Welcome: Searching for Magical Youthify Fairy Glitter

Youthemism (n): colloquial slang word or phrase spoken by teenagers; aspects of youth culture.

Original Illustration by Stephanie Smelyansky

Hi, I’m Stephanie, and I’m scared. I’m scared because in a few weeks I’ll be eighteen, which means I’ll be an adult, and I’m not ready to be an adult. As the days trickle down towards my eighteenth birthday, I’ve become more and more nostalgic for my teenage years. I find myself glorifying the past and wanting to relive it (upon further thought, the acne riddled days of my early teens are something I’d rather forget rather than relive). There’s something magical in experiencing the world from the lens of a youth, teenager or young adult. At that age, people already have a set of morals and beliefs but simultaneously are incredibly impressionable; the naïveté is a function of trying to make sense of the world. Like, that lens is so magical that Urban Outfitters should co-opt it as a wonderful bottle of fairy glitter. And if Urban did sell it, I’d buy out the entire stock because that world view is what I’m scared to lose. And as I get closer to the big one eight, I find myself latching onto the youthemisms that shaped me into who I am today.

Youthemisms is my literary attempt to stay grounded and connected to the lens of youth, one filled with naïveté and curiosity, as I grow up. Now, I’m not saying I’m going to remain a child forever, but at least I can maintain a childlike charm and interest in the world, at least while I’m still figuring things out. As a fledgling adult, I’m curious about how my interpretation of culture, events, and life in general has shaped me as a person, as well as how these aspects shape other teens and young adults. Youthemisms seeks to explore the cultural influences that have affected me and my peers, ranging from Beyonce to the iPhone. I started Youthemisms because, well, I had to for an English project. But I started this blog specifically and not one about cute cats because I’m hoping it will help me make sense of the world during probably one of the most exciting and stressful parts of my life.

I feel completely unprepared to be an adult, but I’m one of millions of other kids still figuring out who they are and what their place is in the world. Maybe writing about it will help me find my place in the world or maybe it will help someone else. If anything, I hope writing about being young and growing up will keep the child within alive.