Girls' Fun - Part Twelve
[I'm transcribing edited highlights of a diary I kept when I was 15 / 16 years old, in 1985. Index here.]
[For previous instalment, see here]
Mon 11th Mar, 1985 (Clare is 15 years old)
Dropped off at Philip’s on way back from singing leson, to find out about CND tomorrow. Philip is def. going tomorrow, and his Dad’s actually going to give that bloody talk at last!
Did a smidgeon of Geography.
Tue 12th Mar, 1985
Kirsty told me in a moment of brash frankness that she would never keep any secret I told her. Good thing I know!
Have decided me and Philip must stay friends. John asked me today and that’s wot I told him.
Went to CND, Philip gorgeous as ever. Nick wasn’t there. Philip’s Dad’s talk was ace! But Philip was embarrassed and kept making faces thru’ it which spoilt it a bit.
Wed 13th Mar, 1985
Mum and Dad have just had an argument. They’re both depressed now. I hate it when they argue.
In English we wrote poems about school. We were taped reading them. I sounded BLOODY AWFUL!
At break John came into library, and I talked to him and Ginette. When John’d gone Ginette told me John fancies me! Like mad! Can’t get over it!
Then went to Uni for oral. We were filmed to show student teachers! It was really weird: just like a TV studio; with really bright lights. I look AWFUL on TV. But everyone else did too.
Parents seem to have made it up now.
Thur 14th Mar, 1985
Hair was pretty frizzy this morning. Put a ribbon in for school. Kirsty said I looked like an Easter Egg and told me to take it out, but I didn’t.
At drama, Stephen was ignoring me. I was told he wouldn’t stop it until I apologised for using him!
We improvised a situation where tramps talked to people on park benches. I was one of the people, and Stephen was a tramp talking to one of the others. His character, he made sure, was one who’d got really involved in a girl and then she’d jilted him out of the blue. He talked to my character as little as possible. At end, I told him I HADN’T used him but I would have been if I’d carried on going out with him. He agreed!
Apparently Stephen asked someone out as soon as I packed him on Saturday! And he says I used him!
Fri 15th Mar, 1985
Yesterday at drama Patrick asked me out! I said no, as nicely and friendlily as I could, but also quite frankly.
I went into library at dinnertime to do my Geog project, and John was there. He had a great argument with this silly cow, and he told me he’s already told Philip and invited him to party, and he was delighted, e’en though he has to pay £1.20!
Was invited to a party tonight but didn’t go, cos was up to 3am last night doing Geog project!
Went round to Rachel’s, and watched Top of Pops video.
Sat 16th Mar, 1985
Watched video of Rocky Horror Show with Chris, Stephen, John and Richard and Andrew, too. Me and Stephen managed to exchange quite a few friendly words! Was great singing RHS again.
Could’ve sworn I heard Stephen cheer when I left em to go home for lunch.
Met Rachel in town. We saw Chris etc and stopped to talk. Stephen didn’t even say Hello!
In evening went to ‘BOP’ with Dad. It was great! Did LOADS of really energetic way-out dancing and am now MAD on dancing! Have never enjoyed myself so much. Have never really dared to let myself go in public like that before, but now I can’t wait for the party, and Dad reckons I’m quite a good dancer!
Sun 17th Mar, 1985
In afternoon listened to Top 40 and taped some and danced to a lot of it. Have decided to wear mini skirt and new white jacket to party. Will also re-dye hair for occasion!
Lucy* came round for dinner and sat listening to records, chatting all evening. Like old times!
*[note: Lucy is my sister - she was 20 at this point and had long since left home.]
___
[For previous instalment, see here]
Mon 11th Mar, 1985 (Clare is 15 years old)
Dropped off at Philip’s on way back from singing leson, to find out about CND tomorrow. Philip is def. going tomorrow, and his Dad’s actually going to give that bloody talk at last!
Did a smidgeon of Geography.
Tue 12th Mar, 1985
Kirsty told me in a moment of brash frankness that she would never keep any secret I told her. Good thing I know!
Have decided me and Philip must stay friends. John asked me today and that’s wot I told him.
Went to CND, Philip gorgeous as ever. Nick wasn’t there. Philip’s Dad’s talk was ace! But Philip was embarrassed and kept making faces thru’ it which spoilt it a bit.
Wed 13th Mar, 1985
Mum and Dad have just had an argument. They’re both depressed now. I hate it when they argue.
In English we wrote poems about school. We were taped reading them. I sounded BLOODY AWFUL!
At break John came into library, and I talked to him and Ginette. When John’d gone Ginette told me John fancies me! Like mad! Can’t get over it!
Then went to Uni for oral. We were filmed to show student teachers! It was really weird: just like a TV studio; with really bright lights. I look AWFUL on TV. But everyone else did too.
