Teenage Drama

One of my favorite things is talking with my daughter’s friends about the drama in their lives.  I think it is because I was such an angst ridden teenager. 

The teenage years were challenging for me.  I was a very insecure, awkward girl who was suddenly moved across the country to a “foreign” land and thrust into the most elite public school in our area.  I couldn’t figure out how to fit in – no matter how hard I tried – so I eventually kind of gave up.  We didn’t have the money to buy the “right” clothes (it was all about the Guess jeans at that time) and I didn’t want to start drinking or doing drugs to fit in either. 

I was horribly shy and so meeting new people was challenging.  I kept to myself which probably came across as aloof or stuck up- when really I was just lonely and desperate for friends. 

Eventually (junior year) I found my way to a good group of friends in high school – almost none of whom attended my school.  I had the typical crushes on boys who didn’t like me back – thought my world was going to end numerous times. 

I would not do my teenage years over again for any amount of money. 

I think the reason I like to hear about teenage drama now is because there is a level of perspective that comes with age.  I can sympathize with girls being mean to each other and boys not asking you to homecoming – because that wound is still scarred over inside my heart and I can tap into it easily.  But I also know that the teen years are incredibly hard.  I don’t believe they are the best years of your life – they are the time when you grow into who you really are. 

If you can survive your teen years, you can become who you were meant to be. 

Life is going to be full of drama – no matter what.  And there will be hard things that you feel like you will never be able to get through.  But you know what – you will.  You will get through one day at a time and then you will look back and marvel that you were ever able to. 

And the next year will bring new joys and new challenges – new relationships and new heartache.  That is just how life is.

And that is what makes it an adventure. 

So having a house full of teenagers and listening to them open up about their struggles and joys is one of the best parts of my life right now.  I will be sad when it ends.