I Wish Adults Would Read This

As a little kid, I remember being quite sulky at times…  usually because of something my parents/siblings did that I thought was unjust, unfair, or just plain mean. My strongest memories of those moments were those when I promised myself that when I got older, I wouldn’t do the same. Unfortunately for seven-year-old me, I broke them. D: I told myself I wouldn’t forget how it felt to be “oppressed”, I said I’d be considerate ’cause I would remember how it felt to be a kid… I vowed never to be like my parents who belittled everything that mattered to me, and cast aside my opinions.

/*I sound so bitter haha, but what can I do; I’m not bitter though… maybe just a little bit. This is just me complaining about stuff I can only change if I keep them in mind forever and ever =))*/

That horrible feeling that I’m getting old and growing up (oh really now), and acting just like my parents… my worst nightmare!  /*jk, don’t kill me mom!*/

I feel like facepalming myself, because I’ll eventually become what I “hated”. I  feel sorry for all the little people who have to be part of this vicious cycle. I guess the stuff our elders keep telling us must have some grain of truth in them that we realize when we get “older”, or else generations of kids wouldn’t be picking it up, now would we? Unless we’re really just insensitive sometimes.

Here’s a list of stuff I’ve sometimes caught myself doing which my elder siblings and parents did to me first (HA. I am justified! jk), and my theories on why we/they do it. I bet my little sister, who is my main victim, has told herself she won’t do it either; I can see it on her face ((:  :

/* Please keep in mind that I’m not saying all adults think this way, please don’t react outrageously; this is just my observations of how those around me act. I’m sure there are exceptions. */

– We do the chores no one wants because the young ones get ordered around.

~ I don’t think this should still be explained; and I’m guilty of this most often; I have to admit I do it ’cause I’m lazy sometimes. And you have to admit it is kinda fun to order your little sibling to do something for you. ((: #apologetic.nonotreally

– When there was an event that I want to go to that was important to me [like a party], my mom wouldn’t rush, saying it didn’t matter because no one’s late for a kiddie party. Yet when it’s her event, she rushes us all ’cause it’s so much more important.

~  I guess it is true  that our parents’ appointments are more significant than ours but even if the matter isn’t so “important”, I think that it’s not fair that this is done to younger people because it IS important to us, and it kinda sucks when someone says that something that matters to you isn’t going to be prioritized. I guess our parent’s don’t get why we need to go to something we want, and it must seem negligible to them now that they’re past this stage in their lives.

Although I don’t get invited to parties anymore (sadlyf HAHA), I remember as a kid that I would be pissed if they started the games without me. I’ve never been to any non school sponsored highschool parties, so I’m going to assume that you miss something else? ((;

– When I would give an opinion and people brush it off / react strongly against it, but when someone older (and, in their opinion, more credible) says exactly the same thing, they accept it and tell them how awesome their thought was.

~ Ugh, we are still victims of this today unfortunately. It’s such a frustrating feeling, and I absolutely hate it. I guess this is done to us because they can’t admit that something sensible came out of us and not them; or their pride won’t let them accept that someone much younger said something wise/deep that they should’ve thought of first… so they pretend not to have heard us and repeat it moments later so that it’ll seem like it’s their idea.

This is us being victim to the stereotype “Teenagers have such under-developed brains that they appear self-absorbed, foolish, fickle fellows who don’t understand anything, period, and try to bluff their way through their personal bubble.*” It really irks me when they generalize. I believe there are some of us who do think of stuff besides clothes, music, drama, (etc) and the opposite sex. We ARE capable of reasonable thought, we CAN discuss politics and issues that concern people outside our circle of friends. We aren’t all completely hormone-driven/sex crazy. Elders claim that we are over-influenced by mass media, but I guess they are too; if they are clumping everyone with those bat-crazy, wild “people” who are considered normal whom they see on television. Honestly, I don’t know if I live under a rock, but I don’t know very many people who act like them.

~ When we do something radical, ridiculous or rebellious that our elders never did, they think that we’re so bratty, disrespectful and unreasonable. So they start with the ever-so-famous “When I was a kid I…”. From things like technology available to us and not them to stuff like the rising percentage of delinquents / young mothers, they seem to love telling us how much we suck.

- I’m sure we’ve all heard this at some point, and it IS annoying right? I do this to m sister too though (such a hypocrite ((= ). I’m getting so riled up right now, but I guess they could be somewhat justified, and things do get worse (they say).  Sometimes though, I feel like answering back that it is somewhat their fault too.

When they tell us how they survived without our gadgets, I think they’re trying to make themselves feel better ’cause they’re jealous they didn’t have the same opportunities we have right now. I bet we’ll say this to our kids, and they’ll be all “yuck, an iPad, how lame!”

When they talk about how polluted our world is right now and reminisce those days when no one got <insert disease that stared existing recently>, when there were no floods and cities were fields and forests, I wish they would realize that it’s not our generation that spearheaded the industrial revolution. We weren’t even born yet! It’s not us who started it; and they’re leaving us to deal with a dying planet and expecting us to fix it.

