Franko, K.J. (1997). "A discussion of California youth trends." S. Hamilton, MA: Center for Youth Studies.

 

OVERVIEW

What trends are influencing the young people that influence the world? Students of culture recognize the impact that California trends have on the larger picture of American socialization, technology, and cultural relevancy. With such weighty social significance, what can be learned from the hot hobbies that California youth are enjoying? It is apparent that peers and community are essential to the teen psyche, but are there any new emphases in how young people gather and how they define party life? What are the drugs and alcoholic beverages of choice? In light of the profound and sometimes exploitive influence of today’s media, what are the important music, movie, magazine and TV trends that stir the interest of California youth? Since it seems at times that young people speak another language; are there any patterns of colloquialism or slang that reveal internal quests for identity? Is the body marking craze (through piercing and tattooing) still the rage, or is it being replaced by other identifying phases of self expression? These are the issues this discussion attempts to define.

This discussion is written from the vantage point of a Southern California public school teacher. The bulk of the research has been gathered from informal interviews with young people. Personal observations (from teaching and administrative experiences) and a 20-question youth survey were used. The results of this survey provide the silent voices of authority contained in this discussion. In addition, a copy of the survey is included and may be used as a tool for further study into your specific setting.

In order to approach these changing avenues of youth self-expression and see new patterns develop, it is necessary to investigate both current, lasting trends, and to project theories into some of the modes that are still in their germination stage. This study identifies continuing trends, and where applicable, speaks to future models of youth individuation and community life. Finally, it predicts generational distinctives.

HOBBIES

The use of spare time has deviated slightly over the past few years. California teens enjoy geographical settings that vary from other parts of America. Because of this, they tend to fully use their available diversity.

Bike clubs (complete with a resurgence of Banana seats and sissy bars, as well as equipped with full CD capabilities and boom speakers) have begun dominating the young adolescent scene. Bike clubs traditionally meet on Friday nights or Saturday mornings in parking lots of fast food restaurants. "Baby Bikers" show off their wares and exchange tips and trade secrets before riding off in a bike train. Business owners rally to the cause and have even invented special menu items promoting their interest ("Bike Burgers" and "Pedal Fries"). This group, predominantly comprised of male participants, normally graduates into the car club scene once a driver’s license can be obtained.

Car clubs have made a significant comeback. "Cruzers" sport through city streets in procession and make their way to the beach for partying. The hottest model to soup up is any kind of Honda. Barrel racing (setting obstacle courses for speed challenges) is normally done on empty fields, unfinished freeway sections, and abandoned parking lots. Most gangs choose a specific car to represent their prowess (e.g., 1979 Dodge Charger or a 1980 Toyota Tercel); these models become the most typical theft targets.

For girls, participation in the vintage crowd is rising steadily. Groups of "Heathers" (named after a movie that became a cult icon for adolescent girls) frequent thrift stores in search of vintage clothing, particularly the 1960s hippie/love child look or the polyester fashion of the early 1970s. This new shift to bargain hunting has dramatically replaced "label latching" (the need to have pricey designer clothing).

Extreme sports (those that flirt with danger and promote adrenalin addiction) still entice young people. Snowboarding continues to steadily skate to a place of supremacy. Many California public schools have established snowboarding clubs in exchange for clubs that have diminished in appeal (service-oriented clubs or debate teams). Students sell candy and do multiple fund raisers to earn enough to buy all the accouterments of the pricey snow board equipment (a good snow board can cost $500-$700).

In addition to snowboarding, repelling walls (taken from the Marines and adapted to some youth group motivational programming) and several new forms of self defense are climbing in popularity. Kick boxing, Muy Thai boxing, and ultimate or underground fighting (in which the conflict between two fighters must end in death [this needs special collaboration] and involves high stakes betting) are extremely popular and involve both male and female participants.

Rap troupes are another new addition to the public school extracurricular agenda. These student dance groups (with names that promote cultural diversity and unity, e.g., Brothers and Sisters) choreograph rap or pop routines and perform at school functions, community fund-raisers, city sponsored events, festivals, and parades. This is a new type of drill team in which participants must maintain specific scholastic requirements, provide drug testing results, and purchase a uniform.

