"I want to see retired teenagers"

"We stopped turning out new adult models in the 1960's."

These are the words of Charles Wiley, veteran journalist and reporter, who was a guest speaker in our journalism class. That is part of his rather lengthy response to the question I asked about why journalism has taken a shift from being more objective and newsworthy in the 40's to today's media.

His response sparked a great deal of thought in me. To put it simply Mr. Wiley said that before the 60's, there was no such thing as teenagers, and in those days the children were striving to be adults. They didn't want to be teenagers, they wanted to grow up and gain enough wisdom to be considered adults. This changed in the 60's and the teenage culture was created. As a former, well I hope former, member of the teenage culture I completely agree with him. I was just a teenager a short year ago, and even though in many respects I still am, I already don't understand the culture like I used to.

But his point brings up an interesting line of thought. What if I become a career teenager? Someone who never breaks free from those teenage pastimes and mentalities. Now thankfully I think I'm on the path toward adulthood, and that's where I want to be, but I'm still a teenager in a lot of regards.

At college there are still a lot of career teenagers. I'm all about having fun, but some stuff is just so childish, and its labeled fun and if you don't like it you are a fun killer or something of the ilk. It's all fun and games until you pull something like that in the business world, then you are fired. It's great to have an opinion, until you deeply offend someone because of how you present it.

It's true though, that sometimes I need to loosen up, but I really don't want to be that person that turns 25, and everyone still considers a kid. I don't know where that line is, but I think it's at a place where immaturity no longer outweighs responsibility. And I doubt I'm there yet, but I hope I will be there soon.

Another reason this mentality is perpetuated, is because when someone who is trying to be responsible and act like adult they are often ridiculed by their peers for not having enough fun. Well, maybe that can be true, but who's to say that why we are having our "fun" that person isn't learning valuable life lessons.

Anyway, those are a few thoughts. Take advantage of being a teenager, but don't stay stuck in that culture, because those who remain teenagers are not the ones who impact the world in great ways. It's ok to have that remnant of childish behavior, because without it everyone would be boring, but don't let it overtake your responsibility. We are tomorrow's leaders, and I don't want teenagers and teenage drama to be what this world is always talking about. So with all respect "grow up".