essay about the youth today

Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education

How Teens Today Are Different from Past Generations

Every generation of teens is shaped by the social, political, and economic events of the day. Today’s teenagers are no different—and they’re the first generation whose lives are saturated by mobile technology and social media.

In her new book, psychologist Jean Twenge uses large-scale surveys to draw a detailed portrait of ten qualities that make today’s teens unique and the cultural forces shaping them. Her findings are by turn alarming, informative, surprising, and insightful, making the book— iGen:Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy—and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood—and What That Means for the Rest of Us —an important read for anyone interested in teens’ lives.

Who are the iGens?

Twenge names the generation born between 1995 and 2012 “iGens” for their ubiquitous use of the iPhone, their valuing of individualism, their economic context of income inequality, their inclusiveness, and more.

She identifies their unique qualities by analyzing four nationally representative surveys of 11 million teens since the 1960s. Those surveys, which have asked the same questions (and some new ones) of teens year after year, allow comparisons among Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and iGens at exactly the same ages. In addition to identifying cross-generational trends in these surveys, Twenge tests her inferences against her own follow-up surveys, interviews with teens, and findings from smaller experimental studies. Here are just a few of her conclusions.

iGens have poorer emotional health thanks to new media. Twenge finds that new media is making teens more lonely, anxious, and depressed, and is undermining their social skills and even their sleep.

iGens “grew up with cell phones, had an Instagram page before they started high school, and do not remember a time before the Internet,” writes Twenge. They spend five to six hours a day texting, chatting, gaming, web surfing, streaming and sharing videos, and hanging out online. While other observers have equivocated about the impact, Twenge is clear: More than two hours a day raises the risk for serious mental health problems.

She draws these conclusions by showing how the national rise in teen mental health problems mirrors the market penetration of iPhones—both take an upswing around 2012. This is correlational data, but competing explanations like rising academic pressure or the Great Recession don’t seem to explain teens’ mental health issues. And experimental studies suggest that when teens give up Facebook for a period or spend time in nature without their phones, for example, they become happier.

The mental health consequences are especially acute for younger teens, she writes. This makes sense developmentally, since the onset of puberty triggers a cascade of changes in the brain that make teens more emotional and more sensitive to their social world.

Social media use, Twenge explains, means teens are spending less time with their friends in person. At the same time, online content creates unrealistic expectations (about happiness, body image, and more) and more opportunities for feeling left out—which scientists now know has similar effects as physical pain . Girls may be especially vulnerable, since they use social media more, report feeling left out more often than boys, and report twice the rate of cyberbullying as boys do.

Social media is creating an “epidemic of anguish,” Twenge says.

iGens grow up more slowly. iGens also appear more reluctant to grow up. They are more likely than previous generations to hang out with their parents, postpone sex, and decline driver’s licenses.

Twenge floats a fascinating hypothesis to explain this—one that is well-known in social science but seldom discussed outside academia. Life history theory argues that how fast teens grow up depends on their perceptions of their environment: When the environment is perceived as hostile and competitive, teens take a “fast life strategy,” growing up quickly, making larger families earlier, and focusing on survival. A “slow life strategy,” in contrast, occurs in safer environments and allows a greater investment in fewer children—more time for preschool soccer and kindergarten violin lessons.

“Youths of every racial group, region, and class are growing up more slowly,” says Twenge—a phenomenon she neither champions nor judges. However, employers and college administrators have complained about today’s teens’ lack of preparation for adulthood. In her popular book, How to Raise an Adult , Julie Lythcott-Haims writes that students entering college have been over-parented and as a result are timid about exploration, afraid to make mistakes, and unable to advocate for themselves.

Twenge suggests that the reality is more complicated. Today’s teens are legitimately closer to their parents than previous generations, but their life course has also been shaped by income inequality that demoralizes their hopes for the future. Compared to previous generations, iGens believe they have less control over how their lives turn out. Instead, they think that the system is already rigged against them—a dispiriting finding about a segment of the lifespan that is designed for creatively reimagining the future.

iGens exhibit more care for others. iGens, more than other generations, are respectful and inclusive of diversity of many kinds. Yet as a result, they reject offensive speech more than any earlier generation, and they are derided for their “fragility” and need for “ trigger warnings ” and “safe spaces.” (Trigger warnings are notifications that material to be covered may be distressing to some. A safe space is a zone that is absent of triggering rhetoric.)

