Seriously, how do high school kids call fights nowadays?

Arianne · May 14, 2013

I've got two high school kids, in school, A insults B, B gets mad, lots of punching, teacher comes along and breaks it up, A and B sent to principal's office and given detention.

But there has to be another fight scene (like an arranged fight, not like a drive-by) later, so I was wondering, how do high school kids arrange such things nowadays? (And please don't say by cell phone; one of the kids doesn't have a phone or computer).

I was one of the teacher's pet kids when I was in high school, so I totally have no idea how this would work. Ideally I would like the "appointment" to be delivered in a flashy manner, one where everyone in the school would know and be passing rumors about, but it's okay if it's a quiet and private arrangement too (I thought of maybe spray painting a time and place on B's locker, but I'm guessing no one does it like that).

Any suggestions?

kmccabe · May 14, 2013

hmmm....maybe it's just me and my experiences growing up, but I never saw anything like an arranged, advertised fight take place. does this actually happen outside of movies?

but i would say just having people talking about it and getting rumors spread. Maybe some public argument that results in 'meet me here at this time' type thing. But i think something like that would be spread pretty instantly around on phones, so if the characters don't initiate the electronic spread of the news, someone else would spread it around.

southbel · May 14, 2013

Arianne said:
I've got two high school kids, in school, A insults B, B gets mad, lots of punching, teacher comes along and breaks it up, A and B sent to principal's office and given detention.

But there has to be another fight scene (like an arranged fight, not like a drive-by) later, so I was wondering, how do high school kids arrange such things nowadays? (And please don't say by cell phone; one of the kids doesn't have a phone or computer).

I was one of the teacher's pet kids when I was in high school, so I totally have no idea how this would work. Ideally I would like the "appointment" to be delivered in a flashy manner, one where everyone in the school would know and be passing rumors about, but it's okay if it's a quiet and private arrangement too (I thought of maybe spray painting a time and place on B's locker, but I'm guessing no one does it like that).

Any suggestions?

I know you don't like the phone thing, but in all honesty EVERYTHING is by text now. They never actually talk on the phone anymore - it's all texting. At daughter's school, rumors can be around the whole school within 30 minutes.

The spray paint thing and even the rumble later sounds a bit too Sharks vs. Jets. Do you really think that it will work in a contemporary YA? Oh and nowadays, fighting in school gets the cops involved and charges pressed.

Arianne · May 14, 2013

southbel said:
I know you don't like the phone thing, but in all honesty EVERYTHING is by text now. They never actually talk on the phone anymore - it's all texting. At daughter's school, rumors can be around the whole school within 30 minutes.

The spray paint thing and even the rumble later sounds a bit too Sharks vs. Jets. Do you really think that it will work in a contemporary YA? Oh and nowadays, fighting in school gets the cops involved and charges pressed.

One of the characters involved in the fight can't afford a phone, so he wouldn't have one. I suppose it would be feasible to have a friend or an acquaintance get a text and say, "This is going around school, everyone says that A says etc etc", but that feels kind of awkward.

The fighting doesn't take place inside the school, it takes place somewhere else.

I know it sounds like I'm trying to write West Side Story (*sigh*)

I suppose it's safe to assume that everyone in the school, having gotten wind of the news of the fight, would happily flock to said location to get front row seats?

How come this always works in the movies?????

Rhoda Nightingale · May 14, 2013

I seem to recall an "arranged" fight at the end of The Chocolate War, but I can't remember how that came about.

What about notes left in lockers? I think they still do that, don't they? Anyway, that might be a way to name the location and incite the official Challenge, and after that, most likely word of mouth and texting will take care of the advertising.

If you want a big Come See the Big Fight! reaction, I wonder how kids feel about fights these days? From what I remember, crowds just sort of flock to fights when they spring up. But if it's been arranged, then I'd assume it's because of some long, drawn-out conflict, rather than just because it's a fight. Maybe I'm wrong, but I wouldn't guess the entire student body would show up for a fight unless there's a huge amount riding on it for both sides.

mirandashell · May 14, 2013

The most that happened in my school was a 'see you outside after school!' But that was a long time ago.

Goldenleaves · May 14, 2013

Arianne said:
One of the characters involved in the fight can't afford a phone, so he wouldn't have one. I suppose it would be feasible to have a friend or an acquaintance get a text and say, "This is going around school, everyone says that A says etc etc", but that feels kind of awkward.

The fighting doesn't take place inside the school, it takes place somewhere else.

I know it sounds like I'm trying to write West Side Story (*sigh*)

I suppose it's safe to assume that everyone in the school, having gotten wind of the news of the fight, would happily flock to said location to get front row seats?

How come this always works in the movies?????

Unless he's religious or verrry principled he'll have a phone. The poorest kids always have the best phones.

a, Their Mums (and Dads if they're around) know people who find things that fall off the back off lorries.

b, The Mum's would be suitor tries to impress through the kid.

c, C'mon. They practically give away top grade stuff on the poor kid circuit. Nicked stuff.

Experience talking.

Arianne · May 14, 2013

I think in The Chocolate War they just called the kid up on the phone and told him to be there (at least, that's what I remember in my fuzzy memory of the book. It's been years since I read it).

The note in the locker thing seems fairly feasible.

Or, considering that stuff does tend to fall off lorries, maybe the poor kid could have a phone and get texted on it (but they don't have a dad and their mom wants them to go straight--do stuff on lorries still apply? And wouldn't they still have to pay for cell phone minutes and texting/calling credit? Or does that come with the phone?

)

Do computers fall off lorries too?

Goldenleaves · May 14, 2013

He probably lost his phone. It might take a week or two to hook back up.

southbel · May 14, 2013

Either way, if some kid wants to kick another's ass, he could be texting his friends about it, etc. Then the kid without a cell phone has someone come up to him and say "hey dude, I heard <kid> was going around saying he's going to kick your ass. See, here's the text."

