literature
Swap Week: Introduction
Literature Text
Swap Week: Introduction
by RogerGirl
This is the story of Nick Schaffer and his experience at his new high school during an event called Swap Week. Nick grew up with his family in Los Angeles, CA before moving to his parents' hometown in the middle of his junior year of high school. Nick's parents had owned and operated a small business, but were forced to close their business when their rent was raised too high and they were unable to afford the payments due to their decline in business. Not long after they lost their house and decided to move back to their hometown in Northern California as they still had family there and apartment rent was much cheaper.
Nick had lived in Southern California all his life and was not looking forward to moving. He would miss his friends and the Southern California beaches. Nick was 5'8" and had a thin build. His style was very much what you would expect given he enjoyed surfing and skateboarding. He kept his blonde hair long, either loose or in a ponytail, and had a nice even tan from all the time he spent at the beach. He had just turned 17 and had been planning his summer vacation trip with his friends. Throughout his life he has been well liked by his classmates and made friends easily. He had a few girlfriends, but had not been in any serious relationships as he was more interested in hanging out with his friends. He was outgoing and liked to have a good time, but was not really interested in team sports or other high school activities like dances and pep rallies. Although he liked to party and relax, he was also a good student and maintained a 3.5 GPA.
This was quite a contrast to his sister Megan who was two years older than him and had been a cheerleader all throughout high school. While Nick generally just wore the same t-shirts and shorts or jeans, Megan would spend hours shopping for clothes, doing her makeup, and getting dressed. She was very involved in school activities and served on the student council where she organized pep rallies and school dances. In her senior year she was voted prom queen and most popular in the yearbook. Standing 5'7" with a nice tan and model looks she always had a boyfriend and spent most nights out on dates. For these reasons she often neglected her school work and was unable to get into college after graduation. She was currently working as a waitress and taking courses at a local community college so she could one day transfer into a university. For this reason she was still living at home and was moving with her parents and brother to Sutter's Valley.
During Nick's winter break they loaded up the moving fan and the family moved to Sutter's Valley. Nick's parents, Brian and Joan, had grown up there and had began dating in high school in the late 80s. After high school they attended college together in Los Angeles where Brian majored in business at UCLA and Joan studied fashion at FIDM. After college they used some money their parents had loaned them to open a small women's fashion store that sold a variety of clothing, shoes, makeup, swimwear, and other accessories. The business soon became successful and they soon got married and bought a house. Not long after Megan was born, and Nick was born the next year. Brian maintained the marketing and financial side of the business while Joan designed the clothes, shoes, and jewelry. During high school Brian had played basketball and Joan was a cheerleader. While Megan always seemed to fit right in with the family, Nick never shared the family's interests and while they loved each other he always seemed somewhat distant from them. Occasionally Nick would have to help his parents at their store and he always complained. While he picked things up easily and learned a lot about makeup and women's clothing and shoes, he never enjoyed working there and always did so begrudgingly.
As they drove into town Nick looked around and wondered how he would survive in this new town. The town was a lot smaller than he was used to and the community was tightly knit. Although a small town, in recent years a few shopping centers and business parks had been built and the town now had a bowling alley, multi-screen movie theater and a shopping mall. There was a small skate park, but the nearest beach was about 2 hours away and wasn't really good for surfing. Nick could hardly wait to finish the school year and start summer break so he could head back to LA and stay with his friends for a few months. The town had one high school, John Sutter High School, and the students there all knew each other for most of their lives. In his first couple months Nick made a few friends and began to adjust to his new life, although he was hoping he could head back to LA for spring break so he could surf and visit his friends. His sister had found a job at a local diner and was taking classes online. His parents had also found jobs. His dad had started working at an accounting firm in the business park and his mom found a job at a clothing store at the mall. Overall they were getting adjusted to their new lives and had soon fallen into a new routine.
Nick had noticed that the students at his new high school were a lot friendlier than the students at his last high school. Although there were many different cliques, they all seemed to get along and there were never any fights. At his old high school there were fights almost every other week and everyone seemed to keep to their own groups. During the weeks leading up to spring break, Nick began to see posters in the hallways and hear announcements for Swap Week on the school's news program. Everyone around him seemed to be looking forward to Swap Week, except for Nick who assumed it was just another boring school spirit activity. He began to grow curious, however, when he began seeing ads for Swap Week sales and discount nights around town and heard his mom talking about working late to get the store ready for Swap Week. He finally decided to see what all the commotion was about and picked up one of the event fliers being passed out around the school.
Swap Week had stared in the late 70s as a response to increased amounts of bullying and sexual harassment around the school. After several attempts and punishments didn't work, a counselor suggested a new approach to dealing with the problem. They selected a few of the worst offenders, those who had beat up other students or their girlfriends, and forced them to spend a week as a member of the opposite gender and as part of a different campus social group. Although the students complained at first, they found that by the end of the week the students who had taken part in the experiment had become less violent and more understanding of their fellow students. After the success of the initial experiment they continued to try it on other students who were also causing trouble. While many parents and community leaders at first protested this experiment they soon changed their minds when they found how successful it was.