When they tell us that they were much more behaved back then and no one got pregnant from partying too hard, when children obeyed their parents and finished college… it is true, but not completely. Circumstances were different, and during the 80′s, they had their own kind of rebellion. I don’t believe no one got knocked up; girls were probably just too scared to come out, and the parents probably kept the shame to themselves. Sure, maybe crimes committed by adolescents are higher, but not everyone does it right? Maybe they didn’t raise their kids right. They shouldn’t say that we’re victims of mass media because we all see it, but we don’t all mimic what we see. I believe it’s all in the upbringing, not poverty level ’cause I know even rich kids do it for fun. I wish they’d look at themselves first before criticizing us because if you really don’t keep a handle on your child, he/she is more susceptible to caving in to pressure and committing heinous acts.

Maybe they say those things ’cause they really don’t understand how different we are compared to them, and they don’t know how to handle something they might not have experienced for themselves… I guess it’s a sign of their frustrations towards a generation which might be this way because of things that happened in history that no one has control over.

That’s all for now, but I might add if I remember some more or if any suggestions come in the comments; *nudge,nudge*

I hope I didn’t sound too angry or something up there. To anyone reading this, I hope you don’t get too affected by something I said which isn’t true for you. …Although if there’s anything you want to say, I’m open to anything :)

I wonder if I/we can keep this in mind ’till we get older? I really dislike/d being made to feel insignificant, and you probably do too. Let’s be nice to our juniors, even if we didn’t get the same treatment. After all, we wish for the same.

 

* credits to “Phil”, who rewrote the line :  ”Teenagers are self-absorbed, foolish, fickle fellows who don’t understand anything outside their personal bubble.” 
~ His original comment may be found in the comments box. :) 

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Valentine’s Day: Thoughts From Someone Who May or May Not Know What She’s Talking About

There are some who hate Valentine’s day… the red and pink everything, the mushy-sweet chocolate and roses that never run out. They find it annoying that everyone makes such a fuss about it and say that it’s just a way for some businesses to earn more money by preying on people’s emotions. Is it a coincidence that most of these haters are single? I don’t think so.

Sometimes, they really hate Valentine’s day because they don’t like it period. They aren’t comfortable with the showing that much emotion or something. Yet I’ve noticed that when these  same people have valentines, most of them are as lovey-dovey as the next couple and what’s more, indulge in the things they used to despise. This just shows that they hated it because they were jealous of those who could enjoy the said holiday.

Others go overboard with it and treat it as a really big event, spending a lot of (let’s assume it is) hard-earned money just to show how much they love someone. While it’s cute to give a little something, I think even the receiver would feel a bit nauseous/overwhelmed if she finds herself drowning in your presents. Extreme public shows of affection is probably why some find Valentine’s day overrated.

Personally, I find Valentine’s day cute. Couples are sweeter than usual, and a lot of people get surprised by admirers they never knew they had. Maybe it’s seeing others happy while they didn’t get anything is what pushes them to say that it’s overrated so that it seems like they don’t care when deep down, they would love to receive something from someone who thinks the world of them.

It’s a day when society excuses guys from being tough and indifferent, when it’s not “unmanly” to be sappy, to write romantic poems and tell their crushes what they really feel about them. They can’t do this on a regular day (unless they’re in a relationship) and it’s a nice change from their usual pretenses of not caring.

So you want to give a gift but feel doubtful or fear rejection… don’t be scared! Girls may downplay what they feel when they get a gift, but I think that as long as the giver isn’t creepy or annoying, she would be very flattered and appreciate whatever you give and be touched that you thought of her on  valentine’s day. Giving that special girl something also boosts her confidence; it makes her feel great about herself because she knows someone appreciates her.

If you like Valentine’s day and want to give that special someone a gift, they don’t have to be expensive. Just don’t make it seem crammed or very cheap (I don’t recommend plastic flowers and cheap chocolate). The key is to be thoughtful. I think personalized ones and those that come with a note are the best, but the writer has to be careful that he/she isn’t too forward or you might scare the one you’re giving it to. This probably would be touching if you told her (let’s just assume it’s her cause it’s weird to put him/her too often) that you admire her because she’s <insert good qualities here> and how awesome she makes you feel, but it wouldn’t go so well if you told her that you think of her obsessively, stalk her, or stare openly and spy at her often. Saying so would probably make her feel scared of you, and make you seem creepy. :))

At this point you may be wondering if I know what I’m talking about…

The truth is… not really (sorry!). I’m just thinking theoretically; what I would feel on the receiving end (plus I’m a teenage girl that has to have some credibility ;) )

I’ve never actually received a gift (except that one time…). I’m not bitter about it (oh really now); I actually feel happy for my friends who get stuff.. Truth is I do pretend like I don’t care but somewhere deep down… I guess I do.

