Teenage can be one of the most exciting yet difficult phases of our lives. It is the age that either makes us or breaks us; its effects last for the rest of our lives. Here are a few rites of passage that every teenager must go through before he or she can be considered an adult:-
- First Crush – That first glimpse of a special someone, a person who is different from all the others in your life. Who’s every gesture and word somehow seems to hold a special significance for you. The person who can brighten your day with a simple smile. The first time you feel butterflies in your stomach at a simple touch or glance from that special someone. The first crush of our lives is one of the most exhilarating experiences of our existence. Savour it while it lasts!
- First Job – Our first job, be it a part-time job teaching the neighbour’s kid or an internship at a reputed company, is possibly the greatest stepping stone to our future career and potential success. It simultaneously gives us a sense of freedom as well as responsibility, giving us the first glimpse of life as an adult.
- First Drink – Moving on from the more serious topics, teenage is also the time for fun, friends and freedom! It is the time when we want to rebel against the bonds of family and society to find our own way, our own identity it the world. As a teenager, you’ll most probably get your first taste of that forbidden liquid that your parents had always warned you about, perhaps at a secret party thrown by your peers at high-school or college. The thrill of that first sip, of experiencing for the first time something new and unknown, is one of the best feelings in the world! One of the memories of teenage that you will never forget.
- First Night-out – As a teenager, you’ll probably experience your first night out with friends, away from parental supervision. Be it at a sleepover with your bestie or at a school excursion with friends, you will never forget that night of amazement and freedom, of chatting into the small hours and snacking at midnight. It is one of the few memories of teenage that should be treasured and cherished forever!
- First Heartbreak – Just like the first crush, the first heartbreak is also an essential part of the process of growing up. It teaches us to weather the storms of life, to hold ourselves together and move on, picking up the pieces along the way, even after the worst disaster. In a way, it prepares us for the constant series of ups and downs that is adult-life – by making us resilient to everyday loss and pain.
- First Public Exam – This might be the last point here, but by no means is it the least of your troubles! Teenage, for all its ups and downs, is also the time when you will most probably face your first public or board exam – that scary demon your teachers and parents kept threatening you with whenever you fell behind in your studies! Well, it’s finally here now, and it seems like everybody you know is interested in how you’ve performed, and whether or not you’ll get that coveted 90%! But whether you do or not, the most important thing is to give it your best shot, so that you can remember this time with pride throughout the rest of your life!