I personally didn't have that much of a rebellious attitude when going through my teens, a few hiccups here and there, but nothing crazy like vandalizing public property and egging peoples houses (or whatever else people think teenagers get up too). for me, being a teenager was much easier than it is growing up and becoming an adult. A lot less responsibility and it's easier when you make mistakes as a teen versus when you're an adult. This is because usually there is less at stake and even though everything feels like the end of the world when you're in high school, it's usually not world ending and it will pass. I'm not saying some teens don't have it rough, there is bullying and awkward hormonally stages, I just personally never really experienced this. I have to say, I felt like I had it more together when I was in my early teens than I do today as a 20 year old.
I saw this quote in Rabys' article "by characterizing adolescence as a turbulent and emotional stage, adulthood is framed as rational, calm, ‘evolved’ (Lesko 1996a) and knowing." I don't know about you, but I know plenty of adults who don't know what they're doing with their lives. I still don't know what i'm going to do with my life or where i'll be in the future and thats scarier and more stressful than waking up a 6 am and going to high school. I would give anything to go back in time when my biggest problem was what I'm going to be doing after school, than how i'm going to pay my bills next month. This quote in the article ".. you still have the time to change things, you know when you’re an
adult you don’t really have time. (Alannah)" I have to agree with this girl, when you're young you can change a lot about yourself or anything really, but when you're an adult more factors come into play, like money, children or family. There is a certain type of safety net to make mistakes when you're a teen that gets thinner and thinner the older you get. and yes Teens do have their own responsibilities, but i just don't think being a teenager is as hard as it's made out to be. Now growing up and being an adult, that't hard. can I just go to Neverland with Peter Pan and be a kid forever?
It would be interesting to talk more about how things have changed from the generations on what is acceptable behavior for teens
Nicole -
ReplyDeleteI liked the quote from Alannah that you mentioned. When I came across that in the article, I found that to be interesting, too. As we approach adulthood, we start to feel more pressure on us to decide what we are going to do with the rest of our lives. Teenagers do not often stress about that, or even think about it much.
In response to "I know plenty of adults who don't know what they're doing with their lives. I still don't know what i'm going to do with my life or where i'll be in the future and thats scarier and more stressful than waking up a 6 am and going to high school".... I totally relate. I get so stressed out with not knowing what I want to do with my life.. and my mom always tells me to just relax and how she is 49 and still doesn't know what she wants to do with her life haha.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes wish I could go back to highschool and then I remember how terrible it actually was lol. I really enjoy the freedoms that I have now.. vs. the times in high-school.
I completely agree that as a teen it is easier, there is just less responsibility and less to worry about. I also feel that many teens have it more together than some adults. At 20 i was less confused about my life than i am today...what are we doing wrong?!
ReplyDeleteI think that that "safety net" you mentioned is definitely the adults in teens' lives and the "it's okay, they're just teenagers" attitude that teenagers receive. Do you think that maybe if this safety net hadn't been there, and teenagers weren't treated the way they are, that adulthood wouldn't be as scary and stressful?
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