‘The teenage years are the best years of one’s life.’ Would you agree with this view?

Most adolescents going through their teenage years now will most probably shake their heads when anyone makes a comment that teenage years are the best years of one’s life. An adolescent in this case would be referring to young people at their formative age of 13-19. During these years, special attention needs to be paid to them as this is the crucial period of molding their characters and personalities. Used in the current context of being a teenager, I do believe that this current generation of teenagers are leading the best years of their lives. As no one can turn the clock back, we can only live through this once. However, different people face different kinds of troubles in their lives, I feel that this statement may be subjective to different people.

Teenagers tend to live in their own narrow world and think that no one on this earth has more problems than them. Especially towards adults whom they feel show no understanding of what they are going through. Adults on the other hand think that teenagers are not making full use of their carefree life instead choose to think that they are the most pitiful souls of this world. The recent article on emo teens, short for emotional teenagers has spurred many differentiating views on whether it is considered normal or alright for a teenager to behave in that manner. Some feel that it is a passing stage in life that teenagers will eventually grow out of it. To others, they feel that it is an act of stupidity to slash one’s own wrist, to inflict pain on oneself.

The education system in Singapore has gone through a dramatic change; in the past where knowledge is power, no longer applies to the current situation where students have to explore both application and practical skills. With the paramount stress level of having to be academically competitive to remain in the rat race, young people face the constant pressure of having to maintain their top form. The society we now live in has little tolerance for failures. How can teenage life be one of the best years if there is not even time to take a breather from studies? There are no memories that stand out other than those of having to spend days burning mid-night oil just to study for that major exam.

Another reason why teenage years are not the best years of one’s life is because teenagers have to go through some debilitating emotional adjustments as they learn to survive in the world. They are to cope with rejections as they get into relationships as well as understand the changes pertaining to their bodies. When this happens, parents who are supposedly more experience should technically be able to guide these lost teens. Sadly, parents having gone through this stage of life feel little need to cajole or mollycoddle them. This ultimately causes young people to feel alone and frustrated in their troubles.

Just before we start to think that teenagers lead such miserable lives, we should try to look at the brighter side of things. Half-full or half-empty? You decide. Granted, the education system has pushed teenagers to their limits, always trying to bring out the best in everyone, however, why not look at the positive aspects of this brand new education system? The education system now focuses on building a person’s character as a whole. Not focusing on the type of subjects you are inclined to, there is a need for contrasting subjects to broaden perspectives. Just to name a few, civics lessons, co-curricular activities as well as PE lessons are implemented to add more colour to our mundane lifestyle as a student. Teenage years should be considered the most memorable time of our lives, this is where we build bonds, where we have no burdens to carry.

Adults face a different kind of pressure that teenagers may not understand. This kind of pressure may be from a different area e.g. working life, but the stressed experience is certainly not less. Adults work, fore bearing the knowledge that they have an existing family to support, their responsibilities are enlarged to everyone who depends on them. If a student fails in an examination, he can opt to retake it. Once an adult fails, he will directly affect many people around him. An adult will also have to face the ugly world of backbiting and cunning dealings and will always be caught in office politics and selfish attitudes. These are often out of one’s control.

Whether or not teenage years are the best time of one’s life is subjective. A person may live in a sheltered environment while growing up and become unaccustomed to the real world, yet another person may have been long accustomed to the real world already having been exposed to it at a young age. In my opinion, teenagers of my generation are leading the best times of their lives having no burden to carry and having the freedom to live in a world free of ugly politics and having the time to build genuine relationships with their friends. For those who think that teenage years are torturous, have yet to wake up to the real world that we will have to face eventually. Therefore, I urge those who are not currently enjoying their teenage lives to live their life as a happy teen.