As if the adolescent years aren’t confusing enough; let’s throw in dances, parties, and the most overwhelming: relationships.
At the ages of 15-18, our brains aren’t even fully developed, and they won’t be until our mid-twenties. The frontal lobe, which controls the social interactions of an individual, is still developing, along with the creation of grey and white matter in the brain, which help the brain cells to communicate.
Meanwhile we are expected to decide who we are and what we want to do with our lives. Answering questions like… Do I really want to go 1,400 miles away for college? What do I want to study in college, Journalism or Elementary Education?
We are introduced to the complex world of adulthood where few people seem to understand our individual struggles, and we strive to find someone who can relate to us.
This need is the reason we value our friendships so strongly, and is often the root of teen love. Boyfriends and girlfriends usually begin as close friends, one thing leading to another, and before you know it they’re Facebook official.
These relationships, whether romantic or platonic, help teens to feel appreciated and cared for. When somebody says I love you, naturally we want to believe them.
No one wants to feel alone. As Jack Johnson says, “hanging on is easy when you gotta friend to call when nothin’s makin’ sense at all”. Boyfriends, girlfriends, or just friends all provide a sense of love, security, and a buffer from the outside world.
We all know friendships and teen-love don’t always last, no matter how committed they once were. But a relationship’s effect on a person can. Dating experiences and the friends one makes in high school can help a teen discover who they are and what they value.
Kelsy Ensign, Opinions Editor
