Confessions Of A Teenage Wannabe

I am so deeply uncool. I'm really uncomplicated, wear my heart on my sleeve and make no apologies for what I like, a list that includes terrible chick flicks and Posh Spice. I have a couple of cool friends, like actually cool ones, you know the type. They're kind of deep, and troubled, certainly not loud or chatty, and they just genuinely can't stand the sound of Taylor Swift. They don't even not care what others think - they just don't even think about that kind of stuff.

I also have LOADS of really uncool friends like myself, and these are of course my favourite type! There's nothing that cool about being cool. My sister is at the top of my uncool friend list, because I can share all of my terrible daggy obsessions with her without fear of judgement. That's one of the many beauties of sisters.

Anyway, we got to chatting the other day about our shared secret indulgences, including dancing around loudly to the aforementioned Miss Swift (OHMYGOD love her!) and potentially even...ahem...Ed Sheeran. I'm not proud of that one. But god, he really pulls at my heart strings.

Taylor and Ed TOGETHER *my teenage dream*

As we talked we developed the theory that inside every grown woman is the ghost of her teenage self. No matter how much I age, the phase of life that's most firmly etched in my memories - the songs, the scents, the scenery - is my teenage years. What is it about being a teenager that is so memorable, so formative and even a little scarring? For me I'd say it's a combination of boys, high school and hormones. First friendships, first loves, first losses.

My daggy obsessions kind of allow my inner teenager to escape, just for a few minutes or hours. Justin Bieber, Rihanna, nights indoors spent cheering 17 year old The X Factor contestants and ogling Guy Sebastian's new muscles. The Hunger Games, Twilight, any novel about teenagers who either a) Fall in love or, b) Live in a future/alternate universe (preferably both).

Don't get me wrong, quite often I want to be a grown up. I want to put on some critically acclaimed music and have a glass of wine and read about something serious. Sometimes you'll even catch me watching a foreign film or doing something REALLY sensible like paying bills (this is rare).

But sometimes I need to be a teenage girl again. I need to pump "22" and sing like my life depends on it, not thinking about how far I actually am from 22 and how old that sounded to me when I was 15. I need to dance with my daughter and pretend we have no responsibilities and no worries. Which we don't, really, but sometimes we both need a little reminding!

There's a lot to gain from being in touch with your inner teenager. I particularly felt this when I was teaching hoards of them each day, and needed to relate to them in order to gain their trust and, in turn, respect.

It reminds you how it felt to be young and carefree. It's an excellent means of empathising with teenagers in your own life, who feel they've got things pretty hard sometimes and let's face it, often they do. It prevents you from taking yourself too seriously. And it's really handy for learning all the words to Taylor Swift.

Z x