Darlin’ It Comes With Age

“I was at the mall yesterday and I saw these girls. They couldn't have been older than 10. All of them were wearing make-up, tight fitting clothes, and shoes that had a bit of a heel on them. They seriously looked like mini 16 year olds. “

There is an unwritten statute. Nothing is unheard of. If you are not 10, you are a little kid. Double digits are where it’s at. 13 is the feel good age, because you’re now a member of the “Someteen” group. (Insert your number where you choose and smile) you’re a teen! Why is it so important to grow older when you’re young? How come the little 3 year old has a baby in her mini stroller acting like Mommy? Human nature causes us to feel like we need to be noticed and appreciated. Studies done at a local university mentioned that teens are usually the ones to act older than their age. Studies also show that this can especially be triggered by teens that are sexually active. The teenage years are the only age bracket in which people feel consistently older than they actually are. More specifically there are 3 major “it” ages. This article will pick each age apart and identify the different luxuries and responsibilities that come with each lovely year. To me, these ages reflect the legal limitations that become lifted once you reach 16, 18 and 19.

For other’s it simply means you are not the same age you were yesterday. I am currently 17 and the anxiousness of being able to say that I was 16 leading up to my birthday was almost unbearable. (For countless reasons unknown to me) However one aspect of being 16 that really got me excited apart from getting my license, was just the straightforward fact that I would now be able to say “Yea, I’m 16”. I am in most cases “old enough” to do a lot of things without much disagreement from parents. After talking to other young people a lot of them had different ideas about becoming 16.

“16 means if I get pregnant, my parents will never know, 16 is when the doctors no longer have to inform your parents…”

Young people make mistakes and get wedged into sticky situations, being 16 most of the time makes you accountable for your own actions. You’re not wearing a seatbelt? You will be charged not your driver. Another girl mentioned “16 was such a weird age, it meant you had more responsibilities and you were expected to know right from wrong” One aspect of growing that people mention a lot is that you are “expected to know” it is hard to expect everyone to know how to behave at 16,especially if you don’t have a steady example to look up to at home. Many 16 year olds are unaware and that, in most cases leads to trouble. The age sixteen has been used and abused, it is defined by media as being the age where you are finally able to do your own thing. From a female perspective every little girl grows more and more excited everyday to become 16. It’s the age of the cool actors on TV. It’s the age of your favorite singer. For females especially, the media attaches themselves to youth because teen girls develop quicker than teen boys. On the road to that special age there is pressure all around you.

Media such as Mtv creates an image of the big sweet sixteen parties with all your friends (who aren’t really your friends but are there to fill space at your overpriced venue) and lavish presents. It also makes sixteen seem like the perfect time to be acceptably becoming sexually active. Although 16 Is the legal age for sex in Canada, a large percentage of youth in this age bracket are not mentally developed and still require some sort of knowledge when it comes to the world and what is out there. The plain fact of a 16 year old receiving a brand new Land Rover and a banging birthday bash with jealous friends and popularity so highly one of the top priorities, feeds into the fact that they are not ready to become 16. Maybe sixteen means to grow up mentally and prepare for the serious decisions you will begin to make in your every day life such as work, school decisions, sex, drugs, relationships and family.

“18 means you can get a credit card which will only set us young and unwise ones up for failure.”

One of the major financial faults that can occur in your lifetime is introduced to you in Post Secondary education. Credit card companies prey on young College and University students when it comes to persuading them to purchase a credit card. A lot of Credit Card precautions are unknown to a lot of teenagers. Credit card debt can cost them nearly 30% of their monthly income. A Charles Schwab survey on teens mentioned that 45% of teens know how to use a credit card, while only 23% knew about credit card interest and fees. At an age like 18, I suspect that I will become financially responsible. I will have a part time or full time job depending on my school status and I will have to budget my money wisely in order to pay for school books, cell phone bills and insurance. Things are easier said than done. One major thing that get’s young people spending more than they’re saving is through clothing, food and entertainment. A typical bank statement will have things like “The Apple Store” or “H&M”. I know for me once I began working and I knew the money was all mine, I spent recklessly and I still do. A lot of young people are into the latest trends and buy a lot of new clothing. For me, fashion is a passion (rhyming unintended) it is just one of the things I enjoy. Once you reach a certain age, no one will tell you what it right and wrong. It is your responsibility to pick and choose what you want to do; you will be the one to live with your decision.
“Man eighteen.... now that was exciting. Guess what? This meant you were now an adult but nobody really teaches you what that really means…”