Some schools are initiating self-esteem clubs (Ophelia clubs, named after Pipher’s recent best seller on adolescent girls) and there is a subtle trend that leans toward the arts and is based on a "Dead Poet’s Society" approach to poetry, literature, and original journalizing. These more healthy and cathartic approaches to individuation can be creatively incorporated into youth work. They should be seen as useful vehicles promoting communication and self discovery.

Internet surfing among youth is adding traffic to the information superhighway. Teen chat rooms provide a "technocommunity" of comfort and companionship when human touch is not available. There is an unnerving intrigue with "kiddie porn" and pedophilia among those surveyed. The availability of these perversions through Internet resources seems to particularly entice adolescent males; the increase of the use Internet magazines like Playboy, Hustler, and Penthouse is unusually high.

Probably the most recent craze among California teens is pool. Under-18 pool halls are cueing up everywhere and young people arrive in droves on Friday nights for playoffs and informal socializing around challenge playing. Many new slang expressions have emerged from the pool hall setting (He’s gonna be "behind the eight" translates to "he’s gonna be in trouble"; "he’s gonna set me up" decodes to "he will get me drugs", etc.). This dark but social setting trains young people to take the next step to bar hopping once the drinking age is reached.

The body marking craze that so typifies X-ers is not necessarily considered a hobby, but needs a bit of update due to the continual identity allegiance it provides. Body piercing and tattoo trends remain solidly grounded in adolescent circles. Self expression and inner grapplings with independence can be seen in the visual array of markings that typify the generation. Along with multiple ear piercings, belly, nose, and eyebrow rings come the newest fad of tongue rings and the "Prince Albert" (penis rings.)

Tattoos are still bringing individual expression to an X-ers’ quest for self identity. The hottest tattoos are the Tribal Band symbol (3 dots that form a triangle), 9150 (the police code for "insane"), and Winnie the Pooh. This swing to rediscover childhood memories seems to frolic throughout today’s youth culture and characterizes the adolescent struggle between no longer being a child and not yet being an adult.

PARTY LIFE

Teen partying still centers around drugs, alcohol, music, and sex. The different expressions of party life, however, appear in a variety of sizes and locations. The following enumeration of the five main social settings for parties reveals the complex world of youth parties.

