Even though many people, particularly athletic coaches for some reason, are convinced that the high school years are the best of your life, this time also brings with it a ton of pain and BS. You either stumble through as the outcast who nobody really knows, or as the popular person, who again, nobody really knows. To put it bluntly (just in case you didn’t already get the memo), being a teenager can really blow. Regardless of your social sector, it often seems easiest to demonstrate any type of uniqueness on the down-low lest anyone catches on that you’re not a reliable member of the flock.

I was lucky in high school. I had a tight-knit group of friends with firm shoulders to cry on at a moment’s notice — when my brother went through his Charles Manson-impersonation phase (yes, that’s my brother for ya), when my mom flew off the handle because I was snacking on string cheese past 9 p.m. (yes, that’s my mom for ya), especially when my house got egged by an ex-boyfriend (that’s guys for ya) — but still, they didn’t fully know me. I didn’t even know me then.

This rarely discussed yearning to find an authentic connection with peers is the very idea that spawned MTV’s new series “If You Really Knew Me,” in which a variety of students from one high school (per week) spend a full day sharing their secrets and fears, and attempt to understand where each person is coming from. The exercises they take part in are incredibly cathartic, if not life-changing. Check out the trailer for the new show and make sure to mark the July 20 premiere down on your calendar.

Original post http://remotecontrol.mtv.com/category/shows/if_you_really_knew_me/