The one thing about being this age that I will never forget is what it is like to be thought inadequate or incapable. It seems that no matter what, children and teenagers everywhere are constantly told they are "too young to understand" or "too young to make a difference." We are seen as foolish, stubborn, and reckless, and are consequently written off by most of the world (Notice I said most, not all. There are still a few cool people in the world). So many times I have felt insignificant because I'm told that I am still a child, and that I'll have plenty of time to do things when I'm an adult. But at the same time, I'm told that I need to grow up and stop acting like a child. I think that so many adults forget what it is like to simply be a teenager - misunderstood, confused, but still trying to make a place in this world. I also think that many young people have proven their abilities to be extraordinary, and more adults should take this into consideration. The reason I think so many adults have forgotten what it is like to feel insignificant is because when one becomes an adult, they are suddenly seen as capable in the eyes of society. They take on many responsibilities, and begin to feel like an adult. And as one grows older, they gradually become accustomed to that lifestyle, and forget what it's like to be young and "insignificant." Additionally, adults tend to see everyone younger than them as a child more or less. Consequently, adults see younger people as incapable, no matter their strengths and abilities. I think that it would benefit everyone if more adults would start believing in young people and their abilities, because it might motivate them to follow their dreams and make a difference in this world.
I am often told these things when I am in big groups of people, but it the opposite when I am at home. I feel like I am always told that I am supposed to know what is going on more than anyone else at home because I am expected to pick up the slack of my brothers. I am rushed into being an adult instead of told I am not one. This is never anything that I've been bothered by, however, because I haven't given it much thought. This is interesting though and I agree that sometimes adults don't value our opinions enough.
Mary, I have also struggled with those same feelings. Life is so contradictory for young adults, and most adults seem to have forgotten how hard it is to live this way. Teenagers go through so much, and adults definitely underestimate how it impacts us. However, I feel like they are not acting out of malice. They merely want to prepare us for adulthood. They acknowledge that we are not ready yet, but push us so that we mature.
People constantly underestimate teenagers. You are correct. And people hold them at arms length because they are so truthful and so raw. This is a very insightful piece of writing.
I will always remember how much I still rely on the help of my parents at this age and how convenient it is to have them right with me in the same house. I am starting to do things that seem stupid, like going to the doctors, doing college paperwork, or doing tax return things for work, by myself and constantly feel the need to ask my mom questions about the paperwork. She recently got a job that requires her to work from 9am to 9pm, and it is really unbelievable all the things she does that I never realized. It is wonderful to come home and have dinner ready, have people to help me with my chores, and have someone to go to the store and get me something I need while I'm at school, all things I have had to do without these past few weeks. It sounds ridiculous but it's a huge transformation. My dad, too, is super convenient to have around. He always fixes anything that I break, cleans off my car in the winter, and takes us to do fun things. Parents are lovely and even though sometimes they get annoying, I will remember forever how nice it is to have them.
I think that parents do remember this, as they still continue to seek advice from their own parents that are still around, but they forget how much they mean to us because they play that important role as well now. Because they are so preoccupied worrying about my brothers and me, I feel like they don't remember completely how much they actually mean to us, wether or not we show it. They probably do not remember how stupid they once were because they now know how to fill out insurance papers at the doctors without giving it a second thought! They forget how vulnerable they once were and how much their parents helped them because they do not realize how important they are to us.
Grace, this is so true! My parents do so much for me, and I am so grateful for that. There are so many little things that my parents do for me that means so much to me, even if I don't show it. I think it goes to say a lot about love. Love is shown through actions, not just words. What a good reflection for Mother's Day! :)
Grace, this is so weird actually...on one hand I'm excited to get away from my parents because they're starting to drive me a little crazy. But on the other hand, who's going to help me study at 1:00 in the morning for a physics final the next day (yes my dad did that with me last year. Maybe the worst day of my life)? Who's going to help me fill out all this paperwork I don't want do? Who's going to make sure I stay on the straight and narrow? I don't know. But I will definitely miss my parents when I go off to college, and even though they can stress me out at times, I will continue to come to them to seek help and guidance, because they've already been through what I'm about to go through. I might as well consult the experts on life.
