Would I have to specify that everyone is 18+ for this?

[DegenDan]

I have an idea for a story that takes place at a highschool graduation ceremony. Would I have to specify that everyone is 18+ or can I assume that the readers will know that since it's a graduation ceremony?

 

[screwher]

Maybe make a disclaimer that the beginning.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I have an idea for a story that takes place at a highschool graduation ceremony. Would I have to specify that everyone is 18+ or can I assume that the readers will know that since it's a graduation ceremony?

It's not what you say in a disclaimer, it's what you write in the story that counts. Any high school story runs borderline against Lit's age policy because it's... set in a high school (and it's wink wink nudge nudge, they're sixteen).

Age them up, send them to college, and the problem goes away.

 

[UnexpectedLuggage]

or can I assume that the readers will know that since it's a graduation ceremony?

Don't make that assumption. I was 17 when I graduated because of when my birthday falls in the year. Not everyone is 18 when they graduate from high school.

 

[jehoram]

When I write a story like that, I always insert something that establishes the age of the participants. An example from "The Yearbook Girl"

"A guy took my picture last week when I was at the beach. He said he liked my bikini."

I'll bet he did, I thought. And he didn't get to see what I was seeing just now, those perfect young titties. I forced my eyes to stare at her face instead of her chest.

"Yes, I remember. That spell of warm weather we had for a couple of days. Really rare for March. Did he ask your parents to sign a release?"

"No. And I don't need my parents to sign, anyway. I'm eighteen, and I can sign for myself."

 

[bondandmoneypenny]

I was also 17 when I graduated.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Is the action happening in the hall with all the graduands etc? If it's a bunch of friends or a couple sneaking off into another room, or who happen to be out of sight from the main group, then you could just specify that they're 18, no young prodigies. But if there's anything that anyone else might see. you'd need to specify they're all 18, ideally putting it into the text so it flows naturally.

I've got a reference to "an upper sixth boarding house - thanks to all the foreign students from countries where you start school two years later. we were aged between eighteen and nearly twenty-one" - in reality I'm another who finished school at 17, but it's plausible enough.

 

[mrdiscreet2]

I was also 17 when I graduated.

Me, too.

 

[Dmiller85001]

Me, too.

Yep. Lots of 17 y.o. high school grads, myself included.

-Dave