Many parents assume that their teens are focused on partying, social status and appearance. It is quite hard for some adults to grasp the concept that teenagers, while younger and more naive, have fears and worries just as adults do. I asked a few younger students in their junior year of high school some questions that I hope will help our elders realize that the complexity of the teenage mind is nothing short of extraordinary.
1. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
“10 years from now, I hope I'm not married, living in the city, with a job in fashion. I want a good job to make money doing what I love.”
1B. Where do you think you're actually going to end up?
“I don't think I'm going to end up doing what I want career wise. What I want to do is not lucrative at all… Which sucks. So maybe I’ll be working in the stock market? I don't know, that’s like my backup plan.”
2. What’s your proudest accomplishment?
"I don't have a proudest accomplishment yet. I don't know, I basically haven't done anything yet. I think that if my all-time greatest achievement is in high school then I’ve lived a sad, sad life. It’s very cynical, but very true.
2B. What do you hope your greatest accomplishment will be?
“I want to, I guess, I want someone to tell me that I impacted them for the better. I want to change society but that's impossible to do, so if I can maybe just change one person’s life... I guess that would make me happy.”
3. What is one thing you're super scared of?
“I’m scared of my parents dying. I always ask my mom “Is this appropriate?" or "What should I do?" or something. I depend on her. I know that’s super morbid, to think of your parents dead, but it's a real concern. I always look to her to tell me right from wrong, or yes or no. It’ll be scary not having that, I don't really know.”
3B. What’s something that used to scare you that doesn't anymore?
“I don’t know…My biggest fears were all of the firsts. Kiss, drinking, spontaneity... It wasn't really all that scary when it came down to it. I learned to kind of just live and let it happen.”
4. What is something you never thought would happen, that did?
“I never thought that I would be so genuinely happy with my life, that I would never want it to change. I’m actually scared of the future because I just don't want anything to change. It’s not like my life was bad before, but it’s so good now that I don't want any alterations at all.”
4B. What do you want to say to your future self?
"Remember how great it was being a kid, and i guess I would tell her to be proud that I made it. No matter where I wind up, I think I'll be proud to just have been happy on the way there, and I don't want to let myself forget that."
