Many teens are faced with many pressures throughout the years. Most people that don't personally roam the halls of a high school or junior high school for most of the year don't realize this. I have realized over the years, before and now, that teenagers can put on a show. Since I am currently a teen myself, I know that teenagers normally don't tell their parents or friends when something's wrong due to the fact that they may feel awkward after talking about it. Some are also even scared that they will get picked on for confessing their problems to someone that can help them. This is just an informative passage to let you know, what pressures teenagers face in today's schools.
Many teens today are faced with the pressure to fit in. ALL teens want to be accepted, but most don't want to necessarily be accepted for who they are. Today, fitting in may mean the hottest new jeans or the coolest new cellphone. It may mean hanging out with certain people, or even turning to the use of tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs. I've also noticed that many underclassmen turn to upperclassmen for popularity. Some of these "older friends" are good to be around, while others just want you to follow them around like a little puppy.
I have also seen many teens faced with the pressure to be perfect. Some teens have extremely high expectations of appearance, not limited to themselves either. If teens don't see their selves as "pretty" or "cute" they will sometimes go to drastic measures. I have seen several teens suffer with eating disorders or use drugs to lose weight. Another common thing used by teens is steroids, which are mostly used to strengthen the body image.
Another one of the main pressures of teens today is the pressure to be sexually active. I believe that this all started when high schoolers started to look like adults. I certainly know a few 15 year olds that could pass for 21, and that's not always a good thing. TV and movies basically decide how teenagers look, but the most important influence comes from the opposite sex. Several teenagers feel the need to be "sexy" and having sex at a younger age that in the past. Both boys and girls have reported feeling these pressures, and both boys and girls find it hard to say no to the opportunity of having sex because their friends might think they weren't "as cool" or "fun" anymore.
The pressure I can most relate to is the pressure to pick on others. All of us know that bullies have always been around, but these days bullying is at a troubling level to everyone. I've noticed that more often it involves aggressive teenage girls. Several girls say that putting others down makes them feel more included in a group, even though most know it is wrong and that it is hurting the other person. Cyber bullying is a new form of bullying, and as it gets more infamous each day, more teens feel pressured to take part in it.
The last pressure I am going to mention for now is the pressure to be successful. I have seen many teens face huge stress around school, athletics, and other areas. I read earlier that competition for college is now tighter than EVER and many teens are pressured to do everything right early in order to get into a good school later on in life. Many parents also push their teens to their limits without even realizing it. In some cases, teens have used drugs and alcohol as an "easy escape" from their stressful lives.
Hope you enjoyed the post. If you would like to read more on the topic of teen pressures, visit http://www.theantidrug.com/advice/teens-today/navigating-the-teen-years/pressures-on-teens.aspx . Some of my information was derived from the site as well. Thanks for reading.! Don't forget to subscribe!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
10 Guilty Pleasures I Can't Live Without
There are always things that people have a hard time living without. It may be something little, or maybe even something rather large. But no matter what it may be, it has come to your mind when "Guilty Pleasures" were mentioned. Posted below is a list of MY top 10 guilty pleasures.
Yeah, That's it. Clothes. Lately I have gathered a small obsession with my clothes. I love brightly colored things, and I also enjoy mixing them together and making things match that normally wouldn't go together. Sometimes I just enjoy trying on my clothes, just to see what will work together for the next time I have a night out on the town with a nice fella or just a night out with friends.
9. Books
I read just about anything when given the chance. Sometimes I find myself reading strange articles in magazines that I have zero interest in or even just reading the back of old boring books in the library. I don't find GREAT interest in a lot of books. Some I just read for fun. But there are a few authors that never fail to grab my attention. James Patterson is my alltime favorite. He writes the most interesting books, that always keep me thinking , "What's going to happen next?" I have also come to find recently that Tim Tebow's autobiography is great as well. I'm currently reading that.
8. Writing
I enjoy writing more than just about anything in the world. Whenever something comes to my head or I have some troubles on my mind, I write about it in whatever is around me. I have several notebooks full of just my freelance writing, and they're nowhere near in order due to the fact that I write in whichever one is closest at the time!
7. Xbox 360
I am undoubtedly a "gamer chick" as my friends would say. There is a small circle of friends that I have that all play Xbox together. We all go to school together, and just have a fun time when we play video games online. Currently my favorite is Modern Warfare 3, but I'm patiently waiting on Black Ops 2 to come out. I have a feeling its going to be great. I already have it pre-ordered at my nearest Game Stop! I recommend you do so as well, if you're the owner of an Xbox 360 and enjoyed the first black ops and modern warfare games. If you would like to play online with me, you may email me and I will give you my gamertag! I love making new friends!
6. Facebook
Most people of today have a Facebook. A lot of those people are also addicted to it. I wouldn't say I have an addiction, but I do find myself checking it on my phone quite often. I mainly get on to post pictures, or add a new status.
5. My Hair
I love my hair. It's just a fact of life, that I will. I have extremely thick hair with slight curls. It's dark brown, and I plan on growing it out to donate. It goes a little past the shoulder blades now, but I'm going to donate when it touches the belt. I love finding new ways to fix it, specifically with braids, but I enjoy anything really. I've gotten better at copying hairstyles! Yayyyy! Haha!
4. Photography
Ever since my aunt pursued a career in photography, I've found a strange admiration for it. I take pictures of anything that looks interesting, people (that I know of course), or something that I think I can digitally transform into something better. It's one of my biggest hobbies, and I recently placed 3rd in the Junior Beta Club of Georgia's photography contest of over 100 entries. I won't be able to make it to the national convention to press my luck there, due to softball tournaments, but I still think it's a big deal to even be given the opportunity.
3. Cell Phone
I am a teenager. I have a cellphone. Like most teenagers, I am addicted to my cellphone. It goes everywhere with me, and I can't stand not having it. Not having my cellphone is worthy of a breakdown! Lol2. Music
I am in love with my music. I enjoy a wide variety of genres ranging from country to rap to rock. You will rarely find me without ear buds in my ears, or my laptop blasting my favorite songs!
1. Twitter
My number one guilty pleasure is Twitter. Easily. There isn't an hour that I'm not busy or sleeping that I'm not on twitter. I used to think it was a stupid, boring website and Facebook was where it's at. But my mind has been changed as of late. Twitter is my favorite social networking site now, by far. And I don't plan on changing my mind anytime soon. It helps me feel as if I have a sense of freedom, and the people on twitter listen better as well! Follow me on twitter and instagram if you'd like @TheMorganPage98
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