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The Mall: a Typical Teenager's Second Home

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The Mall: A Typical Teenager’s Second Home

At home, Simon suffers from a severe case of boredom that is mildly treated with countless days of sitting in front of the computer playing Lineage II. To further suppress the symptoms of boredom, he goes to the mall where there are a large variety of things to do. The mall is not only his way out of boredom. It is also his way away from the “homely” atmosphere. He suffers constant reminders from his mom to do his schoolwork. Whether it is studying or doing homework, he gets it all the time. Even after summer school, he continues to be reminded. When he is elsewhere, he does not get nagged at all. Sure, he gets nagged for other things but never homework. Perhaps it is the minute sense of freedom that he feels whenever he is away from home. Whenever possible, he tries to get out, which is not often. Most of the time, his place of freedom is the mall. He would have a break from the nagging for at least an hour and a half, the time it takes to watch a movie.
The mall’s function in a teenager’s life is to relinquish boredom and to get away from some of the negative feelings associated with home (Kowinski 1985). The mall provides many things that home cannot for teenagers. At home, there is a limited amount of activities, each one more boring than the next. The obvious thing to do at the mall is shopping. Whether it is for clothes or other merchandise, it will be there. Not a shopping person? No problem. One can also go play at the arcade or go see a movie. After all that, one can be a little drained. At this time, he or she can go get a cup of coffee at a Starbucks as well as grab a bite to eat at the food court. There are places to sit either to rest or to talk to friends. Because of the abundance of activity choices, teenagers visit the mall often. There is a different sense of family at the mall, giving it a more homely feeling than home ever will. The mall serves as an escape from the life at home. Sometimes, home is not a pleasant place to be. Various family members may be involved in a heated argument that lingered in the air well after it is over. One’s parent might be plagued with serious problems such as gambling, alcohol, drugs, and others. It is normal for someone to dislike such an atmosphere and therefore, will leave for a better one. After all, it is easy to run from one’s problems. Friends are a different type of family, one where the family members can be chosen. A sense of belonging is associated when one is with their friends. The mall is one’s home; friends are their family. Everything that home cannot provide is at the mall. My brother, Simon, holds a grudge for the house at times. To him, the only thing mom seems to care about is schoolwork. Everything else falls on deaf ears. He would leave the house whenever he can whether it’s to go to the mall or to his friends’ house. The atmosphere at the mall is pleasant. The people there are almost always happy. Real families actually look like real families. Their children run towards Toys “R” Us whining for a certain toy. The wails of crying from babies are everywhere and their parents actually care. These scenes are endearing to someone who doesn’t have such a family. Going to the mall allows one to witness the functions of a real family as well as be with one’s own “family” to get away from the family at home.
The mall is an undeniably fun place to be for Simon. There are many things to do and it is hard to be bored there. Another upside at the mall is that his friends are family. They take on roles without knowing it. Each time, it would change somewhat. One day, he would play the role of a parent. “Don’t run up the escalators!” Other times, he would be a child. “But I don’t want to play that game!” Never will he hear, “Do your homework,” or “Study!” at the mall. It’s pure bliss in a bottle. The atmosphere is lighter than that at home. Other people’s happiness is contagious. Rarely will I see unhappy people in the mall. Some people are there with their families. The mall offers much needed temporary freedom from the demanding, depressed, and bored atmosphere at home.

Works Cited

Kowinski, W.S. Kids in the Mall: Growing Up Controlled. The Structure of
Argument 6 (2009): 171-176

Wong, Simon. “Personal Interview” February 22, 2009

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