Some people refer to life as
a conversation.
Life throws whatever it
can at you, and you respond
to it. Often, your response determines
what marvelous, and
sometimes tragic, comeback
life will wittingly spout at your
presence.
But, what if you can’t get a
word in edgewise?
Don’t get me wrong _ it’s absolutely
wonderful that teens
have so many opportunities today.
We have so many choices
as to what to do after the
end-of-the-day bell chimes its
tedious, yet cheerful, chime.
These
choices
almost
always
reflect exactly
what
our ideals
are, and
what we
aim to accomplish
in our
teenage
years.
We
often find
ourselves
pressured
into situations we would not
usually approve of. I know
what you’re thinking, and no,
I am not talking about drugs
or gang violence. I’m talking
about how being a successful
teenager seems to be a fulltime
job, plus loads of overtime,
in today’s world.
We have been told since
freshman year to be involved.
So, OK, we join Spanish Club.
We attend weekly meetings,
participate in fundraisers, and
everything seems great. We’re
succeeding with little effort.
Soon after, we’re told that
Spanish Club is not enough.
So, we join yearbook, and are
told to take pictures, and edit
pages. So, weekday nights, we
log on, and put some effort
into the yearbook. Not so bad,
right?
Then, we start to notice how
some kids who are in both
Spanish Club and Yearbook
also participate in other activities.
So, why can’t we? The
feeling of inferiority is crucial
to a teenager’s life, by the way.
So, we join a few more
clubs. Our lunch period and
after-school time is suddenly
packed. School seems like an
oven, and we’re the main dish.
We’re not done until, once
again, that bell rings.
When we get home, we
unload our homework, finish
that, and complete some minor
tasks assigned to us from our
clubs. But, then we’re done,
and we don’t have to go to
sleep for a while. That rush is
gone, and we know that others
are far from done with their
day. Why are we done?
So, we take up a sport! A few
hours after school won’t kill us,
right? But, we’re still finished
every day, with time to spare.
We think about our community,
and maybe being involved
there. Maybe we’ll take a part
in a local play. Rehearsals are
scattered throughout the week,
and suddenly our schedules
are packed to the brim.
And, finally, we are told that
we have done enough, and we
are satisfied.
This, in my opinion, is a
HUGE problem.
There is so much pressure
on teens today to be involved
_ it’s crazy! Adults always
seem to be looking down on
us, telling us that if we’re not
doing anything, we should be.
Of course, there is a fine line
between enough and too much.
Obviously, priorities are boss
here.
The truth is, adults, there
is a substantial number of
teens that work their rear ends
off every day, just like you.
You know what a sad fact is
though? Out of that substantial
number, there’s a notable
chunk that actually work
harder than you. I know a few
teens who leave their houses
at 7 a.m. and rarely come home
before 9 p.m.
Think of your daily conversation
with life. Are you the one
who ends up slipping on the
walkway, or do you step with
such a spring that surpasses
such slips?
I’m not a biologist. Gosh, I’m
hardly even legally an adult.
But, I think it’s only healthy
to have some time set aside to
actually enjoy your chat with
life. The truth is, life isn’t only
a conversation. Life is an adventure
from Point A to Point
B. It’s what you do on the way
there, and how you do it, that
really matters.
DAN CLARK is a senior at Afton Central
School. `Teen Talk’ columns can
be found at www.thedailystar.com/
teentalk.