Today’s colleges are tied in knots trying to reconcile their students’ increasing care for others with the importance of having open dialogue about difficult subjects. Dis-invitations to campus speakers are at an all-time high, more students believe the First Amendment is “outdated,” and some faculty have been fired for discussing race in their classrooms. Comedians are steering clear of college campuses, Twenge reports, afraid to offend.

The future of teen well-being

Social scientists will discuss Twenge’s data and conclusions for some time to come, and there is so much information—much of it correlational—there is bound to be a dropped stitch somewhere. For example, life history theory is a useful macro explanation for teens’ slow growth, but I wonder how income inequality or rising rates of insecure attachments among teens and their parents are contributing to this phenomenon. And Twenge claims that childhood has lengthened, but that runs counter to data showing earlier onset of puberty.

So what can we take away from Twenge’s thoughtful macro-analysis? The implicit lesson for parents is that we need more nuanced parenting. We can be close to our children and still foster self-reliance. We can allow some screen time for our teens and make sure the priority is still on in-person relationships. We can teach empathy and respect but also how to engage in hard discussions with people who disagree with us. We should not shirk from teaching skills for adulthood, or we risk raising unprepared children. And we can—and must—teach teens that marketing of new media is always to the benefit of the seller, not necessarily the buyer.

Yet it’s not all about parenting. The cross-generational analysis that Twenge offers is an important reminder that lives are shaped by historical shifts in culture, economy, and technology. Therefore, if we as a society truly care about human outcomes, we must carefully nurture the conditions in which the next generation can flourish.

We can’t market technologies that capture dopamine, hijack attention, and tether people to a screen, and then wonder why they are lonely and hurting. We can’t promote social movements that improve empathy, respect, and kindness toward others and then become frustrated that our kids are so sensitive. We can’t vote for politicians who stall upward mobility and then wonder why teens are not motivated. Society challenges teens and parents to improve; but can society take on the tough responsibility of making decisions with teens’ well-being in mind?

The good news is that iGens are less entitled, narcissistic, and over-confident than earlier generations, and they are ready to work hard. They are inclusive and concerned about social justice. And they are increasingly more diverse and less partisan, which means they may eventually insist on more cooperative, more just, and more egalitarian systems.

Social media will likely play a role in that revolution—if it doesn’t sink our kids with anxiety and depression first.

About the Author

Diana Divecha

Diana Divecha, Ph.D. , is a developmental psychologist, an assistant clinical professor at the Yale Child Study Center and Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, and on the advisory board of the Greater Good Science Center. Her blog is developmentalscience.com .

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Why Teens Turn from Parents to Peers

Essays About Youth: Top 5 Essay Examples Plus 10 Prompts

Discover our guide with creative writing prompts and examples for essays about youth to help you get started on your next great essay!

Youth is that cusp between childhood and adulthood — a period filled with zest, adventure, and impulsiveness. Our future depends on the youth of today. As such, we are well-advised to equip ourselves with sufficient skills and knowledge to resolve future problems effectively. We must also train them to develop a moral compass, incredible determination, and deep compassion for others to serve well as future leaders.

5 Essay Examples

1. youth in revolt: five powerful movements fueled by young activist by erin blakemore, 2. what you can learn from a young ceo by elaine pofeldt, 3. advice to the youth by mark twain , 4. us youth are in a mental health crisis—we must invest in their care by mitchell j. prinstein, 5. young people are leaving their jobs in record numbers—and not going back by raisa bruner, 1. effects of social media on youth self-esteem, 2. youth’s learning crisis, 3. addressing youth obesity, 4. encouraging stem careers for youth, 5. engaging youth in community building, 6. why youth engage in cybercrime, 7. love for today’s youth, 8. national youth day, 9. substance abuse prevention for youth , 10. benefits of sex education to youth.

