The ability to party is right given to teens all over the world. It is almost a rite of passage for teenagers to be able to enjoy oneself, let loose, drink and mingle at a house party. The teen years is a time for people to enjoy themselves and mess around before they are thrown into the serious world of adulthood, but what happens when one’s ability to do so is broadcasted globally for everyone to see? This is exactly what has been happening to President Barack Obama’s daughter, Malia Obama, as she experienced her first college parties ever. The personal life of Malia has been broadcasted all over news outlets as people strongly criticize her actions, proclaiming it to be some sort of catastrophe. It appears that somehow people are forgetting that while Malia is the President’s daughter, she is just a teenager doing what teenagers do best: going out and having fun (whether that be with alcohol, drugs, etc.).

The first fit of outrage came when Malia was pictured smoking what appeared to be marijuana at Lollapalooza, a music festival, in August. An 18 year old smoking marijuana at a concert?! How bizarre, I know! Not really though. Hundreds of thousands of teenagers experiment with marijuana in high school and college so why then when Malia Obama does it is she ostracized? People need to understand that she is the President’s daughter, not the President. Her actions aren’t a reflection on the country, by Malia smoking and drinking it isn’t like the country is going to spontaneously combust. She is just attempting to be like every other normal teen in America. People take pictures and videos of themselves smoking, drinking, and partying all the time and it isn’t a big deal. Just because her father is an important person doesn’t mean she should be deprived the ability to party with friends and have a normal teenage life.

The next controversy came when Malia wore a “smoking kills” t-shirt to the Made in America concert in Philadelphia in early September and was later that day pictured in a room with fellow teenagers and a bong across from her. Personally, I thought it was bad ass of Malia to ironically wear the “smoking kill” t-shirt presumably as a way of hitting back at those who were outraged by her actions at Lollapalooza. In the picture Malia personally was not smoking the bong at the time. As a college student myself I know that 10 out of 10 parties you go to will have weed, and whether you smoke or not, I know that no one is going to leave the party at which they are having fun at because of it, just like I’m sure Malia, a teenage girl, wouldn’t want to do either.

Finally, the most recent (and most ridiculous) condemnation of Malia in the media came when she was pictured playing beer pong. C’mon America, criticizing her for playing beer pong? Most American families play beer pong at family parties and BBQ’s and you’re making a big deal over a teenage girl, who is about to enter college, playing it with a group of friends? The whole thing is utterly ridiculous. As a teenager myself I can’t even imagine the frustration I would have of people constantly analyzing my actions an broadcasting it for everyone to see, and I’m sure many of these reporters wouldn’t have liked it when they were 18 either. So then why make a big deal over something that really isn’t? There are people dying all over the world, people are getting raped or killed and yet the big news story is that the President’s daughter smoked a little pot and had a beer?

People need to leave Malia alone. She was deprived eight years of normalcy while her father has been in office, so just let her enjoy being a normal teenager for once in her life. Drunken times, great parties, and crazy experiences from our teen years are what we hold onto as we age into adulthood, so why should Malia be deprived of those memories just because of who her father is?