1994-5: Profile of a modern teenager

Most of the teenagers I interviewed were born in 1994, with some of them from 1995. Since adolescence is supposed to last from 13 to 18, most of my teenagers are "young teenagers" so maybe they're quite different from those born just two years before them. From the stories of teenagers I interviewed, those I read on my classmates' websites and from what I know of teenagers I see everyday, here is a basic "Teenager Profile" of teens nowadays.

• Friends are a very important part of adolescent life. Teenagers go to their friends for advice, and sometimes ask for their opinion before doing anything. Being accepted into a social group is very important; everyone wants a social life, even if what exactly teenagers do when they meet remains quite unclear. They "hang out."
• Most adolescents have a rather good idea of what they want to do in the future. Nearly all of them have already decided what they want to be, some for years, and some have already chosen an university as well. The future is an interesting thought and although it's a bit stressful, no one is really scared.
• Technology's an important part of life - lots of teens spend over two hours on the computer everyday, if not the whole day when they have nothing to do. Most people are still in contact with one or two friends from childhood, even though they moved thanks to technology. Everyone has a Facebook and either a Yahoo or an MSN account.
• Most people are well aware of peer pressure, and although they have been influenced by it, they've resisted. No one is spreading around hate messages, and most teens would describe themselves as rather happy, if sometimes confused.
• As far as hobbies go, there really aren't many similarities except that every teen seems to have at least one area of interest, be it computers, pets or drama. Often, these hobbies are related to what the teen wants to do later in life.
• Everyone agrees that they think about dating, boyfriends/girlfriends every once in a while, but it's not the most important part of life. Friends and your future are more important.

I think our generation is hard to create a profile of because we have so many different interests. Not two teenagers I interviewed had the same viewpoint concerning peer pressure, family, school...the only constant might be that friendship is very important. At this point in time, I think one simple word describes our birth year: diversity!


Picture of a woman. 2009. Clicker.com. 18 Nov 2009 <"http://www.clker.com/cliparts/0/4/3/4/12198090302006169125female%20silhouette.svg.med.png">

Adnanes, Elise. "Interviewing peers". My World. 10 Nov 2009. 18 Nov 2009 <"http://elises-world.blogspot.com/">