As the hum of an afterschool Science Olympiad practice fills the classroom, senior Sophia Zheng works on her project for an upcoming competition, while the calming chorus of “Sign of The Times” by Harry Styles blasts through her single AirPod. Across the table, she shares a knowing, emotional glance with her friend, who listens through the other AirPod, as the song crescendos into the resounding bridge.
They’re big fans. Really big fans.
“We listened to Harry Styles for like the whole two hours while working,” Sophia said.
From screaming crowds at Beatles concerts in the 1960s to carefully edited fan videos on TikTok today, fan culture has long been an avenue to find a community through a niche shared interest — and U-High is no different. Fandoms provide a space, whether online or in person, to share excitement and knowledge about a topic, turning individual passions into a collective connection.
Sophia became a fan of Harry Styles because of her sister, who was a fan of the band One Direction — the group Harry Styles was a part of before going solo.
“ I really like how it’s like his style is really outgoing and his music — it’s just like there’s a song from him for any type of mood you’re in, whether it’s sad, happy, or you just wanna jam out,” Sophia said.
Sophia engages with the fandom primarily through social media, where she watches videos about his upcoming concerts and opinions on his music.
“ I feel like social media amplifies it like a lot ’cause on TikTok you can really find community,” Sophia said, “whether you’re interested in Harry Styles or something else. On TikTok I really enjoy bonding with other fans over ‘Oh, Harry Styles is going on tour.’”
Social media also allows junior Alex Dearing to engage with the many fandoms she’s a part of, such as Mouthwashing, a horror-adventure game, and Warhammer 40k, a dystopian future run by aliens set in the 41st millennium.
Like Sophia, Alex was initially introduced to the fan world through her sibling. Beyond social media, Alex engages in these fandoms through creating fan art, attending conventions, wearing merch and playing the games with friends.
Alex is attending the upcoming Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, C2E2, or “the Chicago version of Comic-Con,” as Alex described. Alex’s favorite aspect of conventions is recognizing people’s costumes, and others recognizing hers, she said. This year, Alex has three costumes from different games.
Similar to Sophia, senior Grace LaBelle has found social media an accessible place to engage with different fandoms. Grace is a fan of “Heated Rivalry,” a TV show portraying two male, rival hockey players’ growing romantic relationship over many years. Grace has connected with many people, both in and out of U-High, over their passion for “Heated Rivalry.”
“ My camp friends, who I haven’t talked to in a while, we’ve started sending each other edits, just it’s a common ground to share. It really has united the masses, like the people yearn for community,” Grace said.
While online fandom spaces can be a place for connection, Alex emphasized that not every corner of the internet feels the same.
“Seeking out like the, like, good, I won’t say normal, but the part of the fandom online where everyone’s just having fun, is really important because if you find yourself in fandom spaces where everyone’s arguing, then it’s not fun,” Alex said.
Despite the common stigma surrounding fangirls often including stalking or obsession, U-High fan culture clearly revolves around something much more positive: sharing joy.