RAVE parties. Raves most often take place in abandoned buildings or warehouses and depend on gas driven generators for electricity. Participants arrive at a predetermined rendezvous spot and are led to the RAVE via "trains" (a procession of cars led by the "Pied Piper"). A new twist to "training" is called "blind trains." Everyone but the driver in a given car is blind folded and they try to discover where they are and the destination of the party. Ravers (or Groovers) in most cities find out rendezvous points via a telephone number that answers with recorded RAVE details given by an answering machine. Dancing is a big part of the RAVES, whether it be the "moshing" and "spanking" (jumping, bouncing, and smashing into one another) of the head bangers, or the "popping" and "breaking out" (specific forms of challenge dancing ) of rappers. Flyer parties. These parties are advertised with professional and sometimes expensive flyers that are either handed out at school or placed on windshields of cars in the targeted parking lots (video arcades, pool halls, etc.). Normally, these fliers specify the music and the sponsor group so that proper sub-culture allegiance can be respected (i.e., A Hessian party for advocates of heavy metal would not be attended by rappers). Many times radio stations capitalize on the youth culture and sponsor elaborate parties with disc jockeys. Most often, flyer parties charge $5.00 at the door. Both RAVE and Flyer party cover charges usually include unlimited beer as part of the price. House parties. These parties revolve around parental absenteeism. They are by personal invitation and typically practice a "bring your own alcohol" format. Once the party gets going, separate rooms of the house are set apart for specific activities (specific rooms are assigned for drugs and alcohol, sexual encounters, and R- and X-rated video viewing). The newest form of house parties is called DP (ditching party). These happen during school hours and involve students arriving at school, piling in cars, and going to homes where parents are at work. Drinking, drug, and sex activities take place, and students make it back to school in time to catch the bus home or be picked up by their rides. "Buy-ins" are a form of DP. The party host sells four "passes" into the DP for $20.00. (Normally the pass is a type of penny candy like an individual packet of Sweet Tarts or a piece of gum.) This gives you and three other friends entry into the DP. You sell each of your friends a pass for $5.00, thus making back $15.00. The host then provides drugs or alcohol for the DP, and the original buyer is ensured that his or her friends attend. This type of party is typical for couples and normally involves long sessions of sex. Another name for a DP is a key party (since kids have a house key to gain entry after school while parents are at work). Some DPs revolve around "hot boxing" (getting high on marijuana in a car with the windows rolled up) and "malling" (going to hang out at the mall while high on drugs). It is interesting to note that most California school districts are trying to initiate stricter day curfew laws since truancy is at an all-time high. Most school districts allow 18-30 days of absenteeism prior to expulsion for truancy. California’s pioneering work with the use of uniforms has slashed levels of truancy, peer pressure, gang activity, and drugs while bolstering self esteem and academic excellence. Many education theorists believe that by 2005, uniforms will be required in most public schools in America. Once again this trend has its inceptions in California. Shack attacks. Located in boarded-up houses, re-pos, or abandoned shacks, these become secluded locations for couples in search of privacy or small groups of "cracker kids" (the white equivalent to gangsters). Crackers are a new form of gang involvement and are patterned after James Dean (the newest white adolescent male icon.) For this reason "rebels" (from Rebel Without a Cause) or "kids" (a term equivalent to "homie") find shack parties a sort of clubhouse to strategize events and discuss rites of entry and passage to authority levels within the gang. The cracker cigarette of choice is Camel non-filter; since cigar use is surging among teens of both sexes, Swisher Sweets (a brand of cigar popular with the skater subculture) are all the rage. (Since specific clothes are associated with subculture affiliation, it might be noted that a cracker would be dressed in a tucked-in, white t-shirt, plain belt [no N, S, E, or W insignia], jeans [not overly baggy], and Nikes or Filas.) Clubbing. This form of party life can be described as "bar hopping." Fake indentification is easily obtained (borrowing from older friends or purchasing fake Department of Motor Vehicle licenses). Most teens have connections to buy a fake license (about $35), and many cash checking establishments will give ID cards to patrons without proof of age. The return of the 1970s "disco" crowd is growing, and teens have favorite night spots that cater to their musical preferences.

DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

Though it is an unfortunate commentary on today’s society to assume that most teen social structures include drugs and alcohol, such is generally the case. With the recent political campaigns designed to teach kids to "just say no" to drugs, it is ironic that drug and alcohol use among teens continues to rise. Perhaps this can be attributed to the easy availability of recreational substances ("latchkey" kids have free access to the family liquor cabinet and supply and demand principles have significantly knocked down drug prices over the past few years). There is also an overwhelming importance ascribed to escapism within youthful ideology. Teens feel a great sense of restlessness, futility, and uncertainty. To overcome the numbing effects of abandonment by their "baby boomer" parents, they medicate to survive.

Beer (especially Bud Ice and Mickies) and wine coolers are the top beverages of choice among youth. These beverages can be obtained any number of ways, the most common being "shoulder tapping" (waiting in the parking lot for someone to arrive at the convenience store and asking them if they would purchase the desired liquor). In addition, "bum bribing" (rewarding a bum with a couple of bucks for his purchasing services), and "jack stealing" rated surprisingly high. "Jack stealing" takes place when several kids distract or "jack up" the mini-mart clerk, and another kid swipes the goods.

Hard liquor is normally used in conjunction with juices to provide mixed drinks with exotic names intended to emphasize sex. Drinks like "Fuzzy Navel" (peach Schnapps, orange juice, and vodka) or "Naked on the Beach" (Kahlua, cream, and vodka) can be easily made from the contents of the family bar.

