Words can’t explain how much I love this show. But I’ll try my best. Pen15 made me cringe, laugh and cry so much I felt every emotion almost every episode. I could relate on so many different levels throughout the two seasons which shows how good of a representation of growing up this. It’s such a pity that this is the end because this was literal art and something I’ll never forget to revisit. Some moments were so so cringey but it was a good cringe, a relatable cringe. It highlighted that awkward phase of being a tween that has slowly started to vanish with this new generation. Growing up is hard, embarrassing, stupid, weird and everything. Why would you want to rush it? I’ve had so many war flashbacks watching this but I don’t feel bad or embarrassed. Because these moments and memories we went through although sometimes hard to think about is exactly what makes us who we are today. EW I sound gross and cliche but IT’S TRUE. The entire premise of them being adults playing 13 year olds was genius. Because only an adult could reenact perfectly the mannerisms and behaviour that of a preteen/teenager. Although they’re “weird” according to the other students, I love how Maya and Anna really are just normal (middle-aged) kids. With social media and society pushing beauty standards more than ever before on the younger generations it’s erasing that innate “weirdness” we all have/had as kids and replacing it with some false pretension of being all grown up. And of course that’s not exactly new news, we all want to mature faster when we’re younger; break the rules, do what we want. But I do think it’s at its worst now, with everything being so easily accessible by children with the internet more mature themes and ideas are being presented to them daily. Instagram, TikTok, TV, & film shoving ideas of what you should look like at this age. Almost encouraging the rush of the process of growing up which can’t exactly be rushed. Now I’ve never seen Euphoria so I can’t say for certain.. but I think it’s one of many perfect examples of the romanticisation of teenage-hood. Hyper-sexualised students, in very extreme and adult situations. It’s not breaking news that teenagers are almost never played by actual teenagers in media but the extreme drug use, sexualisation, abuse, etc. is a lot of things not that great to be idolising. And from the many things I’ve seen without actually viewing the show it makes it seem almost desirable. Pretty people, pretty colours must mean it’s a pretty lifestyle and that’s what I think this new generation will see. Now this show isn’t exactly catered for children but I do just wish we’d let kids just be kids again because we all were like them some time ago too. I may have digressed a little bit. But I just can’t say enough about this show. How well it was written and how raw and relatable it feels and all of the things it makes me want to talk about. I could not highly recommend this enough to anyone!!! Justice for Steve, he was an angel ✊