Adolescence is often considered a time of confusion, rebellion, and problems. While this can occur, many people emerge from adolescence without any problems or difficulties and successfully navigate the changes that accompany adolescence. To be very honest, I myself have been through similar situations where I have been emotionally unstable, always rebelling to the situations, curious about many things and the list goes on. However, as the time goes by we figure out things and get a clearer perspective about what adolescence truly is and find out ways to handle it meticulously. Nevertheless, what is of utmost significance or for some people challenging, is the process which takes place. Now, this process compiles of numerous changes : physical, emotional, social, etc. which can lead to tumultuous emotions which can lead to anxiety and stress. We, as humans, are designed to be always curious, especially teens who are new to the outside world.
Similarly, even I was inquisitive about everything happening around me. I grew up in a Hindu Marathi family where asking questions like “From where do babies come?” were complicated to answer. Nonetheless, without any doubt, I started my research about the ‘appearance of babies’ and was startled to see the answers to my questions because I had been taught or I will say ‘made to think’ that when a man marries a woman, God blesses the woman with a baby on the day of marriage. Also, after literally grasping the answers to my question I was disgusted because again, I was made to think that ‘all of that’ is bad ! I feel this is where for the very first time, I knew what ‘love making’ is ! This was in a way the beginning of my Adolescence as after that, I started noticing all the possible physical changes in my body. Honestly, I was sickened by the hair coming off my body, but my dad told me that this is what defines a man.. I was like “ What? Hair?!” which I obviously said in my mind and smiled at him as if I agreed. It hadn’t been even a day when my facial hair was visible, but how could people in school not make fun of it? Also, I guess I was the only one who had facial hair in my entire class. Although my facial hair were barely visible, folks couldn’t afford to lose a chance to tease me. This was the time from when I began to know what being humiliated feels like. Some people might feel that this is completely normal. Oh hey! It is completely normal but when someone starts making fun of your facial features, let me tell you that IT IS NOT OKAY! I am blessed with bushy eyebrows, which according to my mom means that I’m a happy and assertive person, but instead of feeling happy and assertive about it, I felt extremely sad and insecure. Thanks to the people who made me think that having bushy eyebrows make you ugly and unattractive. Without any second thought, I took the trimmer and made my eyebrows as thin as possible thinking that at least this will make me look captivating, however, I knew I looked funny. Confident that now I have thin eyebrows, I went to school only to see more people laughing and giving their most valuable opinions. I couldn’t understand what to do! However, I ignored all of this and let the eyebrows grow.
Teenagers are often insecure about themselves not because of what they think, but because of the thinking of the society about them. This is taught to us from the very start by our elders when they say ‘What will people say?’ but are we ever taught to think about ourselves?
Friends play a very significant role in the days of Adolescence. In fact, this is where the social as well as the emotional ride of teenagers commence. We try to apprehend how we feel, we get to know various opinions of others, we perceive and feel many emotions. We socialize, hangout with friends, laugh, cry and live the moments. With all of this, comes the Peer Pressure. During childhood, our parents used to choose our friends but as we grow, we become friends with people whom we like and share interests with. During this time, we develop very close friendships with someone which even feels like family. At this point of time, peer pressure comes to play. Just to fit in the group or in the fear of your friends abandoning you, we try to change our personality and become who we are actually not. To be very honest, I never faced such kind of peer pressure fortunately. However, for some people Peer Pressure affects them to such an extent that it leads them to Depression. Just because you are handsome, you smoke, you have girlfriends or you aren’t virgin, you don’t become cool.
I’ve been reminded over and over again that IT IS OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY which I completely agree with as even though I have many friends I’ve felt like I have no one to talk to, no one to hear me, to laugh with, to cry with, to share secrets with, to fight with…I felt like I just had no one which made me feel LONELY. I know, it’s not just me, for sure there will be plenty of people feeling this way and it's okay to feel this because at the end of the day we are HUMANS. I’ve had the best and the worst experiences with these relationships/friendships where I felt emotionally vulnerable, and instead of giving it back I continued to be kind and let people take me for granted.
Adolescence taught me a lot, so much that now I can call myself responsible, mature and pretty understanding. Adolescence gives everyone the most important life lessons. It teaches you to identify people, deal with problems, take up responsibilities and most importantly shapes you to become a better human being and a boon for the world. So take a moment and think – How did Adolescence enlighten you ?
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