How Growing Up with ‘Stranger Things’ Turned my World Upside Down

A Quick Disclaimer

I want everyone to know that there will be no spoilers for season five of Stranger Things; however, seasons one through four are fair game.

Some Background on Me

Just so everyone can fully grasp my somewhat special relationship with Stranger Things, I felt it was important to provide some background. I'm younger than the actors who play the main set of kids. My exact age is not important, but I just cannot relate to the nostalgic feeling of the show. Because you know, I wasn't alive. So, the reason I love the show is the story and the characters. And, wow, are the characters something. Now, some more sad news: my parents are divorced. I know, womp womp, it's actually not that bad for me. It's been like that for pretty much all I can remember, and at first it wasn't great, but life moved on, and now I have probably the ideal divorced parent relationship. So don't feel bad for me. Now remember this, it's important later.

My Mom

My mom and I weren't always super close, from what I remember. She tried her best as a single mom, but with life, she was stressed out. So, I loved her, but we didn't do much together. That was until Stranger Things, which just kind of fixed it. All of a sudden, I was spending so much time with her, talking, theorizing, watching. It was the best, and I think Stranger Things will always be the reason we're so close. Now we have a list of shows and movies of mostly sci-fi that would take us a lifetime worth of binging TV to finish. Luckily, we don't leave the house much.

Holly Jolly Terror 

I first started watching Stranger Things after season two came out. I think I had to watch it before then, but I was way too scared. The only time my mom and I could watch the show was at night. So, it was always dark out, and I had a deep fear of the dark. We also always had to watch the show with no lights on, or else it was just impossible to see anything. Season one, Chapter Three: Holly Jolly. The scariest episode. The thing is, most of Stranger Things is so much worse, like the mind-flayer, the flesh mind flayer, and Vecna.

Honestly, I doubt any of you reading this even know what happened in this episode. Well, it was about 9:00 pm after a school day. I was terrified of the ever-looming darkness that surrounded me. Will Byers tells Joyce to RUN through magical flashing Christmas lights that make Joyce seem insane. Joyce is panicking, and then a Demogorgon rips through the wall.

Due to the lighting, it has this terrible blue hue and bad CGI, because it was before the CGI was updated for the first season. So, I, who was terrified of the dark, barely see a looming blue figure, without a face, that I know likes blood, and I absolutely panic. I didn't sleep that night. My legs have always and will always feel weird thinking about the blue Demogorgon. Why my legs, I don't really know, they just kind of get all wobbly.

Demonic Demon Breathing and The Sound of Bones Breaking

Season four, Vecna, Henry, One, yatta yatta yatta is opening portals to our world by snapping people. Now, if you've watched it, you know that the sounds are absolutely terrible, and I actually only got to listen to the sounds of bones breaking. I didn't get to see it because my mom thought it would be too intense for me.

I have an active imagination, so I'm just going to tell you I thought of worse images than the show. My imagination still haunts me. So that's one part of this story. Another part is my family, and we are staying with my grandma because it's the middle of summer, a hundred degrees out, and we have no air conditioning. I'm in a bonus room, a long hallway, and two closed doors away from my grandpa. Who was snoring all night? I can't put into words how absolutely terrifying these sounds are. For eight hours straight, I lay listening to the terrible sleep apnea-induced paralyzing sounds of nightmares as I imagine the horrors that befell Krissy, Fred, that one not very notable basketball player, and Max in gruesome detail. Throughout it all, the snoring was so, so very much worse than the sound of bones breaking. Also, Krissy and Fred deserved better.

My Favorite Characters in no Particular Order

Nancy is cool, independent, and super smart. Honestly, she is my role model. She's inquisitive and won't let anyone stop her. Girlboss incarnate, and I just always admired her go get em attitude. She is also crazy vengeful in the best way. Remember when she burned a Demogorgon, shot Vecna with a shotgun? Good. Also, a side note, I'm not sure who I want her to end up with.

Robin is smart, incredibly awkward, talks to much, and mildly incomprehensible at times. But she has never failed to make me laugh. Not to spoil anything, but her inclusion in season 5 so far brings me so much joy. A true icon. She is a personal inspiration of mine.

Will, after season two, very quickly became my favorite. Besides his constant disregard to share that he feels evil mumbo jumbo stuff is happening every time. Out of every character, I can most deeply understand Will's want to just kind of be included. His loneliness is understandable to me. Now if only he had better communication skills.

Joyce is always trying her best to keep her family safe. While she is mildly crazy at times, if she dies, I'm rioting. Super funny because she tries her best but always struggles with technology in the best way possible. I hope she ends up happy.

Max is sarcastic, cool, and super awesome. Traumatized, and in a coma, but still great. Max has always been amazing. She's still fighting, and I'm sure she'll be back at some point. One way or another.

Then of course, I love the rest of the cast also. These are just some of my favorites. The above characters, I think, I can relate to the most. Which is a little weird to say, but they shaped how I perceive myself and others more than any other characters from a show ever.

The Finale

As someone who literally grew up with Stranger Things, it did more than just provide me a love for sci-fi and develop my relationship with my mom. It gave me these people to look up to and strive to be. And it didn't just show them as these perfect, no mistakes, no funny business slates. They're tangible, but I've always seemed to struggle to fit in properly. I've been bullied, laughed at, but not nearly to the extent that they are in the show. Some of those acts are actually brutal. Like with Eleven at the skating rink and the camera.

The characters always dealt with their problems, not in the healthiest way, but in a human way. I try to be like Nancy for her independence and strive to do better, even though it's not the norm. Guess you could say it's strange. Robin and Will helped me to accept myself. Joyce and Max are just doing their best to get through life in a way that makes them happy. I want to strive to be like that.

I, as a person, am strange, and Stranger Things helped me realize that's okay. Stranger Things, even though I didn't grow up during the show's setting, I grew up with the show. It will always be one of my favorites, and it's shaped me as a person. I just hope that everyone makes it in the end. Can't wait for Christmas. Over.