Eboni Smith

My generation today is different and unique. We are not restricted to one culture, one county, nor one style. Todays youth are not afflicted just by the usual drugs, crime, violence, etc. New challenges have formed such as identity crisis, lack of self-confidence, peer pressure, and confusion .

As a teen, there are so many pressures in your life and so many things are changing. Your body is changing, your hormones are raging, you want to fit in at school, your teachers are overloading you with work, and home life is just as hectic. Adolescence is one of the biggest transitional periods you will go through in life.

Adolescences life is like a rubber band. We get pulled around , tugged at, and stretched out just as a rubber band.

Knowing Yourself Peer Pressure Background Education Disparity Materialism Role Models

Morals Cliques Social Skills Thought Process Bullying Self-Confidence

Technology has influenced the way we think about life in general.

Media
Social Networks such as Twitter, Facebook,

Tumblr, Path, Pinterest, Eye Em, etc. Magazines Music

The Lyrics The Artists The Videos

In adults, various parts of the brain work together to evaluate choices, make decisions and act accordingly in each situation. The teenage brain doesn't appear to work like this. The brain's remote control is the prefrontal cortex, a section of the brain that weighs outcomes, forms judgments and controls impulses and emotions It's the part of the brain that says: Is this a good idea? What is the consequence of this action? As such, the prefrontal cortex is a little immature in teenagers as compared to adults; it may not fully develop until your mid20s .

94% have a cell phone Average number of texts per day is 167 32% are sad/unhappy if they spend 16+ hours a day on the cell phone 44% of teens drive better without friends in the car 64% of adolescences decisions was based on peer pressure 45% of all U.S. births are to teens.

Keep the lines of communication open Offer support and advice without judgement Pick your battles Know their friends Talk about issues Set healthy boundaries