Teen
Column
Teens speak out!
Here's a place just for you! Share your poetry, stories,
advice with other teens.
Here
are links to previous contributions from teens.
Saying
Goodbye by Gabby Spang
Goodbye
- It's been Fun By Brittany Mann (age 17)
Road
Trip By Gabby
The
Truth is By Gabby
My
First Speeding Ticket By Gabby
In
Limbo Land By Gabby
Love
Outside the Box By Gabby
Right
or Wrong By Gabby
The
Relationship Track By Gabby
Where
the Road Forks by Gabby Spang
From one day to the next, summer has replaced spring.
I have seen numerous Jeeps filled with topless boys, couples
on Harleys, girls in tank tops, and the thermometer on our
porch hit 85. And, most importantly, school is out.
This means yet another class of students has graduated.
Those who have just graduated from middle school are filled
with the anticipation of being a freshman in high school.
Even after five years I can clearly remember the disappointment
of seemingly dropping from the status of a big 8th grader
to a puny 9th grader. The whole situation seemed tragic.
I had just spent three years trying to gain some concept
of who I was amidst a number of significant dramas. For
example: going from short and fat to tall and skinny, suddenly
having my skin turn into an appalling self-defeating menace,
getting braces and glasses, feeling painfully insignificant
in comparison to the popular crowd, and figuring out how
to interact with the boys I was suddenly attracted to. By
8th grade I had developed enough to know what sort of people
I liked and what activities interested me, but the idea
of having to go through all that adjusting again seemed
rather inhumane.
During this transition, youths inevitably have feelings
of inferiority and thus insecurity. In my experience, these
feelings were handled in two ways. The youths that were
supported and nurtured at home, and were able to communicate
their anxieties experienced their freshman year as a time
of genuine growth. This is not to say that they got straight
A’s , didn’t make some mistakes, or refrained from experimenting
with new things– but that at the end of their freshman year
they had an expanded sense of who they were becoming in
this new phase of their lives, and had gained some dignity.
On the other hand, the youths who were distant from their
families or unsupported had constructed a façade of invincibility.
These were the kids that refused to cooperate, who erupted
into violence, and would eventually sink into the shadows.
It broke my heart to see them fade so quickly because they
were obviously acting out of fear. Very rarely did I ever
see these kids recover from the disastrous choices they
made their freshman year.
I truly believe that the way youths transition during this
time impacts their entire life. From this point, we only
get older and more independent, and less likely to listen
to anyone. So now is the time to love with all your heart,
participate cooperatively with each other, and communicate
openly. And, parents, before you know it your teen will
be an adult, so make every moment important.
"Twists and Turns"
By Brittany Mann (age 17)
Nothing stays the same
It can be a shame
But it can be just what you need
Friends one day become strangers
People hurt you
without reason
But hard feelings go away over time
Days fly by
One day you’re in junior high
The next day, you’re applying to college
You never know
What’s around that corner
You’re never prepared
For what is in store
Life doesn’t happen
how you plan
And sometimes you won't get what you want
But that’s the best blessing you’ll ever get
As Green Day says
It’s something unpredictable
But in the end it’s right.
So give up the fight
before you kill yourself
Regrets are lessened over time
And heartache becomes a faint memory
Everyone has a million different facets
Don’t be fooled by their assets
Revenge is sweet
But
"If you want to get even with someone,
Don’t destroy yourself in the process"
Makeup can make the ugliest person look beautiful
And designer clothes can disguise all the flaws underneath
But makeup and clothes must be removed at some point
Those who fit the mold
sometimes have the maturity of a six year old
Disappointment is inevitable
Those who you think are out for your well being
Can crush you worse than anyone else ever could
Forgiveness isn’t about forgiving them
It’s about letting go
Friend or foe
Moving on is so much easier
than hanging on
Everything is relative.
Those who you envy
probably envy something about you, too
Don’t sit around
Waiting for a four leaf clover
to drop on your doorstep
Go out and find one for yourself.
© September 2004 Brittany Mann
