By: Reese Yan

In the 1970s, punks were very popular. They eventually spread all over the U.S. and Europe. The most popular punk scenes were in New York City, where the genre was originally created and introduced.

Many loved music, which made them choose the career of being punks. Even though they were punks, their studies were exceptional. For instance, Eric Hoffert did four hours of homework from Bronx Science each weekend, then practiced his guitar for four hours.

If the core bands in the teen punk scene had anything in common, it would be their affection for big choruses, flashy clothes, and a near-arrogant certainty that the empowerment promised by punk rock was now theirs to inherit. They also had different styles, which made them a big group. Punks dressed very sloppily, but some dressed very well.

By the 1980s, punks started simultaneously evolving and dissolving as its members grew, and many left and started different careers. Many chose different careers because they didn’t earn a lot of money from just singing. The trend didn’t get news attention either. So people who loved the career of being a punk stayed, but some left for college. For instance, Laura, “as cool as I thought the scene was, I realized I just didn’t want to be here. I wanted to be in college,” Laura Davis-Chanin, the Student Teachers’ drummer, said via video chat. “That was a big thing for me, given the incredible, shocking, thrilling world of rock ’n’ roll that I was a part of.”

Punks chased their dreams and never gave up. Therefore, even if your dream might seem impossible, if you work hard enough, you can do it!