People actually do understand, but not in a way you want them to. Or
maybe they really can't understand. After all, who can really read
minds? The mind of an adolescent is complex. Life for them has more
turns than a soap opera. Navigating through their life is like trying
to find one's way out of a labyrinth.
But how hard do they have it? They aren't working. They aren't keeping
a whole family together. They are just in school, learning, and having
fun while building the ladder to a brighter future.
But it is hard.
It doesn't have to be.
Why then is it such an enigmatic stage and so commercially valuable? At
the ages from 11 to even 19 or 20, adolescents and teens really do
think they are the center of the universe. If they don't, they want to
be. Popularity is not literally to die for, but figuratively speaking,
it is.
At this age, friendships are very important. School is the home away
from home, a place where these young people spend most of their waking
moments at. At home, too preoccupied with the net, homework, eating,
and television, they often neglect their families to be in their own
little world, to have a little privacy. At home, they can be different
people, but at school, they have to keep up facades.
Please do not think that this applies to every teen. I often generalize in my writing.
They often keep their thoughts to themselves. They think no one can
understand, asides from the friends they share the same dilemmas,
interests, and predicaments with. They often fail to see the bigger
picture of things and do not think of the future. Encouraging them
seems to be useless and conversations often lead to bickering and even
full-blown verbal fights.
When will this stage pass? What did the parents do wrong? What happened
to the smiling child who wore everything his/her parent bought, who was
happy in his/her parents' presence... What happened to the innocence?
This is the age where peers matter more, unfortunately however, this
can be a mixed blessing. It is an age of independence and the teen can
learn how to socialize in the world. Another unfortunate event however
is that American schooling is inadequate in the areas of providing
students with real-world experience. Sometimes, after high school and
colleges, some people just don't make it and are stuck in their
adolescent/teen stages-- mooching off their parents while continuing to
live in their own little worlds.
You are wondering now how the article thus far relates to the title.
Well, for one thing, popularity and acceptance are so important that it
often stresses a teen out. Popularity, if only there were a secret to
it. How does that beautiful girl with all the boyfriends gain such
popularity? Why does she have such charisma? Or why does that guy have
so many friends? Why do people laugh at everyone of his jokes?
Insecurity often hovers around a teen. Stress from his/her family,
school, and peers can collide. Teenage depression is thus so very
common. It is rather unfortunate and ironic. In such a privilege
country, teens are wishing for more and more and more.
Realizing that there is a bigger picture out there may set teen
priorities straight. Talent exists in generations that are younger and
younger. Unfortunately I will have to use the word unfortunately again.
Talent is often wasted in pursuit of popularity, an intangible notion
that really will do nothing for one in the end.
Time is a wonderful thing not to waste. There are so many things that
teens take for granted. Their families, their opportunities... Having
just graduated from the teen years, I look back now and only wish that
I knew these words when I was a teen.
Teens deserve to have fun. But in the wake of disasters and terror,
teens have to wake up and realize that one day, they will have to stop
dreaming and start working too.
» left by miss xo mac dogg from hmm (2 years 286 days ago.)
good job. sited this on my school research paper. Respond to this comment
» left by ticklephish (2 years 221 days ago.)
You went through over half the article without ever talking about wht the article was suposed to be about, you even said it yourself. You never even really answered your title, you just said teens are confused. Try to stay more on topic, or make a title that fits your article. Respond to this comment
» left by KL (2 years 209 days ago.)
i spent the whole article explaining, perhaps my intellect is too perplexing for you to grasp, ticklephish Respond to this comment
» left by christina bedingfield from london england (2 years 115 days ago.)
well somewhat it did but to be sure teens are not as confused as u may think they are but they arent pressure of popularity is the main issues in schools today nationwide and international and a problem that is growing each day. Respond to this comment
» left by Abagail from 1273 Lorna lane (1 year 329 days ago.)
yes, this article helped me very well, and gave me plenty of info.
THANKS! Respond to this comment
» left by Daniel from Wetaskiwin, AB (1 year 83 days ago.)
fitting in and being popular will get you nowhere, if you're strong willed, and know more about life than most PUNKS out there, than you will gain experience and wisdom throughout your life. Nobody successful was ever very popular, actors don't count. Albert Einstein was seperated because of his intellect of math.
I would know you idiots, I'm 16. So don't think you know everything about teens anonymous writer of this article, your time was back then, this it time we live in now.
Your summary is based on very few students who actually will never fit in, but it WILL gain them wisdom and strength in the years of work, and in the world of work, the most important reality to man. Respond to this comment
» left by Kortney from NY (294 days 2 hours ago.)
I agree with Daniel. We live in a society that if you arent pretty, rich, popular, dress normal, your basically not accepted in the in crowd. Not all teen are pressured to fit in. I myself am one of them. We shouldnt be judged on our appereance, where we come from (families), or how much money we have. It should be on the inside and you as a person. I know some people who are beautiful that are snots. Some of the nicest people i have met are nerds. I am not in one in particular clique. I have many friends from every clique. Yeah we are pressued but if you have enough self confidence than we wont do the things we "have to do," to fit in. I think everyone should take a class on being more confident and standing out. Standing out is not a bad thing. If anything its better. Respond to this comment
» left by anna from queensland, australia (287 days 22 hours ago.)
As the writer of this article stated she is not saying all teenagers are like this. I am sixteen years old and live in Australia and i believe this article has a great deal of truth. I myself am happy with my status at school, although i believe even myself am subconsciously obssesed with my status. Due to the media and my peers i believe a lot of teens are concerned mainly with themsleves. These are the years were we discover ourselves, experience new things, meet new people, make many mistakes. But i believe this is all to mould us into our future adult. I agree with the article written by kathleen, just because she isnt a teenager in the present means nothing, she has been one for 7 years in her teenage years and the time may have changed but a lot of things stay the same. Also observations can be made on other people, accurate observations at that. A good read Kathleen Respond to this comment
» left by Dave from Illinois (261 days 20 hours ago.)
I'm with miss xo mac dogg, I'm citing this for a school paper about teen acceptance. I'm citing not just the article though, but the posts afterwards, too, because of their obvious reflection of two very different views of the same society. I think it is just amazing the way that the internet allows the collection and viewing of view and opinions so easily, and in such a real and useful way. Respond to this comment
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Article added to SearchWarp.com on Wednesday, October 05, 2005 View other articles written by Kathleen Lieu(675)
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