How to be a teenager 101

From being addicted to social media to navigating through high school drama, being a teenager in 2023 is drastically different than generations past. To achieve the ultimate miserable life of a teenager, follow these three simple steps:

Step 1 

Get a phone. No matter how many articles are published about how bad our phones affect us, no one is willing to give them up. Fear of missing out (FOMO) is a real thing that teenagers experience. When everyone in the world has a phone, teenagers want to join the bandwagon.  

Develop an addiction to said phone. Phones have never-ending realms of possibilities meaning there’s always something to do on them. Whether it’s scanning the endless feeds that shorten our attention span or scrolling apps that lower our confidence and spread misinformation, phones will always be there for us when people aren’t. 

Step 2

Spend money on “unnecessary” things. In the eyes of our parents, the things we chose to spend money on may seem unnecessary, but in our eyes, these are life-or-death purchases. A cute pair of popular jeans can make or break us in the high school hierarchy. “Maybe a new pair of shoes that everyone else has will finally give me a sense of belonging. Everyone else has it, so why shouldn’t I?” 

Study and work hard. Just like everyone in the world says, “Work hard and you’ll be successful”, but what if you fail? 

Step 3

Be afraid of the future. It starts off with thoughts of what tomorrow holds, then what life looks like after high school. What college am I going to? What am I going to do with my life?  No one knows what the future holds. Not even know-it-all teenagers. 

After completing all these steps, you should be on the right track to becoming a teenager in this generation. 

Generations love to compare themselves to one another, but there is truly a difference for our current generation. The broader expanses of media bring more influence and power. With that being said, 2023 teens need to remember to never be afraid to ask for help and be mindful of themselves and others. Even if you have to do it through your phone.