How to be a teenager: a guide for frustrated and nostalgic adults. | Teen Ink

How to be a teenager: a guide for frustrated and nostalgic adults.

November 19, 2020
By Lu_L BRONZE, -, Other
Lu_L BRONZE, -, Other
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
“Literature is the most agreeable way of ignoring life.” Fernando Pessoa.


    I have come across many people who said, and I, quote: "oh those days, free of real responsibilities"; "how I miss those golden years, you'll never look better" and, my favorite, "such imagination I had back then, how much I could have done.". Well, in name of...me, who by all means is a teen, I carry answers! (the ones I wish I had the eloquence to say when I heard such comments). First of all, you may say we indeed don't have the responsibility of buying food or providing a house. That is fair enough. I don't have (as a relatively large portion of us). However, we do have a brain which, according to scientists, is still in the "cooking". The problem with this organ is that it seems to have developed the mean side quite early. So, we are completely lost. Left with other bizarre little monsters like us during most of our time because, in this forsaken stage of life, people assume we should be ready. Then, there is school (not even going to enter the merits of the things that go down in such a place, you were there) and there are also The Parents. Sometimes in this stage of life, we hate them, and they hate us. We blame inexperience; they blame this mystic and dark time who has abducted their loving child. I know this is just a lot of excuses but, bear in mind that, even without the so said adult responsibilities, half of the mental health problems start at this age. Don't ever underestimate the power of this wicked thing called the brain. Believe me: overthinking our existence and human irrational acts is dangerous. To sum up, imagine what you would be like if you had the responsibilities you do now as a teen.

    In the sequence, we have the comments that I put in the category "those good old days". Let me say, we are in the middle of a mess. First, we have to deal with finding our self-worth (non-existent yet, according to many) to survive because "oh sweet golden wicked years". School is like a hunt, finding the weak of the herd and attacking with the recently discovered sarcasm and complex words. Plus, there is the infamous question: who are you. And, you know what, it's not enough to figure out who you are; you have to discover what you want to do with most of your life. All we hear is: It's not impossible, just find your passion. I mean, if possible find one that has good wages and a retirement plan. Don't forget that you might don't even get accepted into a college or don't have enough money to pay it. As you can see, a lot of confusing things and the problem is that although there are amazing times, there are also low ones when you wonder why do you even exist. So imagine the despair we are put in at hearing that this were the good old days. Are you saying I won't get out of this? It's fear that I feel as a teenager, but it took me a long time to put the right name to this feeling. Its name was laziness, stupidness, and worthlessness for some long years. We reached a dark place here... it's easy to overthink, right?
    Finally, I promise to be objective in this last one. Although many believe we were more creative as children and teens, many of the fantastic worlds we read about were written by adults. Perhaps it's just harder for full-grown people (if that is even a thing) to have the courage to fail and be ridiculed by their ideas. It's a huge pressure to write after Shakespeare (and Tolkien). But do not worry, we, as teens, are experts at dealing with fear. 


The author's comments:

This year is a strange one. Since I must be at home because, you know, Covid, the grade I'm in doesn't seem that relevant. What is the amount of time I now have to be confused? This text might not have been inspirational, but I think all I need when in the middle of a crisis is relatable.


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