Teenage years are often described as the golden years of life, a time where one is carefree, no responsibilities, just studies, fun and freedom. Is that how it really is, especially in the present day where pressures appear from all directions?
The late teen years are characterised by a lot of stress and anxiety. There is immense pressure to do well in school. After that, you are expected to craft a compelling college application, achieve near-perfect standardised test scores and create an impressive extracurricular profile. The transition to becoming an adult is not always smooth. The realization that soon we will be on our own and no longer have our parents at our disposal, making all the decisions for us, hits hard.
Maybe a sneak peek into a typical day in my life will give a picture of what life is really like for a teenager.
As an 11th grader in high school, my day starts at around 7 am in the morning. I wake up, get dressed, pack my bag, grab a quick breakfast and leave the house within 7:30 am. I am at the school premises by 7:45. I check my routine for the respective day and go to the assigned classrooms. During breaks, I like to hang out with my friend. We go to the library, the canteen and enjoy walks around the beautiful campus. After I am done with my classes for the day I go back home. But I’m not done for the day yet! My coaching classes extend from early afternoon to late evening. By the end of the classes, I feel exhausted. If I do not have any more homework left, I mostly spend the rest of the day chatting with my friends online or watching reality shows and listening to my favorite music. I like to have a very light dinner and then hit the bed by 12 am.
More or less, this is what a day in the life of most people my age looks like. But of course, there are exceptions.
Technology to the rescue!
It is indubitable that advancements in technology have played a pivotal role in crafting the silhouette of modern lives. Technology has seeped into every aspect of life ranging from education to healthcare and more. Studying has become a lot simpler with the help of new AI tools that can act as our personal mentors.
In stark contrast, students in previous generations had to heavily rely on limited resources such as textbooks and teachers for academic support. While that is still prevalent, we as students can now access innumerable resources online such as notes and video lectures that can prove to be tremendously valuable especially during last minute exam prep and assignment deadlines. However, it is also important to note that the superfluous use of technology can strip away our creativity and create a state of dependency that can be difficult to overcome.
Social media syndrome
Moreover, the detrimental effects of social media almost have no bounds. Exposure to highly curated social media content can have negative psychological consequences for young adults specifically. Seeing perfectly polished Instagram posts gives birth to the misconception that other people are way ahead of us in life. Doomscrolling can foster unhealthy social comparisons and diminish self-esteem, potentially contributing to depression and other mental health problems.
It becomes increasingly difficult to admit the fact that it is unfair and unreasonable to compare our behind-the-scenes with someone else’s highlight reel.
A different world
Let’s take a moment to look around us. Countless underprivileged children are deprived of their fundamental rights and are forced into employment at an early age simply to make ends meet. For them, education is a distant dream that remains beyond their reach. Although Bangladesh has made notable progress in other areas, child labour still remains ubiquitous.
As we transition from youth to young adulthood, we begin planning our higher education, careers and future aspirations. However, let us also pause to ask ourselves an important question: What can we do to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate than us?