Over the past few years, the drug of choice among youth is undoubtedly marijuana. It is easily grown, purchased, transported, and smuggled into any youthful setting. Today’s marijuana is sometimes laced with highly toxic or even deadly drugs. The "pot" of the 1960s and 1970s is child’s play compared to the potency of the typical "joint" today. The extremely "phat" (describes something very cool) marijuana is called "chronic" (highly potent and similar to the effect marijuana residue or "resin" had in the 1970s.) Weed has accomplished a long list of in-house slang names that can be overheard regularly on school campuses. They include, but are not limited to: bud, budda, motta, yeska, green, herb, stupid, s---, hydro (homegrown pot), mohanna, ganja, skunk (known for its pungent smell), chocolate ti (named for its deep brown color), Mother J., doobie stuff, or flowers. A recent fad in rolling joints (marijuana cigarettes) is called "blunts" or "blunties." Cigars are beveled out and the tobacco is replaced by weed. This fad is particularly fashionable with skaters.

The use of pot can vary among users but since it can be easily secured, the price has remained fairly stable over the past several years. One pound of weed runs anywhere from $350.00—$500.00, depending on type. That breaks down to about $30.00 per ounce. A "dime bag" (worth $10.00) is approximately ½ oz. and a "nickel bag" (worth $5.00) is only about ¼ oz. "Honey oil" (the liquid by-product of a bale of harvested marijuana) is considered a luxury and can be purchased in small 1 oz. vials for about $25.00. The liquid is dripped on a "bowl" (the place on a marijuana pipe that holds the weed) or "bong" (a kind of water-driven pipe) for extra potency.

Another craze, especially during class time at school, is called "flicking." Marijuana seeds are stored in the barrel of a pen. The top is removed and the "pen seeds" are flicked across the room and sent rolling on the floor. The students realize it’s "raining" and reach down and retrieve the seeds. They chew and swallow them and wait for a subtle "buzz" (the altering effects) to "kick in."

Because drugs typically run rampant in high schools (and sadly increasing numbers of junior high campuses), smuggling them has become an art form. Drugs are commonly stored and carried in the "drug pocket" (the small watch pocket on the right front side of jeans). Other common places to transport drugs may include, but not be limited to: lip balm containers, miniature plastic baggies, empty camera film dispensers, cigarette boxes, plastic containers, or lipstick tubes. A recent surge of smuggling includes the beveling out of a small square on the bottom of a tennis shoe. The drugs are inserted and gray duct tape is used to cover the hole and secure the drugs. No one can see the bottom of the "duck shoe" when the student walks, so the method of transport is hidden unless a formal search is initiated.

"Lookalikes" are another common form of drug smuggling. Antibiotics (such as amoxicillin or E-mycin capsules) are emptied and meth (speed) is replaced in the capsule and carried in the prescription bottle. Since meth is competing with pot as the drug of choice, students have been found with lookalikes in the boxes of such products as Excedrin, Sudafed, Tylenol, and even prescription asthma puffers. The most recent form of smuggling is among gangsters and involves taping drugs to the scrotum. Since strip searches must be done by a police officer, drugs hidden in this fashion are not detected readily and can be easily disposed in the toilet as the suspect uses the bathroom.

Though "bud" is a mainstay of the youth recreational diet, shocking numbers of young people are experimenting with all kinds of drugs, including "schrooms" (hallucinogenic mushrooms), "speed" (any and all types of amphetamines or methamphetamines), "acid" (a return of the psychedelic drugs of the 1960s), "crank" (another name for meth or speed ), "crack" (solid cocaine), "angel dust" (PCP), and "designer drugs" (such as Cloud Nine and Ecstasy), which are not as popular among teens due to the prohibitive costs. Other unusual sources of youth highs include nitrous oxide (laughing gas), glue sniffing, and "aerosol high" (inhaling different types of aerosol products). Many of these drugs (especially those in pill form or sold as lookalikes) are carried in individual miniature baggies that can be obtained at smoke shops, jewelry stores, or even convenience-type mini marts. A "hit" or "tab" (single unit of a particular drug) can be purchased for $3.00—$7.00, depending on the drug.

