Cultural Observation Project:
Assessment Paper
Assignment
Madilyn Dowell
Ocean Boulevard, Myrtle Beach, SC
YOUT 201 - B02
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Observation:
When I arrived at Ocean Boulevard after work (around 5:00 pm) the various attractions
were already busy with customers. Being a young single female out alone, I made sure to stay in
visible areas, and well-lit ones once the sun set. Soon after I picked an observation spot and got
situated, I noticed that there were hardly any families present. It was mostly groups of guys and
girls, adult couples, and a few loner adults.
The evening was particularly cold, as January is the coldest month of the year in Myrtle
Beach. The demographic in Myrtle Beach is vastly different during the off-season when there are
little to no tourists, but this was beneficial to me, as it gave me the opportunity to observe local
young people. Not all of the attractions of Ocean Blvd are up and running during the off season,
but several attractions were, and the gift shops and coffee shops were open as well. These were
the most high-trafficked places.
Most people were wearing jeans and long sleeves/sweaters, some wearing coats. With it
being so cold, I was slightly surprised to see so many young girls wearing tops that exposed their
midriffs and jeans that were ripped from ankle to upper thigh. Amongst the teen girls, I noticed
either heavy makeup or very natural makeup. There was no in-between. Amongst the young guys,
I noticed brand clothing such as Nike, Adidas, Champion, American Eagle, etc.
I saw a group of young girls (presumably around 15-17 years of age) on my side of the
street come out of a gift shop. They were taking a copious amount of pictures, paying a great deal
of attention to their phones, and also eyeing a group of older boys (presumably around 18- 20)
hanging out on the street corner. The girls were whispering and giggling to each other,
commenting on the physical appearance of the boys across the street as the guys remained
oblivious, only really paying attention to the phones in their hands and joking with one another.
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After a few minutes, the girls made their advance and walked over to the group of boys.
Although I could not hear them, it was obvious by watching body language that they were
flirting. The girls and guys exchanged phone numbers and walked off towards a fun house
together.
Traffic wasn’t particularly heavy while I was at Ocean Boulevard, but cars passed
through regularly. Trucks packed out with teens drove by with the windows down and vulgar
music blasting. I overheard a group of boys bantering and witnessed them vaping. They were
taunting a younger boy, pressuring him to try the vape. It was apparent that he had never done so.
Sheepishly, he caved and tried it. He coughed and the older teen boys laughed and jeered and
slapped him on the back. One of them even made the comment, “You’ll get used to it”. They let
the younger teen boy keep the vape. It belonged to him now.
On a more positive note, I saw a mother with what I assumed was her daughter. A few of
the daughter’s friends were with them. The mother took them into all the little gift shops, bought
them coffee, let them play games, and seemed to be enjoying the time she spent with them. What
was most notable to me is that she stayed with them. She was not being a “helicopter” as some
teens put it, but she was engaged in conversation with the girls. She was not on her phone or
sending them off on their own. She was present. The girls seemed to respond positively to this. I
did not notice any annoyed behavior on the part of the daughter or her friends, and unlike nearly
all the other young people I observed, these girls were not on their phones constantly. They
seemed to be enjoying their time, and they seemed to carry themselves with greater security and
confidence than other girls I saw. They were just having good, wholesome fun.
At the end of my observation, I collected my things and walked back to my car. I was
stunned by some of what I saw. I pass through Ocean Boulevard every day. I work at a Church a
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street away. I walk down to the coffee shops there on my break. I was stunned by how much I
miss. In taking time to actually pause instead of pass through, I witnessed so much. As I got into
my car and drove away, I prayed that God would give me a burden for the young hungry souls in
the community.
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Response:
From the onset of my observation to the moment I left, my heart was burdened for the
young people around me. Every face I looked into was once a child full of innocence. Because of
upbringing, peer influences, cultural influences, and other circumstances I have no way of
knowing, many of the young people I witnessed grew up to lose that innocence and choose a
dark path of behavior and choices. I couldn’t help but wonder if the lives of these young people
could have been different had they been given a positive role model to invest in them. This made
me think of the mother who was so intentionally making deposits into not only her daughter’s
life, but the lives of her friends as well. I do not know if she or the other girls were believers, but
if every teen there had a parent as involved and as positive as that mom, I wonder how
differently they could have ended up. Would that younger teen boy have succumbed to the peer
pressure to try a vape? Did that one action serve as the catalyst for a lifetime of damaging,
unhealthy habits and addiction? Would those girls have gone off unsupervised with a group of
older, strange guys had they been taught about their worth and identity as heaven-spun creations
of the Living God? There is no way to know for sure, but I was certainly concerned and even
upset about the lack of parent/guardian supervision or involvement I witnessed besides the
mother and girls.
It was uncomfortable for me to listen to the conversations of the teens I was around.
Many of them were just gossiping about others, saying damaging things, or poking fun at the
people they were with. I am not one to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help but make out a few
conversations close by. I was disheartened to hear young people being so cruel to one another. It
was also offensive to my sensibilities and convictions to sit and listen to obscene and vulgar
music being blasted from passing cars or personal speakers. It was a cacophony of vulgarity, and
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as a Christian and a worship musician/leader, I was puzzled at why that kind of music appealed to
teens at all. The teens playing the music were singing and dancing along. They knew every word.
Because of the sensationalization of the TikTok app, I heard a lot of familiar “sounds” as they are
called, and witnessed a lot of girls and guys alike filming the corresponding dances to those
songs. Personally, I never got on the TikTok bandwagon, but I saw firsthand in one location alone
just how influential TikTok has been to this current student generation.
This leads me to another thing I reflected upon. So many young people had their eyes
glued to their phone screens while they were in the company of their friends. Among the young
guys I observed a lot of texting, video chatting, and phone calls. Among the young girls, I
noticed them taking countless “selfies” and pictures with each other, commenting how it was all
“for the gram” meaning Instagram. To me, it all had the stench of vanity and superficiality.
This generation is so disengaged because of the ever-increasing use of technology and
ever-increasing popularity of social media. Young people can portray any version of themselves
they want on a social media profile, even if it is completely contrary to who they really are. This
false portrayal is how people fit in. They do and post whatever will get them the most likes. It
actually broke my heart to realize that most of the young people I observed this behavior from
have nothing to anchor their identity in. They have no real concept of their self-worth or value in
the eyes of the Father. I cannot imagine living like that. Through every high and every low, I at
least know who I am in Jesus, and that is enough for me. These young people do not have that
assurance, and it wrecks me. I will definitely be adding the youth of Myrtle Beach to my prayer
list.
Lastly, it was sobering to realize that I am not so far removed from the age of the young
people I was observing. Upon reflection, I am so very grateful for the upbringing I had, and for
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having strong values and a love for God instilled in me throughout my life. I hope that God can
use me to reach this generation of young people in my community. I feel that, because I am not
far removed from this age group, I would have relevance on my side, and I would be able to
connect with them in a meaningful way. Though I predominantly work in the Worship Ministry, I
have ties to the Student Ministry at my church, and would love to talk to the Student and
NextGen Pastors about local youth outreach and bringing more young people into our church.
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Statement of Integrity:
I, Madilyn Dowell, went to Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on
January 28, 2022 by myself and have followed all the necessary instructions.
