Is There a Stereotypical Teenager?

For most people, being a teenager is difficult, and the false stereotypes they encounter simply because of their age doesn’t make it any easier. In today's society, young adults are given a bad rap. They are often viewed as immature, irresponsible, or unexperienced without reason or justification.

The ‘teenage brain’ is a common misconception amongst the general population but is especially noticeable in older adults. Unfortunately, these stereotypes can have negative effects on the teens that have to face them. It's common for teenagers to be viewed as angsty or emotional. When this occurs, it risks leading teens to believe that their issues are of little importance or low value and could cause them problems in the future. When asked about how teenage stereotyping has affected her, sophomore Hannah Cole shared that “My mom thinks I'm irresponsible and untrustworthy because I am a teenager. Her lack of trust in me has led to me having to miss out on plans with friends”.

Adolescence shouldn’t have to suffer because of cliché labels, yet it takes place. Sophomore Cole Arensdorf described to me during an interview a situation where him and his friend were followed around Hy-Vee by the manager who suspected them of stealing. When they went to leave the manager stopped them and asked to see their receipt, which only verified that they had paid for their items. 

Arensdorf believes that if he were older, the manager wouldn’t have reacted the same way towards them, and there never would have been an issue. These teenage stereotypes cause ridiculous and unnecessary problems and need to be put to rest.