Page 64 - KCMAGAZINE 20230717

Youthful Years Becoming:
Through the Lens
of a Teen
Teenagers. Us against rejections, us against expectations.
I impatiently craved to be a teenager as a child. I had the vision that my teenage years
would be incredibly exciting filled with enjoyable moments. I yearned to grow up and
become a teenager just so I could hang out with friends for hours on end and go on
frequent adventures. However, now as a teenager, reality sank in. Teenage life is not as
colourful as depicted in Hollywood films. Even if this life does exist, the majority of
teenagers would not even have a slice of the luxury of living it, especially not in less
abundant societies where food is scarce and people live below the poverty line, causing
them to receive a very low level of education.
Teenagehood is one of the most important stages in life for a person. The definition of a
teenager has also been interpreted differently throughout history: The ancient Spartans
considered them as child warriors, in the Middle Ages adolescence were expected
to work in the fields from an early age or train to become soldiers for their country,
and today, labelled as Generation Z, the youth are more safeguarded and remain in an
education surrounding for the first 18 to 24 years of their life. It is also an unsurprising
fact that the opinions and characterisations of teenagehood vary between different age
groups, ethnicities and religions. Socioeconomic background also plays a key factor in
defining the outcome of teenagehood. A recent global study in 2016 by the World Health
Organization concluded that teenagers in affluent countries were more inclined to be
content and happy with life.
Saying that teenagehood is a simple stage in life leaving no impact whatsoever in the
future of a person is an understatement and nothing short of misconception. This is
far from the truth. Teenagehood is a phase filled with volatility and turbulence that
cannot be ignored. During this difficult time, teenagers start to develop not only in their
eventual physical appearance, but also in their mental maturity. They are often labelled
as emotional, distant, rebellious and full of surprises. They usually struggle with charting
their own territory, seeking their own identity, whilst serving their designated roles and
responsibilities. Striving to achieve these goals is certainly not easy, only the lucky few
can sprint effortlessly, with the majority trekking with trepidation. Because of this, they
are often misunderstood as being lazy and undisciplined children needing tough love
and sometimes harsh punishments, when all they need is a guide, a gentle push and
nudge into the right direction.
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Dealing with teenagers is necessary despite its daunting nature. Many adults tend to
turn a blind eye to the emotions of teenagers, they consider them to be immature and do
not give them the correct advice and directions due to misunderstandings and ignorance.
Some believe that adults would resonate and understand the teenagers as they were once
adolescence. This is only partly true. Despite having experienced what it was like to
be teenagers, the different experiences coming from different generations would have
contributed to the misunderstandings, or sometimes lack of understanding of what it is
like to be a teenager today. The problems they faced before might differ from those of
the current era. The heavy usage and pressure of social media is a classical example.
A contemporary major societal predicament, it was hardly in existence then. Such
unfortunate misunderstanding and negligence is potentially the foundation and beginning
of the juvenile downfall. Instead of the traditional or conventional upbringing, all loving
adults require understanding of their youngster with some patience. Let it be known to
them that they do not have to walk their journey alone. Be a partner.
Sadly, teenage exploitation by the supposedly guardian angels was rampant and still
occurs these days. In the old era, whether it was of peasant or princely background,
the young ones were often taken advantage of. Sometimes it was an anguished call for
survival, yet some other times, it was a mere attempt to gain power. Examples aplenty,
and these included child labourer and underage marriage. The mistreatment was even of
national level when sovereignty was under threat whereby boys would be sent to war,
defending their home with ‘honour’. ‘Hard times create strong men’ is a quote by G.
Michael Hopf. Difficult upbringing seemingly makes one grow up fast to be mature. But
what about the scars, be it visible or invisible, that still hurt years later. Worse still, the
mistakes and misdirections that pass on to the next generation. Thankfully, civilisation
had progressed and such unforgivable misfortunes had been rather diligently addressed.
“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the
future,” quoting Franklin Dr. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States. An
ambitious youth with an unyielding resolve and indomitable spirit, he was destined for
greatness. His words, precise and profound, were intended to kindle the flame within the
youth of his time, fostering fervent aspirations to propel them towards greatness.
Teenagehood is a brief yet impactful moment in life. It is the stage in life where boys
and girls transform into the men and women, who are the backbone of our society, and
the pillar of their nation. With the proper attention and nurturing, a teen would steadily
and surely march into formidable and fortified adulthood.
Written by Goh Jian Mayne
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