I think we can all mutually agree that middle school and early high school was probably the most awkward time of a person’s life, and not an easy one at that. Throughout your middle school years you’ve probably had to deal with a number of things: Your body changing, the “fat and painfully awkward” stage, catty girls, fear of high school, making friends and trying to simultaneously fit in to the best of your 13-year-old ability. It isn’t easy being Tween, and here’s why:

1. School Dances

Talk about the hardest decisions ever made in one situation. Between what to wear, who to go with, what to do during slow songs, or how to get your crush to like you in T-minus two hours, decisions were tough. Not only did school dances define just who you are around the playground(for a better lack of words) it was a great place to show off just how good you were at Douging and the dance to Soldier Boy.

2. Complex Crushes

If you like Timmy, but Timmy likes Katie, and she likes Bryan but he likes you and your best friend Casey, what do you do? Middle school love triangles, pentagons, or hexagons are a vital piece of daily life as a tween. Crushing on someone was hard, especially as a teenager because you never really know who likes who, unless they were dating obviously. Dating, another amazing tween concept that consists of minimal social contact, walking with each other to the bus, and a quick peak which you hoped your parents wouldn’t see when they picked you up in the family minivan.

3. Name Brands

If you don’t have the brands, could you really hang with the in crowd? Probably not. Tween’s love their name brand clothing. Whether it be literally a pair of socks, if you were wearing Abercrombie socks, everyone will know it.

4. Finding Good Friends

Tween’s are in search of being “popular” and having good friends. Yet, where a lot of teenagers mess up is they choose popularity and social status over quality of people. Not saying the popular people are quality, because most are. But I mean common, not EVERYONE will always like you. In the tween world, if Katie is popular this week, most often than not, next week there will be a new girl everyone wants to be like who will be “popular.”

5. Embarrassing Parents

A tween’s worst nightmare. Think back to your middle school years, I am sure you’ll agree even if your parents were pretty cool, you wouldn’t be seen with them. Independency is what all tweens strive for, which is the reason that even if they genuinely like their parents, they will not admit it. They want to be treated as an adult, not their parent’s child (ironic because it is exactly what they are).