When I was 11, I began the most awkward and horrific journey of my life. Middle school. Any ideas that I had about it came from movies and Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide. It was way worse than anything could have prepared me for. In the moment, it didn’t seem so bad. The worst part is looking back at the pictures. Neon peace signs, chubby baby faces, and mouthfuls of metal as far as the eye can see. Nothing was cooler than finally being able to get a Facebook. I switched between about three graphic tees and three pairs of skinny jeans every week.

Middle school is the time for scene phases and completely aeropostale outfits, so why are middle schoolers suddenly having a sense of fashion? I decided to go straight to the source and figure out what’s going on, so I decided to ask my sister, Ravyn Kennedy, who’s in eighth grade.

From the information I’ve gathered, middle school kids just aren’t interested in facebook anymore.

“I just feel like it’s what old people use, and my friends don’t have one,” said Kennedy. Instead, a majority of the kids in her grade use Instagram. Because of constantly sharing photos, it’s much easier to see what other kids are doing and wearing, which sets the standards for everyone. The media has also influenced what my sister thinks is fashionable.

“Advertisements on TV help me figure out what to wear,” said Kennedy.

So why are kids in middle school now more fashionable than I sometimes am? No one really knows. It probably has something to do with Obama, though.