Empathy for Teens in 2023

Hey, I’m Ethan -

I’m currently a first-year college student. I’ve been journaling my thoughts for more than 3 years. I’ve been on the road towards self improvement and I’ve garnered a lot of wisdom along the way. I thought others could benefit from my learning experiences, and this is why I’m here. This is called “Study Hall” because even though I should be studying, I’m speaking my mind in here instead. Perfect pasttime if you ask me.

Let’s begin this journey with something that I bet you, your friend, and even your mother is familiar with: hustle culture. It doesn’t take more than 5 clicks on the internet to know the climate of today’s society. We’re in the day and age where the Andrew Tate’s and Justin Waller's of the world scour our TikTok’s and Instagram reels. Teenagers today are pressured to enter this lifestyle. I will admit, they do push a narrative that I fully support: hard work and discipline. Those tend to go hand-in-hand and I truly believe that those principles can easily drive one very far in life.

But here’s where it gets tricky. Teens are pressured to get out of the “matrix”. Get out of 9-5 jobs, become the top 1% male/female, retire the parents; that’s what’s being pushed on us today. Those that aren’t making six-figures, moving out at 18, or traveling are often belittled. This is where the pressure builds. While yes, that’s the dream; I don’t want nothing more than to be financially free and be able to give my parents everything. But I just graduated high school and, to be honest, I have no idea what I want to do with my life.

I want to make this clear: there is nothing wrong with having a 9-5 job. There is nothing wrong with not knowing your calling in life just yet. As soon as we enter adulthood, life begins. We’re practically still babies; we’re not supposed to have everything figured out. That is completely fine. Take your time to make the right moves. Nothing is meant to be rushed. Rushed efforts often result in unsatisfactory outcomes. Even if you’re sitting here aged 25+ and relate to this, relax; you’re still not behind. This is not me pitying you, this is me telling the truth: you are not behind. Everybody takes their own path, some thrive earlier than others, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

And I know what you’re thinking, I’m only 18. What do I know? You’re right, I don’t know everything. I make mistakes and learn every single day. But I know some things that have served me well, and I know it’ll serve you just the same. Take my words with a grain of salt. The words that I type on this pages come from teachings that I’ve read, listened to, and adopted into my mentality. I’m not forcing you to agree with me. I’m merely giving my insight on the topics that I believe can benefit you. You’re more than welcome to close this page and never look back, but I hope you find value in my words and feel inspired to improve your own life with them.

See you then.

- Ethan