It is a difficult age group, and they never change. Until you come to terms with that, it will drive you crazy. Eventually, MS students move on to high school and things get better. But, as long as there are middle school students, life is drama.
Perhaps things get better in high-school, especially by junior year, when they begin to realize they have futures ahead of them so they'd begtter crank up on their PSAT's. Oh, and there's Driver Ed., too.
I went to junior high in Texas, grades 6-8. Now they call it middle school here, although it's still grades 6-8.
I went to Jr. High (7-9th) in Texas in the early 60s. I think in 1966 they moved 9th grade to high school and 6th up to what they called Junior School at the time. I don't know when they started calling it middle school. The school I taught at was built in 1972 and it was designated a middle school then.
Watson was the man needed by Al Bell(the latter of whom was working on inventing the telephone)....oh all right, Alexander Graham Bell
Two kittens were trying to cross a river.... one was named "one,two,three" and the other "un,deux,trois".... only the former made it across... the un deux trois cat sank.