10 Things You Could Do as a New York City High Schooler in the `80s That You Can't Do Today

My son Oliver is almost 18. I was recently in a conversation with a friend from high school -- who isn’t married and never had kids -- about what native New York teenagers do, now, when they’re not in school. Where do they go? What are their favorite activities? What does Oliver and his gang get up to when they get together and go hang out?

I had to confess that I didn’t really know. I mean, I know where he goes and who he’s spending time with, for the most part, but in terms of the minutia of what they get up to, I really cannot say. But, y’know, at the risk of lapsing into predicatable proud-parent mode, he’s a good kid -– he’s smart, he does well in school, he’s gracious, polite and kind and he has a nice circle of friends. I trust him.

But this sparked a further discussion about what we did and where we went, when we were his age, and how so many of those activities, attractions and destinations are all gone, which prompted me to compose the following ... needlessly.

10 THINGS YOU DID/PLACES YOU WENT AS A HIGH SCHOOLER IN NEW YORK CITY THAN YOU CAN'T TODAY....

1.Freak out at Laser Floyd at the Hayden Planetarium (I spoke about this in greater detail here).

2. Hang out for hours at Tower Records (both Village and UWS). (I spoke about this in greater detail here).

3. Eat credibly decent pizza at credibly decent pizzerias (I spoke about this in greater detail here).

4. Waste astonishing amounts of quarters at Station Break arcade in Penn Station. (I spoke about this in greater detail here).

5. Find cool-AND-AFFORDABLE clothes at Canal Street Jean Co. (I spoke about this in greater detail here).

6. Go to cult films like "Repo Man" and "Suburbia" at the 8th Street Playhouse. (I spoke about this in greater detail here).

7. Get into (and dance within) Danceteria on West 21st Street. (I spoke about this in greater detail here).

8. Buy comics and British rock mags at SohoZat on West Broadway. (I spoke about this in greater detail here).

9. Find cool stuff at flea markets in SoHo and Chelsea. 

10. See a movie on East 86th Street. (I spoke about this in greater detail here).