Being 16
Posted by anastasia on 09-19-2006When I was 16, I had just come out of two hellish and risky years (that were 14 and 15) where I spent most of my nights hanging out on the Nashville punk scene doing some not-so-good things. But when I was 16, I turned it around. I had transferred to University School of Nashville, the "liberal" private high school where we could leave campus for lunch and were treated more like college students. I discovered environmentalism and became a student activist. I wrote editorials in my high school newspaper, acted in plays (and didn't screw them up). I even got a job at a health food restaurant. My grades improved, and I began thinking about college.
Reading these short essays from a bunch of 16-year-olds on TIME.com brought it all back. If you're an Xer, you can see the difference in how uber-structured and achievement-oriented most of these teens' lives seem to be. They are stressed. But you also see lots of familiar themes, the kid who couldn't afford college and is considering the military, eating disorders, idealism, racial identity, whether or not to have sex (the fact that abstinance has become a cause is definitely different). There is also a multi-media photo essay documenting one girls "super sweet 16" (this trend feels distinctly Y as well - I mean I knew rich girls who got cars for the birthdays, but no mini-weddings). I haven't read them all yet, but plan to later…
What were you like at 16?
September 19th, 2006 at 6:02 pm
I recently turned 26 and did a lot of thinking about when I was 16… It's pretty crazy to think about all the problems you were facing in those days, then to compare those problems with the ones you are facing today. They seem so different, but at the same time they are still so alike. Figuring out that next big step in your life, determining where your relationships are going, worrying about money…
The only difference now is we have more wisdom (hopefully). Either way, I feel for today's youth, they are facing more challenges then I can imagine…
September 19th, 2006 at 6:36 pm
Similarly to you, my rebellious years were more so when I was younger, around 13 to 16. It was at about 16 that I cleaned up my act and started taking honors classes, hanging out with the smart kids instead of the stoners, and even joined *gasp* the brain bowl team. The thing was that most of the stoner/alternative/art kids were very smart but they just did things in a different way. I guess I just wanted to do more with my life and so taking education more seriously was part of that.
I think I've heard of that school you went to, as well. I've had a friend for several years who went to that school. It sounded a bit… alternative? I've never heard of such a thing. I'm from the uneducated state of Florida and you have one type of school there. Would you recommend more of these kinds of schools in other states?
September 19th, 2006 at 7:54 pm
Hi Zinelife. USN definitely had its roots in experimental education as it was a demonstration school for Vanderbilt's Peabody College of Education. Unfortunately, it's a very expensive private school. I defifnitely am a believe in small alternative schools (especially for kids who are struggling) and in the model of placing trust in teens with the message that if they break it, then they lose it vs. assuming they will break it and therefore just imposing lots of rules.