Nowadays shopping centers are considered one of the main recreational spaces for adolescent girls where they can spend time time with friends, socializing, spending relaxed free time and shopping. In this essay I will reflect and discuss my observations from the visit to Scarborough town center in light of reading the article "Girls, consumption space and the contradictions of going out in the city" by Mary E. Thomas (2005). to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThomas argues that shopping malls offer young people a comfortable public place to be with friends, meet new people, and have fun and relaxation. The author suggests: “This important contribution demonstrates that shopping centers are central aspects of young people's lives and often represent what the authors suggest as examples of young people's main goals. They argue that malls can provide a haven for inner-city youth who wish to escape deteriorating neighborhoods that are rife with crime and poverty, and that malls offer young people spaces of safety.” During my visit to the mall, I noticed such a trend when I noticed that most of the shoppers in the mall were teenagers or young adults. A large number of them wander around the shops, go out and have fun without the intention of buying anything. During this summer period, at the end of the semester, students prefer to meet with friends in a comfortable public space, wander around and then have a snack or coffee. For this purpose they choose shopping malls as they offer them a safe and free place to relax without hesitation and consume food in the food court. This helps reduce exam stress, make them relax and prepare for the next hectic semester. These malls offer them a safe place where they can share their stories, problems or concerns about their personal life with their friends and peers without being burned by the scorching sun and protected from crime and unwanted, disturbing strangers. Thomas points out that young people's behavior in public spaces is heavily influenced by city officials such as the police. The author states: "Tyquasia also argues that the intervention of the police and entrepreneurs ensures that the spaces under their jurisdiction are accessible if they are used in the ways they determine." I observed the presence of security guards and CCTV cameras almost in every corner of the mall constantly monitoring people inside the mall in order to prevent potential dangers, crimes or harm that could occur to the public. This place is primarily intended to be used for shopping and as a public meeting place and security guards and police officers are appointed to ensure this. They walk around and check for potential crimes or dangers that might occur and also prohibit people from doing something offensive such as disturbing someone, smoking or stealing. They also do not allow homeless or unwanted people into the mall. Therefore, they control how this specific place should be used and prohibit any other use of that place that is not intended by them. Thomas argues that adolescent girls' racial identity is impacting their ability to hang out with friends in a social setting. public place without interactions with city officials. The author describes: "... tensions between young people and municipal officials, especially thepolice, in turn contribute to the production of racial meaning and identity for girls." I did not notice such racial discrimination following the activities of security guards and police officers in the mall. I observed a large number of girls of various ethnicities and stingrays wandering around the stores, hanging out freely with friends in the seating area or food court. Security guards only encountered people who were doing something offensive or violating the laws, but did not select one solely based on color bias. of the skin. The author states that the girls become aware of their racial identity through their interactions and experiences in public places. Thomas argues: “The socio-racial identities of these two girls (black and white) are both produced through space public and dating, but through very different practices and spatialities.” I surprisingly noticed this difference when I discovered that most of the female mannequins on H&M represent white teenagers. This discrimination can greatly affect adolescent girls' socio-racial identity and influence how they treat skin color. A white teenager may think that her skin color is normal, acceptable, and is the norm since her skin color has been showcased on most store mannequins. Even though the black girl will likely learn that it is not part of the norm, her skin color is not acceptable and would create a bad impression about her skin color in her subconscious. Although both girls use the same public space of consumption and the same process of dating, they have a different interaction with the place due to the distorted representation of skin color which can have a notable impact on their racial identity. He says, “Their stories indicate their struggles to find and create space to go out, and, indeed, girls often resisted adult control by reworking space to better meet their social needs and desires.” During my visit at the mall, I observed a large number of young people hanging out in the seating area or food court with their friends and enjoying themselves in a relaxed and joyful manner. They are not busy purchasing essential goods or eating snacks at the food court, rather than using the place for recreational activities or a recreational area Most parents are concerned about their children wandering around the streets or in unsafe places where they may get hurt or get involved in unwanted activities that children are kept under supervision or under the guidance of adults. This is where the mall plays a significant role. Usually, in a mall, there are always some security guards, CCTV cameras and many adult shoppers. Parents feel safe about their children going there and even teenagers are happy to be able to go out freely without the risk of any danger or interaction with unwanted strangers. They thus modify these places making them suitable for interaction with friends and peers, escaping the control of parents or adults and satisfying their needs and desires. In the article, Thomas indicates: “Businesses recognize the added profit that is possible when young people collectively identify their dating site; they introduce entrance fees to take advantage of the lack of other opportunities for young people to gather together." I did not observe such entrance fees applied to teenage girls in the mall. Entering a shopping mall does not require any payment regardless of age, race.