Teenagers feel like they are sometimes set up for failure it seems. Females especially are very dramatic as it is, now add school, extra-curricular activities, and a job. Then add balancing all of those with friends and family. Seems almost impossible doesn’t it? I find it difficult to juggle these five particular aspects of life as a teenager, and the question is; do we gain anything from it? Putting into account the stress levels we receive in this chapter of our lives. Coming from an eighteen year old that’s struggling to graduate in grade thirteen, here is my point of view.

In school we have to keep up with deadlines, attend the “go-to” parties, try to find a partner and overall learn the responsibilities of an adolescent while we’re doing these tasks.  If you think that sounds difficult, you have to earn money to participate in these desires. Therefore, you my friend need to get a job. In today’s society, teenagers choose only one of the two; employment or extra-curricular. This is very reasonable and appropriate because they both have their pros and cons. Sports help you stay physically healthy and may put you somewhere far in the future. However, it’s up to the individual to decide, do I love this enough to keep trying or give up and apply to an established business? This is one of the big questions teens have to bring upon themselves to start the process of responsibility and initiative.

When we become teenagers, we have to start thinking about what we want to do with the rest of our lives. There are pressures from our family, guidance counselors and anyone else who cares about us.  Our loved ones, who are closest with us, are the ones who add the stress. I think stress levels in teenagers in the past were not as high as today’s. I think education has gotten more complex, just like the whole world has become more complex. Taking into the fact of technology and how expectations have been set high generation by generation. Adults think they understand us teens, but I don’t think they really do. Times have changed since they have been our age and it’s time for them to start realizing this difference. However, adolescences need to start showing more respect to their elders. It’s a two way street.

I think I’ve come to a place in my life where I can answer this major question; do we gain anything from all of this? Yes, because not only does it matter that we accomplish all of these tasks in life, we are constantly learning on the way. No matter how full your plate may seem, it could make your life ten times better in the end. If I had never had done dance, a job and school, I would feel as if there was so much for me to learn in these sections of my life that I didn’t. It includes responsibility, communication, inter-personal and so many more skills. I highly recommend that teenagers focus on whatever they can in these years because you take so much more than you think from everything. As long as you’re willing to put yourself out there and discover what life has to offer.