--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I remember being in high school, and you…" description: "\"I remember being in high school, and you had to draw those lines and define yourself. I don't think when I was in high school I would have been willing..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/james-mercer-10889_admit_i-remember-being-in-high-school-and-you_1758424.png" --- # I remember being in high school, and you had to draw those… ![“I remember being in high school, and you had to draw those lines and define yourself. I don't think when I was in high school I would have been willing to admit that I liked the Shins. I was into TSOL and Black Flag. I probably would have listened to the Shins secretly in my bedroom.” quote by James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/james-mercer-10889_admit_i-remember-being-in-high-school-and-you_1758424.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/james-mercer-10889_admit_i-remember-being-in-high-school-and-you_1758424.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/james-mercer-10889_admit_i-remember-being-in-high-school-and-you_1758424.png) > “I remember being in high school, and you had to draw those lines and define yourself. I don't think when I was in high school I would have been willing to admit that I liked the Shins. I was into TSOL and Black Flag. I probably would have listened to the Shins secretly in my bedroom.” [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. High school pressures forced identity boundaries; secret musical tastes conflicted with peer expectations. **In simple terms:** Teenage identity vs secret music preferences. Key Takeaway Embrace authentic tastes despite social pressure. Themes identity adolescence music conformity Mood reflective nostalgic Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - High school - friend groups - personal playlists - private listening Key Concepts social psychology subculture self‑acceptance Questions to Reflect On - Will you reveal hidden passions? - How do you reconcile public image with private likes? A Different Perspective Admitting true preferences can risk social exclusion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Define yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define-yourself/) [Flag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flag/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [There is pressure that comes with everything being a big deal. I remember thinking, 'I need to survive the Shins. I don't know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/there-is-pressure-that-comes-with-everything-being-a-big-deal-i/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [My attempt at really doing classic sort of songwriting is Shins stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/my-attempt-at-really-doing-classic-sort-of-songwriting-is-shins-stuff/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [I've always sort of felt like what the Shins is, I guess, is a vehicle for my writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/i-ve-always-sort-of-felt-like-what-the-shins-is-i-guess-is-a-vehicle/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [The Shins is, in a way, a recording project that turned into a live band. So I don't really keep myself beholden to any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/the-shins-is-in-a-way-a-recording-project-that-turned-into-a-live/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [“I sit with my knees pulled in tight and my arms wrapped around my shins. I can no longer feel my feet, as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-ryan/i-sit-with-my-knees-pulled-in-tight-and-my-arms-wrapped-around-my/) [Carrie Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-ryan/) > [Say what you want about long dresses, but they cover a multitude of shins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/say-what-you-want-about-long-dresses-but-they-cover-a-multitude-of/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [“But would I have chosen to be Paul? I'd miss Will too much, the feel of his shins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-simpson/but-would-i-have-chosen-to-be-paul-i-d-miss-will-too-much-the-feel-of/) [Mona Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-simpson/) > [You can say what you like about long dresses, but they cover a multitude of shins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/you-can-say-what-you-like-about-long-dresses-but-they-cover-a/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [Others do not define you - you define yourself through your words and actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-handel/others-do-not-define-you-you-define-yourself-through-your-words-and/) [Karen Handel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-handel/) > [“you were whole before him, you are still whole without him, do not define yourself by him, define yourself by yourself”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeline-whitmore/you-were-whole-before-him-you-are-still-whole-without-him-do-not/) Adeline Whitmore > [Define yourself. Never give anyone any chance to define you by their definitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/define-yourself-never-give-anyone-any-chance-to-define-you-by-their/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Whenever you interact with people,don't be there primarily as a function or a role,But as a Field of conscious Presence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/whenever-you-interact-with-people-don-t-be-there-primarily-as-a/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Your relationship with your husband should be an important part of your private life, but publicly you should be able to define yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/your-relationship-with-your-husband-should-be-an-important-part-of/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [When we're growing up and being teenagers, oftentimes you try so hard to define yourself. You try to create an image of yourself because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/when-we-re-growing-up-and-being-teenagers-oftentimes-you-try-so-hard/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [Be willing to redefine yourself every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/be-willing-to-redefine-yourself-every-day/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) ## More by James Mercer > [I do like talking with friends about big concepts, you know, the stuff that will ruin a party. To me, the party hasn't begun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/i-do-like-talking-with-friends-about-big-concepts-you-know-the-stuff/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [Horrible dates are when you're with people who are immature and can't really be comfortable in their own skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/horrible-dates-are-when-you-re-with-people-who-are-immature-and-can-t/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [I'm real happy. I've been lucky in love, and I've got a wonderful kid now, and things have been going well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/i-m-real-happy-i-ve-been-lucky-in-love-and-i-ve-got-a-wonderful-kid/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [The fact that I'm often pushing my voice as hard as I can is from playing in nightclubs in Albuquerque where you don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/the-fact-that-i-m-often-pushing-my-voice-as-hard-as-i-can-is-from/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [ I really \[enjoy\] working with new people and just sort of the freshness of it. ... I \[want\] to have those new conversations, musically… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/i-really-enjoy-working-with-new-people-and-just-sort-of-the-freshness/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [Meeting Perry Farrel was kind of cool. He's such an icon, and I was such a fan of Jane's Addiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/meeting-perry-farrel-was-kind-of-cool-he-s-such-an-icon-and-i-was/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [My dad and I get into it all the time. He loves to discuss politics much more than I do and we have pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/my-dad-and-i-get-into-it-all-the-time-he-loves-to-discuss-politics/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [For the longest time, I didn't even want to admit I was serious about music. Before the Shins, I would tell myself, 'Oh, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/for-the-longest-time-i-didn-t-even-want-to-admit-i-was-serious-about/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [Humans are social creatures that really crave intimacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/humans-are-social-creatures-that-really-crave-intimacy/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [I tend to write a pretty half and half split of, like, slow, morose things and then sort of more upbeat stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/i-tend-to-write-a-pretty-half-and-half-split-of-like-slow-morose/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [If you're 14 and you're skinny, you can't be on the football team, basically. It's just not even really possible. But skating is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/if-you-re-14-and-you-re-skinny-you-can-t-be-on-the-football-team/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [I think that what's funny is that I seem to be taking up the roles that I remember my dad having - for some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/i-think-that-what-s-funny-is-that-i-seem-to-be-taking-up-the-roles/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [One thing that I've struggled with has been a certain amount of animosity toward the whole human race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/one-thing-that-i-ve-struggled-with-has-been-a-certain-amount-of/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [For some reason, it seems like pop writers, it's like they just get worse or something over time. And then you're really jealous of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/for-some-reason-it-seems-like-pop-writers-it-s-like-they-just-get/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [I think that was going on with bands like The Strokes was that the idea of the band, a real band, was making a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/i-think-that-was-going-on-with-bands-like-the-strokes-was-that-the/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) [Explore all 63 James Mercer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) ## More Admit quotes > [It is hard to admit to someone that you love him..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misherie/it-is-hard-to-admit-to-someone-that-you-love-him/) [Misherie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misherie/) > [I am not perfect by any means and ill be the first to admit I make plenty of mistakes but I wont make them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-not-perfect-by-any-means-and-ill-be-the-first-to-admit-i-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think it takes a lot for you to admit you made a mistake and correct it right away, especially on live television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pia-wurtzbach/i-think-it-takes-a-lot-for-you-to-admit-you-made-a-mistake-and/) [Pia Wurtzbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pia-wurtzbach/) > [I'll admit a little something: If I go to one of those hotels where there's, like, a $50 omelet, I'm taking the silverware home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-olyphant/i-ll-admit-a-little-something-if-i-go-to-one-of-those-hotels-where/) [Timothy Olyphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-olyphant/) > [Most celebrities are not going to admit they had work done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-nassif/most-celebrities-are-not-going-to-admit-they-had-work-done/) [Paul Nassif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-nassif/) > [If you're in rock 'n' roll, you're not supposed to admit to liking theatre stuff, but I'm a big theatregoer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-deyoung/if-you-re-in-rock-n-roll-you-re-not-supposed-to-admit-to-liking/) [Dennis DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-deyoung/) > [No one likes to admit they are racist or bear prejudices. Nor do they even like to be open and honest when they witness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/no-one-likes-to-admit-they-are-racist-or-bear-prejudices-nor-do-they/) [Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/) > [I love you. But I have no right to admit it to myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-snyder/i-love-you-but-i-have-no-right-to-admit-it-to-myself/) Brittany\_Snyder > [There is something in me-I just can't stand to admit defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/there-is-something-in-me-i-just-can-t-stand-to-admit-defeat/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from another star system has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguous-consequence-of-the-claimed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [My first exposure to sanitation issues occurred when I got admission into an engineering college. They probably didn't want to admit me and informed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudha-murty/my-first-exposure-to-sanitation-issues-occurred-when-i-got-admission/) [Sudha Murty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudha-murty/) > [I have to admit that I get quite emotional listening to the amazing talent that exists in the New York subways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-o-hare/i-have-to-admit-that-i-get-quite-emotional-listening-to-the-amazing/) [Lisa O'Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-o-hare/) > [I was ashamed to admit I was hipped to the idea of acting. That's why I started in with the props.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/i-was-ashamed-to-admit-i-was-hipped-to-the-idea-of-acting-that-s-why/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [I admit that I am very possessive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/i-admit-that-i-am-very-possessive/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [Some people need to grow up and learn how to admit when they're wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-need-to-grow-up-and-learn-how-to-admit-when-they-re-wrong/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 816 Admit quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I remember being in high school, and you had to draw those lines and define yourself. I don't think when I was in high school I would have been willing to admit that I liked the Shins. I was into TSOL and Black Flag. 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