Top 10 Struggles of Being a Teenager

Summary

This video from Ms Mojo counts down the top ten struggles of being a teenager, touching on the challenges of high school, entry-level jobs, finding one's clique, planning for the future, dealing with bullies, parental expectations, unrequited crushes, peer pressure, the awkwardness of being too young to be an adult yet too old to be a kid, and the turmoil of puberty and hormones. It offers a relatable and insightful look into the formative years that shape most people's lives.

Takeaways

• 📚 High school is often seen as a challenging period with increased workloads and limited control over one's schedule.
• 💼 Entry-level jobs for teenagers can be mundane and physically demanding, offering little room for personal interests or career growth.
• 🤝 Finding one's clique or group of friends during teenage years can be difficult as interests diversify and social dynamics become more complex.
• 🎓 The pressure to plan for the future, including college and career paths, can be overwhelming for teenagers who are just beginning to think long-term.
• 😥 Bullying, both in-person and online, remains a significant issue that can have severe emotional and psychological impacts on teenagers.
• 👪 Parental expectations can create tension as teenagers strive to meet their parents' goals while also discovering their own aspirations and identities.
• 💔 Unrequited crushes are a common heartache for teenagers, often leading to emotional turmoil and social awkwardness.
• 👗 Peer pressure to fit in and be 'cool' can lead teenagers to make choices that they might not otherwise make, potentially affecting their self-esteem and well-being.
• 👶 The paradox of being too young to be considered an adult yet too old to be treated as a child can cause confusion and mood swings in teenagers.
• 🔥 Puberty and hormonal changes bring about physical and emotional upheavals, testing teenagers' self-image and mental health.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the video script?

The main theme of the video script is the top ten struggles of being a teenager, highlighting the most annoying, frustrating, and difficult aspects of this formative period in most people's lives.

Why is high school often considered a challenging time for teenagers?

High school is considered challenging because it is notoriously rough, with an increased workload, after-school jobs, and a lack of control over the institutions they have to attend, making it difficult to balance work, play, and social life.

What are some entry-level jobs that teenagers might have to take up?

Teenagers often start with entry-level jobs that involve grunt work such as mowing lawns, tree planting, washing dishes, and housekeeping at hotels, which are physically demanding and not always interesting.

How does the process of finding one's clique or social group affect teenagers?

Finding a clique or social group can be difficult for teenagers as their tastes and interests become more nuanced, and they may face rejection or feel out of place if their interests are not considered 'cool' by their peers.

What kind of pressure do teenagers face when it comes to planning their future?

Teenagers face the pressure of planning their future, which includes deciding whether to go to college, how to apply for loans, choosing a career path, and making life decisions that can feel overwhelming due to the lack of experience and guidance.

How do bullying and cyberbullying impact teenagers' lives?

Bullying and cyberbullying can ruin a teenager's day or life, causing emotional distress and, in some cases, leading to symptoms of PTSD. It can come from anonymous online harassers or known individuals, making the home environment unsafe as well.

What are some of the expectations parents might have for their teenagers that can cause tension?

Parents might expect their teenagers to excel academically, socially, and in their future ambitions. This can cause tension when parents' desires for their children clash with the teenagers' own interests and aspirations.

Why are unrequited crushes particularly painful during the teenage years?

Unrequited crushes are painful during the teenage years because adolescents experience emotions intensely, and the social dynamics of middle and high school can amplify the feelings of rejection or longing.

How does peer pressure influence teenagers' behaviors and decisions?

Peer pressure can lead teenagers to conform to certain behaviors or trends to fit in, which may include adopting certain fashions, engaging in risky behaviors, or experimenting with substances like drugs and alcohol.

What are the mixed messages teenagers often receive about maturity and responsibility?

Teenagers receive mixed messages about maturity and responsibility, being told to 'grow up' and be responsible while also being told they are 'too young' to understand or make informed decisions, leading to confusion and mood swings.

How does puberty and hormonal changes affect teenagers physically and emotionally?

