The 'Skins' lifestyle? Myth or reality?!

[mrdii]

So I'm just about to go to sleep, and I was going to post a thread on my teenage years which I then realised were very dull and boring. That isn't meant in a depressing way, but my life has hardly been amazing, like most peoples and it sounded extremely self-centered to post an entire two paragraphs based on my thoughts as a teenager. Basically, the most accurate description of my teenage years can be summed up with 'the inbetweeners'.

Of course, this is fiction and itself was a bit over-the-top at times which I acknowledge had to be done to be funny. I'm not going to go on a rant on how great the show was but instead I'm using it as a point to illustrate my own personal experiences in relation to it. Basically I instantly recognised and related with the characters. I knew the sense of being fairly middle class, education focused but not to an extreme, and being a fairly average kid popularity-wise. This was the 'inbetweener', as the title suggests, a typical dull and boring kid who was drifting through teenage years quite awkwardly at times. Basically, I can relate and whilst it wasn't 100% like my experiences I get where it's coming from.

Anyway, I mention all of this in comparison to the show 'Skins' which I dipped in and out of, watching the second and fifth series or something. Here the teens were completely alien to me. They were hipsters who dressed oddly, compared to my neutral fashionless taste. They also did a lot of casual drugs, drink and sex which I didn't really do much of at all, and there was always a sense of danger and exploration which I was a million miles from. Infact, I'll admit I'd have rather stayed at home by myself and watched TV than do drugs or something. Then there was music, they liked some weird stuff whilst I liked rap music. My style has expanded rapidly since, but again - they all seemed fairly sophisticated in music and fashion tastes.

But did these kids exist? As mentioned with the inbetweeners, I often saw glimpses of myself and others within the characters. I'm no expert but I link this to its huge success, because it appealed to a wide audience - but equally Skins was very successful - so did that mean kids could relate to that too?

I remember going to college during the time of Skins which had a lot of inner-city kids from various backgrounds, unlike my suburbs. I was a bit of a loner through college but I always suspected some of their lives were similar to that of Skins. My question remains, was it a myth or reality? And more curiously - If anyone could relate to Skins then what were your experiences like, and more so why did you live that way?!

Thanks.

[twothirdsmajority]

I love the first 2 seasons of Skins especially in their focus of indie culture and Bristol as a whole.

But when it comes to realism? Not much.

Look, college kids don't go fucking chicks and taking ketamine every night. Some would just sit at home watching porn and Breaking Bad.

If Skins is a real depiction of teen culture then Britain's fucked.

[Sexual_Chocolate]

its a part of reality... yes there are people like that.

cant say i was exactly like that, but fairly close... drugs, drinking, cigarettes, fucking, sleep & occasionaly attending class.

[Y_H]

fuck skins.

[Clean]

@ the American version of skins.

[twothirdsmajority]

@ the American version of skins.

It's funnier when it's set in Baltimore. Because when we think of American version of Skins, we think of The Wire.

Seriously, Baltimore is not akin to Bristol. An American version of Skins would be better off set in San Francisco.

[-[2]DAY_-]

i never watched the show and i wasnt like that but i know a lot of people who werent rly friends but i spent time with back then.. some thugs, freakish kids, rebellious kids, some of the super hot girls, and a couple of crackhead dudes who had a spot to get high (super negligent father) who manipulated younger girls into thinking that being a dropout loser dope head was cool

all that shit.. and they always cut highschool, did loads of drugs, and had promiscuous sex. a few of them had kids, cleaned up (maybe).. some got sent to rehab.. one of them went to Nevada to become a prostitute... i was just a weed head since 14, so i ran with these crowds basically bc weed is illegal as well. which is how i came across blow, E, oxy, everything else... good argument against prohibition imo

[anadin_xtra]

@ the American version of skins.

they actually made a version over the pond?? i guess it can't be as bad as american shameless

[helix]

damn i wish i had some oxys

[magma]

For three of the years I lived in my current flat, I lived with two St Martins students and a rich Sloaney girl studying law... it wasn't far off at times... just a shame I had to hold down a fucking job, really.

[jigglypuff]

hmm in my college days i took a lot of E.. girl friend was a slag.. but i don't think it was like skins.. i think skins is a myth that's been attempted to cross over into reality. Just like the OC, One tree hill, East enders etc...

[DRTY]

@ the American version of skins.

american shameless

wat?

[Forum]

@ the American version of skins.

american shameless

wat?

Has William H. Macey as Frank

[clifford_-]

it was a little bit like that when i was 17ish. not to that extreme though.
wed normally be sitting in the back of cars listening to dnb snorting chisel and chatting shit. partys were pretty rare, but we always go on it.

edit: infact my lifestyle of the last 2 years was more like it than any of my teenage years. those peopple do exist, just not exactly like that...

[Mr Hyde]

Things like Skins and the OC are aspirational, Inbetweeners and Superbad seem a lot closer to the truth for most teenagers.

[fergus222]

I think you'll find more young people living that kind of lifestyle in inner city environments. There are definitely a lot of teenagers like that (going to raves/out clubbing at 14/going to lots of illegal parties/taking lots of drugs/having sex with much older people) but on the other hand, there are a great deal more who don't.

On a whole, skins is fairly accurate, but accurate about a small demographic.

[Neptune]

When I was in year 10 (about 15 years old), there were this group in my year who were exactly like something out of Skins.

They'd go to warehouse raves in Hackey, take fuck loads of ket and E, they'd all had sex with each other. One of the girls threw a legendary house party which was apparently was exactly like the trailer for Skins series 1. This was just before Skins was out, when the house party advert was constantly getting played on telly.

Year 12 was the 'skins' time of my life, taking drugs for the first time, going to drum & bass raves at The Fridge (they were a far-cry from the 16+ events you get now), chilling at Synergy (fucking sickest place ever, you could jam in the upstairs room with baaare sofas and cushions and smoke).

By the time year 12 came round, for those year 10 cool kids, they had been partied out. All they'd do is go round to each other's houses, drink wine and bun. I kind of envy them though, because they got boring in sixth form and knuckled down with work and all got really good grades. Whereas me, I still really haven't got my fill of the party lifestyle, so continue to fuck up my work to go party

I think you'll find more young people living that kind of lifestyle in inner city environments. There are definitely a lot of teenagers like that (going to raves/out clubbing at 14/going to lots of illegal parties/taking lots of drugs/having sex with much older people) but on the other hand, there are a great deal more who don't.

On a whole, skins is fairly accurate, but accurate about a small demographic.

Yeah, all this stuff I said happened in inner city London. I don't know if people, from say, Watford have the same experience.

[clifford_-]

Yeah, all this stuff I said happened in inner city London. I don't know if people, from say, Watford have the same experience.

Oh yea, just not on the same scale.

[jameshk]

Well, my last few weekends for pretty much the last few months have been pretty skins-like.

[arktrix45hz]

Seriously, Baltimore is not akin to Bristol. An American version of Skins would be better off set in San Francisco.

Totally disagree, they've both got fucking brilliant hip hop, dubstep and metal scenes and a long history of drugs too.