Eight Movies That Make Me Want To Be A Teenager Again

I totally understand why everyone who isn’t a teenager hates teenagers. They remind us of pompous acne-faced versions of our younger selves. But don’t you ever wish you could go back and be a teen, at least for a day? Don’t you ever long for the days when essays only needed to be five paragraphs short? Or when your “job” consisted of cleaning your room and feeding the dog? I do. I sometimes really do.

Now movies also have a habit of painting adolescence and high school in the most horrible light. But the truth is, high school isn’t everything for teenagers. There’s still a life outside of that horrible institution, one where mean girls and stupid jocks don’t mean a thing. So, I’ve made a list of the movies that make me want to be a teenager again. Check out the list below:

Bye Bye Birdie

This movie looks like a crazy fun time. Ann-Margret’s Kim MacAfee is a fan girl who gets away with kissing the hottest star in the world. Not everyone would be able to get away with this, but because she’s a sweet teenage girl, she gets to live out one of dreams (as silly as it may be).

Dazed and Confused

There’s just something about this movie that fills me up with nostalgia. These kids are on their last day of school, they’re celebrating and raising hell with their friends before they’re off for the summer. Everything seems so easy and fun.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Taking the day off would never be this easy with a full-time job, but all Ferris has to worry about is high school. He gets to go on a super fun adventure with his friends, just because he felt like it.

Clueless

This movie actually makes me want to go back to high school… simply to dress up. Sure, dressing up for school can seem a little lame, but when you’re young you can get away with really funky outfits.

Empire Records

Had I been forced to have a job when I was a teenager, a record store would have been the perfect place. These kids get to go to work with their friends and also listen to music all day long. It’s the perfect slacker job.

Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

One of the things I love about Lola is that she goes after her dreams. She’s so optimistic about her future, something that seems to fade as you grow older. I miss that optimism that reassures you everything will be alright.

Ghost World

Again, this has to do more with style than anything else. Enid is able to go from black hair to green hair without even giving it a second thought. When you’re older, you have so many things to consider – jobs, professional image, etc. – but as a teen, the worst that can happen when you pierce your nose or dye your hair some radical color is a lecture from your parents. And that’s almost always inevitable.

Project X

When I saw this movie, I thought, why didn’t I throw a party like this? This was the party of a lifetime and these kids will always have that party to look back to. Plus, if it just so happens that you ruin a neighborhood, you can get away with it, especially if you’re under 18. Teens take note.