“Wait until you get to the real world” is a phrase teenagers hear all too often, but since when are teenage years not the real world?  The truth is, teenage years are just as real and stressful as adult years, maybe even more so.  Teen years are some of the most important years of one’s life.  They are the years of self discovery, world exploration, and facing some of the first major challenges in life, but sometimes these important experiences are interrupted by the stress of school, family and social standards that are often overlooked.

One of the major causes for teen stress is school.  A study done by Stanford University showed that in almost all of the SAT exam rooms, there was cheating, despite the clear knowledge of wrongdoing.  This isn’t due to lack of student integrity, but is rather being blamed on the amount of stress put on students to succeed.  The pressure being put on students to achieve good grades is creating high levels of stress among young students beginning as early as  elementary school.  With pressure for top marks comes homework, from kindergarten to the final years of high school, students are sent home after a seven hour day of schoolwork only to be faced with hours more at home, which was previously an escape from the weight of their studies.  On top of school and homework, teens are encouraged to participate in extracurriculars.  Students are being forced to sacrifice the things they enjoy in order to complete their school work, which results in a lack of interest and motivation for academics.

Some students’ motivation comes from within, from their own desire to succeed, while others are motivated by an external source such as their family.  All parents have certain expectations for their children, sometimes great ones like a lawyer or a doctor, others are more attainable like passing high school.  With different goals come different students with varying abilities.  Some students are able to meet their parents’ goals while others are not.  Those who struggle to meet their parents expectations have a fear of letting their parents down or being a disappointment.  Teens put enough stress on themselves to meet other people’s expectations, but as if that isn’t enough, parents punish their children for not living up to their expectations.  A student who put their best effort into meeting someone else’s expectations deserves praise, whether they met that expectation or not.  Through the stress of school and pressure, some teens are also faced with family issues such as divorce.  Parents don’t always realize that their own problems effect their children, too.  The stress imposed on teens in the middle of a divorce can result in depleting grades, misbehaviour, and difficulties socializing.  While some students will find their way out of this slump, others will allow their lives to spin out of control until they are offered help by a professional.

Through stressful times, teenagers, like adults, seek comfort by surrounding themselves with like-minded others.  Often times, through the tension of their lives, teens end up in the wrong crowd and making the wrong decisions.  Social life and popularity is high on the priority list of a teenager.  From the latest pair of shoes to the trendiest hairstyle, teens will do anything to fit in, even if that means doing things they don’t want to do.  Attending parties and doing drugs are just two of many examples of things teens are pressured into doing, and sometimes not directly.  Teens are influenced by their peers, and even if no one is directly pressuring them into doing something, seeing everyone else do it creates an irresistible urge.  Worried they will lose friends, teenagers begin doing things they wouldn’t normally do.  These types of friendships are based off of illegitimate common interests.  When these ‘friends’ finally begin to let their true colours show, it often results in the realization of the untrue friendship and arguments result.  As it would be for anyone, the loss of a friendship is stressful for teenagers who already have enough on their plate.  Though not all friendships are malicious, it is stressful to keep any friendship or relationship intact.  For many teenagers, romantic relationships cause anxiety. Whether it’s dealing with a break-up, maintaining a steady relationship, or even the stress of not being in a relationship.  Teenagers are constantly able to find something to stress about, whether it’s existent or non-existent.

No matter how little someone else’s stress may seem, it should never be taken lightly.  Between studies, home life, and social interactions, teens are faced with immeasurable amounts of stress that aren’t taken as seriously as they should be.  Keep an open mind and never see anyone else’s worries as inferior.  Create well balanced teens today to ensure a well balanced tomorrow.