Author Archives: kohanian@usc.edu

Salt and Ice Challenge

Nationality: American
Age: 12
Occupation: Student
Residence: Claremont
Performance Date: 4/16/2018
Primary Language: English

The following informant is an 12 year old. In this account he is explaining what the salt and ice challenge is. This is a transcription of our conversation, he is identified as J and I am identified as K:

J: The salt and ice challenge is when you put salt and ice on your hand and you keep rubbing and it burns a lot

K: Did you try it

J: Yeah I tried it with my friends after seeing it on YouTube … it was not really a viral challenge but we heard about it and wanted to try it

K: Wait why would you try it if you knew it would hurt

J: Well I did not think it would actually hurt… and like who could do it the longest

Context: He and his sister took turns telling me stories

Thoughts:

This is another challenge where the outcome is known to end in pain, but people still partook in it. I think it builds some sort of camaraderie between the people who tried it because you can say you have done it and others have not. It also allows you to connect with people across the globe who are engaging and posting about the same activities you are trying.

Hide and Seek

Nationality: American
Age: 12
Occupation: Student
Residence: Claremont
Performance Date: 4/16/2018
Primary Language: English

The following informant is a 12-year-old. In this account he is explaining how to play hide and seek. This is a transcription of our conversation, he is identified as J and I am identified as K:

J: So you need a group of people, at least more than 2. One person is IT and they count to a certain number … and everyone else goes and hides and the person who is it has to find everyone after counting … Usually the younger you are the more you count and the older you are the less you count… oh, we also used to play but we would just count to a random number

K: Who was generally IT?

J: If we were playing video games who ever lost had to be the seeker and we chose the time you count depending on how big the place is… or we also we would play “Nose Goes” and you have to like touch your nose when someone said nose goes and who was last to touch your nose lost or had to be it. Some friends showed me that.

K: Where there ever off limit zones?

J: yeah… you say that are cut off points so you can’t hide past there, like have it to just the house you are at … and no parent’s bedrooms and sometimes the garage.

K: Who wins?

J: Uhh, I guess no one… We just stop when we are bored

K: Is this something you play often?

J: yeah, mostly at sleepovers at night

Context: He and his sister took turns telling me stories

Thoughts:

When he said that they mostly play at night, made me think about how dangerous that can be, especially if you can play outside. But it also makes sense because kids like to push the boundaries and act a little reckless. And playing hide and seek in the dark allows you to do that, but still is considered okay by parents.