The books we read as teenagers can impact the people we become. It’s possible to soak up the qualities of our favorite characters, not only seeing ourselves in them, but also incorporating their personalities into our own. Our YA reading can influence our sense of humor, the traits we value in others, and the way we handle so many teenage crises. Today’s teenagers encounter problems with school, friends, or romance and think, “What would Katniss Everdeen do?” or, “How would Hazel Grace Lancaster handle this?” But those of us who grew up reading Louise Rennison’s Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging, and its many sequels, can look chaos in the face and ask ourselves, “By which hilarious methods would Georgia Nicolson document this in her diary?”
Georgia Nicolson was the ultimate example of a relatable teenage girl. She had an irritating baby sister, embarrassing and frequently inappropriate parents, a loyal group of best friends known as the Ace Gang, and a poorly behaved cat named Angus. Georgia’s diary entries detailed her beautifully awkward and dramatic adventures, ranging from the struggles of proper makeup application to her flirtatious relationship with her friend Dave the Laugh. But the best thing about Georgia was that she delivered her many nuggets of wisdom in a unique style of British slang that endeared American readers to her all the more. Of the many lessons Georgia taught us, these are some of the most memorable, and they still ring true to those of us who’ve left our teen years behind:
1. On Understanding Men:
“Boys are like elastic bands…First of all, they like to get all close to you like a coiled-up rubber band, but after a while, they get fed up with being too coiled and need to stretch away to their full stretchiness. Then, after a bit of on-their-own strategy, they pingback to be close to you. So in conclusion on the boy front, you have to play hard to get and also let them be elastic bands.”
~ On the Bright Side, I’m Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God
Source: Amazon
2. On Scholarly Lethargy:
“How many times do we all have to do this? Get up, go to school, again? Before everyone admits it’s a crap idea?”
~ Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me?
Source: Amazon
3. On The Over-Share:
“Jas, whatever Tom has under his trousers is between you and him.”
~ Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me?
Source: Amazon
4. On Running Into Your Ex:
“I must tread a fine line between glaciosity and friendlinosity. With just a hint of ‘you don’t know what you are missing, my fine-feathered friend.’”
~ Startled by His Furry Shorts
Source: Amazon
5. On Taking Shakespeare At Face Value:
“What is the point of Shakespeare? I know he is a genius and so on, but he does rave on. ‘What light doth through yonder window break?’ It’s the bloody moon, for God sake, Will, get a grip!”
Source: Amazon
6. On Feeling Your Look:
“He said, ‘Hi, gorgeous,’ which I think is nice. I admire honesty.”
~ On the Bright Side, I’m Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God
Source: Amazon
7. On Those Butterflies At The Beginning Of The Relationship:
“I could have quite literally snogged until the cows came home. And when they came home I would have shouted, ‘WHAT HAVE YOU COWS COME HOME FOR? CAN’T YOU SEE I’M SNOGGING, YOU STUPID HERBIVORES???'”
~ On the Bright Side, I’m Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God
Source: Amazon
8. On Lowering Your Standards:
“He had everything a dream boy should have. Back, front, sides, Everything. A head.”
Source: Amazon
9. On Holding A Grudge:
“’Do you miss your dad?'” And I said: “‘Who?’”
~ Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging
Source: Amazon
10. And On The True Meaning Of Beauty:
“Your soul shines through even if you haven’t got mascara on.”
~ Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me?
Source: Amazon
Thanks to Georgia’s fabulous attitude, sage guidance, and unapologetic frankness, Louise Rennison’s readers were able to laugh their way through her books, and hopefully take on some of G’s best qualities for life.
YouTube Channel: Jen Campbell
Featured image via Deviant Art
