This weekend I attended a music festival. There were thousands of teens in attendance at the festival. Everything I experienced at this music festival confirmed to me the fact that I am not cut out to be a teen.
I can (but I am not going to) count the days until I am back on campus surrounded by people who are the same age as me. Most of them are not really like me though. We simply have different priorities.
I see Facebook statuses talking about packing and how they are so excited to get back to school. I know the real reason they want to get back to school. No, these people are not excited to take interesting classes, meet professors who are at the top of their fields, explore what the campus has to offer them, in terms of resources that will help them accomplish a goal or make a difference in our world. No, I know the truth. When students my age tell me they are excited to get back to campus I know they really want to be completely independent.
I consider the college lifestyle to be very similar to camp, except this camp has no counselors. Kids my age will do things they looked down upon in high school and said they would never do. They tell me in a light tone that they did terrible things with a smile and a giggle, and then look at me for approval. When approval is not given their face becomes frozen for a moment and then they choose to ignore the fact that for a moment they knew that they messed up. They should feel embarrassed, not proud about their awful behavior. Why should I help them justify the way they are harming themselves and others? I am not happy to hear their college stories because I consider them to be horror stories.
Saying "I am in college" is not an excuse to me to act in a manner that is appalling. I hear people say this frequently when justifying their outlandish behavior. The college years should be a time of educational pursuit.
I feel like I am not in the real world when I go off to school and I don't like that. Students cannot be so self centered that they forget about everything else in the world.
College used to be a time for feeling empowered and activism. Although there are small groups of active students on campus I feel like even more action can occur. Sororities and fraternities can accomplish a lot more than just focusing on one philanthropic event each year. When people work together for a common goal things can really get accomplished. Yes, bureaucracy can get in the way of plans sometimes, but doing something, anything is worth it in the long run.
I have a few strange things I personally live by. Before doing something questionable ask yourself or the people you are with - Would you do this if you were alone? I have asked my friends that question before when they are about to do something that I know they did not really think through. Almost everytime I have asked them that they have stopped what they are about to do.
People my age have not grown intellectually to their fullest potential yet. Why harm yourself, and thus hinder your own potential?
It is frustrating to watch mistakes being made, but people always say mistakes are meant to be learned from. Hopefully I will be able to maintain relationships with my friends, but it is difficult when they participate in such unsavory behavior.
I have always been told since I can remember that I am an adult trapped in a young person's body. Perhaps because I was told this I have set high expectations for myself or perhaps I was told this because I really am an old soul. Chicken or the egg? Either way I am trying to live my life as a responsible person no matter the situation. There are no excuses in my rule book because I must always be responsible for my actions.
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