Thoughts on the Summer

I have recently noticed an increase in the ferocity of the internal battle that is waged everyday between my common sense and the tidal force of my adolescence. In truth, adolescence is very much the anti-thesis of common sense, from a contemporary point of view. This is the common canon shared my all parents, teachers, developmental physicians, zoologists, etc. However, recent thoughts while in deep meditation (taking my morning shower) have led me to believe otherwise. My experiences thus far in my adolescence have led me to believe that this time is a period of exploration of one's limits. It is during the teenager years that individuals get the chance to explore and create the limits and boundaries of their personalities, the same personalities that will control who they become in their early adult years. Granted, this does not mean that these new personalities are set in stone, however, it cannot be argued that it during this time, when a teenager is most subject to the influences of an increasingly hyperbolic society; one that spawns abstract cultural artifacts faster than the populace can digest them. In this tumultuous environment, it's no surprise that many adolescents push the limits of their personalities and search for different ways of viewing the world. An increased emphasis on 'being yourself' often surfaces during this time. But really, how easy is it to be yourself when the average teenager is bombarded countlessly by different meanings of 'yourself'.