h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

...just have too much time on their hands, and they have a habit of whinging. 'Oooohh life is so hard, I have exams and school' all the resposibilities of an adult, my arse. Until late in their teens, they (I would of thought 90-95% of them, in the first world) don't have to pay rent, they don't have to purchase food, school finishes at what time - oooh 4 O'Clock. Oh and months and months of holidays, no no no - I want to be a fully fledged adult - give me my 25 days of holiday a year, give me going to work at weekends as well as the week days, give me rent (or mortgage) that needs to be payed (so you cannot quit the crappy job), give me leaving at 7 in the morning, and returning at 8 in the evening - oooh oooh oooh more more more, being an adult is so ace!. Enjoy that teenage time while you can, cause you will know real responsibility soon enough. Oh and stop whinging, it will get you no where
BCNU - Crescent

Ok..adults have so much work, so much to do, but teens have problems that are more important than work or any other thing. They have to become grown up. This 'job' is a full time job.
School------teenagers try to become adults
After 4 o´clock------teenagers try to become adults
Holidays----teenagers try to become adults
evry minute teenagers try to become adults try to become more grown up.
Be happy! You have a job that ends at 8 o´clock, the job of teenagers is over after 8 years of constant work.

Sorry about the rant and rave, earlier - bad day at work. However this 'problem' is only a recent phenomona, from about the 1950's. Before then children just became adults, they didn't have time to worry about it. It is something that is going to happen anyway, so why worry about it?
BCNU - Crescent

Yeah right...

Both sides of the argument are interesting. It's true that some teenagers whine and complain- usually about nothing . However, so do a lot of adults.

Both groups have a lot of responsibilities, but there is a key difference between the two. You get PAID for going to work . I have to PAY OTHERS to participate in activities.

I already know what you're going to say. "If that's the problem, then don't do the activities. You don't HAVE to."

I pay over one grand to be in marching band, so that I have a good high school transcript when I go to college. I pay to take ACT and SAT tests for the same reason. I pay almost a hundred dollars a year in school fees, and I get a dirty, under-funded school in return. If I'm lucky, I get an education.

I don't just pay with money, either. I pay with TIME. I wake up at 4:30 in the morning to go to school. I'm off at 3:20, but then I'm working for the rest of the afternoon. You suggested that we enjoy our teenage years? I would if I had time to do it. I take the time to go to three different jobs throughout the week, as well as weekends. I don't EVER get a day off, unless I'm in the hospital. When I'm not doing homework, I'm watching my two younger siblings. When I'm not doing that, I'm doing chores, or fixing things.

I would let you argue about being a taxpayer, but I've got you beat. Besides my siblings, everyone in my family is a taxpayer.

I realize that I'm ranting, but you have to realise that even though I am a happy teenager, I undergo more stress than the average adult. I'm not alone either. More and more teenagers are on the go 24-7. The truth is, so much is expected of us that it's virtually impossible to keep up without looking like a slacker or a helpless child. We are students, workers, parents, siblings, spouses, plumbers, maids, mechanics, children, AND adults... I am all of these, and that's what makes me a teenager.

When I am an adult, all I can be is an adult.