Teenage

'Which life shall I follow, which path should I take?

Should I go left and right, and make the same mistakes, like I've done in the past

Or should I move far away and start again?'

This is an extract from the poem 'What should I do' by Meghan Magallanez. It appropriately describes the dilemma faced by all individuals in teenage.

"You're 13!" says the mother to her growing child on his birthday. The child innocently asks, "Why is that important?". The mother replies with such a sweetness, that it unnerves the child, "You're now a teenager!" The initial moments of acute joy are experienced by the child after this reply. But at night, he is unable to acknowledge himself. He has grisly nightmares--What is he now? What has he become? Has he lost his innocence that very day? What awaits? 

Teenage is a very commonly used term, which is used even by a layman to convey the age of a person, who looks somewhat broad in his shoulders but still lacks that adultness that comes along as a free package for those who turn eighteen. This is a very misconstrued terminology, which is perceived as an interval in which most individuals lack discipline and have severe emotional and psychological issues.

The most accurate definition of teenage would be a phase of emotional, physical as well as psychological development and of self awareness during which an individual starts perceiving and responding to distractions, starts distancing himself from his family (in case he is not able to find a true confidant for sharing and conveying his feelings), and concoction of an emotional inclination towards people of the opposite gender.

Teenage is the time when an individual starts doubting himself and becomes assertive about his presence, and his purpose in life. Teenage is also the time when an entity comes to terms with himself and the world and tries to look for and fabricate his own identity.

One may have experienced a lot of happy incidences in his childhood, but one also may have suffered equally dejected moments in adulthood. Teenage ends just before adulthood sets in and is a unique duration during which one experiences an alteration into something totally different than what he used to be. An amalgam of feelings and emotions can be easily observed in this particular interval of time, which lasts for a few years.

It is this period during which the teenagers make the toughest choices-regarding their career, future jobs, academic and co-scholastic excellence, et cetera. This is the time when they are coerced to study for their scholastic examinations, but also wish to talk to or visit their nearby friends. It is during this period when the members are most active on social media and are on the road to achieving mental as well as physical maturity.

Being a part of this unique phase of transition myself and on the basis of some research, I have attempted to express what an average teen would covet, in this very blog.

A teen faces a lot of struggle. Most of the adults in today's' times don't realize that their teen children's lives have become much more stressful than theirs, causing them to feel anxious most of the time. The teen has to, also, fight for who he is. His major opponents include his own parents and the society in which he is residing in.

His parents want him to be a clone and a replica of their expectations and aspirations. They want him to be someone who they themselves couldn't be. Thus, the nonstop pressure from parents. The society is also treacherous to his individual identity. The innovative and inspired youth is eager to express ideas beneficial for the whole society, and even the world, but these novel ideas are only transient in the mouths and minds of the youth because the conservative and dogmatic society doesn't welcome such thoughts. The society just welcomes the teenager as a leader, or a loser, who is an insignificant

Finding a job for a teenager later in his life is largely responsible for his future security, as well as stability. But these jobs only get the teenager a shackle on behalf of his parents-who feed him, and the society-which provides him with the job.

Their lives become potential ransoms to the vagaries of society and family.

To break these shackles, he has to fight his opponents. But he ends up harming himself, by injuring his roots, i.e. his family. The society welcomes him as a leader and otherwise, destroys him.

The teen is thus coerced to be another brick in the wall, and not a free river, which can cut its own path and is independent of others' support and assistance. This is where he loses his freedom.

The teen hence faces a dilemma-to be another coal, to be burnt with others, or a diamond, which will shine bright and make a distinctive identity.

Teenage is the time when the individual develops either, a tenacity to stand up to others, or, a fear which makes him back down and fail at the most significant moments of life.

Adding to this problem is the issue of vast amounts of peer pressure, which has a variety of sources.
The most common cause for teens to fall into depression, or other malicious shticks is peer pressure. This term is composed of only two words, but it encompasses a variety of mental pressures faced by individuals, particularly and exclusively teens. Teens are strained on their ability to memorize and implement in examinations, what they have been obliged to learn in bulky textbooks and prepare a hefty sum of notes. They tend to feel that they are being bossed around, and the average teens get easily offended by this. What follows in the next couple moments, is haranguing and disturbed family relations. These commotions are very common in a house of a teen son or daughter, who is being constantly told off and is also accused of being at his or her phone for a long time.

