Embrace Youth: An Insight

Liz Carson

The life of an adolescent is intense. It’s a time in our lives where so much is expected from us from so many different people. It’s hard to find a balance between work and play. Especially at this age, we are constantly being pulled in both directions. They tell us: Play sports! See your friends! Watch movies and smile a lot! Find a hobby! While at the exact same time we are being pushed to: do your homework! Get a job! Pick a college! Apply for an internship! Both lists go on and on… endlessly. Finding balance is so hard sometimes, but I’m here to say take a breath. As an exiting senior, I can unfortunately say yes, high school flies by and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. So, I say focus on the fun. Yes, you still have to get work done, but do it with a smile on your face. People schedule time for work, so why not do the same for FUN!?  Learn to make time for it, and embrace your youth.

The thing is, some old adults can be patronizing. I had the unfortunate opportunity a few days ago to be criticized by a condescending adult. She seemed to think that being a teenager meant nothing, and therefore so did I. She had the mindset that all we were capable of was having fun and not anything else worth value. She emanated the idea that with years come experience, and so without age you are nothing.  So what am I supposed to do? Wait? She had the nerve to sold me simply for the number of years I have been alive, when in reality I was probably much more mature than she was.

Perhaps she was threatened? They way I see it; youth can be a major advantage, we’re fresh, new and (usually) energized. But sometimes it can be hard to find that connection with someone much older. Unfortunately many people think this way, disregarding young folks simply based on their lack of experience, but what they fail to realize is the outstanding accomplishments that could be achieved working together. When it comes down to it, we ARE different.  It’s a new era, with not only new fads and technologies, but also with some new values. Two heads are better than one, and I think we can say the same for two generations. The youth have so much to bring to the table! Embrace it! We are powerful! To the fellow young people of the world: don’t let old people push you down! (They probably have weak knees and physically can’t anyway).