What exactly does being angsty mean? It is often understood as a typical character trait of a teenager. It is a feeling of being alone in the world, and unable to be understood by anyone.
In my opinion, angst is not only a defining feature of the
coming-of-age process, but a crucial feature of it as well. Angst may usually be referred to as something
rather negative, but I believe we must look at angst from a different
perspective. We must look at angst as a positive trait of a teenager, as a
motivator, and as a pusher.
When I was a child, I was always encouraged to try my best
in school, and any sort of activity I participated in. Whether it was playing
soccer, or taking a test, my family always supported me. As I grew up, and
started high school, sometimes trying my best didn’t seem to be enough, not for
my parents, but for myself. With a heavier course load, and more deadlines to
make, things began to get more stressful. I began to feel more pressure, and
get upset with myself when not achieving as well as I believed I had.
This kind of experience allowed me to develop a small case of teen angst. I began to
be angry when I couldn’t satisfy my own expectations, or if I didn’t have
enough time in a day to do everything I wanted to do. Whether it had been
studying for a test, or making plans with friends, I always seemed to create
some drama, and feel as though no one could understand how I felt. I did not blame my anger on anyone specifically, but felt mad at the world
in general. I could sit here and say this was a negative experience that happened to me, but I would like to look at it from a different perspective. I
think this angst was something positive in my life, and was truly my motivator.
This angst not only caused frustrations, and stress, but it pushed me to try
harder, and eventually achieve my goals in school, as well as better time
management with my social life. I believe that my own teen angst was a crucial aspect in my
decision to make changes, and it allowed me in the end to be more satisfied with
myself.
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| Angsty teen doing homework. |
Putting aside my own personal experience with teen angst,
let’s take a look at a novel I once read, The Outsiders by S.E Hinton. In this book, a teenage boy named
Ponyboy, and his friend Johnny decide to leave town together to get away from the anger,
and angst they experience at home. Ponyboy lives with his two brothers, and feels like his oldest brother Darrel does not accept,
nor understand him. His angst pushes him to leave town with his friend. In
turn, Ponyboy ends up missing his brother, and realizing how much he really
means to him. He begins to see things from a different perspective. His angst
motivated him to take action and leave, which led him to make a realization
that his brother only wants to protect him. In this case, Ponyboy’s teen angst
served as a motivator for him, and helped him make a life realization in terms of his
brother.
Angst truly is a defining feature of the coming-of-age process. Without angst, I would have never pushed myself to work harder
in school, and achieve the goals I have today. A little angst can motivate us, and
push us towards making certain decisions. Angst is like the feeling of being told
off by your enemy, it leaves you feeling unsatisfied, and angry, and pushes you
to take action.
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