“Youth who participated in the civil rights movement embraced what one-time SNCC chairman Representative John Lewis called “good trouble”—fearless agitation designed to provoke, challenge, and move progress forward.”

Youth have always driven impactful social and political movements in whatever era and whichever part of the globe they are. This essay recounts some of history’s most powerful and meaningful protests mobilized by youth. Check out these essays about life lessons .

“Whether we needed to select a blogging platform or figure out how to keep costs down, we invariably found that younger CEOs were great sources of ideas.”

Gone are the days when one would purely seek older people for wisdom in business. With the competition in the digital age, youth are proving to bring in a wealth of ideas that can effectively support business strategies.

“Build your character thoughtfully and painstakingly upon these precepts, and by and by, when you have got it built, you will be surprised and gratified to see how nicely and sharply it resembles everybody else’s. ”

The American writer shows his humor and sarcasm by teaching youth the art of lying and handling firearms carelessly. Ultimately, he tells those who would succeed that they would be no different than the rest of society. 

“We have an opportunity to make a serious commitment to youth mental health, just as we did 70 years ago to help adults. This is a chance for parents, teachers, and youth to stop whispering about their mental health needs and begin shouting for our country to invest in its future and end our children’s suffering.”

As youth suicides have increased over the years, data shows that it is now the second leading cause of death among 10- to 24-year-olds. The situation demands urgent action and a rethink of the overall mental health system.

“For some, it’s burnout. For others, the timing was ripe to refocus on side projects as the stresses of the pandemic started to wane. And for many, especially in a service sector dominated by “zillennials”… poor treatment and low wages became unsustainable.”

The pandemic burnout has driven the Great Resignation among youth, leaving over 10 million jobs in the US unoccupied. This triggers a sea change in the societal landscape, where young workers pursue their self-worth and can afford to do so.

10 Thought-Provoking Prompts On Essays About Youth

While we all tend to compare our qualities and achievements to those of others, social media has made this habit worse. To youth, the biggest market of social media platforms, this has resulted in lower self-esteem, especially for girls . In your essay, gather present research that studies the links between social media use and low confidence levels. Then, recommend ways for young readers to spend more time in the real world and rebuild their self-esteem.

In recent years, it has been recognized that the world is facing a learning crisis that even the wealthier G20 countries are not exempt from . But as the COVID-19 pandemic has halted face-to-face school interactions for prolonged periods, what does the future of education and skills-building look like for our youth? Answer this with the support of research studies and data, and surveys from reputed organizations and agencies. Finally, enumerate the best ways to invest in our youth’s education.

Many cases of obesity among youth are due to the lack of exercise. For this topic prompt, lay down the negative effects of obesity, such as the increased likelihood of diabetes, hypertension, lack of self-esteem, and depression. Then, with research on wellness experts’ advice, encourage readers to change their lifestyle one step at a time to address or prevent obesity. For example, walking for 10 minutes to take a break from work could be a powerful start in changing a routine. 

No industry gains as much from youth’s ingenuity as the innovation industry. First, elaborate on the importance of developing youth’s scientific and technical skills. Then, look at how schools incorporate science, technology, engineering, and math into the curriculum, starting with your school. To conclude your essay, look at how intensive your government’s programs are in unlocking the inner scientists of today’s youth. 

Youth have the vigor and passion for changing the world. Because of this, they are one of the best groups to tap into for building a better community. To start this essay, look at the ratio of young volunteers to the total number of volunteers in your community. You can check this ratio in other communities and see how active your youth are in volunteer community work compared to others. Then, enumerate interesting practices cities can adopt to attract youth to participate in their programs. 

The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency has reported a 107% annual increase in police reports of young students engaging in cyberattacks in 2020. Dig deeper into this report and find out the main motivations why young offenders would join the dark side in cyberspace. Is it for the millions of bucks or the sense of validation in the hacking community? Then identify some best practices law enforcement authorities and schools are implementing to thwart cybercrime among youth.

