TEENAGERS NOW AND THEN

Do you think teenagers from the past are different? Do you remember what it was like being in high school? Many things have changed since the 70s and 80s in our world but one thing that has stayed the same are teenagers. The only thing that has changed about teens are peoples views on them. People say that the times have changed which is true but teenagers have been doing the same things just in different variations because of the times.
Teenagers of modern times are different creatures than teens of the past. Technology has taken over their lives. It is mainly because of the environment they are in and the power and strength of media and peer influence. Relevant Flow says that 94% of teenagers have cell phones. Teens no longer need to connect with each other face to face because it’s so much “easier” to text. Teenagers would rather text or Skype each other than have a face to face conversation. Some teens mindsets are why should they go to their friend’s house when he or she can just talk to them online. People can find almost anything online nowadays. Now, we spend most of our time with earphones plugged in, watching T.V, playing video games and texting each other.
When teenagers go home most of them just go and watch T.V unlike the past where they went outside and hung out with their friends. Teens have more access to technology which is a reason for them being different. Drugs and alcohol are also more relevant now which is why teens have more problems. 70% of adults that smoke said that they started to smoke when they were in high school. Teenagers have always been rebellious and experimental, but it seems that people don’t understand that. At most parties, there are drugs and alcohol. Teens have always been drinking and doing drugs but with all the social media the entire world can see what they do Saturday night. With all the social media everyone knows what you do and where you are. Teens of the past did not party the way modern teens do. They did not have access to everything we do in the modern day. Teens in the past only knew what you did if they were there or if you told them or if there was gossip. According to infographic world, high school graduations rates have dropped five percent since 1982. Students think that they do not need to go to school because they think they are smart enough. In the past kids went to school everyday and most of them graduated. There has also been a drop is teens working. Most kids had a summer job and maybe even a job after school. Students would rather sit at home then prepare for the “real” world by getting a job.
Teenagers in the 70s and 80s are not as different as the teens of today. Many people say that the teens of today are allot worse or don’t have any morals but the truth is that teens of today are pretty much the same as the past. Teenagers have always enjoyed hanging out with friends, doing a lot of adventurous and exciting things as well as finding the means to satisfy their curiosity. The things that teens do today are just seen and known of more because of social media. In the 70s and 80s teens were partying and doing drugs but there was no social media to post about it. For example, at just about every party I have gone to there is always somebody saying “hey record this” just before he does something stupid. Just because they do something stupid or dangerous that does not mean that they are a bad person it just means that they are living life. In the 1970s 66% of teenagers had used marijuana and in 2014 only 46% had used it. People say that were bad because a few kids let the world see what they do. Most people only think that we party because that’s all they see they don’t realize that they all do that. Most young adults have helped a person in need or have helped the community. Most teenagers have never even been to a party.
There are many similarities and differences between teens now vs the teens of the 70s and 80s. Every person in the world was once a teenager that did some dumb stuff. Most teenagers today will admit to some of their stupid actions. Adults now do not know what it is like to be a teen in 2016 and they never will because they were a teen in the 70s or 80s. They know what is what like back then but not now with how the world has changed.