Adults are in charge of their own life. Once you reach the age of 18, you are no longer babied. You are expected to get an education and a job that will help you support yourself when the time comes that you decide you will move out and find a place of your own. Statistics show that the average age for a woman to move out of her parent’s house is between 18-21. Men tend to leave later on. The thing with adult hood is, it really doesn’t seem that straining when you’re 18 and 19. However people begin to fear being another year older. Hence the statement “How many years young are you?” A lot of people incorporate young age with happiness and good health. I agree, I think that being young and carefree is the best experience of life. People tend to dwell on their “high school” days. Though this can be a drag to listen to at times, hearing about other young mistakes help us to refrain from making the same mistakes.

“It meant that I had to start having some goals in life because this is the age where everyone is so concerned about going to post-secondary education”
In Ontario, 18 is the year of majority, meaning you are by law an adult. This makes you responsible for your own life and well-being. I remember being in class one day and the teacher had given us all a form to take home and get signed by our parents but this one guy was able to sign his own permission form because he was 18. I wasn’t shocked it was just new to me. It made me feel like a little kid. I think that is the way a lot of people think. When they see people in the same age bracket have less restriction than them, they become more eager to do the same things the older ones do. This can cause problems. One major highlight of becoming 18 is your parents are no longer contacted if you don’t attend school. This causes a lot of teens to skip periods or sometimes whole days of school. This age really demands maturity or else you can screw up your future before it even blossoms.

“A nineteen year old does, whatever they want and no one can tell them anything until they mess up they want advice...”

19 is past adult, now every legal restriction is removed. The Ontario government says you are now eligible to smoke and buy tobacco. You also have the right and privilege to go to pretty much every, and any nightclub in the entertainment district. 19 also means no more fake i.d’s you can freely purchase that bottle of bailey’s you made your older friend buy. At this age a lot of young people are in school, it really takes discipline to stay on top of schoolwork and assignments, this year is also financially challenging if you don’t have a job. 19 means that you are there but you’re still young. See it’s an endless chain. I remember being in elementary, I was in grade 1, way down at the bottom of the food chain. Then I became the top dog in grade 5. Excited to finally move on to junior high I reached the bottom of the food chain once again. In the “teen aspect” 19 is very old. But in an “adult view” 18 year olds are still young and naïve.
With every year that goes by we as young people should learn to grow in all aspects of our lives. Mentally, financially and physically, there should be a change. Life is too short to linger, while time flies by. Being a teenager is an endless whirlwind of challenges that only we can relate to. With each year and each era comes different challenges, so when I hear an adult tell me “I’ve been there before” maybe you have but there are n bew problems and old problems. One significant consideration to always keep in mind is to cherish our own identity and dance to the beat of our own drum. People will respect that about you more than any other characteristic you may posses. Young people especially are inspired by individuality whether they notice it or not. It’s just a matter of breaking out of your shell and doing what you like to do best. The challenges will always be there but it is not fair to blame society. If we are aware of the negative pressure society has pushed on us, then we should be able to spot them out before they consume us.

As for money, save as much as you can. I have forced myself to save and it is working out quite well. Sometimes you have to do things you don’t enjoy, especially if you know it will help you in your future. If you are not old enough to get a job there are other options for you. Do things around home, and make some extra change. You can even bribe your parents with grades. Whatever you do, save. If you get 10 bucks save 5. Every little bit counts. In my opinion teens are just the greatest people on earth, we have so much to offer. If you want to be the best teen you can be than think sensibly, have fun. Pick your friends wisely, and take control. The results of peer pressure are not fun. Age should not force you to do things that you do not want to do. You will always be your own boss.

“Growing into a teenager is a difficult, confused, seemingly never-ending process"
-Christine