English Assignment: Understanding Social Groups in High School

This essay delves into the multifaceted world of high school social dynamics, examining various teenage cliques and their behaviors. The essay identifies and analyzes different groups, including the "popular girls," who focus on appearance and social status; the "goths," known for their rebellious nature and questioning of authority; the "jocks," driven by athletic aspirations; the "bookworms," prioritizing academics and facing pressure to excel; and the "burnouts," often involved in substance use. The essay also touches upon the "young life addicts," who are religious and focused on social welfare. The essay uses these cliques to illustrate the diverse challenges and pressures teenagers face while navigating their social environments, especially in schools. The essay references several sources to support its claims and provide context for understanding the social dynamics within high schools.

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English
The teenagers face many different problems while they grow up and are trying to fit into
the different social surroundings. One of the most prominent social places where the teenagers
try to fit in is the schools. The teenagers, both the boys and the girls just hit their puberty and are
in the full blossoming stage. One such high school clique is the popular girls.1 Often there are
girls, who try to make sure that they are the centers of attraction of each and every boy and also
of the other girls in the class. They usually spend the majority of their time in putting on
beautiful makeup on their faces and wearing the best dresses, so that other girls envy them.
Another common aspect that is seen among the teenagers is the rebellious nature.
In terms of the High school cliques, they are known as the Goths. They are the ones, who
are always up for questioning and protesting against those practices that they cannot accept.
They perhaps belong to the dauntless category of the factions. In other words, they are the
fearless ones. They are the ones who are brave and do not really fear any kinds of power or
authority that would challenge them. Then there are the docks. They are the ones who do not
1 Ames, Melissa, and Sarah Burton. "Reading Between the Lines: The Lessons Adolescent Girls Learn Through
Popular Young Adult Literature." How Pop Culture Shapes the Stages of a Woman’s Life. Palgrave Macmillan,
London, 2016. 32-57.

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really care much about the classes and about the kinds of challenges that they face in the place of
academics2. They are just determined in establishing a bright career in the field of sports and
games. Their determination becomes even stronger when they are neglected or bullied by the
existing players. They make sure that all their time and their energy is mainly invested in the
field of pursuing their dreams that are establishing their careers in games3. They honestly confess
their dreams. They can be categorized under the candor or the honest factions. This is because
they do not hesitate in saying that they can easily give up their classes and their academic
performances only for the purpose of establishing their own dreams. They want to shine brightly
in their own chosen field.
Then there are the bookworms. There are different changes that take place within the
behavior of the individuals as they grow up4. One such change is too much inclination towards
books and towards studying5. These are the people who do not really find much enjoyment in
going out to parties or to nightclubs. They will rather enjoy in investing all their time in studying.
Even if they are done with their class notes and their textbooks, then they would surely be seen
2 Van Raalte, Judy L., and Britton W. Brewer. Exploring sport and exercise psychology. American Psychological Association,
2014.
3 Spindler, Louise, ed. Interpretive ethnography of education at home and abroad. Psychology Press, 2014.
4 Watson, Ryan J., and Stephen T. Russell. "Disengaged or bookworm: Academics, mental health, and success for sexual
minority youth." Journal of Research on Adolescence 26.1 (2016): 159-165.
5 Lewis, Courtland, ed. Divergent and Philosophy: The Factions of Life. Vol. 94. Open Court, 2015.

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in the corners of the library with some of the other books in their hands6. They are usually very
intelligent and are ready to answer any and every question that is asked by the teachers at class.
They are perhaps the erudite ones. They often face the peer pressure or the pressure from their
families that they have to secure the first position in class every year. It is for this reason that
they do not find any other world outside the world of studying. This might also have some
harmful effects on their minds. They can often feel frustrated.
Then there are the burnouts as well. The teenagers who fall under this clique are the ones
who are always up for going out for smoking joints or for sneaking into a bar. They not only get
these refreshments for themselves but also for the all the other students in the school. So, they
are the best dealers in school and have just the right shaggy, shady and cozy basements for their
friends to hang out and chill out. However, there are many boys and girls who cannot really
control themselves and get so much involved in these addictions that they are unable to come out
from there. They also feel the pressure from the rest of the friends and feel that they will not
really fit in if they are not able to upgrade themselves like the ones who have already made a
gang. The other kind is the young life addict who is actually the church going persons and they
are very good by heart. They are also very close to Bible and are into the social welfare works as
well. They are perhaps the amity and the abnegation. They are really peaceful people and like to
stay aloof from all sorts of quarrels and chaos. They think about the welfare of other people and
are surely perfect people to befriend. Since they are followers of Bible, they will think about the
6 Hochman, Julia M., et al. "Efficacy of peer networks to increase social connections among high school students with and
without autism spectrum disorder." Exceptional Children82.1 (2015): 96-116.

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common welfare of people, they are often the caring ones, who place the needs of others above
themselves.

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References
Ames, Melissa, and Sarah Burcon. "Reading Between the Lines: The Lessons Adolescent Girls
Learn Through Popular Young Adult Literature." How Pop Culture Shapes the Stages of a
Woman’s Life. Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2016. 32-57.
Hochman, Julia M., et al. "Efficacy of peer networks to increase social connections among high
school students with and without autism spectrum disorder." Exceptional Children82.1 (2015):
96-116.
Hochman, Julia M., et al. "Efficacy of peer networks to increase social connections among high
school students with and without autism spectrum disorder." Exceptional Children82.1 (2015):
96-116.
Lewis, Courtland, ed. Divergent and Philosophy: The Factions of Life. Vol. 94. Open Court,
2015.
Romeo, Laurel Dawn, and Young-A. Lee. "Exploring apparel purchase issues with plus-size
female teens." Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management 19.2 (2015): 120-135.
Selman, Jan, and Jane Heather. Theatre, Teens, Sex Ed: Are We There Yet?(The Play).
University of Alberta, 2015.
Spindler, Louise, ed. Interpretive ethnography of education at home and abroad. Psychology
Press, 2014.
Van Raalte, Judy L., and Britton W. Brewer. Exploring sport and exercise psychology. American
Psychological Association, 2014.

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Watson, Ryan J., and Stephen T. Russell. "Disengaged or bookworm: Academics, mental health,
and success for sexual minority youth." Journal of Research on Adolescence 26.1 (2016): 159-
165.