Week 6

I don't know how I survived my teenage years. I know I am not the first person to say this, but it's true. I was the typical "crazy teenager." I remember raging at my parents and teachers, sneaking out, and many, MANY other things I shouldn't have been doing that I will not put on the internet (just use your imagination though--whatever you are thinking I probably did it). My parents were amazing and forgiving, but I just don't think there is any way they could've ever stayed engaged enough on what was going on with me to give me the type of control I needed.

I remember being extremely influenced by my friends. At the time, I didn't think of it as the old "giving into peer pressure," but that's totally what it was. Whatever my friends wanted me to do, I was doing it. I remember acting on impulsions all the time, but then feeling guilty afterwords--it was like I didn't have any forethought (and after reading the article this week, maybe I REALLY didn't have the ability to think about the consequences of my actions).

I had a friend my senior year of high school who had gotten a felony and wouldn't tell any of us how it happened--he was very ashamed. One day he finally told me it was because he had slashed all the tires of every car in an entire parking lot. When I asked "why," he said "I have no idea." I think this really sums up the way teenage brains work...