Young love has always been defined by its wild passions and adventures. Does this hold today in this digital age? How have relationships evolved in the age of social media? Mull over these questions and look at other modern trends in young love. For example, many claims that internet relationships, where couples meet and interact purely online, constitute true love. 

Celebrated every August 12, International Youth Day (IYD) aims to raise awareness of youth’s pressing challenges. Your essay can revolve around the focus of the last or upcoming celebration theme. Then, reflect on the issue’s relevance and what actions you think society can take to ease the problem. For example, the 2022 IYD is themed “Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages.” This expounds on fostering solidarity across generations to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prevention is always better than cure. In this essay, search for data on youths reportedly battling drug abuse. Highlight an upward trend, if any. Then, highlight the risk factors that lead youth to drug or alcohol abuse and the consequences on health and overall well-being. You may also pay attention to the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s 16 key principles for determining the most suitable prevention programs. 

A research study has found that aside from preventing early pregnancy and the contraction of sexually transmitted diseases, comprehensive sex education helps youth feel safe and achieve success in the long term. Examine these benefits and cite the negative effects of a lack of sex education during youth. Finally, it underscores schools’ critical roles in integrating sex education and protecting students. 

If you need further guidance, check out our essay writing tips . Finally, don’t forget to proofread your essay using the best grammar checkers .

Essay on Youth for Students and Children

500+ words essay on youth.

Youth is a worthwhile phase of one’s life. The age where the age group is no longer of a child but yet to turn out to be a grown-up is the youth age. It is an age recognized by traits of heroism, toughness, muscle, stimulation, curiosity, judgmental attitude and even much more. At this stage, even though driven by fantasy or freedom and the power to choose his or her response, all must be cautiously exercised. It is a golden phase to accomplish the dual goals of intelligence and character.

A Period of Stress & Strain, Storm & Strife

Youth, in the present era, is a powerful asset of the nation possessing the abundant energy and the zeal considered necessary for the overall advancement of the same. Youth is a critical age of development, a period of uncertainty when everything is in ferment.

As a Youth is neither a child nor an adult, the personality possesses a mixture of both stages. He can be selfish at some times or turn out to be selfless the very next day. He may also turn out to be rebellious one day.

Youth develops a revolting personality and thus we can see conflicts in opinions between the family. It is also a major cause of worsening of family relations. Youth, being argumentative in nature, develop an attitude of apt rationale and judgment.

Thus, it denies accepting as true in anything without an appropriate cause following the same. It is not that there is no lack of moral awakening or his total refusal to adhere to ethical and moral standards. It is merely that he wants his every question to be answered and having his quest fulfilled, he accepts the same.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

How to channelize Youth Power in the right direction?

Youth is full of strength and intellectual capability, which if properly utilized could assist in turning the invisible into visible, the hardships to triumph and the hard work to success thus leading to the overall growth of an individual and the nation at large.

Following measures must be adapted to turn the youth into prolific individuals:

• Understanding child psychology by the parents at this stage.
• Proper guidance by the teachers
• Practical representation of best ideals and values to foster moral education in the schools. Sex education is a must for better emotional development.
• Minimizing the habit of excessive control and strict discipline so as to promote the expression of emotions, thus leading to suitable mental development.
• The organization of extra-curricular activities to channelize the imagination in youth towards creative activities.
• Preparing the youth for the cause of society by entrusting the responsibility so as to develop a feeling of responsibility in them.
• A right and rationale attitude towards democracy should be developed in the surroundings. This would lead to develop the philosophy of life.

  Conclusion

Youth is the golden period to cherish a big dream full of passion and energy. Although, the period is also full of adventures yet they have to be looked for with the eyes open. It is the time when we can provide shape to our ideas for the economic development of society. By encouraging to take an active part in the dramas, projects, sports and others are pretty good ways to control excessive fantasy. Also, it is the time to move towards the destination which can be made possible through vocational awareness and critical study of individual differences.

Mixed with responsibility and fun, new environs, excitement, thrill, applauses, and regrets, it has a huge significance in one’s life. It is time to achieve wisdom in addition to knowledge.

