From one to Another

Today's Baby Boomers and early Generation Xer's have no idea what it is like to be a teenager today. Us teenagers always hear the, "and you think we never had to go to school?" from our parents. Parents think that they know what we're talking about when we complain. Teachers think that everything is as easy as they, who have done whatever they are talking about a million times, say it is. It's not. And I'm here to set the record straight.

"All schools are different. You can't say that this happens everywhere." Yes, all schools are different. But in reality, each school and each student is going through pretty much the same thing. Its not like junior year is much different in Cromwell, Connecticut than it is in Roswell, Georgia. Things, or the infamous this that can refer to a bad lab grade for a group or an impossible teacher, do happen mostly everywhere. It's not like us "kids" don't talk. We know what goes on in other places. It's just that no one seems to ever want to believe us.

To really begin this all, give us a little more credit. We're really not that dumb. We have common sense. We know right from wrong. So what - we're not as experienced in the world as you adults are, but we can still pretty much make the same type of decisions you do. The difference between you and us is that we choose to obey or not to obey certain things. We're not as "brainwashed" about the world as you are. Trust me, we know that if we do not do our homework we will do a zero, just like if you do not to your TPS reports you will get reprimanded. You choose to take time out of your off time or whatever to get it done. We choose to have a life, relax, or whatever and will accept the punishment for it.

Adults tend to try and make everything seem logical. To make sense out of everything. Teenagers tend to try and make everything seem logical as well. But in a different way. We could care less if it makes sense. If we want to do it, we're probably going to do it. Really, it's just that simple. You adults always try and find reasons for the things we do wrong. We know what we did is wrong, ok? We wanted to do it anyway. Let us make mistakes. Let us get to try it and choose either to do it again or not. Do not take away the small amount of freedom that you give us.

We always say, "We're American citizens too!" meaning that we have the same rights that everyone above the age of eighteen is granted. And you say, "You're not an adult yet, so you don't have any rights." Wrong, wrong, wrong. I do believe that there is nothing stated in the Preamble, Bill of Rights, Constitution, or anything saying, "Blah free speech blah voting blah taxes....oh yeah, that's only if you're over 18." No. So don't tell us we don't have rights. We have as many rights as you do and we intend to us them. When we rebel against things, it's not because we hate you or all this other crap you try and tell us. It's because we're just sick of all these lies you've continued to have fed us over the years. We have to make choices, mistakes, etc. And we honestly don't care what you think, say, do, or anything about it because we're going to do it no matter what.

Maybe when you all went to school decades ago you never thought this way. I'm not even going to lie, I highly doubt it. You did think this way. You just don't remember it. This isn't anything new to you, so don't be reading this and act totally surprised. Oh, and you've probably heard your kid, if you have one, say this a million times anyway. Have you listened? No.

Life isn't a bowl of cherries and a spoonful of whipped cream for us like you think it is. Life. Is. Hard. I can't explain it any more simple than that. LIFE IS HARD.

Right now you're probably thinking, "Who is this crazy teenager telling us what to think about our children, the next generation?" or whatever. Yeah, you know who are. Stop kidding yourself.

So before I move on...let me say who I am. I'm Caroline Elyse Quat. I'm 16 years old and am a junior at Roswell High School is Roswell, Georgia. My phone number is....just kidding. Like I said, we're not that dumb. I play basketball for my school. I'm Junior Class Secretary, Junior Beta Club Vice-President, Hornet Advisory Program Mentor, Peer Mentor, member of French Club, and probably a few more I've forgotten; I'm a camp counselor in the summers. I have a clean driving record. My GPA is around 3.95. Basically, I'm the perfect person to be writing this. Not to brag, but I'm the student every teacher wishes they had. I participate in class, I get good grades, and all that jazz. But I also have a mind of my own and not afraid to speak it.

Let me tell you of a little injustice that happened to me. In Physics, my seventh period class, we were doing a lab. My group and I were just finishing it up, and my friend, we'll call her "Megan," was trying to reset this ramp we were using to measure velocity. She pushed the little car that was part of the experiment and it ACCIDENTALLY fell off the end and hit the ground. Nothing broke. Everything was ok.

We received a zero on the lab.

A group of five good students who always pay attention, who always do homework, receives a zero because we "abused the equipment," in the words of our teacher. We tried to talk to him, but he didn't listen and now we have much more to add to the frustration of our lives.

What are these frustrations, you may be asking yourselves. What possibly could make a sixteen-year old freak out and have a furry unleashed inside of them? Oh, you have no idea.

Basicallybeingateenagernowisliketyringtoreadthiswriting.Therearenospaces.Nobreaks.Itjustkeepsgoingandgoingandgoingandyoufeellikeallyoucandoitsitinafetalpositionandwaitforsomethinggoodtohappentoyou.Whenitdoesitfeelslikeaweighthasbeenliftedbutthenthenextthinghappensthataddsmorestressandthenyoufinallybuckleunderthepressure.

And