Each week, we ask our circa 1993 teen development program / binder how to solve our very adult problems.
What Type are you?
“Boys often classify and describe girls according to the way the girls act around them: Shy, A Flirt, A Pal, Natural.”Here is a breakdown of the four types of girls:
• a SHY girl “may have wonderful things to say, but she’s afraid to express herself. No one will ever get to know her if she runs from the spotlight when it shines on her.”
• a PAL will sometimes “hide behind her torn jeans and baseball glove because she’s afraid of risking a boy-girl relationship.”
• a NATURAL girl “may resort to flirting on occasion, but she can be a good friend, too. She is sincerely sympathetic and can be serious or funny depending upon her real emotions.”
• a FLIRT’s “main concerns are her clothes and looks, and her main preoccupation is getting a guy’s interest at any cost.”
Below, Andy, Andrew, Renda and Holly are typified.
Andy is natural! But shy – and, it should be noted, a totally rotten flirt. Without a single flirtatious outfit in his closet! And that’s what TeenWorks picked up on: AP’s inconspicuous fashion sense. Apparently blue jeans, a button-up and a sweater makes for the Shyest Outfit of All (a title that reads like a Belle & Sebastian b-side), because AP was consistently docked points for having the most wallflowered fashion sense. Highlight: “Your style of dressing is ordinary and drab!”
Andrew, on the other hand, is one heckuva pal – naturally. Sure, they laugh at his jokes and enjoy his cutting up, his clowning around. But if Sloat wants them to know that he has a gentle and romantic side, he’s gotta cut the mock insults and talk about his ideas and feelings. Highlight: “Wear a dress occasionally!”
Renda is a bit shy, a bit of a pal, a bit of a natural gal – anything but a flirt. Highlight: “You’re having trouble with the lock on your bike. Three guys from your class walk by and offer to help. Renda says, ‘I don’t need help. I can do it myself.’” Sorry boys!
Holly is the only one of us showing the slightest tendency to flirt. Sure, she’s a bit of a natural, and has moments bordering on shy, but mostly it’s just wink, laugh, lightly touch you on the shoulder. Whoa! Highlight: “Your style of dressing is frilly, flouncy and tight!” Yes!
8 responses so far ↓
1 joereach // Jan 16, 2008 at 6:15 pm
I’m an Andrew
2 Peter // Jan 17, 2008 at 10:53 am
“I don’t need help. I can do it myself.” Also, “I ain’t got no kids. I’ve got disposable income.”
3 Oreo // Jan 27, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I have a question? If a boy asks you how to do something on their phone, but later they tell you that theyve had the fone for a year and they ask me like three times. Are they trying to flirt?
4 Holly // Jan 30, 2008 at 12:47 am
Dear Oreo,
I think this boy IS trying to flirt with you via technology. The boy may be trying to adapt the classic “dropping the handkerchief” or “opening a jar” or “killing a bug” techniques purportedly employed by young women in the 19th and 20th centuries to 21st century technological advances. If you think this may be the case, I would recommend ignoring his advances. If he can’t use his fone now, imagine what he’ll do in a couple of weeks.
5 elaine // Apr 16, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I have Teen Works from 1987! And apparently I’m the only one in the world!
6 Mandy // Aug 15, 2008 at 7:53 pm
elaine, I also have the Teen Works from 1987! Peach binder with multi-colored dots of different shapes? Kind of like a first-run Caboodle?
7 Kate // Nov 25, 2009 at 9:41 am
I have both volumes of the TeenWorks 1987 version and am wanting to sell them. Ebay has the 1994 version for $70 but can’t find anything about the 1987.
8 Emily // Nov 25, 2009 at 1:01 pm
I had one too!!!! sadly it has gone missing but i never forgot that binder which was given to me by an older cousin i admired. i am actually trying to buy one from someone who still has one. its hard to come across info on this hysterical binder…
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