MEDIA/MUSIC

The newest music rage is without question Ska (a variation on Reggae music.) Ska leans heavily on lyrics that depict the human dilemma and quest for meaning and purpose. Deep house (which rates first for dancing) and the techno/industrial sound (which makes use of technological sounds that resemble musical notes) are also high on the list. Old school (easy rock oldies) seems to give a communal high by allowing teens to songfully recite the lyrics of familiar songs from such bands as Santana.

Another unifying factor seems to be 1960s and 1970s TV theme songs. There is not a day that goes by without walking down the halls of a typical high school and hearing cliques of students singing tunes from the Brady Bunch or Gilligan’s Island. The abandonment to such childlike innocence is refreshing amid the turmoil and inner conflict churning within so many young people. Rhythm & blues has also made a comeback, and sultry, sexually vivid songs are holding young adolescent girls captive.

MOVIES

 

Romance remains a popular theme among movie-going female teens, along with the present obsession with violence, danger, and the supernatural. Since so much violence is available through cable TV, the adolescent shock factor has become dramatically jaded and virtually non-existent.

Interestingly, the favorite movies of the day contain dark, morbid, and perverse humor. Teens also frequent "slasher" movies. Such distortions of reality indicate the moral deterioration and desensitization to which X-ers have fallen prey. When pain, suffering, dysfunction, and violence are viewed with ambivalence or approval, moral decline soon peaks and hedonism and exploitation become sport.

TELEVISION

 

The influence of TV has taken a subtle dive in the past few years. Young people are more prone to being wired to a CD player and ear buds than they are to spend an evening in front of the tube. When teens do watch, they pick themes that resonate with them. Youthful sitcoms are most often viewed. In the survey, it is interesting to note that participants rarely mentioned MTV.

Cartoons—particularly Saturday morning shows—are extremely popular. This trend reflects today’s struggle to regain or rediscover a lost childhood. Many latchkey kids raise themselves in the wake of dual income households. They survive alone, and their most treasured companions are fictitious. The kid inside longs for expression and playfulness, while the outer kid faces the life of uncertainty and loneliness. Simple pleasures still fascinate them, though most teens pretend that they are far above such trivialities.

MAGAZINES

With over 300 magazines available, female teens are inundated with advertising and ploys to dress, smell, and act a certain way. Skater magazines vy for male readership. Mentioned earlier, porno has increased among young adolescent men, possibly due to lack of proper supervision of "coffee table" literature.

YOUTH RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE

• Name your favorite type of music (both listening and dancing) and your favorite singers or groups. (Examples: ska, techno, deep house, old school, death metal, Christian alternative, country.)
• With which types of people would you feel most comfortable associating? (Examples: skaters, athletes, surfers, gothic.)
• What is your favorite thing to do on weekend nights with your friends? (Examples: RAVES, sporting events, car clubs)
• What is (are) your favorite TV show(s)?
• What is your most recent favorite movie and why?
• What is the newest trend in clothing that you can describe? (Be specific…what is really a "must" to buy and wear? Include brand names such as Nike, Fila, Puma, Roxy, OP, etc.)
• Do you have any hobbies? If so, what are they? (Examples: bike clubs, rap troupes, pool, self defense, ballet, sports.)
• Do you participate in "recreational drugs"? If so, which ones? Please include any prescription, illegal, over-the-counter, or designer drugs (like Ecstasy or Cloud Nine) that you do for fun.
• What magazines do you read?
• Do you drink alcohol? If so, what are you most likely to drink?
• How do you obtain alcohol? (Examples: older friends, bums, shoulder tapping, family liquor cabinet, or fake ID—and if so, where did you get it and how much did you pay?)
• What is your favorite junk food?
• Do you use the Internet? If so, what are your favorite web sites?
• Have you ever participated in "extreme sports"? If so, which ones?
• Do you have a tattoo or are you into body piercing? If so, please explain what you have.
• Do you smoke cigarettes or cigars? If so, which kind?
• What are the newest slang expressions among your circle of friends? (Examples: "It’s the bomb" [the best], or "My bad" [my mistake or my fault].)
• What are the newest ways to say marijuana?
• What is the most important thing happening in your life?
• Are you male or female?

