being a teenager

Being a Teenager

Being a teenager is very difficult. Your body and your mind start to change into adulthood. You have more responsibilities and stress to handle. You begin to learn more about life and the real world. And, although you have more responsibilities and have learned more, you are still treated like a child. Then you start to want independence, but unfortunately you still rely heavily on your parents. It seems like the only people who understand you are your friends, but they can only comfort, not provide solutions. In the end, being a teenager is a time of great confusion, change, and self discovery.
School, chores, family, friends, homework, working at a job, hobbies, and having fun are just a few of the things teenagers have to balance in their day to day lives. Trying to balance it all can be stressful and confusing at times. Teens often have to make important decisions about which of these things should be the highest priority. Adults expect them to put there responsibilities first, while their friends think fun and entertainment should come first. In most cases, responsibilities win. Then less time is spent doing things that make life worth living. What time was once made for fun is now filled with stress and work. There is also a lack of time spent for sleep, relaxation, and reflection. Even the activities you use to enjoy seem to change. Stuffed animals and toys become useless objects that take up space. Games you once played now seem childish and immature. Even friends you may have once had change into people you can’t recognize or understand. Much of the confusion a teen faces comes from the changes that occur in his or her life.
Everything changes when you become a teen. You are suddenly defined by what you wear and who you associate with. You then become aware of your appearance and the way you view yourself. Personally, I never really cared how I dressed or looked as a teenager. I wore what I thought looked good and felt comfortable, usually a shirt and some jeans. There were times that I was jealous of the way others looked and the attention they got for it, but I decided to stay the same. Despite the fact that I didn’t act like the “typical teen”, I was still stereotyped. People assume you act a certain way and they become disappointed when they find out you don’t. It is as though you are expected and pressured into fitting into what others think you should act like. For me, this meant that I should continue to get good grades but learn to be more social. Aside from the changes in my outer appearance, a lot of the changes I went through came from viewing the outside world.
For the first time in my life, I began to learn about history and actually understand it. For me, being a teenager has meant opening my eyes to the world around me. This was a very stunning and saddening experience. I learned of suffering, war, hatred, and abuse. I learned that the world would forever change and people would continue to suffer, while others would still fail to notice. It made me feel small and insignificant. Everything you do and live for will one day be gone and forgotten. No matter what good you did it would mean little or nothing in the big picture. The worst part is that there is no one to talk to about it. No one wants to speak about or acknowledge the hopelessness of the situation. Even fewer people want to do anything about it. In the end, all you can ever do is the most you ever could, and try to be satisfied with that. Do what good you can for others. If you can’t help the world, help those who suffer in it. These are the things I have learned as a teenager. Enjoy life and try to make it better for others.