Stop Trying to Make #Vamping Happen

Today's teenagers are engaging in a new, illicit, and possibly dangerous nighttime activity. It has nothing to do with sexting or drugs, and it's definitely not Facebook. No, as The New York Times reports, this activity is completely different from any "kids these days" trend we've ever read about. Called #vamping (because it's not real if there's no hash tag), it involves being safely ensconced under the covers, away from the stresses of homework, sports, and extracurriculars, and...wasting time. Loafing around to blow off some steam. You know, checking out YouTube tutorials, binge-watching shows on Netflix, Snapchatting, texting, and messaging with friends through smartphone apps.

How is this at all new, you ask? I'm not sure. Today's technology may be addictive and demand more immediate responses, but teens have procrastinated and stayed up late since the dawn of time. I'm sure we all remember partaking in some version of this in high school, no matter what decade we grew up in (my drug of choice was AOL Instant Messenger). Actually, come to think of it, I still participate in #vamping as an adult, and I'm not the only one. So while depicting it as a new trend is kind of a stretch, maybe we can all claim it as a fun new word — and remind the high schoolers that the urge to stay up 'til 4 a.m. is just going to get worse as they get older (like, ahem, in college). And no, we may not be spending our #vamping hours in the exact same way that today's teens do, but we adults have our own ways of whittling away the sleepless wee hours.

1. Working out your credit card

Of course you need a pair of suede leather boots with fringe in July.

2. Pinteresting your nonexistent wedding

"Must. Find. The perfect. Place cards. Oh, man, do I really have to wake up in three hours?"

3. Chatting with long-distance friends/significant others

"No, you come visit me. I'm soooo broke."

4. Worrying about...everything

"Ugh, when am I going to get to all the dirty dishes in the sink? I have so much to do tomorrow, must wake up extra early..."

5. Social media stalking

Let me follow the rabbit hole of Facebook to my ex-boyfriend's girlfriend's brother's pictures until I can't function and start questioning my own sanity!