I will always remember the importance of being spontaneous. Having fun, doing off the wall but legal shenanigans is probably one of the best parts of my life. Stressed out? Oh well. Time to take a five hour road trip without telling anyone. In a far away place where no one knows you? Oh well time to troll people. Life is a journey.. A journey you only get one time to do. It is important to find places where you're happy and experience new people, places, and activities. These spontaneous, crazy things have kept me sane, and I hope if I have children I remember that so they can have the same experiences. I hope that although I am pursuing a serious career, I will never lose my care free personality. It is so imperative to set aside time to do crazy things because they make great stories. One of my best experiences has been going to trapeze school, and I hope I get a totally new adrenaline rush from my skydiving trip this summer with my big brother. If you ask any of my friends what kind of person I am, they will be the first to tell you that I'm the spontaneous one doing all the crazy stuff. Sometimes they even make cute instagrams posts about my behavior. I hope I remember an adrenaline rush is the best stress relief and the place where I have always been happiest. Life is too long of a journey to deprive yourself of these pleasures. When I die there are two questions I want to ask myself... Did I live everyday being a good human, and did I have the most crazy experiences possible? In other words, I am like Cleo. I do not walk the chalk line.
I think adults forget the importance of letting loose and having fun because adult life tells them they must act grown up for their kids and the stress of building a career. While it is important to mature and work on a career, it is also important to nurture that inner child that will always be there. I honestly see more adults ruminate their stress and talk about it instead of actually letting themselves enjoy life. Seriously just take a bungee cord and jump off a cliff. All stress is relieved.
I LOVE THIS BLOG!!! This is so true! It is really important to do crazy things. I would honestly be terrified to go skydiving or bungee jumping, but things of that wild nature are fun to be a part of. I laughed so hard when you alluded to the exam passage. Cleo knew what was up.
Lauren, I agree with this blog so much. Children seem happier than adults because they let themselves be free and do what they know will make them happy. Adults act in the way society demands (maturely), and don't seem to be able to do crazy fun activities. Their stress just keeps piling up with no outlet. I hope that when I am an adult I can continue to have the adventures that I am enjoying now.
Lauren I completely agree with you. I am trying to live life to the fullest now while I am still able. I think some adults can still be spontaneous, but I think many of them just lose their sense of fun and excitement because they get too caught up in the seriousness of the world around them.
Oh Cleo...if only the mother understood that letting the children run wild isn't such a bad thing. I completely agree though. Some of the best experiences I have ever had in my life are when my friends and I just go on random road trips to random places. People need to lighten up and realize that the rules are meant to be bent a little. Our society would be so much better if the people in charge remember that having fun in the teenage years was not such a bad thing.
I will never forget how hard it is to shape my own identity and gain independence. As a young adult, there is pressure in every part of my life to make life changing decisions about college and majors, and everyone around me seems to know what's best. My parents in particular appear to know exactly how I should live my life. There isn't one thing that I could do that they wouldn't know how to do better. They caution me, advise me, and nurture me. Their constant presence makes me wonder what choices I truly make in regards to where my life is headed. In order to find out what I really want to do with my life, it seems like I need to eliminate all these pieces of advice. However, I would be lost without them. The necessary balance between following the wisdom of others and pursuing my passions is extremely hard to achieve. I want more freedom than I have, and push the limits of my parents' patience as they try to treat me fairly. I know that they are just trying to do what's best for me, but it is hard to follow them when total freedom is within my sight. When I am on my own, I know that I will be grateful for their kindness, compassion, and comfort as I struggle through the challenges that come my way. I also know that if I have children, I will do the same thing to them as my parents have done to me. It is hard as a young adult to see that a parent's control isn't limiting, but rather a formative way to help a child mature. As an adult, this is clearer. Most adults remember the frustration they experienced with their own parents as they grew up, but know that their actions were necessary. It may seem that adults don't understand what young people are going through, but they have experienced it all before. Their experience from youth and wisdom from age combine to influence how they raise their children. They know that their children may experience the same frustrations that they did, but know that their children will understand their actions when they too become adults.
I will always remember the feeling of knowing absolutely nothing about what lies ahead. I'm scared, nervous, excited, hopeful, nervous, scared, etc. about what I will be doing in the future. But feeling all of these thoughts is kind of exciting. I like how my life is not laid out in front of me. I truly get to decide what I am going to be doing in college and beyond. But as I said, this is terrifying. What if I make the wrong decision? What if I end up being a failure? What if I end up just falling off the deep end? What if I fail in my attempts to stave off my temptations? All of these questions have terrifying answers. But they also have good answers that I can get excited about. I know that I control what I do in the future, and that will help alleviate my fears of what potentially lies ahead.
