys basketball games where they did get stealing the ball from each other and a bunch of running up and down the court but not too many sucessful shots made.
kenya G. Johnson recently posted…The Secretary Has A Story
Our team was just that pitiful. But then again, so was the other team! Our poor parents. Back then, though, that was the first year any of us ever played on a team. I see nowadays they are starting travel basketball in 2nd grade–are you kidding??
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…14 Things I Remember about Being 14
I realized that I turned 14 just before Dirty Dancing came out.
Swayze’s hips. Oh, fortheloveofcheezits, SWAYZE.
*fans self frantically*
The Imp recently posted…When I Was Fourteen…
There were so many great movies in my teens, like Dirty Dancing, Sixteen Candles, Breakfast Club, Say Anything, Can’t Buy Me Love. Do they even make such classics anymore? Swayze was good, but I moved on from C. Thomas Howell to John Cusack quite nicely, thanks.
I ADORE this list….C Thomas Howell?? Swoon, remember the Outsiders the bad boys and the freaking handsome ones. And the Breakfast Club? I remember the line in the theater being around the block trying to get in. I was like you, at first thinking 14 kind of sucked. But when you get back to the memories it was kind of not so bad. Well, except for you getting stuck in the Yukon for 3 days. Can you imagine today, our kids would freak with no power 🙂
Kerri recently posted…GASP! I was 14 and scared
I think my mom even had to take me to see Breakfast Club – wasn’t it rated R? Maybe we were bonding and I don’t remember why she was with me. 🙂
I think the Yukon has been settled since 1985 (and the road paved). They probably have plenty of cell phone towers! I’ll have to ask Kelly McKenzie, our resident expert on all things Canadian.
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…14 Things I Remember about Being 14
Shades of Animal House Vacation. Have you seen it? Family gets stranded in the desert when Sparky drives the family wagon off road. So how on earth were you rescued on that lonely Yukon highway? Did some lovely Canadian take pity on you all?
Kelly L McKenzie recently posted…Top Ten Tips For Surviving Fourteen
I think we WERE the Griswald’s from Vacation. Seriously! We even had a similar family truckster, although ours was light blue not green.
Ah, the Yukon. Perhaps there’s a post in that story. I remember my father had to hitch-hike an hour back to town where the mechanic had to diagnose the problem remotely and teach my dad how to fix it when he hitch-hiked back to us each night. I think we were there 3 days! The second day he took my little sister with him since he thought he looked friendlier as a hitch hiker with a little kid than by himself. Imagine!
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…14 Things I Remember about Being 14
Your poor dad. And your poor little sister. That must have been quite the workout.
And of course you know the Griswalds! Silly me.
Kelly L Mckenzie recently posted…Top Ten Tips For Surviving Fourteen
We were similar 14 year olds! I had my ear double pierced too (but only on one side). The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink had the best sound tracks ever! And swoon to Billy Idol. Bleh to babysitting. What an awkward age 14 was… thanks much for linking up with Finish the Sentence!
Kristi Campbell recently posted…On Being 14 Years Old, The 80’s, and Hindsight
I had it double pierced on only one side, too! Loved your graphic today with Billy in it.
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…14 Things I Remember about Being 14
Oh those are GREAT MEMORIES indeed Katy!!! I love it!! Breakfast Club ROCKED. And your parents were WAY cool to take you to those concerts… wait. “Way cool”- isn’t that 80’s slang? Yeah… I’m still living in the 80’s.
Chris Carter recently posted…Keurig Giveaway! Show Us Your Meltdown!
Hey, Chris – my parents didn’t take me to those concerts—they dropped me off at them with my friends!! I can’t even imagine that today. As a parent, I’d probably be arrested.
What great memories, both the 80s specific ones and the family ones! Stranded in the Yukon in a motor home for three days? Woah. And a big, fat yes to the Breakfast Club and wanting to be like Molly Ringwald. I don’t think my almost 13 year old is ready to see it. In a few more years maybe. She did just read The Outsiders though: “Stay gold Pony Boy.”
Lisa Sadikman recently posted…First Date, French Kissing and Wondering Why He Likes Me: When I Was 14
Right back at ya! Stay Gold Pony Boy!
14 was a rough age for me! All pimples and a terrible perm!
Katie @ Pick Any Two recently posted…Kid-Approved No Recipe Dinner Ideas
It was interesting to read through some of the other’s Finish the Sentence Friday posts and see that 14 wasn’t so terrible for everyone. I really thought it was! I’ll be ready to console my kids if it stinks for them as much as it did for me.
Katy @ Experienced Bad Mom recently posted…14 Things I Remember about Being 14
At 14, I too was unhappy and unsure of myself at times. Like the Breakfast Club, I feel like that type of teen angst is an initiation into adulthood.
When I was 14, my family got a computer. I think at the time it was almost $2,000….I huge splurge needless to say. My mom would play solitaire on it and my stepdad would say “$2,000 to play solitaire!”…I think that was also the year of the Y2K scare. I remember my mom stocking up on canned goods and my stepdad buying a generator from lowes…then having to resell it when nothing at all changed on Jan 1 that year.
I really enjoyed your post!
Heather Serra recently posted…Throw Back Thursday
Thanks for stopping by and commiserating on what it was like to be 14! Your family memories are fascinating. Isn’t it funny what we remember or how the era does define us?