How was being a teenager in the 50s/60s/70s/80s/90s/2000s (choose which one applies) similar

and/or different to your own experience of being a teenager?

For part B of my decade study, I chose to interview my dad. He was born in 1971 and was a
teenager in the 80s. In my interview with him, he explained how being a teenager in the 80s
is similar but also very different to being a teenager today.

One of the main differences is the music. In the 80s, my dad listened to a lot of different rock
n roll bands, such as cold chisel, U2, Duran Duran etc. The music of today is very different
compared to this. My generation is more pop focused, which is an entirely different vibe to
my dad’s 80s music. Some popular artists today include, Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, the
Weeknd, Lana Del Rey, Arianna Grande and so many more. Not only the artists, but the way
music is listened to today is different from the 80s. In the 80s, music was listened to with
records and a record player, tapes and on the radio. When asked how he listened to music,
my dad said, “mainly on the radio, but also tapes, or records. And sometimes you would
record a tape off the radio”. Today, music is listened to off of iPhone and streaming services
such as Spotify and apple music. However, the use of record players is still a popular way of
listening to music within some groups of people.
Another big difference from the 80s to today is the way we spend our time and interact with
one another. In the 80s, my dad would ride his bike around to his friend’s houses, and would
spend a lot of time outside, whether it was playing AFL, or just making up games with his
friends. Today, some of our time is also spent outside playing sport, however, the majority of
our time is being spent indoors. We now have electronics such as phones, iPads and
laptops to keep us busy. We are very connected to our devices, and spend a lot of time
physically disconnected, and alone. My dad made a point of this when he said, “I think one
of the biggest differences is that you teenagers today are spending a lot of time in your
bedroom by yourselves. Back in my day we were always outside.”

The 80s was a very different time to today, and it was different being a teenager then than it
is now, but not everything has changed. I feel like the fundamentals of being a teenager are
the same, but the way we teenage is different.