Puberty and hormonal changes cause physical transformations like acne, voice changes, and growth spurts, which can be uncomfortable and embarrassing. Emotionally, hormonal fluctuations can lead to mood swings and, in some cases, contribute to mental health issues like depression.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Top Ten Teenage Struggles

This paragraph introduces a video script discussing the top ten challenges faced by teenagers. The narrator highlights the common misconception that teenage years are the best, contrasting it with the reality of the struggles teenagers face. The script lists and briefly describes the issues such as high school pressures, entry-level jobs, finding one's identity, making friends, planning for the future, dealing with bullies, and balancing parental expectations. Each struggle is presented with a touch of humor and an acknowledgment of the formative nature of these years.

05:01

💔 Teenage Heartbreaks and Pressures

The second paragraph delves into the emotional and social challenges of being a teenager, focusing on unrequited love, peer pressure, and the paradox of being too young to be an adult yet too old to be a child. It discusses the intensity of teenage emotions and the difficulty of dealing with crushes who don't reciprocate feelings. The paragraph also addresses the external pressures to fit in and be 'cool,' which can lead to risky behaviors. Additionally, it touches on the mixed messages teenagers receive about maturity and responsibility, and the physical and emotional turmoil of puberty, including acne, voice changes, and hormonal fluctuations.

Keywords

💡Teenager

A teenager refers to a young person in the age range of 13 to 19 years old. In the video, the term is central to the theme as it discusses the struggles faced by this age group during their formative years. The script mentions 'the struggles of being a teenager,' highlighting the unique challenges they encounter, such as high school pressures and finding their identity.

💡High School

High school is an educational institution that provides secondary education to teenagers, typically for grades 9 to 12. The script describes high school as 'notoriously rough,' indicating the academic and social challenges teenagers face, such as heavy workloads and the need to balance school with extracurricular activities and social life.

💡Entry-Level Jobs

Entry-level jobs are positions that typically require minimal experience and serve as an introduction to a particular career field. The video script mentions the difficulty of finding interesting jobs as a teenager, often resulting in 'grunt work' like dishwashing or lawn mowing, which can be a rite of passage and a learning experience about the value of hard work.

💡Clique

A clique is a small, exclusive group of people who share a common interest or purpose and often exclude others. In the context of the video, finding one's 'clique' or group of friends is depicted as a critical aspect of teenage life, which can be both rewarding and challenging, as it influences a teenager's social experience and self-esteem.

💡Future Planning

Future planning involves making decisions and setting goals for one's life ahead. The script discusses the pressure teenagers face in planning their future, such as choosing between college, trade schools, or entering the workforce, which is a significant part of their personal development and can be overwhelming due to the long-term implications of these choices.

💡Bullying

Bullying is the act of using force, coercion, or threat to abuse, aggressively dominate, or intimidate others. The video script addresses bullying as a serious issue that teenagers face, including both physical and cyberbullying, which can have severe emotional and psychological effects on the victims.

💡Parental Expectations

Parental expectations refer to the hopes, dreams, and standards that parents have for their children. The script touches on the conflict that can arise when parents' desires for their teenagers clash with the teenagers' own aspirations, leading to tension and the need for mutual understanding and respect.

💡Unrequited Crush

An unrequited crush is a romantic attraction that is not reciprocated by the person one is attracted to. The video script illustrates the emotional turmoil that can come with having a crush in a school setting, where the intensity of teenage emotions can make these experiences particularly poignant.

💡Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is the influence exerted by a person's peers to encourage them to change their behavior or attitudes to conform to group norms. The script describes the struggle teenagers face in trying to fit in and be 'cool,' which can lead to making choices that they might not otherwise make, such as engaging in risky behaviors.

💡Puberty

Puberty is the process of physical maturation to sexual adulthood, experienced by humans between the ages of approximately 10 to 20. The video script highlights the challenges of puberty, such as changes in voice, acne, and growth spurts, which can be physically and emotionally distressing for teenagers as they navigate these changes.

💡Hormones

Hormones are chemical messengers in the body that regulate various physiological processes, including growth, metabolism, and sexual development. The script mentions the impact of hormonal changes during puberty, which can cause mood swings, depression, and other emotional challenges for teenagers as they adjust to these new biochemical influences.

