What Defines Teenage Life and the Quest for Identity?

[Moonbear]

Hmm, being a teenager, that's when you still know everything and aren't afraid to inform everyone else of that.

 

[JasonRox]

what the heck are you talking about?

why do i care about individualism? I'm talking about how they're all utter morons.

By calling them that, you are so much better.

 

[Zantra]

ahhh... to be 17 and know everything again

Get back to me in 10 years and let me know how that worked out

 

[Ba]

At 19 I have no real regrets, my last three years were a lot of fun,doing everything, but then I decided I needed to go to college. It's not nearly so fun and now I look forward to summer, hiking, rockclimbing and such. And I'll be working as well. Teenage years or not, I just have fun. I don't see anything special about now or earlier. Life is Life.

 

[matthyaouw]

matthyaouw, i was kidding about all that, but seriously, i know people who are almost (i exaggerated a little) that way. I know a lot of people who're that serious about clothes and weight. Most of my friends for starters. I still kick myself for becoming friend with them when i was all depressed freshman year. I'm not that bad, really...

Thank God, I was a little worried. I'm no good with things like that unless [sarcasm] [/sarcasm] tags are present you see :)

 

[franznietzsche]

By calling them that, you are so much better.

Right...

Ok, whatever you say.

 

[TsunamiJoe]

you were 15 and a junior?!?

anyway I'm currently a junior, and I don't claim to be an individual at all, but I'm just doing what's cool to me, I float around in all of the groups, except for the people i call NeoPreppy|people who where completely hollister(etc etc) head to toe, and don't play any sports but still think they'r tough as nails|

also I really don't see how you think all the groups in high school dress the same...I mean the preps don't dress like the goths, nor the nerds, nor the overachievers, nor the bible lunatics | though i will agree the same drama with relationships is usualy the focal point of discussion, or testoserone(sp?) displays where someone just wants to look bad so they try and scare others.

I'm not positive, but I believe to have a somewhat unique standpoint, in the fact, I don't fully belong to one group or another, and that I employ CIA techniques of gaining information, so that I don't really have friends, they're more so a web of contacts.|but enough of that, I'm simply saying that I'm not really one-sided, though I will admit that the goths, freaks, and people who pretend theyre ice hearted, are usualy the most immature of the social groups - personaly I've found more acts of decency and comradary in the regular preps and athletes

 

[Padford]

ok new plan... what defined (or is currently defining) YOUR teenaged years?

This may be posted mid-conversation, but hey...
Teenage, and loving it; though defining my life at the moment is probably college, or school, I prefer college though, adds a certain prestige to the name...but yeah, it is that; and a constant need to perform well – I’m a college that is one of the best in the country, so surrounded by geniuses! And I do physics chemistry maths and history, so it’s not easy, but it’s all good. Though I do have days when I think what’s the point, and that I’m working my ass off, to get through these damned A-levels, to get to university, to sell myself to people who shall look down their nose at me. Only to complete university, to then have the adventure cough of finding and holding down a job, by this time is twenty-something, I’m then expected to work till, what is it 65 now (thanks Tony, we love you….), to retire and die.

From a positive,

-Padford

oh, by the way, the teenage girls thing worked!

 

[ShawnD]

0-17 were horrible years for me. The more I forget them, the more mentally stable and outgoing I become.

From age 0-17 you get treated like a useless retard because everybody is used to dealing with the lowest type of person your age. Your teachers think you're an idiot, stores have policies about a maximum number of kids because they think you're going to steal things, your signature has no value at all, you're not allowed in bars, you can't rent a car, you can't apply for a credit card or loan, you can't have investments or real estate in your name, and some people will even try to dictate whether or not you can have sex. Jesus, is it any wonder kids are so emo these days?


I turned 18 at the very beginning of my first year of college, and everything changed. Suddenly people said Mr. before saying my last name; using my last name was no longer a sign of disrespect. When filling out bank or school forms, my signature actually had meaning to it. Sometimes there are credit card people from banks at the school offering students credit cards with low interest rates. I know it doens't make me special or anything, but it's still nice to know they trust me and my fellow students enough to offer us a card that let's us borrow money from an actual bank. Alcohol is no longer such a big deal because my college has a bar connected to the corridor adjacent to the corridor my locker is in, and students from my college get 5 free drinks at one of the trendy bars downtown on thursdays.
I'm currently 19, and life is just getting started. I have a feeling my 20s will be a blast.


Sorry I'm a little blunt here, but there's no such thing as individuals. The more you deal with government and companies, the quicker you learn that you're nothing more than a number; just like everybody else.

 

[The_Professional]

Sorry I'm a little blunt here, but there's no such thing as individuals. The more you deal with government and companies, the quicker you learn that you're nothing more than a number; just like everybody else.

A walking social security number

 

[futb0l]

Mwahhah, good to be only 16.

 

[TsunamiJoe]

i like my social security number :) but i see what your saying, a lot of the colleges are doing those commercials were its like, "im not a number" or "we don't treat our students as numbers" so on and so forth

 

[Moses]

Well, being a teen, the best thing so far i have as material is my social security number :D

I feel now that i "sweat" to get my money, and my parents back home tell me : You, we know you need money, give us your bank account. and me saying: Nope, my arm makes me survivin. That is POWER, witohut exaggeration

Still, being crazy and planning the big stpet for my life for the next 25 years, this teens period is exciting, the next period will be as well "I guess gettin married in 20's is amazing, if not i wonder why ppl get married " this is chains, and every ring in the chain, is ring like the others, but still called "another" not "exact" ring...

Hopefully i was not disastorus poetic bomb in the last couple of lines...

 

[Astronuc]

Hmm, being a teenager, that's when you still know everything and aren't afraid to inform everyone else of that.

Along those lines, my teenage daughter informed me Friday night, "Dad, you're a guy. You just don't get it."

To which I responded -

Well yes, I do. I know I am a guy. And yes I do get it.

 

[saltydog]

Along those lines, my teenage daughter informed me Friday night, "Dad, you're a guy. You just don't get it."

To which I responded -

Well yes, I do. I know I am a guy. And yes I do get it.

Good for you Astronuc. You can agree with me I hope that a daughter is the most precious thing a man can ever have in this world. Mine is very much a diamond in my eyes. My son . . . well, he ain't no jewel that's for sure but he's ok with that.

"the child is father to the man" (woman, girl, same dif)

 

[Moonbear]

Along those lines, my teenage daughter informed me Friday night, "Dad, you're a guy. You just don't get it."

To which I responded -

Well yes, I do. I know I am a guy. And yes I do get it.

Did that get you a long, drawn out, "Daaaa-aaaaad!" as a response?

 

[Loren Booda]

Looking at this thread title reminded me of the ambiguous spam term ("teenage girls") that titillates adult men (un)consciously into sexualizing underage females. Girls must be reminded that they have the responsibility to practice, into majority, a sexuality of mutual respect with their adult male counterparts. Adult males also need to practice propriety when looking at, communicating with and controlling their urges concerning minor females. For instance, who hasn't seen a gang of guys gawking, and heard their lewd comments, toward an attractive "teenage" girl?

Sex education needs to remind such social aspects which can lead to potentially deadly STD's, pregnancy, personality disorders, personal degradation and even suicide. Education must starts before physical maturation, and family must protect beyond teenage. "Teenage," as concerns developing sexual responsibility, nowadays extends into the mid-twenties.