The gravest consequences of peer pressure are, however, incidences of suicide and depression. Both have adverse effects on the family as well as the individual. Statistics show that about 800,000 people commit suicide globally, annually. Teens commit this heinous deed in thousands, leaving behind miserable parents and devastated families. I can attempt to imagine the psyche of the mind at the time the teen starts developing such thoughts, but my question to those teens is what they accomplish by doing such deeds. Certainly not happiness and satisfaction, but instead, they give tribulation and affliction to the families they belonged to.

Now, talking about depression---it is a psychological disorder relating to the mind, and the best thing about it is that it can be treated and overcome. This can only be brought about by the participation of the individual, his or her parents, or a trusted counselor, who will be able to guide him or her through the tenebrific path of this disease. The treatment is more effective if it is done through participation and not capsules and tablets, which may have unwanted side effects.

It is unfortunate that many teens, who are casualties to this disease, have working parents, who don't have time for listening to their children, let alone understand them. Depression hence grows more pronounced and has deeper setbacks for these. The inability of lucid conversation between the teens' parents and the teens adds to this malady.

I feel that I may have deviated, but these are some important tips a teen should keep in mind. However, returning back to the topic...

So, where was I..Ah, yes, I was talking about teenage, right? Now to get to the touchy and sensitive part. I didn't elaborate on the inclination to the opposite gender bit. I will try to provide you with the best knowledge I have on this piece.

As we grow, our hormones start coming into play. These are responsible for mature human growth and also the senses of friendship and partnership in later life. They kick around at about late childhood, and their early signs are a spurt in height, broadening and strengthening of muscles and appearance of facial hair. But these are just the extrinsic discernible changes. What really is changing is on the inside. The heart and the brain become wired for something totally different. New emotions, a new sense of temper and want of freedom, and the novel perception of camaraderie and relationship flow in as a package from puberty, which comes along in teenage years.

As a result of these hormonal activities, teens feel a newborn sense of affiliation with people of the antipodal gender. It's not as if I'm choosing my words carefully here, I'm just typing whatever comes to my mind relating to this topic. Teens wish to spend time with other teens and they don't want any parental intercessions to disturb their time. However, teens don't realize that parents have more experience in this field than they have and can give worthy and priceless advice. However, neither parents nor their teen children find any interest in talking to one another regarding this delicate topic and prefer to keep it untouched. This is, however, not the panacea for an appropriate teen knowledge. Parents must know what to talk about and should pick up such topics voluntarily, even if their juvenile children do not, to talk about. This can impact the life of the teens significantly.

Another issue concomitant with teenage life is drug abuse and alcoholism. But, this very topic has been covered in my previous blog so I will not mention it any further.

Moving on, further problems associated with the academic life of the teenagers, such as myself, is the issue of sleep deprivation. A professor of psychiatry at the Stanford University claims that sending kids to school at 7 in the morning is equivalent to adults waking up at 4 for office. The problem of sleep deprivation leads to lapses in concentration, headaches, migraines, and can even lead to problems such as hallucinations and anxiety. This problem can, however, be resolved. Sleeping early is very hard in nowadays' times so the best cure can be--no, it's not medication--eating less at night, engaging in vigorous physical activities for at least an hour during daytime, reducing screen time and meditation.

Feeling that I have covered all major issues dealing with teenage life, I am now arriving at the conclusion:
Teenage life is something that is unique to experience, but it is all about how you make it or break it. It is your teenage life which counts in your future resumes and it is this interval which will decide your carrier.


Make sure to promulgate this blog, so that all teens around the world are aware of what they're facing (most aren't) and all the to-be teens are aware of what they are yet to face.

For my other blog on 'Drug Abuse and Alcoholism', visit https://blogsofsyed.blogspot.com/

Thank you for visiting this blog.

Stay tuned for more blogs in the future!


-Syed Basit Naqvi