In 1980 they decided to alter the program and expand it to the entire school, no longer as a punishment, but rather as a week of events leading into spring break. Over the course of the week students would attend school as a member of the opposite sex and join a social group different than their own. Finals week was moved to the week before and a series of events were added to Swap Week. While only a small group of students participated at first, over the years participation grew to the entire student body and students actually looked forward to the week. On Monday they would come to school transformed into the boy or girl they were going to be for the rest of the week. They would each meet with a counselor who would place them into classes and teams or clubs that fit their new identities. For example, while a male student would be a football player most of the year, during Swap Week he may become a softball player or a punk rock student depending on where his new female identity would best fit. A cheerleader for example may become a skater or science student. During orientation they would also meet with other students and find the friends they would spend the next week with. Often the friends that students had during Swap Week were people they may have only known casually in the past if at all. In the next few days they would attend their new classes, club meetings, and team practices. On Thursday there is a basketball game in which the girls who are spending the week as the boy's basketball team are divided into two teams and play against each other. On Friday a football game is played featuring the girls who are spending the week as football players. Finally, the week ends with a formal dance on Saturday and then spring break begins the next day.
The popularity of Swap Week also spans throughout the community where stores hold workshops the weekend before teaching guys and girls how to behave and act as members of the opposite gender. Courses in makeup, hair, fashion, walking in heels, attaching and creating realistic breasts and vaginas, and various female interests like romantic comedies and dancing are provided for the boys, while courses in video games, sports, weight lifting, creating a flat chest and attaching a realistic penis are provided for girls. The town's businesses also have sales on clothes, haircuts, jewelry, shoes and everything else students may need for Swap Week. Once Swap Week begins restaurants, the movie theater, and the bowling alley have special discount nights for students to enjoy with friends or dates. Most students spend the entire week in their new identities rather than just the time they are at school. Some students get new jobs and even dates for the week to increase their experiences. When the week is over everyone goes on spring break and comes back the next semester as their normal selves, but a little more understanding of their fellow students and in some cases with interests in hobbies they may have never had before.
In the next chapter Nick will begin preparing for Swap Week with the help of his parents and sister. He will find himself transformed from a skater/surfer boy to a beautiful cheerleader named Nicole. Over the course of the next few chapters we will see how his week as a popular girl changes his relationship with his family and changes his general outlook on life.
by RogerGirl
This is the story of Nick Schaffer and his experience at his new high school during an event called Swap Week. Nick grew up with his family in Los Angeles, CA before moving to his parents' hometown in the middle of his junior year of high school. Nick's parents had owned and operated a small business, but were forced to close their business when their rent was raised too high and they were unable to afford the payments due to their decline in business. Not long after they lost their house and decided to move back to their hometown in Northern California as they still had family there and apartment rent was much cheaper.
Nick had lived in Southern California all his life and was not looking forward to moving. He would miss his friends and the Southern California beaches. Nick was 5'8" and had a thin build. His style was very much what you would expect given he enjoyed surfing and skateboarding. He kept his blonde hair long, either loose or in a ponytail, and had a nice even tan from all the time he spent at the beach. He had just turned 17 and had been planning his summer vacation trip with his friends. Throughout his life he has been well liked by his classmates and made friends easily. He had a few girlfriends, but had not been in any serious relationships as he was more interested in hanging out with his friends. He was outgoing and liked to have a good time, but was not really interested in team sports or other high school activities like dances and pep rallies. Although he liked to party and relax, he was also a good student and maintained a 3.5 GPA.
This was quite a contrast to his sister Megan who was two years older than him and had been a cheerleader all throughout high school. While Nick generally just wore the same t-shirts and shorts or jeans, Megan would spend hours shopping for clothes, doing her makeup, and getting dressed. She was very involved in school activities and served on the student council where she organized pep rallies and school dances. In her senior year she was voted prom queen and most popular in the yearbook. Standing 5'7" with a nice tan and model looks she always had a boyfriend and spent most nights out on dates. For these reasons she often neglected her school work and was unable to get into college after graduation. She was currently working as a waitress and taking courses at a local community college so she could one day transfer into a university. For this reason she was still living at home and was moving with her parents and brother to Sutter's Valley.
During Nick's winter break they loaded up the moving fan and the family moved to Sutter's Valley. Nick's parents, Brian and Joan, had grown up there and had began dating in high school in the late 80s. After high school they attended college together in Los Angeles where Brian majored in business at UCLA and Joan studied fashion at FIDM. After college they used some money their parents had loaned them to open a small women's fashion store that sold a variety of clothing, shoes, makeup, swimwear, and other accessories. The business soon became successful and they soon got married and bought a house. Not long after Megan was born, and Nick was born the next year. Brian maintained the marketing and financial side of the business while Joan designed the clothes, shoes, and jewelry. During high school Brian had played basketball and Joan was a cheerleader. While Megan always seemed to fit right in with the family, Nick never shared the family's interests and while they loved each other he always seemed somewhat distant from them. Occasionally Nick would have to help his parents at their store and he always complained. While he picked things up easily and learned a lot about makeup and women's clothing and shoes, he never enjoyed working there and always did so begrudgingly.
