Rowdy Young Generation!

Rowdy young generation of teens that I witnessed on the 147 northbound bus from downtown Chicago on Valentine’s Day this year. I’ve always managed to keep an open mind regarding high school kids because I’ve been in their shoes. I was never the outgoing and loud nor a troublemaker during my school years, but I was aware of how out of control high school kids may be.

A friend once told me that the younger generation holds so much promise nowadays, and they are daring and brimming with fiery passion about new ideas to break through traditional and old views and ideas. I thought about what he said back then and it did make sense. There are good high school kids out there but it only takes a few rotten apples to ruin the whole batch. I see high school kids as people who have not yet experienced enough of life and too overly fearless and do stupid things. I feel that in their eyes they believe they have all the right in the world and freedom to do whatever it is they desire once out of adult supervision. That is where the trouble starts.

As stereotypical as this may sound, what do high school teens know about the hardships of everyday life adults go through, the scars and experiences adults bear all the way through life? High school teens only see themselves and their own ways of enjoyment, as this is factual because my cousin is this way. I envy them and also wish they would mature faster. Life is not up to them. Life will push them down and wound them even if they feel it’s unlikely. Things are not always as easy as they think nor is their way of thinking the ‘only right way’.

I digress so my apologies. What happened on Valentine’s Day was a group of teens got on the bus, loud and out of control there were both boys and girls. During the ride back up north, the teens would not stop hopping and climbing on and off the elevated step located at the center of bus. They kept popping their gum nonstop and talking about pointless things. None of them would settle down and just hold onto the spot where they were standing. They kept popping their gums loudly and everyone on the bus was irritated and tired already so hearing that all the way back for me at least was very agitating. They were so focused on themselves that they didn't care or consider if it was bothering anyone.

There was no sense of self control from them nor worry about how they were portraying themselves in public. I feel this is a good and bad thing to an adult to see teens with such energy and life is of course great and may even arouse envy in them. I do miss my teen years where I could be as care and worry free as them though it wasn’t too carefree or burden free but there was no pressure of responsibility in my memory at least.

When the bus got off the highway, one of the teen girls bumped into a man who was standing behind her causing him to nearly hit his head on the pole. He was not playing around and turned around and said: ‘So having to listen to you popping your gum all the way back wasn’t enough but now you have to bump into me too?’ Boy- I was impressed because he had spoken for everyone who was fed up with this rowdy group. The girl and her friends just backed away so fast and silently away from him like lost puppies. It does take someone to set these rowdy teens in place. I still do believe there are good teens but the majority I’ve seen on social media and on buses and trains only scream out to me that they have no sense of self-control, which is sad.

Teens are so full of life, so full of freedom, has such a vast lack of self-control, and self-centered that reminds adults of how it was to be so young. They are too reckless and inexperienced and when life smacks them in the face one day real good...forcing them to change...I wonder how it will be like then. 

I understand teens want to let loose on weekends but do think about where you are and about how you’re appearing to others in public and exercise more self-control. This also begs a bigger question of nature versus nurture and concerns of who teens hang out with nowadays.