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 Spectrum

 Depression

 Being a teenager in today’s society is not an easy task. We have all this criteria or ‘set  ways’ we are expected to behave and ways in which to go about our lives. Things we’re  meant to believe in, movies we’re supposed to watch to be cool, clothes that we must have  and most importantly of all, your status in the popularity food chain.

  Sound a bit like a chiche American teen movie? That’s because it is. Well, not entirely. We  are in a society that is copying other societies. Therefore to be accepted, loved and noticed  we must behave within their guidelines. That means girls, skirts no shorter and three inches  above your knees, boys you must be clean shaven, no ‘out there’ colours, must all be  neutral and oh yes, your hair. Your hair must be a certain way for society to appreciate you.  So that’s pretty much saying that we are casting out those boys and girls with black hair,  spikes, miniskirts, tight leather and long trenchcoats. Rubbish. We are all the same. Isn’t  that what we always try to teach, ever since we take our first breath into this world? We are  all the same. Well not that we aren’t grateful for some heads up, but we are not all equal.
 There are those who are rich and those who are poor. And there are those in the middle  who suffer also. Why I hear you ask? Let me tell you why. Those in the middle between rich  and poor suffer because they neither belong to a rich side where they can go to elite  Grammar Schools and plays and they can’t go and sleep on the park bench because of  fear  that it will bring shame. So what do they do? The teenagers in these families try to fit  in  somewhere without anyone’s help because they are proving their independence. But  there  is a danger to this game they play. What happens when the reality hits? They don’t  have  that much money, they don’t have that many opportunities and thus the fear comes  around  and they lose hope, faith and love for life. Consequently this may bring on a  depression, a  withdrawal from activities in which teens should participate in.

  But the point is, no matter what background we come from, no matter how much money we  have access to, we shouldn’t judge each other by how similar or different we are. And if we,  as teenagers, stopped pulling each other down with every opportunity we get, we might  actually get to show the world what it’s like to hold each other up. The world might stop  killing each other for long enough to stop, take notice, and learn. We might become brave  enough to show each other just how individual and creative we can be instead of hiding our  talents and our fears under this oppressive teenage depression. Who knows what we could  be if we could be free.

 - article submitted by Violeta Matijevic