As they drove into town Nick looked around and wondered how he would survive in this new town. The town was a lot smaller than he was used to and the community was tightly knit. Although a small town, in recent years a few shopping centers and business parks had been built and the town now had a bowling alley, multi-screen movie theater and a shopping mall. There was a small skate park, but the nearest beach was about 2 hours away and wasn't really good for surfing. Nick could hardly wait to finish the school year and start summer break so he could head back to LA and stay with his friends for a few months. The town had one high school, John Sutter High School, and the students there all knew each other for most of their lives. In his first couple months Nick made a few friends and began to adjust to his new life, although he was hoping he could head back to LA for spring break so he could surf and visit his friends. His sister had found a job at a local diner and was taking classes online. His parents had also found jobs. His dad had started working at an accounting firm in the business park and his mom found a job at a clothing store at the mall. Overall they were getting adjusted to their new lives and had soon fallen into a new routine.
Nick had noticed that the students at his new high school were a lot friendlier than the students at his last high school. Although there were many different cliques, they all seemed to get along and there were never any fights. At his old high school there were fights almost every other week and everyone seemed to keep to their own groups. During the weeks leading up to spring break, Nick began to see posters in the hallways and hear announcements for Swap Week on the school's news program. Everyone around him seemed to be looking forward to Swap Week, except for Nick who assumed it was just another boring school spirit activity. He began to grow curious, however, when he began seeing ads for Swap Week sales and discount nights around town and heard his mom talking about working late to get the store ready for Swap Week. He finally decided to see what all the commotion was about and picked up one of the event fliers being passed out around the school.
Swap Week had stared in the late 70s as a response to increased amounts of bullying and sexual harassment around the school. After several attempts and punishments didn't work, a counselor suggested a new approach to dealing with the problem. They selected a few of the worst offenders, those who had beat up other students or their girlfriends, and forced them to spend a week as a member of the opposite gender and as part of a different campus social group. Although the students complained at first, they found that by the end of the week the students who had taken part in the experiment had become less violent and more understanding of their fellow students. After the success of the initial experiment they continued to try it on other students who were also causing trouble. While many parents and community leaders at first protested this experiment they soon changed their minds when they found how successful it was.
In 1980 they decided to alter the program and expand it to the entire school, no longer as a punishment, but rather as a week of events leading into spring break. Over the course of the week students would attend school as a member of the opposite sex and join a social group different than their own. Finals week was moved to the week before and a series of events were added to Swap Week. While only a small group of students participated at first, over the years participation grew to the entire student body and students actually looked forward to the week. On Monday they would come to school transformed into the boy or girl they were going to be for the rest of the week. They would each meet with a counselor who would place them into classes and teams or clubs that fit their new identities. For example, while a male student would be a football player most of the year, during Swap Week he may become a softball player or a punk rock student depending on where his new female identity would best fit. A cheerleader for example may become a skater or science student. During orientation they would also meet with other students and find the friends they would spend the next week with. Often the friends that students had during Swap Week were people they may have only known casually in the past if at all. In the next few days they would attend their new classes, club meetings, and team practices. On Thursday there is a basketball game in which the girls who are spending the week as the boy's basketball team are divided into two teams and play against each other. On Friday a football game is played featuring the girls who are spending the week as football players. Finally, the week ends with a formal dance on Saturday and then spring break begins the next day.
The popularity of Swap Week also spans throughout the community where stores hold workshops the weekend before teaching guys and girls how to behave and act as members of the opposite gender. Courses in makeup, hair, fashion, walking in heels, attaching and creating realistic breasts and vaginas, and various female interests like romantic comedies and dancing are provided for the boys, while courses in video games, sports, weight lifting, creating a flat chest and attaching a realistic penis are provided for girls. The town's businesses also have sales on clothes, haircuts, jewelry, shoes and everything else students may need for Swap Week. Once Swap Week begins restaurants, the movie theater, and the bowling alley have special discount nights for students to enjoy with friends or dates. Most students spend the entire week in their new identities rather than just the time they are at school. Some students get new jobs and even dates for the week to increase their experiences. When the week is over everyone goes on spring break and comes back the next semester as their normal selves, but a little more understanding of their fellow students and in some cases with interests in hobbies they may have never had before.
In the next chapter Nick will begin preparing for Swap Week with the help of his parents and sister. He will find himself transformed from a skater/surfer boy to a beautiful cheerleader named Nicole. Over the course of the next few chapters we will see how his week as a popular girl changes his relationship with his family and changes his general outlook on life.
Swap Week: Introduction
By rogergirl