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Lucy Warwick-Ching

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

A series of FT View editorials and daily online debates will make the case for a new deal for the young. Beginning on Monday 26 April, they will address housing, pensions, jobs, education, the climate and tax over the course of the week.  Click to register for the events and see all the other articles

Growing inequality between generations has been exacerbated by the pandemic and has left many people in their teens, twenties and thirties feeling like they have got a raw deal.

The Financial Times wanted to bring those young people into a discussion about shifts in asset prices, pensions, education and the world of work so we launched a global survey. We asked people aged between 16 and 35 to tell us what life has been like for them in the pandemic, and which problems need fixing most urgently.

The survey was only open for one week but we had a record number of responses, with 1,700 people replying to the callout and spending an average of 30 minutes each on their responses.

While the majority of respondents were from the UK and US, others who shared their views were from Europe, Brazil, Egypt, and Asia-Pacific. Many of the respondents, though not all, were graduates who worked in sectors such as law, banking, media, education, science and technology. Many did not want to share their full names or personal details for fear of professional and personal repercussions.

People spoke of the difficulties — and benefits — of being young in today’s difficult economic times compared with their parents’ generation, and about issues relating to housing, education, jobs, pensions and the environment.

The responses formed the starting point for an in-depth analysis of the problems faced by young people today by Sarah O’Connor, our employment columnist. It is the first article in an FT series on what policies would make the economy work better for today’s youth.

Here we highlight some of the many hundreds of comments we received from readers:

Cramped housing

I absolutely cannot relate to mid career professionals being glad to be at home in their leafy three bedroom houses with gardens, when I have to have mid afternoon calls with the sound of my flatmates frying fish for lunch in the background. — A 20-year-old female reader living in London

The burden of student loans

Student loans feel like a unique problem for our generation. I can’t think of a similarity in the past when youth had such large financial burdens that can’t be discharged in most cases. Not that cancellation is necessarily the right choice. I knew what I signed up for, but what was the alternative, work in a coffee shop while the rest of my generation bettered themselves?

Mortgages and car payments just aren’t comparable to the $100k in loans I’ve been forced to deal with since I was 22. The rest seems similar. We have climate change and equality, my parents generations had communist totalitarian governments, nuclear war and . . . equality. — Matt, who works in Chicago, US

Mismatched ideas

The older generation has never understood that while our pay has increased it has been wiped out by extortionate rise in property prices. The older generation also thinks young people only enjoy spending money on experiences rather than saving money, which is not true. — A 30-year-old engineer living in the UK

Living with uncertainty

Older generations don’t feel the uncertainty we younger generation live with. Now it is more common for us to have more temporary jobs, for example, the gig economy. This uncertainty makes planning for future harder and makes taking risks impossible. — Ahmed, a lecturer living in Egypt

Scrap stamp duty on housing

The government needs to sort out house prices and stop inflating them. It should also scrap stamp duty and introduce annual property taxes instead. — A 25-year-old investment banker living in London

Emotionally better off than my parents

I know I’ll be better off than my parents. My mom came from an Italian immigrant family with seven siblings. I’m one of the first people to graduate from college with a four-year degree and one of the only people employed. Neither of my parents really ‘did’ therapy through their adult lives despite needing it, whereas I’ve had a therapist since my second year in college.

I think a common misperception about being better off is the focus on wealth — being better off also means being more emotionally and mentally healthy, which I know I am already better off than many of my family members. — Alicia, a financial analyst living in America

London feels increasingly full of anxious, burnt out 20- and 30-something-year-olds who spend half their income on a cramped flat with a damp problem and spend their weekends in the foetal position on their landlord’s Ikea sofa, endlessly scrolling through the latest app.

