Ah middle school, the good ole days right? Wrong. So so so wrong. The timing of those three ungodly years is perfect to catch everyone's awkward and embarrassing phase. If you ever even mention middle school to a room full of people the immediate response is pure disgust. With that being said, lets reminisce and cringe over our collectively cringey middle school years.

1. The Fashion

The fashion in middle school, if you can even call it that, is...interesting. No one really knew what they were doing back then so we just followed whatever anyone else was doing, and what everyone else was doing was Aeropostale. Now my middle school didn't have uniforms, but since every girl ONLY ever wore the multi-colored Aeropostale v-neck it might as well have been our uniform.

Now if you didn't wear those v-necks that give me PTSD every time I see one then you were most likely emo. Middle school is where emos thrive. The multi-colored pants, neon accessories, and thousands upon thousands of bracelets on each arm was essential to our wardrobe. Nothing ever matched, and nothing ever looked good.

2. Makeup

It's hard for me to even type this but what article on cringey middle school memories is complete without this factor. Once again NOBODY knew what they were doing. Clumpy mascara was in, nobody knew you could even put makeup on your eyebrows, and wild and unflattering eye colors ran rampant. My personal favorite was the neon, un-blended blue. It looked because my eyes are blue. Wait that's not how that works? Who could've guessed. Our eyeliner made us look like raccoons, or if you were like me, raccoon eyes with wings. If anything this makeup made us look worse than it did better, but it was still fun to mess with and pretend we were 11 year old beauty gurus.

3. Dances and the Sweet Jams

Middle school dances weren't like high school dances that happen once in a blue moon and cost a fortune. These dances were at least one Friday every month and they were truly taken for granted. Everyone put on their best v-neck and flared jeans and partied their hearts out until about 9pm when mommy came to pick us up. None of this compares to the music they played at these dances. I truly believe they're the staple of our generation. Masterpieces like, Tik Tok by Ke$ha, California Girls by Katy Perry, I Got a Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas, and Low by Flo Rida still manage to get everyone hype when they randomly come on in the car.

4. Relationships

Everyone wanted that storybook romance in middle school. Everyone wanted someone that they could hold hands with at recess. Unfortunately most of us were too sweaty and clumsy to land a boyfriend or girlfriend. Those of us that did often look back on those relationships and immediately regret it. Clumsy first kisses, gross displays of affection and never actually going out on dates. All have us cringing at the thought of them.

5. Friendships

This is the one thing that isn't embarrassing about middle school. The friendships made in middle school are often some of the best friends you will ever have (and if you're lucky, still have.) While I'm not friends with most of the people I was with in middle school, the ones that I am still friends with have a special place in my heart that can never be replaced.

Middle school were the dark years as far as I'm concerned, but a lot of good came out of them. For example I now know being emo is not for me. Middle school is a necessary evil because it gives everyone a chance to awkwardly transition from being a child to being a teenager. It's also a great source of entertainment when you talk about your middle school days or when you embark on a journey to your middle school Facebook and MySpace.

Another great source of entertainment is when someone from middle school who was mean to you sees you again years later (after the glow up) and tries to hit you up. But that's none of my business...