Metropolis (May 2012)

In 2012 as well as getting involved with Travel writing, I also got involved with more commercial publications. In Japan 'Metropolis', dubbed 'the number 1 English speaking publication in Japan' is a prestigious magazine to write for - especially at the age of 16- I was truly blessed.
I was asked to edit the 4-page 'Student Takeover', a massive task that I had no prior experience to help me with. I was terrified!
Much like the travel writing, I spent more time perfecting others' articles than tweaking my own. However, learning the ins and outs of the processes of a print publication was so interesting and I can definitely say it was the moment where they handed me the finished copy of the printed article that I knew- this is what I wanted to do!

My article had to be about issues that teens face living in Tokyo. My article is below.

To Party or Not To Party

 

In Japan, it’s illegal to drink and smoke before the age of 20. In many countries, this age boundary is around 16-18, so older expat teens in Japan might feel they are missing out on a lot of partying. As a 17-year-old girl, plenty of “coming-of-age” events seem to crop up every year. Here, celebrating a milestone with your friends is important. Eighteen is the age that the majority of expat teenagers leave Japan to go to college, meaning they won’t see their high-school friends again for a long time. Celebrating turning 18 as the milestone seems right for this group, as it is almost a subliminal sayonara.
In the UK, it’s common practice to have a large party for your 18th birthday. Meanwhile, for Japanese, this milestone doesn’t come until a full two years later. Which is to be celebrated? For Japanese nationals, turning 20 is a milestone as it is the legal age to vote, smoke and drink—three things that turn up the notches of freedom to 100%. For expat teens this can really be an issue. Do you abide by Japanese customs and celebrate the big 20? Or do you stick by your homeland’s customs, and have a big blowout at age 18? It is a social and legal conundrum that I’m sure many teens face.
It’s no secret that many teenagers take to the streets of Roppongi (with or without parental permission) in the latter hours of the evening. It is also no secret that many don’t. Living here has sheltered me from the usual behavior of British teenagers. Meanwhile, I have been able to have a better perspective of what goes on with my peers back home—without being in the thick of it. In Tokyo, peer pressure is very limited. It’s liberating to feel as though I am the one making the decision whether to go out in the evening, and I’m not being influenced by a large group of rowdy youths with alco-pops. Being an expat teen in Tokyo has allowed me to live the life, without feeling uncomfortable about going out and getting drunk before I’m ready. There’s pressure to wear the right clothes, say the right things—but isn’t that the case with every social group? Overall, living as an expat teen has allowed me to mature as and when I wanted to—something I doubt I could have done back home.

To see the full set of articles that I have edited, click HERE

Jess
xo