Norms: Individual vs. Society- Versus

Most Teens and I

I have been told many times by multiple people that I am a very responsible young lady for my age I never really had much thought about it. It wasn’t until the summer before my senior year that I took all these comments into thought. You see I had given up my last summer as a minor, to babysit my uncle’s children all the way in San Mateo. So I was five hours away from family, and friends for my entire summer. It was there that my uncle and his wife had asked me the one question I never had considered, “Why are you so different from most teens, how are you so responsible?”

Immediately I couldn’t help but compare myself to the one other teenager I ever knew, my cousin. I remember growing up with my cousin when she was a teen. I remember the countless times she went joy riding with my grandfather’s car. I remember the times she would sneak out the house to meet up with her boyfriend. She was my role model and I would be lying if I told you I didn’t ever follow her ways. I remember sneaking out one night with her because she told me it would be fun. This was the night that would change the rest of my entire life. I may have never done anything worth regretting but the fact that I was willing to climb out a window scared me. How could one person influence my life in such a way?

It was from this day forward that I had learned not to take life for granted that you need to fight hard for what you believe in and never let anyone influence your life. I guess I am different from other teens because I have learned from the mistakes my cousin has made. I learned not to be foolish and I learned that the strongest I ever was is when I was true to myself. I may not go out partying with the cool crowd, I have never done drugs and I don’t drink, not even wine.

Instead I have found it fulfilling being the best person I can be. I help others, I participate in a number of charities, I never mind being a helpful hand for teachers and I take my chances at new opportunities. For instance most teens wouldn’t be willing to babysit a whole summer without family, friends, internet access, and without contact to the rest of civilization. But I did, I figured it would be a chance for me to understand how my life would be when I left home. I learned how it would be to have a family to whom I would have to look after.

But then again I guess one of the major reasons I live my life this way is because I have my own morals. In which most I have been taught by family, but unlike others I take my morals seriously. If I ever were to break them, I would live in dread till I found a way to redeem myself. Teens aren’t always reckless; they can be young responsible adults to. I guess that’s what separates me the “individual” from most teens the “society”. I think over all my actions before taking them, always hoping for the best.