Even though I know all of this information, it never totally helps soothe my fears. I have a really bad habit of stressing out over things that don't really matter or things that have yet to happen. I feel like a lot of people do this, even though they know subconsciously that it'll be alright. Even though I know that I hold the keys to my future, it will still terrify me, even when I become an adult. I know I have to try and get over this, and I will eventually. The future still is terrifying though.
I think it's good to keep this in mind because it can help us to feel compassionate towards people feeling the same way. Although, I don't think we'll ever really get over the uncertainty of what lies ahead. But I think that's the beauty of life. If we knew what was going to happen, there'd be no point in making decisions and trying to achieve anything because we'd already know where we're going to end up. And what's the fun in that? I like to look at the future as a grand adventure. And I can't wait to begin.
One thing I will not forget is what it is like to be at a crossroads in your life. Right now, we are at an awkward stage between childhood and adulthood. We have to make big life decisions about college jobs when we haven't had real life experiences yet to form our decisions. At this point in our life, we are all so stressed out and confused with all the obstacles life is throwing at us. We have to try to juggle so many things, and do it successfully. I know I will not forget this feeling of constantly being pulled in many different directions. We are in the state of unknown that comes before the next stages of our live begin. It's a scary and confusing time that has the potential to affect the rest of our lives. I think that many adults believe that teenagers do not encounter any type of stress. They think that since we do not have a job or family, then we do not have any stress. Also, once they fall into their normal routine of life and have a job, they forget how strenuous it is to decide what you want to do with your life. Adults do not realize how much stress teenagers endure and therefore are not able to identify their struggles. I think that in adult life you fall into a rhythm and you forget about these teenage times and the feelings that you have.
The one thing about being this age that I will never forget is what it is like to be thought inadequate or incapable. It seems that no matter what, children and teenagers everywhere are constantly told they are "too young to understand" or "too young to make a difference." We are seen as foolish, stubborn, and reckless, and are consequently written off by most of the world (Notice I said most, not all. There are still a few cool people in the world). So many times I have felt insignificant because I'm told that I am still a child, and that I'll have plenty of time to do things when I'm an adult. But at the same time, I'm told that I need to grow up and stop acting like a child. I think that so many adults forget what it is like to simply be a teenager - misunderstood, confused, but still trying to make a place in this world. I also think that many young people have proven their abilities to be extraordinary, and more adults should take this into consideration.
ReplyDeleteThe reason I think so many adults have forgotten what it is like to feel insignificant is because when one becomes an adult, they are suddenly seen as capable in the eyes of society. They take on many responsibilities, and begin to feel like an adult. And as one grows older, they gradually become accustomed to that lifestyle, and forget what it's like to be young and "insignificant." Additionally, adults tend to see everyone younger than them as a child more or less. Consequently, adults see younger people as incapable, no matter their strengths and abilities. I think that it would benefit everyone if more adults would start believing in young people and their abilities, because it might motivate them to follow their dreams and make a difference in this world.
I am often told these things when I am in big groups of people, but it the opposite when I am at home. I feel like I am always told that I am supposed to know what is going on more than anyone else at home because I am expected to pick up the slack of my brothers. I am rushed into being an adult instead of told I am not one. This is never anything that I've been bothered by, however, because I haven't given it much thought. This is interesting though and I agree that sometimes adults don't value our opinions enough.
DeleteMary, I have also struggled with those same feelings. Life is so contradictory for young adults, and most adults seem to have forgotten how hard it is to live this way. Teenagers go through so much, and adults definitely underestimate how it impacts us. However, I feel like they are not acting out of malice. They merely want to prepare us for adulthood. They acknowledge that we are not ready yet, but push us so that we mature.
DeletePeople constantly underestimate teenagers. You are correct. And people hold them at arms length because they are so truthful and so raw. This is a very insightful piece of writing.