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

HOBBIES

1. What role do hobbies play in the proper individuation of young adulthood?
2. How can hobbies focus undirectedness and rebellion?
3. How can the arts creatively address the needs of extracurricular activities?
4. What effect can such hobbies as rap troupes and Ophelia clubs have on cultural unity or self-esteem?
5. How can schools and churches collaborate to use hobbies as a community solution to conflict and drugs?
6. What role should parents and youth workers play in the supervision of hobbies?
7. What are the prevailing attitudes about kids actively involved in sports or hobbies? Are they applauded or shunned? How can those attitudes be changed if they are unhealthy?
8. What distinguishes a hobby from a trend?
9. What limits should be placed on a young person regarding body piercing and tattoos?

PARTY LIFE

1. How can parties be properly supervised?
2. What is the difference between chaperoning and policing?
3. How can adults provide support of the party setting without giving in to the rebellion and illegal activity that normally accompanies them?
4. Should parents keep liquor cabinets under lock and key?
5. How can ditching parties be curtailed?
6. What are the local truancy laws?
7. Should parents perform periodic, spontaneous drug tests on their teens? Why or why not?
8. Is there a local RAVE information line?
9. What goes on at the parties that your young people attend?
10. Should parents require periodic check-in calls during weekend nights out with friends? Explain.
11. What are the pros and cons of school uniforms?
12. How could uniforms affect truancy?

ALCOHOL/DRUGS

1. What signs indicate that a person is high on marijuana?
2. What signs reveal that a person is high on methamphetamines?
3. Where do young people in your area get their drugs?
4. Should children be allowed to drink alcohol in the privacy of one’s home and under supervision?
5. If approached in a parking lot to purchase liquor for underage kids, what should be your response?
6. What are some of the slang terms for marijuana?
7. Should you periodically search your child’s personal belongings for drugs?
8. Do you have an obligation to report to the proper authorities people who purchase alcohol for minors?
9. What consequences should be imposed on young people who participate in recreational drugs?
10. What rules should be enforced regarding drugs and church-related activities?

MEDIA

1. What negative influences might magazines have on young people?
2. Should parents set limits on TV use or monitor the shows their children watch?
3. Should parents have rules regarding Internet use?
4. What positive impact could MTV have on young people?
5. What ways can healthy humor be introduced?
6. Should teens be allowed to attend R-rated movies? If so, under what circumstances?
7. What kind of music promotes healthy morals?
8. What kind of music is played at the RAVES or flyer parties in your area?
9. Can dancing relieve stress and be a viable alternative to sex?
10. Should parents determine what types of music their child listens to?
11. Do lyrics influence decision making?
12. Is music innately good or evil?
13. What radio stations do your young people listen to and what type of music do those stations play?
14. Do your local radio stations sponsor RAVES or flyer parties? If so, what kinds?

IMPLICATIONS

1. Today’s youth are complex and diverse. They are driven by community and fall prey to escapism and medication as they stumble through the lonely passage into adulthood. Love is expressed through sexual conquest, and peer pressure demands new heights of allegiance. In the wake of astounding fragility, young people today must also depend on the loving guidance of parents, teachers, and other youth workers to supply the encouragement and direction required to integrate them into adulthood.
2. Hobbies and extracurricular activities can focus misguided energies and function as healthy alternatives to boredom and a "slacker" lifestyle that finds satisfaction in apathy. Programs designed to address self esteem, cultural distinctions, and self expression should be pioneered. Discovery of personhood, through the use of the arts and humor, should be encouraged, and diversity of activities must be stressed if human potential and gifting are to be fully realized.
3. Each young person in America is a uniquely shaped and ordered being, capable of filling the shoes of tomorrow’s leaders. As one builds bridges of communication with young people, one will discover an untapped, undefined resource that can catapult a generation of "undetermined variables" into productive citizens of America’s future society.

Karla J. Franko cCYS