Teens that are blessed with good looks and clear skin are practically worshipped by their peers. When they pass through the halls, people notice. It’s a fact so much so that it’s an overly used plotline in most teen movies and shows. Jake Ryan in Sixteen Candles. Regina George in Mean Girls. They’re the envy or secret crush of anyone who ever shared a textbook with them in English or sat near them at a pep rally.  

There’s at least one in every class and mine was named Jake Teen. It sounds made up, but that was actually his name. Even though it’s very unlikely, I’m willing to risk that he himself might ever read this because there just couldn’t be a more perfect name for a boy who stole the heart of every girl in the seventh grade. Jake was blue-eyed, very sweet, and he wore gel in his hair before any other boy had the nerve. He was friends with all the guys (who eventually started to wear gel in their hair just like him) and every girl had a crush on him. There was one girl, however, whose fandom went a bit beyond a “crush.”

Sarah was for all intents and purposes, obsessed with Jake Teen. She wrote his name all over her notebooks and was unabashed about the fact that she and Jake would get married someday. There was just one problem: Jake didn’t exactly feel the same way. When he didn’t want to talk to the girl staring at him from the corner of the classroom, Sarah cried uncontrollably and complained to her friends. We’ve all had crushes, but needless to say Sarah took it too far. Sarah’s problem was that because of Jake’s seemingly perfect persona, she believed he wasn’t human. She thought of him as a celebrity instead of just another boy in the class.      

People that look perfect from the outside are deceiving because somehow they make us think that they’re not normal people. Their hair always looks perfect, they don’t get stains on their clothes, and they never seem to fumble with their words. It’s easy to feel like some people were just born to be better. However, the important thing to remember especially as a teen is that everyone, including the Jake Teens and Regina George wannabes, worries about how they look to other people. 

One of the most attention-grabbing qualities a person can have is confidence. When people are confident in who they are they’re less nervous about the zit on their face or the rip in their jeans. Confidence is something almost all “popular” kids have in common. Even though these teen kings and queens might seem super confident, I guarantee there are days when they feel like someone else is better. It might be someone in their class or an older sibling, but everyone feels insecure from time to time. No amount of gel, heels, or blue eyeliner can change that. 

By the way if you’re reading this and you’re wracking your brain trying to think who might be royalty in your class, chances are it’s you. You might be that girl who everyone thinks is the best-dressed and has perfect hair or you might be the guy whose name girls write in their notebooks in big, cursive letters. There’s nothing wrong with that. The important thing is that you use your power for good and not evil. People look up to you in a way so the best thing you can do is be confident and encouraging to your peers. The last thing you want to do is be labeled as a “Mean Girl” because according to Hollywood, they end up getting hit by buses.               

Who is teen royalty at your school?  Are they nice to everyone or do they abuse their power?  Tell us about it in the comments.

Amelia is a senior at American University studying Communication & Spanish and an intern at The National Campaign. She enjoys speaking in a fake British accent, dressing up for no particular reason, and watching Parks and Recreation. Have a question for Amelia? Email us!