Jared Lang

In the mind of a teen

Jared Lang | Highlands Today
Published: April 18, 2012

The mind of a child is very easy to dissect: What can I do to get the most immediate satisfaction? The mind of an adult also follows a pretty basic pattern: What decision is the most logical or beneficial?

Teenagers however, have a very interesting mind. It's a puzzle. It has shades of adult logic and shades of childish behavior. In fact, these shades often battle for supremacy. Teenagers are very unpredictable. We are enthusiastic and driven, yet sometimes we have to be reminded to brush our teeth. The most hilarious of references fly over our heads, yet the word "wiener" is a foolproof route to the funny bone. (Honestly, I let out a chuckle just typing that.)

Our music is loud and our voices are louder. Somehow, though, these voices often go unheard.

We live in a society where every thought a person has is instantly broadcasted to hundreds through Facebook and Twitter; yet true, meaningful opinions from teenagers are rarely given a second look. The youth of America may be loud and puzzling, but these teenagers are the understudies of today's leaders. Our opinions are not only valuable, but in many cases right.

All over the world, youth are starting to voice their importance, and guess what? The world is listening. Young college students are pressuring the government and affecting public policy. They are impacting presidential elections and bringing to light many problems in our world that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Take Chile, where in 2006 teens led a three-week revolt ending in major national reforms; or Egypt, where revolts led by youths — and instigated by social media — culminated to overthrow an unwanted regime.

The youth of Earth drive technological innovation and even start revolutions, all with homework to finish and a room to clean. Teenagers may be fiery and proud, but then again they are teenagers. How else should they be?

As a teenager myself, I have a pretty good understanding of what goes on in the minds of this ever-important demographic. I am in the middle of my transition from childish behavior to mature action. I am interested in things I never even contemplated before, like politics and our changing society.

I find myself reading about elections and foreign relations and local bureaucracy. I am learning to understand our adult-geared world, and as a teenager, I feel obligated to form some of my own firm beliefs and opinions.

So firm beliefs and opinions I have, as do all of my peers.

We are a very opinionated group that just wants to be heard. That is why social media like Facebook and Twitter have become such an integral part of our lives. They are outlets for teenagers to share their thoughts on topics ranging from sports to politics to what they had for breakfast. Well, I have a new outlet: Highlands Today.

With this column, I will share my thoughts on a number of topics, some of which may be sports or politics. Oh, and for breakfast today I had some delicious cinnamon toast: my mom's specialty.

In the past I have often talked the ears off people around me, and now I have a whole new set of ears — eyes actually — to set my sights on. My mission is to act as some kind of translator, a Rosetta Stone of sorts, between the teenage mind and the adult world. I've always been a rebel, now I just have a cause.