Parents seem to have made it up now.
Thur 14th Mar, 1985
Hair was pretty frizzy this morning. Put a ribbon in for school. Kirsty said I looked like an Easter Egg and told me to take it out, but I didn’t.
At drama, Stephen was ignoring me. I was told he wouldn’t stop it until I apologised for using him!
We improvised a situation where tramps talked to people on park benches. I was one of the people, and Stephen was a tramp talking to one of the others. His character, he made sure, was one who’d got really involved in a girl and then she’d jilted him out of the blue. He talked to my character as little as possible. At end, I told him I HADN’T used him but I would have been if I’d carried on going out with him. He agreed!
Apparently Stephen asked someone out as soon as I packed him on Saturday! And he says I used him!
Fri 15th Mar, 1985
Yesterday at drama Patrick asked me out! I said no, as nicely and friendlily as I could, but also quite frankly.
I went into library at dinnertime to do my Geog project, and John was there. He had a great argument with this silly cow, and he told me he’s already told Philip and invited him to party, and he was delighted, e’en though he has to pay £1.20!
Was invited to a party tonight but didn’t go, cos was up to 3am last night doing Geog project!
Went round to Rachel’s, and watched Top of Pops video.
Sat 16th Mar, 1985
Watched video of Rocky Horror Show with Chris, Stephen, John and Richard and Andrew, too. Me and Stephen managed to exchange quite a few friendly words! Was great singing RHS again.
Could’ve sworn I heard Stephen cheer when I left em to go home for lunch.
Met Rachel in town. We saw Chris etc and stopped to talk. Stephen didn’t even say Hello!
In evening went to ‘BOP’ with Dad. It was great! Did LOADS of really energetic way-out dancing and am now MAD on dancing! Have never enjoyed myself so much. Have never really dared to let myself go in public like that before, but now I can’t wait for the party, and Dad reckons I’m quite a good dancer!
Sun 17th Mar, 1985
In afternoon listened to Top 40 and taped some and danced to a lot of it. Have decided to wear mini skirt and new white jacket to party. Will also re-dye hair for occasion!
Lucy* came round for dinner and sat listening to records, chatting all evening. Like old times!
*[note: Lucy is my sister - she was 20 at this point and had long since left home.]
___
Labels: Girls' Fun
12 Comments:
Hi Clare,
have just read your comment on NWM, and discovered your York link. I can't believe you tried to cycle over those stepping stones, you mad child! I would've thought once in the lake was quite enough. This is all a bit wierd, isn't it? First Follies, now York - can't wait for the next one!
I know! Weird, innit?
Incidentally, the 'BOP' mentioned in the post above refers to the Vanburgh College Bop, an annual even muchly looked forward to by my dad and myself which you may remember...
I remember it well. Vanburgh bop was definitely the best. When I was there the dj was Rollo Armstrong, now much feted producer and brother of Dido. Oh, the memories...
Damn, this stuff is like Adrian Mole, only much more involving. I am particularly taken by the promscious use of 'Def' there on Monday 11 March 1985. I can assure you this particularly urbane sixth-form buzz-word took at least another four years to complete the one hour journey north to the West End of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
By the way Clare talking aboiut the West End of Newcastle-upon-Tyne there is a delightful family announcement over at my place... .. you know what/ who I am talking about!
Hi Clare. I've just been told I have to get in touch with you ... So here I am!
Glad to have found you and sure to be visiting again.
"Then went to Uni for oral. We were filmed to show student teachers!"
It would be incredibly childish of me to say that I couln't read that wiothout smiling :)
To be frank - and probably a bit brash - I felt a bit embarrassed reading a 16-year-old girl's diary. Ah, the innocence of youth!
hello - thanks for organising everything today. it was great!
x
what an excruciatingly good idea to post diary entries from younger self..
I am new here, got a bit of catching up to do! And yes the going to Uni for oral.. I remember doing that too...
Jonathan, many congrats, and I can't decide whether I used 'def' as an out-loud word or was just abbreviating due to lack of space.
looby, haha, hadn't spotted that.
farty, don't be embarrassed! The 16-yr-old is long gone, and her 37-yr-old self is not in the least bothered.
mad muthas, was a pleasure, and great to meet you all at last.
kimba, are you another Yorkie?
Oh, and Ms Melancholy: "I can't believe you tried to cycle over those stepping stones"
I got most of the way over without falling in!
There were two sets of stepping stones, though. The others were hidden at the back of Wentworth, next to the family accommodation. I fell in off those ones too, but that was my friend's fault...
I was only two years old in '85, but I remember my Mum's friend's daughters (who I secretly fancied and blatantly copied) doing it whilst admiring their Bros posters in the early 90's.
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