{"id":5379,"date":"2025-11-14T20:46:22","date_gmt":"2025-11-14T20:46:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aboutclassmates.com\/blog\/?p=5379"},"modified":"2026-06-08T13:21:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T20:21:11","slug":"high-school-in-1970s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.classmates.com\/blog\/high-school-in-1970s\/","title":{"rendered":"What Was High School Like in the 1970s? A Look at 1970s High Schoolers as Seen in Yearbooks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Rupali Jeganathan<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rocking bell bottoms, biking to school with friends, and sneaking off during lunch break to the nearest fast food joint\u2026 these things probably bring back fond memories of attending high school in the 1970s, right? It was the era of no rules, mood rings, and bold self expression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you want to take a stroll through your teenage years to feel young again, or just want to see what your grandparents got up to as teenagers, here\u2019s all you need to know about high school in the \u201870s. Oh, and we have real \u201870s yearbook photos<\/a> from Classmates\u00ae yearbook archive to match!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"High<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Midjourney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Takeaways<\/span><\/strong>

– Freedom, Fun, and Self-Expression:<\/strong> 1970s high school life centered around independence. Kids rode bikes, hung out at diners and malls, and danced like no one was watching.
– Iconic 1970s Fashion:<\/strong> Teens rocked bell bottoms, tie-dye shirts, platform shoes, and denim jackets, with girls favoring halter tops and hot pants and boys donning leather jackets and leisure suits.
– Popular Hairstyles:<\/strong> Long, voluminous hair ruled the decade. Farrah Fawcett\u2019s feathered layers and shag cuts were in style, as well as Elvis-style sideburns.
– \u201970s Pop Culture Favorites:<\/strong> Students bonded over hit TV shows like Happy Days, MA<\/em>S*H, and The Brady Bunch; lined up for blockbuster movies such as Grease, Star Wars, and Saturday Night Fever; and jammed to Fleetwood Mac, Queen, ABBA, and Led Zeppelin.
– Retro Tech in the Classroom:<\/strong> 1970s students used typewriters, film projectors, and calculators, as well as newer devices, like VCRs, walkie-talkies, and the first microcomputers<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What Did \u201870s High Schoolers Do for Fun?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There were no cell phones or internet in the 70s, which meant teenagers had to actually go out, interact with others, and get creative to have fun (oh, the horror<\/em>). But, boy, did they know how to create magic out of the mundane. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lots of Outdoor Activities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

High schoolers spent most of their free time outside, skating down highways<\/a>, riding dirt bikes, hanging out at arcades, diners, and malls, and hosting parties in the woods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phone booths were everywhere those days, which meant harmful pranks were quite common. Teens would set the booths up with shaving cream and wait for an unsuspecting passerby to stop for a phone call. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Friends<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Chilling & Listening to Music <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Friends would hang out together, grooving to music on vinyl records<\/a>, or watching TV. Some other popular activities included cruising to drive-in theatres and beaches, playing board games<\/a>, and attending school dances and concerts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best part of this era, though, was the freedom. Once you were out of the house, there was no way to contact you. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Fashion Trends Were Popular with High Schoolers in the \u201870s?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mini skirts, hip-hugger bell bottom jeans, tie-dye, graphic tees, corduroys, and platform shoes were all the rage in the 1970s<\/a> \u2014 all influenced by hippie culture and rock and roll. It was also the decade of the disco wave, so glitter, satin, and all-things glimmer became mainstream fashion trends<\/a>. Chunky jewelry, huge belt buckles, turtlenecks, and plaid and paisley prints were also very \u201cin.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You could find \u201870s high schoolers in a mixture of these fashion choices:<\/p>\n\n\n\n