The Burn Book Doesn't Exist: Debunking Misconceptions About the "Popular" Crowd

Sparkler Sammy is here to put a stop to the stereotypes!—Sparkitors

Sparklebutts, let me ask you a very important question: how many of you have seen the movie Mean Girls? Don’t lie to me; I can see you over there, shaking your head with that sheepish grin on your face. “Oh, it wasn’t my decision, my friend/little sister/overweight hamster MADE me watch it!” you say. Regardless, you’ve seen it. And you can relate to it—the drama, the petty catfights, the glory Glen Coco obtains when he receives the most candy canes—all of these things part of the stereotype of the so-called high school “popular” crowd. SparkLife, as a self-proclaimed nerd haven, has a tendency to look down upon the members of this group. Well Sparklers, I am here to debunk the myths about the Plastics!

*DISCLAIMER* I am in no way implying that none of the members of the “popular crowd” exhibit these particular behaviors, only that many of them don’t. Though stereotypes are unfortunately an ingrained part of the high school experience, it’s important to remember that there are still real human beings behind those labels. Also, to get rid of any negative connotations associated with the word “popular,” I will instead use the word "prep."

Myth #1: All preppy girls are dumb skanks. 
First of all, high school is a veritable cesspool of hormones—that means that yes, the HND is going to happen, and not just among the preps. Kids from other cliques are just as likely to do it as preps are, and having an interest in HNDing does not give anyone the right to call someone a skank. Second, there are tons of preps who are very intelligent. Let me give you an example. One of my good friends is what you would call a stereotypical party girl—she likes to go out, is always dressed impeccably, and has more crazy facebook pictures than Dan Bergstein has devoted fans. And guess what? She is going to be an engineer, and has the stellar math and science skills to back it up.

Myth #2: All anyone does is go out and drink every weekend.
While it is true that many preps enjoy drinking, that does not mean they all do, or that it is their only interest. Think about it: the stereotype for a nerd is highly intelligent, sci-fi and fantasy loving socially awkward introvert, but how many of you can say that this description matches you exactly? (Again, I can see you…put the Comic Con costume away, you’ve made your point, you are the absolute nerd master.) Kids in the preppy group have a wide array of interests, just like anyone else.

Myth #3: All preps (especially the guys) are mean
There will always vile scumbags in the world. Not all preps are vile scumbags. Sure, there is that one football player in your math class who told you your head was shaped funny that one time. But in all honesty, for the most part, preps aren’t like that. They are trying to get through these strange, awful, terrifying four years of high school just like everyone else (middle school, on the other hand, is a whole ‘nother story—kids that age really are just plain old mean). I don’t know about your school, but at mine, there is no such thing a burn book. Also, most preps have the same problems as any other teenagers; acne, worries about members of the opposite sex, school work, etc. They don’t live perfect problem-free lives like the media portrays.

Now, I’m not saying I expect the world to be a wonderful magical place full of butterflies that poop rainbows (because at the end of the day, butterflies have and always will poop poop), but I do hope that some of you will go to school tomorrow and give some of these so-called preps a chance. Who knows; that snotty cheerleader who sits behind you in English? She could be a total sweetheart whose parents are just going through a bad divorce.

Do you have "preps" at your school? How do you feel about the stereotypes attached to popularity?

Related post: How to Act When You Run Into Popular Kids Over the Summer