Highlights

The video discusses the top ten struggles of being a teenager.

High school is notoriously difficult to navigate with increased workloads and after-school commitments.

Teenagers often face the challenge of finding and maintaining friendships as interests diversify.

The pressure of planning one's future, including college and career paths, can be overwhelming for teenagers.

Bullying, both in school and online, is a significant issue that can lead to severe emotional distress.

Parental expectations can create tension as teenagers try to balance their own desires with their parents' wishes.

Unrequited crushes are a common source of emotional turmoil during the teenage years.

Peer pressure can lead teenagers to engage in activities they might not want to participate in.

The paradox of being too young to be an adult but too old to be a child creates confusion and mood swings.

Puberty and hormonal changes bring about physical and emotional challenges, such as acne and mood swings.

The struggle to find a 'clique' or group of friends can be particularly hard due to the diversity of interests.

Entry-level jobs often involve grunt work, which can be demotivating for teenagers looking to gain experience.

The importance of having a supportive crew in high school to help navigate the challenges of teenage life.

The difficulty of making friends as a teenager due to the complexity of interests and social dynamics.

The impact of cyberbullying and its potential to cause symptoms of PTSD.

The need for teenagers to balance their parents' advice with their own aspirations and decisions.

The emotional intensity of unrequited crushes and the difficulty of dealing with rejection.

The societal and personal pressures to fit in and be 'cool', which can lead to risky behaviors.

The mixed messages teenagers receive about maturity and responsibility, causing internal conflict.

The physical and emotional changes of puberty, including voice changes, acne, and growth spurts.

