i think you're on to something. at age 10, i only cared about pokemon and yugioh. girls weren't on my mind. social media didn't exist. i was a dork, but a happy one at that. didn't try to act cool or popular. just hung out with my friends and played vidya.  i see a lot of kids being forced into these busy, stressful lifestyles, almost as if their anxious parents are living vicariously though the kids. i know that universities are very competitive so you have to start early working on your portfolio (i went to penn and taught there briefly, so i'm familiar with the mentality).  these kids are burning out. premature adulthood expectations are being reflected in their appearance. sometimes you even see 12 year old girls at the mall who are dressed and styled like 20 year olds. back when i was 12, every girl looked goofy.
United States