Teen Angst Nahhh blog post

I am currently reading “Teen Angst Naaah” an autobiography of Ned Vizinni (author of “Its Kind of a Funny Story” and “Be More Chill”) in “Teen Angst” Ned tells stories about his life from second grade to collage. When I first picked up the book I expected a book to be like “Its Kind of a Funny story” with a kid facing high school problems like depression and drugs. However In “Teen Angst” Ned talks about him going through high school as this grade obsessed kid that ironically doesn’t fit with any high school cliché.

I kind of relate to Ned when he explains he school years. Not because I’m grade obsessed but I sometimes laugh at movies when high school kids are either dancing and singing everywhere, (like high school musical) or partying a lot (like 21 jump street). Instead teen years can be slightly lame compared to movies. In one of the chapters Ned explains a summer camp he went to. At the summer camp a friend invites him into the woods to smoke a cigarette. When he does it he describes the feeling as gross tasting, gross feeling, but was happy he at least learned to never smoke again. This chapter made me crack up because it goes completely against what high school is like in the movies.

I think although Ned Vizinni is telling a story from his own life he’s telling it to show that high school clichés are hardly ever true. He also is trying to get a point out to kids telling them not to listen to stupid movies and books that talk about drug filled high schools cause most of the time they are completely wrong.