I have listened 8th graders discuss their drinking habits... at length. Natty isn't the beverage of choice in 8th grade, unlike with we classless college students. Oh no, my 8th graders prefer the finery of smooth shots of Jack Daniels. But they don't turn their nose up at the occasional sip of moon shine, don't worry. And attending the 8th grade dance? No way! They'll be throwing down at the local bar instead (one of the students knows the bouncer, wouldn't you know).
Instead of watching a video (yes, a video... a VHS, circe 1998, titled The World of Geometry), the 8th graders have clustered their desks in a corner and whipped out multiple decks of cards. I'm not 100% sure what game they're playing (as long as it's not strip poker, I'm turning a blind eye here), but I do know they're gambling. With crayons. I was proud to see a girl clean out the Crayola pile; right on! Girl power!
I can literally yell across this classroom and they won't hear me. Sometimes I yell nonsense just to test out this theory ("Don't ever leave! Stay here as long as you can!"). They don't even blink an eye.
As I type this, I have heard one of my male students say, "They're all virgins anyway." Gross. Virgins. (sarcasm) Since when are 8th graders drinking and having sex?! I definitely didn't know what a bomb was, and there were easily more virgins than not.
Some things never change, though. Eight years after my own 8th grade experience, the class clown is still being told that he could be valedictorian at DAR, the rival school up the road.
Still blows my mind on how much has changed since we were in 8th grade.
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