A nostalgic post.

So, I should be revising right now but instead I am writing to you lovely people. Me and my good friend visited Vue Cinema yesterday to see American Reunion (don't go there, extortionately priced) and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The American Pie films are some of my favourites and incorporate all sorts of realistic issues. The characters make you laugh beyond belief yet you relate to them in all sorts of ways (something that you don't want to admit).
American Reunion tells the tale of the 'gang' back together for their high school reunion and how their lives have panned out since their school days. It was heart-warming, funny but most of all got me thinking back to my teenage years.
Yes, you may point out that I'm only 18 and so am still a teenager but a lot has changed since I was 13. I mean A LOT. 
I'm happy to say the majority of my best friends have remained the same, plus some new welcome additions.
Looking back at my teenage years, I can only think of them and smile. They seemed so hard back then and of course there were the dark times but so many more good memories. Songs still bring me back to a day hanging out at the local park, underage drinking on the Downs or walking aimlessly around town in an intimidating group. 

My friends were (and still are) the best. We were the 'crazy' ones. The ones who were loud, made ourselves laugh until we were crying and were overdramatic about pretty much everything.
I had a variety of hair colours, from ginger, red, purple, black, brown and now to blonde. I loved to experiment and rebel against what seemed like the strictest parents in the world... coz I had to be home by 1... which I was usually back before anyway.
I used to lie occasionally about what I was doing and where I went but as I got to about 16 that pretty much stopped. I did do a lot of underage drinking, to be fair, as did many of my companions and when I think of how shameless and naive we were... I yearn to be like that now. Carefree and simple. I didn't care what anyone thought of me or said to me. I didn't care if I did something crazy because that was what life was all about. I didn't care if I looked stupid because it made me laugh.

(Yes, that is a woman with a ferret.)
Me and my parents (mainly my mother) argued all the time about everything. I would scream the worst things I could think of and make her very upset. When I think about it now, I can't believe anyone would say that to their mother. Of course, I got very upset too and wanted to tell my mum I was sorry and I didn't mean it but never did. That is one thing that has changed for the better, I am willing to apologise. I'm still stubborn, still get angry, but I know how to deal with it (most of the time) and have reduced my shouting and screaming A LOT.
At school, I wasn't naughty but I wasn't good. I did get in trouble a fair bit but it was mainly for talking. (My non-stop talking hasn't changed a bit.)

I used to wear all black, had ridiculously big hair, wore tons of eyeliner and jewellery. My style was quite out there and to this day, I'm still not exactly mainstream, well not mainstream at all. Let's just put it as different... but I don't get looks of confusion and yells of 'emo' everyday.

In many ways, I'd love to revisit my younger teenage years. To remember exactly how we were but I suppose things are pretty alright now. I went to a ridiculous amount of concerts (and still do), music was (and still is) my life and that really helped me be the person I am today. I cannot regret anything. I look back now and feel sad at the happy memories but must remember there are plenty more to come. In most ways, I haven't changed a single, tiny bit.
We've all moved on from school and college now. Most of us at uni, some still trying to get there and some happy staying in Eastbourne with a job. When I meet now some of the people I knew then, they are barely recognisable yet they always greet me with the same 'It's Grace Gausden!' I wonder what we'll all be like in ten years from now...