Young people have more problems than adults. Do you agree?
Every person at some point in his life will encounter problems. I agree that young people have more problems than adults, especially in today’s world where things are changing quickly.
Certainly, adults have their own share of problems. I have known of adults who face financial difficulties, particularly if they have a family to support. Some also have health problems, and there are others who worry about finding a life partner or trouble with their marriage.
Young people have their own problems. Our problems are harder to solve because there are often no clear-cut solutions to them. One of the areas that can trouble young people is the search for identity. This is an inevitable problem in a teenager’s life. He is no longer a child, yet not quite an adult. Some younger people who have been pampered and sheltered during their childhood years find it hard to become more independent. I know some students who come from such backgrounds and they have trouble adjusting to teenage life. They still expect things to be handed to them. Sometimes their parents make decisions for them.
On the other hand, there are those who want to be ‘instant’ adults. To show that they are grown up, they feel that they have to smoke and keep up late hours. As a result, they miss out on normal teenage activities like sports and other extra-curricular activities which they will never experience again. Some young people also rebel against conventional ideas to assert their identity. It is typical to show their rebellion in their choices of clothes and music. But those who have weak family ties may run away from home. or be caught up in the bad company.
Young people also become more aware of their looks and the opposite sex at this stage. Among some of them, there is a tendency to judge people by their looks. I have heard boys and even girls disparage a girl for her plain looks. This attitude can make the less attractive girl self-conscious and unsure of herself.
During the teenage years, young people begin to show an interest in dating. There is so much pressure from the popular media which constantly features stories and songs about couples and romance. Some students realize that dating will interfere with their studies, but they may feel like ‘nerds’ if they do not date. Young people who date often cannot handle the pressures of the relationship as well as their studies. As a result, they suffer failure in both. Nowadays, young people face a lot of pressure to do well in their studies. For most of us, we know that academic success is good for us, but at times we do feel the stress. No one wants to disappoint his parents.
In many ways, it is wonderful to be young. There are so many things to learn, and the whole world to explore. But I think we have more problems to resolve than adults have. I suppose overcoming these problems will lead us on the path towards adulthood.
