A Teen's Take

POMEROY–Being a teen is hard. There is a stereotype put on teens where all we want to do is go to parties and disobey our parents and honestly, that’s ridiculous.

Personally, I am not one who participates in that type of behavior or so-called fun because I don’t have the time, and that is perfectly fine with me. People around me tell me to slow down and enjoy my childhood because I will never get these years back. This is true, but I am doing what I enjoy–being productive. And, we teens fine that the little things count big on our fun gauge.

I also think we’re all too hard on ourselves about everything. Our anxiety level skyrockets at times. According to HealthyChildren.org “One in three of all adolescents ages 13 to 18 will experience an anxiety disorder.” We obsess over the way we look, the grades we get, how we spend our weekends, the color of our hair or eyes. It’s because there is so much pressure on us to be perfect, whether it’s put there by parents, teachers or even ourselves, it is there. UGH! I wish there was a way to see ourselves through someone else’s eyes. That doesn’t always work either because social media plays a very big role in that as well. The things people say and do to each other on these sites can impact how we see and feel about ourselves.

If we spend our time working or staying within a small group of friends, some of our peers considered us boring. If we go out and go to parties, we are labeled irresponsible and wild. It’s a no-win situation we teens wish we could solve. The reality is, we can’t control what others say or feel about us. We have to understand it may not be us they are criticizing, it may be a reaction to something going on at home or in school or other situations we know nothing about, like addition or illness. We can only deal with our own thoughts and feelings. Being a teen is really hard. But, isn’t that what builds character?

I hope everyone had a great week and try to take a moment to appreciate yourself. The start of the new school year is just around the corner.