Trusted With Your Future

It is almost universally agreed upon that teenagers make poor decisions during their adolescence. Biologically, the prefrontal cortex is still not fully developed at this age, forcing most teens decisions to be made by the amygdala, the part of the brain regulating impulses, aggression and emotions. A potential explanation for the “rash” or “immature” choices that adolescents make during this time. Yet, this time is where young adults are expected to make decisions that can change the course of their lives.

Caught in this in-between time, no longer babied by adults around you, yet years removed from complete control of your life, adolescence is exceedingly confusing. There is a serious struggle with autonomy and how much these young adults are allotted during this time period. As much as teenagers like to believe that they are in complete control, there are still figures of authority to hinder this belief. There is a significant increase in independence, ones that come with expectations to make the “correct” choice when confronted with decisions. There is a major push towards acting like an adult, as opposed to a child, however teens might not be quite ready to fill the “adult” shoes.

With balancing school and work, maintaining relationships with others, figuring out one’s sense of identity all weighing on you, adolescence is a very vulnerable period of time. Yet, it is a period of time in which  you are expected to make some of the biggest decisions of your life. Figuring out what life looks like after high school, whether it’s attending a university or choosing another path, these decisions ultimately guide the rest of your life. However, adolescents are given such limited time to make these decisions; ones that are based on limited experiences as well.

Not only do adolescents have a lot already on their plate, but at this time period there is a lot of added societal pressures. They are constantly surrounded by people showing off their choices and bragging about their lives, that it becomes a competition. Looking at those around you and having to constantly compare your life to those of others takes a big toll on adolescents. Another issue that arises is that many people will base their decision on the ones of those around them. For example, many young adults will feel pressure from their peers when it comes to college decisions: who is attending the most prestigious schools or who gets the most scholarship money. The ongoing struggle to keep up with those around you can have drastic effects on adolescence. 

Looking at the various pieces of literature that we read throughout the semester. the concept of autonomy and decision making, is a common theme throughout many of them. A prime example was the Lowell Offering. These girls ranging through various ages in adolescence are all faced with a decision to sacrifice their home life to potentially formulate a better future for themselves and their families. There is a significant change in lifestyle that abandons comfort of familiarity and replaces it with an foreign setting. Whether these girls are ready to make a decision of this capacity is a debate for adolescents and their independence. They plunge into the working class, leaving the comfort of their homes to provide for themselves, which can be looked at as a mature decision, however others may think that it is impulsive to leave their families at such a young age.

Another example of the issue of autonomy during adolescence in literature is Charlotte 

Temple. Her story brings up the question about how much responsibility young adults can use wisely. When she is under the influence of a peer, Mademoiselle La Rue, Charlotte makes an impulsive decision to follow a boy to another country. Mademoiselle La Rue applies a certain amount of pressure on Charlotte to follow the man because she would like to accompany them on the journey. Not only does she make this choice in the matter of a few hours, but she also succumbs to the influence of a character who is unreliable and does not have her best interests at heart. 

Overall, self-independence is a commonly difficult aspect of adolescence. While many are fully capable to make their own decisions, there are deep rooted concerns with young adults making life altering choices. Between peer influences and biological underdevelopment teens are predestined to make mistakes throughout their adolescent years. This struggle with autonomy is a common theme throughout this age group and tends to be a popular debate in our culture. In today’s society teens are faced with many decisions that will ultimately factor into their future and shape the way their life will play out. Whether they are able to make responsible decisions when faced with these choices.

-Madeleine Casey