DeleteI will always remember how much I still rely on the help of my parents at this age and how convenient it is to have them right with me in the same house. I am starting to do things that seem stupid, like going to the doctors, doing college paperwork, or doing tax return things for work, by myself and constantly feel the need to ask my mom questions about the paperwork. She recently got a job that requires her to work from 9am to 9pm, and it is really unbelievable all the things she does that I never realized. It is wonderful to come home and have dinner ready, have people to help me with my chores, and have someone to go to the store and get me something I need while I'm at school, all things I have had to do without these past few weeks. It sounds ridiculous but it's a huge transformation. My dad, too, is super convenient to have around. He always fixes anything that I break, cleans off my car in the winter, and takes us to do fun things. Parents are lovely and even though sometimes they get annoying, I will remember forever how nice it is to have them.
ReplyDeleteI think that parents do remember this, as they still continue to seek advice from their own parents that are still around, but they forget how much they mean to us because they play that important role as well now. Because they are so preoccupied worrying about my brothers and me, I feel like they don't remember completely how much they actually mean to us, wether or not we show it. They probably do not remember how stupid they once were because they now know how to fill out insurance papers at the doctors without giving it a second thought! They forget how vulnerable they once were and how much their parents helped them because they do not realize how important they are to us.
Grace, this is so true! My parents do so much for me, and I am so grateful for that. There are so many little things that my parents do for me that means so much to me, even if I don't show it. I think it goes to say a lot about love. Love is shown through actions, not just words. What a good reflection for Mother's Day! :)
DeleteGrace, this is so weird actually...on one hand I'm excited to get away from my parents because they're starting to drive me a little crazy. But on the other hand, who's going to help me study at 1:00 in the morning for a physics final the next day (yes my dad did that with me last year. Maybe the worst day of my life)? Who's going to help me fill out all this paperwork I don't want do? Who's going to make sure I stay on the straight and narrow? I don't know. But I will definitely miss my parents when I go off to college, and even though they can stress me out at times, I will continue to come to them to seek help and guidance, because they've already been through what I'm about to go through. I might as well consult the experts on life.
DeleteThis is precious.
DeleteI will always remember the importance of being spontaneous. Having fun, doing off the wall but legal shenanigans is probably one of the best parts of my life. Stressed out? Oh well. Time to take a five hour road trip without telling anyone. In a far away place where no one knows you? Oh well time to troll people. Life is a journey.. A journey you only get one time to do. It is important to find places where you're happy and experience new people, places, and activities. These spontaneous, crazy things have kept me sane, and I hope if I have children I remember that so they can have the same experiences. I hope that although I am pursuing a serious career, I will never lose my care free personality. It is so imperative to set aside time to do crazy things because they make great stories. One of my best experiences has been going to trapeze school, and I hope I get a totally new adrenaline rush from my skydiving trip this summer with my big brother. If you ask any of my friends what kind of person I am, they will be the first to tell you that I'm the spontaneous one doing all the crazy stuff. Sometimes they even make cute instagrams posts about my behavior. I hope I remember an adrenaline rush is the best stress relief and the place where I have always been happiest. Life is too long of a journey to deprive yourself of these pleasures. When I die there are two questions I want to ask myself... Did I live everyday being a good human, and did I have the most crazy experiences possible? In other words, I am like Cleo. I do not walk the chalk line.
ReplyDeleteI think adults forget the importance of letting loose and having fun because adult life tells them they must act grown up for their kids and the stress of building a career. While it is important to mature and work on a career, it is also important to nurture that inner child that will always be there. I honestly see more adults ruminate their stress and talk about it instead of actually letting themselves enjoy life. Seriously just take a bungee cord and jump off a cliff. All stress is relieved.
I LOVE THIS BLOG!!! This is so true! It is really important to do crazy things. I would honestly be terrified to go skydiving or bungee jumping, but things of that wild nature are fun to be a part of. I laughed so hard when you alluded to the exam passage. Cleo knew what was up.
DeleteLauren, I agree with this blog so much. Children seem happier than adults because they let themselves be free and do what they know will make them happy. Adults act in the way society demands (maturely), and don't seem to be able to do crazy fun activities. Their stress just keeps piling up with no outlet. I hope that when I am an adult I can continue to have the adventures that I am enjoying now.
DeleteLauren I completely agree with you. I am trying to live life to the fullest now while I am still able. I think some adults can still be spontaneous, but I think many of them just lose their sense of fun and excitement because they get too caught up in the seriousness of the world around them.
