TOW #18 - Article: "10 Ways Your Awkward Teenage Years Prepared You To Kick Ass In The Real World" by Amanda Scherker

The "10 Ways Your Awkward Teenage Years Prepared You To Kick Ass In The Real World" is an insightful, and humorous take on the positive consequences of the infamous "awkward stage" that everyone is bound to endure, most likely in their "tween" years. Accompanied by comical GIFs with each reason, one though ten, author, Amanda Scherker, connects to her audience, who are familiar with the clips presented in the GIFs; these include everything from Winnie the Pooh, to Spongebob, to RuPaul's drag race, to Napoleon Dynamite's notorious dance scene. 

Scherker uses enumeration of these reasons to provide a sense of order and concreteness to her argument. This strategy also allows the reader to move quickly enough through each point without getting bored. Enumeration lets Scherker present her argument in an orderly fashion, without wasting space, and keeping her audience interested. By putting the summary of the reason, an image, and then deeper analysis Scherker gives her audience the option of how much they wish to get out of her article. A reader may choose to watch only the GIFs, or read every word. This is an extremely important strategy for Scherker because she writes for The Huffington Post, an internet-based news site. Many people who use The Huffington Post use it for its convenience. Scherker makes her post attractive becuase it is fun and Interactive. The way she has organized it allows the audience to decide how much information they wish to take in. 

Although Scherker's article is extremely humorous and relatable, she backs up her reasons with solid evidence, provided through studies. Her reason #6: "Your geekiness might have helped you avoid juvenile delinquency," Is supported by stating: "A 2009 publication from Sweden's Orebro University found that the same shyness that made you a high school wallflower also made you less likely to to engage in risky behavior, like alcohol use and "one-night stands." Her material is not only valid, but hysterical. Not to mention this assertion is followed by a GIF of McLovin attempting to buy alcohol for Michael Cera and Jonah Hill.