Transcripts

some people say it's the best time of

your life those who are going through it

however know a different story

behold we have a new new kid from now on

he will be known as B new kid

welcome to Ms mojo and today we'll be

counting down our picks for the top ten

struggles of being a teenager before we

begin we publish new videos every day so

be sure to subscribe for more great

content for this list we'll be taking a

look at the most annoying frustrating

and more difficult things about some of

the most formative years of most

people's lives

number 10 highschool Bueller Bueller

it's almost cliches but things become

cliché for a reason

high school is notoriously rough I swear

to god I'm sick I can't go to school

it's almost impossible to schedule work

and play and suddenly your workload is

turned up to 11 but on top of it all you

might have an after-school job fourth

commitments and friends you want to see

at least as an adult you have some say

as to what institutions you have to

spend eight hours of your busy day at

but as a teenager you are required to go

and have little to no input about the

options the best you can hope for is a

tight crew to support each other through

the days until graduation

number nine working Lane entry-level

jobs for you or if you're looking to

save money and an allowance from your

parents is not forthcoming a job is your

only option however it's pretty rare

that you'll swing something interesting

things like lifeguarding require

qualifications and years of training

sure lots of people have to climb the

ladder but it doesn't mean it doesn't

suck starting at the bottom so that

means you're stuck with the grunt work

that's food mowing lawns tree planting

washing dishes housekeeping at hotel oh

boy hey if there is one upside in the

long run you'll never take those

positions for granted again hey mister

what's in the box um it's the new

talking Malibu Stacy

too bad character building doesn't

necessarily translate directly to the

old resume right number eight

finding your cleek well my name is Gus

I've been to 12 schools in plastic gears

my only friend does effects paintin a

meter burn making friends when you were

a kid was so easy walk up to the other

kid introduce yourself with your name

and age maybe mention your favorite TV

show in color and Foom someone to play

with

when three-round bed pick alpha

accidentally came open in a sauce moon

and lot real sad as a teenager not so

much as teenagers begin to find

themselves tastes and interests are more

nuanced worse sometimes you find out

what you like isn't cool anymore what's

like I said here need to zero welcome

Steven glands work what then if you're

lucky you can find a group of friends

who like you and what you like no matter

what be that nerdy things force or just

shopping and hanging out it's great when

it happens but finding that group can be

devastatingly hard we want to invite you

to have lunch with us every day for the

rest of the weekend number seven the

pressure of planning your future you

were supposed to go to college together

Evan since we were little kids at

elementary school that's all we've ever

talked about life planning is generally

hard for everyone even adults find it

daunting as a teenager it works this is

for most people the first time they've

had to plan further than a week or two

into future by the time you graduate

we're supposed to have figured out

exactly what you want in life and set

off down that path doesn't it all seem a

little overwhelming do you go to

university how do you apply for loans

and can you pay them back it's a trade

from a college a safer bet should you

just work or travel Oh

take a deep breath little secret you'll

never have it all figured out so make

plans but don't stress too much number

six

bully

I'm sorry did I crush it they can ruin

your day or your life or so it feels in

high school and it's not just physical

threat gone are the days of the tough

kid looking for lunch money

hey Simpson let me save you the trouble

of putting that money back in your

pocket these days going home doesn't

mean you're safe

cyberbullying is an increasing problem

in many places an online harassment has

in some cases proven to cause symptoms

of PTSD

it's bad enough from anonymous troll but

if you know your tormentor it can be

even worse

and almost people started saying stuff

about me I felt such a freak kids can be

cruel but let's be honest sometimes the

teachers are bullies - fortunately there

are helpline and no one should ever feel

ashamed to call if it just gets to be

too much number 5

parental expectation listen I'll make it

up to you I mean a workweek night don't

lay people off by and large parents want

what's best for their kids problems

arise when what they want for you in

what you want for yourself it takes time

to earn the respect of your parents

enough so that they trust your decision

if at all it's unfair that we can't

listen to our music because it is about

drugs and promiscuous sex and

unfortunately for some parents nothing

ever really seems good none your grades

are okay but not top of the class you're

a good kid but they don't like your

friends you have an ambition and they

don't think it's right for you you're

definitely so disciplined we should

turning out ultimately only you live

your life so hear out their advice but

you're still responsible for your

choices and what you do with that advice

number 4 unrequited crushes god Shiva

made him so hot it's a scenario that

filled calvess TV shows movies songs and

of course lonely sighs nothing is worse

than crushing on someone who just

doesn't feel the same way and in the

microcosm of middle and high school it

can feel like torture maybe you see them

every day but they don't know you exist

maybe they know you but they're already

with someone else

there you go

how is someone supposed to ever get a

date in these conditions you feel

everything so intensely as a teenager we

all know that you have to respect when a

person just isn't that into you but it

doesn't make it any easier

number three peer pressure and the need

to be cool something I should be in the

bath or not I'm not cool enough people

invent a pool on top of the workload

navigating bullies and the fact that you

can't seem to catch the eye of your

crush there's a death for me to just be

cool face it everyone is trying to fit

in somehow you want the right clothes

the right gear of the right friends it's

hard to keep up and trying to keep up to

lead to doing things but you don't

necessarily want to do best Kate peer

pressure you do something minor that you

regret worst-case scenarios can come

with a hefty punch like drugs and

alcohol abuse of which can seriously

mess up your life number two too young

to be an adult you old to be a kid any

wonder why teens are moody the mixed

messages of grow up and be responsible

are cut at the knees with constant

assertions that you're too young to know

better about anything it's enough to

make anyone head spin

boy you're such a baby I'm sixteen what

such a baby about that also teens are

all tarred with the same brush and

everyone thinking the same usually worst

of one entire demographic doesn't

generally help matters of all the

awkward paradoxes that riddle this time

of life this one might be the work seven

years of this and then you'll be taken

seriously good grief

[Music]

number one puberty and hormone about a

year ago he noticed his voice was

changing he had terrible acne and had

fur where there was no fur before it is

the worst though or heard everything

about puberty sucks

your body seems hell-bent on betraying

you at every turn with acne voice breaks

and the REC growth spurts that make you

feel like you're walking like a newborn

giraffe and those that swing so

drastically they should have their own

theme park ride also the new hormone

rushes mean real changes in your brain

chemistry including some nasty ones like

depression the good news is that it will

eventually balance out again you'll get

used to the new you and the brain

chemistry in most cases settles bad news

you'll have to wait a few years

Oh bring on the twenty do you agree with

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