Live while you’re young

Now is not the time to worry about what comes later, it’s the time to appreciate what you have in this moment

Growing up isn’t easy, and the teenage years are quite possibly the most challenging.

High school being the best years of your life? Hopefully not. Otherwise, we’re in for a rough future.

Being a teen is different today. There’s more to worry about than ever before. Social media is at an all-time high, and school ambition is at anall-time low. It’s hard to focus on the present day. It’s always about what comes next – the next step, the next school, the next choice. Sometimes you wish everything would slow down so you can breathe.

Here’s the thing, everyone is trying to grow up prematurely nowadays. Teens are acting like adults, and children are acting like teens. Take a step back. Teens have, at most, seven years to be teenagers, they have the rest of their lives to worry about mortgages. Why not focus on the now?

You’re only young once, as clichéd as it sounds. Make the most of it while you can. Soon enough you’ll be off to university, or the work world, and you’ll lose the opportunities you have now. Spend time with your friends while you have the chance, you never know what could happen after high school. Imagine this, you decide to go to university here, on the Island, however, your best friend is going offIsland, and another is leaving the country. It’s hard to keep long-distance relationships intact, therefore, enjoy it while you can. Now is not the time to worry about what comes later, it’s the time to appreciate what you have in this moment.

On top of cherishing your teenage years, this is the time to figure out who you are, whether that means exploring the world or exploring yourself. This is the time to experience something new. There are endless opportunities for teens to discover. If you want to travel, travel. It’s as easy as that.

We tend to get caught up in everyone else’s ideas for our lives.

Pursue what makes you happy, not what makes others happy. You know, when your mom tells you to become a doctor, yet you faint at the sight of blood? Don’t take that biology course. Do what you enjoy. After all, it is your life and at the end of the day, your happiness counts for more than anything.

As you age, you find more and more reasons you can’t do something: you have too many responsibilities; you don’t have time; you’re too old. Use the time you have now. Make mistakes. They make you stronger. And learn more, it’ll make you wiser.

Live your life. Guess what? It’s yours. Now is not the time to worry about the end goal, prepare for the journey.