Cover story
CANCEL
Party Party CULTURE
Teenagers are experiencing an epidemic of the normalization of drinking, vaping, and partying that has grasped Generation Z. STORY & DESIGN BY CO PHOTO EDITORS KATE CONWAY & KEELY SCHIEFFER
I
t’s a Friday night. Cars line the streets. SoundCloud remixes blare from the basement. Red solo cups litter the sticky floor and a fruity smelling fog wafts through the air. A steady stream of people fill the already crowded basement. The drinking games, endless chattering and never-ending supply of alcohol make for a typical night out. Party culture has become prevalent in the lives of highschool teens. Out of 139 high school girls polled, 60% said they go out up to once a month, whether this is triggered by peer pressure or by a phantom expectation as teens teeter between childhood and adulthood. Social media is a growing factor, as its influence in teen lives has increased in prominence and addictiveness. Party culture has followed close behind. Teenagers have latched onto partying in a way that has become extremely normalized as society progresses; it is so documented, making it seem “normal”, as if “everyone is doing it”.
This “normalization” must be addressed and stopped. “I think partying has become more normalized because it seems like it is the only way for large groups to get together,” junior Abby Thornhill said.
behind the scenes Platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and VSCO are apps targeted for a teen audience, and users post and view party scenes and underage drinking on each feed. TikTok boosts videos that feature new drinking games and cocktail recipes. Scrolling the “For You” pages exposes teens to partying and drinking on a daily basis. Eighty-seven percent of 139 polled students believe that drinking and partying have become normalized. “I think that most teenagers you see become involved in the party culture. If you were to trace it down to the core belief driving
February 2021 // 15