Still, the whole pre-planned fight thing would have to be very well done to be believable in today's high schools.

Goldenleaves · May 14, 2013

Thing might have changed. Double checking with current youth.

Stiger05 · May 14, 2013

I think it would definitely be believable. Kids these days are paranoid about getting caught at school because charges would definitely be filed. An abandoned parking lot, the woods, etc are places they would go.

<----works with high school kids

There was a dirt road down from my high school where everyone went to fight so it wouldn't be on school grounds (even 12 years ago you got in much bigger trouble--like cops called/suspended/expelled--for fighting on school grounds). "Ross Road" was close enough to the school most people could walk, but not on school property so the administration couldn't do anything.

This was before unlimited texting and everything traveled by word of mouth. "Tell B, I'll see him at Ross Road." Word spread pretty quick.

Now, even if your MC doesn't have a cell phone, everyone else probably does, and they'll text each other, or tweet it, or Facebook it, something. "Dude, fight at Ross Road." "No shit?" "Yeah, B's gonna get his ass handed to him." "Hey man, you going to Ross Road after school? A and B are fighting." If his best friend has a phone, or the kid who sits next to him in class, they'll ask him about it. "Are you really going to Ross Road?" "Are you gonna show up?"

Goldenleaves · May 14, 2013

Current youth agrees. Geographical differences may apply.

Myrealana · May 14, 2013

Everything teenagers do is arranged over text.

A few months ago, my teenage son actually hit his monthly texting limit and he didn't know what to do. I said "It's a phone. Just CALL your friends."

He said "They won't answer. They'll just text me back and ask what I wanted."

If a teen really, honestly doesn't have a phone, maybe it would be something passed around the school grapevine - probably by text message.

Goldenleaves · May 14, 2013

Computers fall off lorries regularly. Everything that's in vogue seems to be wrapped in round bottomed containers, thus the accident prone-ness.

southbel · May 14, 2013

Just remember. No matter where it takes place, if there's other kids there, it will be taped on someone's phone to be later shared on FB, Tumblr, etc.

Arianne · May 14, 2013

I need to find myself one of these magical lorries.

A few months ago, my teenage son actually hit his monthly texting limit and he didn't know what to do. I said "It's a phone. Just CALL your friends."

He said "They won't answer. They'll just text me back and ask what I wanted."

Totally made me laugh, but so true at the same time. Rumor is that 90% of all texts sent contain only the word "k" or "OK".

And, this may be a stupid question, but assuming the poor kid did have a phone off of a lorry, how would kid A have his number, especially if they don't run in the same circles? I had maybe three hundred people in my year at high school, and I only had numbers for maybe a handful of them.

Stiger05 · May 14, 2013

Kids exchange numbers like candy these days. Kid A would just have to know someone who had B's number. You don't even actually have to type it in, you can text someone else all the contact info at once (exchange name card), or with some phones bump them against each other and exchange it now.

WriterTrek · May 14, 2013

southbel said:
I know you don't like the phone thing, but in all honesty EVERYTHING is by text now. They never actually talk on the phone anymore - it's all texting. At daughter's school, rumors can be around the whole school within 30 minutes.

Pretty much this. Like it or not this is what is likely to happen in the present day and age.

If your kid doesn't have a cell phone just have the guy tell him, in a whisper or something, where to show up. The kid who does have a phone/computer can text the rest of the school about it.

Maybe?

KTC · May 14, 2013

Outside. 4 o'clock. By the soccer field. Be there.

Arianne · May 14, 2013

Just got an inspiration for a scene!! Thanks guys!!

Hopefully it'll make as much sense on the page as it does inside my head...

auriel · May 14, 2013

The year after I graduated high school (this is five, six years ago) there was a massive fight in the school where cops were called. (This school is very strict.) My sister was there at the time; this was something that had spilled over from some argument over the weekend. Kids didn't care that they were at school, they did it anyway. Kids can be dumb.

But basically, the word of mouth thing rings truest to me because that's what happens. If your character doesn't have a phone, I can guarantee every one of his friends will, and the message will get through.

Definitely do not recommend the spray painting the locker thing. Kids go to jail for stuff like that now. And it just isn't done, no way. Too easy for teachers/administrators to see something like that.

ellewest · May 14, 2013

Myrealana said:
Everything teenagers do is arranged over text.

A few months ago, my teenage son actually hit his monthly texting limit and he didn't know what to do. I said "It's a phone. Just CALL your friends."

He said "They won't answer. They'll just text me back and ask what I wanted."

lol, awesome!

Alouette · May 14, 2013

I follow my american cousin on twitter and they're always arranging fights on there. It's really, really weird imo but I've seen it happen more than a few times.

Arianne · May 14, 2013

A few months ago, my teenage son actually hit his monthly texting limit and he didn't know what to do. I said "It's a phone. Just CALL your friends."

He said "They won't answer. They'll just text me back and ask what I wanted."

Ironic as it sounds, I just realized that we have gone back to the age of the beeper . Technology has actually taken us backwards in time.

Seriously, how do high school kids call fights nowadays?

Arianne

kmccabe

southbel

Bless Your Heart

Arianne

Rhoda Nightingale

Vampire Junkie

mirandashell

Goldenleaves

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Arianne

Goldenleaves

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southbel

Bless Your Heart

Goldenleaves

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Stiger05

Goldenleaves

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Myrealana

I aim to misbehave

Goldenleaves

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southbel

Bless Your Heart

Arianne

Stiger05

WriterTrek

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

Arianne

auriel

ellewest

Alouette

bad apple

Arianne