DeleteOh Cleo...if only the mother understood that letting the children run wild isn't such a bad thing. I completely agree though. Some of the best experiences I have ever had in my life are when my friends and I just go on random road trips to random places. People need to lighten up and realize that the rules are meant to be bent a little. Our society would be so much better if the people in charge remember that having fun in the teenage years was not such a bad thing.
DeleteI will never forget how hard it is to shape my own identity and gain independence. As a young adult, there is pressure in every part of my life to make life changing decisions about college and majors, and everyone around me seems to know what's best. My parents in particular appear to know exactly how I should live my life. There isn't one thing that I could do that they wouldn't know how to do better. They caution me, advise me, and nurture me. Their constant presence makes me wonder what choices I truly make in regards to where my life is headed. In order to find out what I really want to do with my life, it seems like I need to eliminate all these pieces of advice. However, I would be lost without them. The necessary balance between following the wisdom of others and pursuing my passions is extremely hard to achieve. I want more freedom than I have, and push the limits of my parents' patience as they try to treat me fairly. I know that they are just trying to do what's best for me, but it is hard to follow them when total freedom is within my sight. When I am on my own, I know that I will be grateful for their kindness, compassion, and comfort as I struggle through the challenges that come my way. I also know that if I have children, I will do the same thing to them as my parents have done to me. It is hard as a young adult to see that a parent's control isn't limiting, but rather a formative way to help a child mature. As an adult, this is clearer. Most adults remember the frustration they experienced with their own parents as they grew up, but know that their actions were necessary. It may seem that adults don't understand what young people are going through, but they have experienced it all before. Their experience from youth and wisdom from age combine to influence how they raise their children. They know that their children may experience the same frustrations that they did, but know that their children will understand their actions when they too become adults.
ReplyDeleteI will always remember the feeling of knowing absolutely nothing about what lies ahead. I'm scared, nervous, excited, hopeful, nervous, scared, etc. about what I will be doing in the future. But feeling all of these thoughts is kind of exciting. I like how my life is not laid out in front of me. I truly get to decide what I am going to be doing in college and beyond. But as I said, this is terrifying. What if I make the wrong decision? What if I end up being a failure? What if I end up just falling off the deep end? What if I fail in my attempts to stave off my temptations? All of these questions have terrifying answers. But they also have good answers that I can get excited about. I know that I control what I do in the future, and that will help alleviate my fears of what potentially lies ahead.
ReplyDeleteEven though I know all of this information, it never totally helps soothe my fears. I have a really bad habit of stressing out over things that don't really matter or things that have yet to happen. I feel like a lot of people do this, even though they know subconsciously that it'll be alright. Even though I know that I hold the keys to my future, it will still terrify me, even when I become an adult. I know I have to try and get over this, and I will eventually. The future still is terrifying though.
I think it's good to keep this in mind because it can help us to feel compassionate towards people feeling the same way. Although, I don't think we'll ever really get over the uncertainty of what lies ahead. But I think that's the beauty of life. If we knew what was going to happen, there'd be no point in making decisions and trying to achieve anything because we'd already know where we're going to end up. And what's the fun in that? I like to look at the future as a grand adventure. And I can't wait to begin.
DeleteYou know I think a lot of that comes from a place of fear.
DeleteOne thing I will not forget is what it is like to be at a crossroads in your life. Right now, we are at an awkward stage between childhood and adulthood. We have to make big life decisions about college jobs when we haven't had real life experiences yet to form our decisions. At this point in our life, we are all so stressed out and confused with all the obstacles life is throwing at us. We have to try to juggle so many things, and do it successfully. I know I will not forget this feeling of constantly being pulled in many different directions. We are in the state of unknown that comes before the next stages of our live begin. It's a scary and confusing time that has the potential to affect the rest of our lives.
ReplyDeleteI think that many adults believe that teenagers do not encounter any type of stress. They think that since we do not have a job or family, then we do not have any stress. Also, once they fall into their normal routine of life and have a job, they forget how strenuous it is to decide what you want to do with your life. Adults do not realize how much stress teenagers endure and therefore are not able to identify their struggles. I think that in adult life you fall into a rhythm and you forget about these teenage times and the feelings that you have.