I’m guessing a lot of people feel the same way, so I’m also guessing it would make their day and make them happy if you just show them that they’re special… who doesn’t like feeling special?

Now, if only it was more acceptable for girls to give gifts to guys they like, there would be a lot more happy people this February 14th. Oh well, society isn’t perfect. Maybe someday it would be alright. (Now good-bye before I start ranting about equality).

Right now though, feedback would make me as happy as recieving a gift! (who am I kidding) Seriously though, comments are appreciated. :)

The Perks and Problems With Being A Technology Illiterate Teen

These days, everyone’s preoccupied with the latest Multi-purpose phones, powerful computers and graphic games. Technology is a hot topic; people talk about new features and awesome apps all the time. Unfortunately or fortunately for me, I grew up without any of these. My childhood was spent either outdoors or in our library,  in contrast to a lot of children who were glued to their screens.

My parents never believed in buying us gaming consoles, subscribing to cable tv or getting internet connection. We were disconnected from everything until recently, when my mom finally got cable and internet for our house, I bought myself an Ipod and my mom gave in to my request for a cellphone.

Sure, at some point I begged for these “luxuries”, I felt left out when my peers would discuss things I had no clue about. One of the most frustrating times was when High School Musical came out, and at the same time, my batchmates started getting phones. They would sing their songs in the hallways, text each other in class, and so I was left alone to play in the playground.

When I finally got a cellphone, I was so happy; finally I could “connect” with the rest of the kids at school. It was no biggie though, just a battered-up Nokia that everyone made fun of for being low-tech and outdated. Up to now, I keep my phone out of sight ’cause it’s still one of those colorless, bulky phones that have nothing interesting about them, except maybe that the keypad’s soft and fun to type with.

My Ipod is something I treasure; I know everyone’s got the new touch phones that have enough memory for thousands of songs but I love mine because it’s one thing I really saved up for (some 11,000 philippine pesos). When I finally got it though, I had a problem: I knew/know very few song titles! I just heard songs on the radio but I never took note of their titles. :( Up to now, the songs on my ipod are only limited to a few artists; I’m pretty familliar with alot but I never know who the bands are… any suggestions? I’m open to all kinds :)

I was only introduced to the internet a few years back; I never got to explore programming or gaming as much as I would’ve wanted to. I still can’t relate when my friends talk about stuff I’ve never had time to learn about. Sometimes I feel silly/stupid asking people how to do things like operate their high-tech phones or use programs that I should already understand by now. I also suck at basic programming; I don’t get the functions and I type reallyyyy slow (I was stubborn and refused to learn how to type properly).

Even if I’m not so knowledgeable, I can say I’m not Jurassic enough to know less than my parents! (or your parents, unless they’re techies. I can turn on the PC and navigate the web fine, thank you very much. :))

Enough of my whining… a lot of good things have resulted from me growing up without technology; I don’t feel bitterness towards my parents at all! Perhaps they really knew what they were doing was the best thing for me; I’m sort of glad they introduced technology only when I was old enough that I was already used to doing anything but sitting in front of the tv or computer. I actually pity my little sister who is growing up hooked to anything that has a backlight.

I’m different from my peers in a good way; I learned and continue learning things I would otherwise be clueless about if I grew up just like them.

I can say I’m rather street-smart. I can navigate the city without checking google maps, and know where things are because I seeked them out long ago just wondering around. It’s quite fun actually, going out not knowing where you’re really going.

I started reading books when I was a toddler and I’ve been hooked ever since. This has helped me a lot in school, and studies do show that reading books helps a lot. Sure, you can argue that you can reap the same benefits reading online, and it’s also way more exciting to watch. I disagree. It’s not healthy to stare at a screen for hours on end. Also, It’s a different experience holding a book in  your hands, enthralled by the stories that can take you anywhere… your imagination shaping things the way you want to be.

I wonder how many people these days appreciate books… I know a lot of intelligent people who say they “dislike” reading but I guess the only reason they dislike it because for so long they’ve gotten used to being spoonfed images and sounds that them mind should be producing on it’s own. They can’t appreciate the simple joy of seeing it in their minds eye. They could also be frustrated that their reading speed is as low as it gets because they’re simply not used to reading blocks of text; as I said, they’ve gotten used to the tv (or idiot box as my mom calls it) doing all the thinking for them.

I have a life outside the internet… I can surive without it. How many youths today can claim the same? Sure, it’s fun to mess around, but when the lights goout, I can shrugg and go find something else to do. My world does not revolve around the internet and I lived my life everyday just fine without it. I’m not hooked and I certainly enjoy the outdoors much more than the virtual world.

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against people who are hooked on tv and the internet, ans I sometimes enjoy it myself, and there are some good shows out there.  I just want to say my thoughts on it is all. And if on the very slim chance that you’re like me, a technology illiterate teen, then *highfive* I am not alone :). If I am though… oh well. It’s cool to be different, I believe life is to short to copy everyone else.

If you could experience growing up as I did, would you?

Do you think I am fortunate or unfortunate?

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