Where is the party — or is there any?
Media gives us a false image of youths’ nightlife. Especially from Hollywood films stems the idea that teenage years are all about parties, going out and having fun with the gang. However, the reality is something completely different. Well, maybe a film about a lonely teenager watching Netflix at home wouldn’t make a big hit at the box office.
It’s time to correct the false assumptions and reveal the truth behind the “Saturday Night Fever”.
As a source material for this article was used an anonymous web survey where young Finns aged 15–24 gave their thoughts about different questions concerning nightlife.
Assumption 1. Nowadays teenagers consume more intoxicants. Drinking and smoking are integral parts of nightlife.
True and false.
According to the results of The European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) in 2011 heavy episodic drinking among adolescents was highly prevalent in Finland in the late 1990s, but has significantly decreased during the 2000s. 60 % of adolescents aged 15–16 have been drunk at least once in their lifetime and about 10 % get drunk approximately every week. Sadly, even younger people choose alcohol over lemonade, and teens’ binge drinking is still a serious problem in Finland. There’s no denying that teens’ drinking habits are alarming, but misleadingly, the extreme cases label the whole age group. In fact, there is now a growing trend of soberness among young people, according to the surveyed teens.
“I would say that young people consume less alcohol nowadays.”
(male,18 years)
“It depends on the party. In Finland partying at your friend’s place usually means drinking alcohol. But I’ve been to many nice parties where intoxicants were not involved.”
(female, 17 years)
“ I used to be an absolutist for several years, but in my case it ruled out many happenings, such as student parties, dinners etc. where people always drink a lot.”
(female, 23 years)
“Among my friends use of intoxicants has increased, though not everybody drinks — including myself.”
(female, 17 years)
The health and fitness obsession which surrounds us has also an effect on the alcohol consumption. It’s not considered a cool thing to get drunk. On the contrary, it’s seen as an embarrassing thing to humiliate yourself by doing stupid things under the influence. Moderate use of alcohol can work as a social lubricant but it’s not a necessity for having fun.
“It’s possible to party without alcohol. For me the most fun and memorable moments have been those where alcohol wasn’t involved. It’s true that alcohol relaxes and encourages you, for example, to dance but it itself doesn’t make the situation any more fun.”
(female, 20 years)
“Drinking is not a necessity for having fun. Usually partying is even more fun without it but sometimes it’s nice to drink a bit of alcohol.”
(female, 17 years)
“I don’t drink so much. Usually I am the sober person in the party.”
(female, 18 years)
It’s being speculated whether in the future mild drugs, such as cannabis, are going to replace alcohol as the most common intoxicant among teenagers. 4% of the surveyed teens answered that drugs are part of their nightlife. According to the ESPAD survey the use of cannabis increased in Finland during the 1990s. After the turn of the century the use decreased but in recent years it has turned to increase among adolescents. 11 % of young people had used cannabis in 2011. The use of other illegal drugs is rare among 15–16 years old. In 2011, 4 % of young people reported having tried some other drug than cannabis.
Assumption 2. Teenagers stay home only when grounded. Let alone voluntarily spending time with their family.
False.
In teenage years relationships with your family members can get stormy and that’s why friends can feel closer to you than mom and dad. However, many teens are still willing to spend Saturday evening at home.
10,3% of those surveyed would rather spend a home evening with their family than go out.
Another reason for staying home can be the lack of social contacts. Many teenagers suffer from loneliness. Being alone at home while other teens are partying can feel like being grounded. However, partying is not everybody’s cup of tea. According to the survey, staying at home and reading a book or playing on the internet are more common ways for teens to spend their nightlife than attending parties. 20,5% of those surveyed prefer watching Netflix as their evening activity to partying.
Assumption 3. Teenagers don’t want to participate in organized activities. They just want to hang out at the mall “doing nothing”.
False.
Actually young people want more action, especially in the night time. When you hit the magical age of 18 in Finland, you are allowed to step inside the clubs, discos and pubs where “the real parties” are being held. Before that, the selection of nightlife activities is very limited.
62,5% of those surveyed said that there are not enough organized activities for young people in their hometown. Teenagers are being criticized for gathering and aimlessly hanging out at the city centers, where they just make a noise and a mess. That’s because there really aren’t other places where teens could meet and socialize. In bigger cities local youth clubs offer some activities and spaces for teens but their activity is usually very limited especially at night-time.
“ I’d like to participate in different workshops, for example comic and videogame workshops. Also different lectures e.g. about relationships and sexuality would be really interesting.”
(female, 23 years)
“More free concerts and other events for youth under 18 years.”
(male, 16 years)
“Theme parties. They would be occasions where you could easily find new friends. Specific themes gather together people who share the same interests, so it would be easier to start discussion with others. ”
(female, 18 years)
Assumption 4. Teens go to parties every weekend.
False.
Only 5,1% of those surveyed answered that they go to parties every weekend. Most said they party on special occasions, such as New Year’s Eve and birthdays.
It’s said that there is always a reason to party, but for teenagers there are also many reasons which inhibit their partying.
“ I’m always busy at the weekends or I just want to rest.”
(female, 20 years)
A major part of youth is being spent on studying. Studies take lot of energy, and that’s why for many teens weekends are usually dedicated to schoolwork and sleeping. Some of us also work on weekends.
“I don’t go out every weekend, because lack of money.”
(male, 18 years)
Free time activities cost a lot: movie and concert tickets, eating out, not to even mention the price of alcoholic beverages and tobacco. Students who live on their own have to spend most of their weekly allowance on household necessities, so at the end of the month there is not much left on your bank account to party with.
“Strict curfews.”
(female, 17 years)
Usually teens and parents don’t share the same vision of what is the right time to come home in the evenings. And let’s face it, who hasn’t lied to their parents saying that they would stay for a sleepover at their friends place when in fact the intention was to sneak into “the party of the year you just couldn’t miss.”
It’s said that teenage years are the best and worst time in life. One day we will be those oldies who look back on their memories of youth with nostalgia and nag about the young people and their follies. What are the things in this moment that we will remember and cherish for the rest of our lives? Will we remember the countless evenings spent on studying or the nights we stayed awake having fun with friends? But before that it’s time to make those unforgettable memories.
Quotes and other information in this article have been collected from 309 teenagers and young people, aged 15 to 24, via an anonymous web survey.
Text by: Ella Holttinen, 18 years, Tampere, Finland
Photo by: Heikku Ulvinen, 22 years, Nurmijärvi, Finland
