The Bitter Truth: 15 Things Adults Regret Giving Up From Their Teen Years
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Remember those teenage years? How did you spend them? It’s a question that takes us on a trip down memory lane, back to a time of youthful energy and self-discovery. We dig into our memories to uncover the moments that molded us, the friendships that stuck around, and the experiences that added excitement to our lives.
Bedroom
Many of us absolutely “hated” our family during our teenage years. We often found any excuse to lock ourselves away in the quiet of our bedrooms. One person remembered spending the majority of their teens in their room because it was what they thought teens did.
Gaming
Gaming has always been a pretty popular way to spend teenage years. We’ve had plenty of gaming systems enter since the 80s, and people have been wasting away teenage weeknights and weekends playing with friends.
Drunk
Although, as a teenager, you are not of legal drinking age, that didn’t stop many people from having their fair share of drunken nights. A woman who is now in her 30s questioned how she was never kidnapped after waking up in cornfields with her friends after a night of “field parties.”
Parenting
Some felt like they didn’t have teenage years at all. Many were responsible for younger siblings while their parents worked to put food on the table or to ensure their siblings were taken care of because their parents were not fit to raise them.
Sneaking Out
A lot of people snuck out while they were teenagers, and even more, people said they quickly realized there really was nothing to do at 2 a.m. in their neighborhoods. Others said they would just wander around and then head home wondering why they did it in the first place.
Working
As a teenager, you often have items you want to buy. This requires money, and many times, your parents or you decide it’s time to get a job. Some people remember working 40+ hours a week to buy a car, go to the movies, save for college, or because they had to help their families out.
Punk Shows and Festivals
Before Coachella or Bonnaroo, there were punk rock shows and huge punk music festivals. These festivals were full of up-and-coming punk rock bands, and many would go on to become famous. Bands like Blink 182, Fall Out Boy, and Green Day all started with small shows and festivals.
Friends
Friends are often a big part and influence during our teenage years. Many people remember hanging out with their friends any chance they got. Before cell phones were a thing, people would make plans to meet at a specific time and place to just hang out and talk instead of texting.
Playing an Instrument
Whether you were in your high school band, a garage band, or just played an instrument for fun. People reminisced about the times they had while at band camp, playing small coffee houses with their friends, or just practicing to get better.
Sports
If you played high school sports, you may have felt like the king or queen of your high school. Football, soccer, cheerleading, baseball, and softball are all sports people remember putting a ton of extra time and energy into while teenagers.
School
It seems like the obvious answer, but many people spent a lot of their days sitting inside classrooms. School is a huge part of our teenage years, and many days, whether we wanted them to be or not, were inside a building.
Exercising
Exercising and working out is a big part of a healthy lifestyle. Getting into this routine during your teenage years is even better. Some started adding this into their routine in their teens and have continued it ever since.
Mental Health
Our teenage years can be challenging! There are a lot of aspects that can affect our mental health. Some people found that they were full of anxiety, or that they needed some mental
Sleep Away Camp
Sleepaway camp was pretty big for many teenagers. Whether they were attending as a camper or working as a counselor, many people have fond memories of their days by a campfire, eating in a large camp cafeteria, and staying up all night in their bunks.
Bored
If you grew up during the time before iPads, smartphones, or even computers, you often get bored when hanging out at home. Sometimes, there were days of boredom with nothing to do. Your teenage years were often no different: bored, waiting for something fun to happen.
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