Interviewing Rebekah

Interview with Rebekah (Age 14)

What does ‘being a teenager’ mean for you?

Being a teenager for me means times when you are in your most emotional stage. I think it also means when you are mostly, likely to be interested in the people of your opposite gender. Being a teenager also means when you are in the stage of puberty and when you are the most sensitive.

Are you enjoying your life as a teenager? Why?

Yes, I guess so, let me re-phrase that I used to like it. Now, it’s getting to difficult for me to handle. I used to like my teenage life and the change and all those fun times but now, it’s just too much and it’s too stressful. It is stressful because of the pressure, homework, appearance, studies and etc…

Is there anything that you get influenced more after you become a teenager?

Well, yes after going through a period of time of being a teenager you learn many different and new things and you begin to understand and care about certain things you never even noticed before in you previous years.

How would you define your teenage life?

I would define my teenage life as dull but sometimes exciting….. Also maybe stressful… Also sometimes just sometimes lonely…

Is there anything that has changed after you became a teenager?

Yes, I guess so. When I used to be young, I would tell my parents I’m sorry for whatever I did and wrote letters but now… after turning 13 I rarely do it also I get mad and upset over little things and seem to upset my parents a lot.

What should a teenager do in order to enjoy his/her life?

They should live their lives at the fullest. Study and have fun studying either by oneself or with groups of people you enjoy being with and people who make you happy. Also have fun and actually have fun! A teenager should not be alone… In this time of period you should not be alone or feel too lonely because then later you might not be able to socialize with people and you don’t enjoy being with others. This might not be a good thing.

Do you often feel emotional changes? When and why?

Yes, I do feel emotional changes, like, for instance. I used to be happy a lot when I was young but now, I feel very gloomy and don’t like certain things. I feel the most emotional when I am alone or when I’m at school sometimes. When I used to be little I would be happy and hyper and all like that at school now I feel all bored at school keep feeling very dull.

Have you ever thought of trying bad things (ex. Committing suicide, smoking, etc)? Why?

Yes, I have I have thought doing all those bad things but not as bad as desiring sex or anything just things like smoking, drinking, clubbing and etc… I have thought about doing it because I see my other friends try it and I hear it from other people which makes me want to do it and try it. Things like committing suicide I may have thought about it but I didn’t go too deep, I would just think of which is the less painful and how and etc but it was usually just sometimes (Rarely though)

What is the most important thing in your life? Why?

The most important thing in my life are my friends and family. They are the most important because without them, their help, their guidance’s could be totally different. Without my parents I wouldn’t be even breathing right now and without my siblings I wouldn’t be as happy as if I never had them.

Adolescence is a time to be prepared to become an adult. Are you prepared enough?

No, NOT AT ALL. Well, maybe I am kind of excited for the whole baby and raising one and etc… but I am not ready for any of that what so ever… I think I still need more guidance and more preparation.

Any comments you would like to make about being a teenager?

Although it can get tough all you have to do is just hang in there I guess.