We have so much more than our parents did at our age, but also so much less. — A 25-year-old woman from the UK

Artificially high property prices

Current policies like Help to Buy are making things worse for young people in Britain. The prices of new builds are artificially inflated as builders know HTB can only be used on new builds! £450,000 for a one bed flat in London? Jog on. It’s insane. — Chris, in his late twenties living in London

Gen X doesn’t understand Gen Y

Generation X, doesn’t understand Generation Y, who doesn’t understand Generation Z — Andreas, a young doctor from Bulgaria

Regulate financial markets

I also have a feeling that regulating the financial markets would create more stability which would reduce the constant fear of a market meltdown — Kasper from Finland

Who is accountable?

Sustainability (renewable energy, mindful meat consumption, plastic usage awareness, social responsibility, ESG) are utmost key, and older generations seem to miss this. It feels they have put us in a stage where there is no going back, and there is no accountability whatsoever. — Renato, a risk manager from Brazil

Soaring rents

Many items that are considered a luxury to older generations, holidays, clothes, going out to eat, for example, are cheaper these days, but buying a house or renting is so much more expensive compared to when my parents were young. A lot of young people can afford the former not the latter, but for many older generations it seems the opposite was true, which creates contrasting views from each side about who has it worse. — Sophie, in her mid-twenties, from London

Young vs old

A number of older people I know are relatively sympathetic to a lot of the issues we face. There is a young versus old narrative pushed by certain sections of the media which, at least for many older people with families, has rung hollow with me. Generally they do recognise that we live in a more competitive world than they grew up in, for university places, jobs, housing etc. If anything I feel older generations probably understand younger people better than we understand them — Alex, a student solicitor in London

Cannot afford to buy a house

There is no acceptance that working from home is not feasible for younger people where you’re in significantly smaller accommodation. My company released an internal communication informing us how to be more efficient working in shared accommodation or working from your bedroom at the same time as starting consultation on closing all offices and homeworking permanently. — Lewis, who is working and studying in Bristol, UK

I have a mildly dystopian view

I feel older generations don’t understand the value of money, and it feels strange because my parents have lived a frugal life and I am doing well enough for myself, yet, given the economy, I feel compelled to save, while they don’t understand why I think thrice before every purchase.

On the issue of non-renewable resources, I feel that my parents have a particularly different mindset compared to mine; I have a mild compulsion to turn off any running tap or switch if it’s not being used. They have this comfort and faith that there will be enough for the coming generations, while I have a mildly dystopian view of the future Water/Resource Wars — Pia, a woman in her twenties in India

Steep housing costs

At my age on an apprentice’s salary my dad owned his own house and was buying and flipping more houses. I’ve got a masters degree, earning about 40 per cent more than the national average and I’m still struggling to find anywhere. They just don’t seem to understand, my dad refused to believe me until I showed him the tiny studio flats selling in my area for almost £300k — A data scientist in his late twenties, working in the UK

My generation is worn out

In many ways I think I am better off than my parents were. I’ve been able to travel and live in different countries. I had more choices than women before me. Where I live, I can love whomever I want to love. I do not have a physical job that wears down my body. But I guess each generation faces different challenges.

My generation is perhaps more likely to be mentally worn out. Housing is less affordable and returns are relatively less certain and I don’t have a pension or a pensions saving account that is protected from double taxation. — Deborah from the Netherlands

Change the voting system

It is probably an unrealistic policy change, but I would like to see some kind of weighting system applied to future voting (be it elections or referendums). The older you are, the fewer years you have left to live and the less you will have to suffer from poor long-term choices.

Brexit is a good example of this. Foolish and impressionable members of the older generation selfishly voted to leave the EU — a decision which will cause long-term damage for my generation well after they are deceased. Older people’s votes should have counted for less in the referendum. — David, working in fintech in London

Introduce a ‘meat licence’

I would introduce a “meat license” which every adult in the UK would require before they purchase/consume meat. To get this license, once a year they would have to go to an abattoir and slaughter a cow or pig. Once they have done this, they are allowed to consume as much meat as they want during the year.

This would encourage others to switch to alternatives that are available or at least reduce meat waste which is a tragically growing issue in the rich world. — Dan, working in London, UK

Replace student fees

Instead of tuition fee loans and maintenance loans I would give all young people a lump sum at regular intervals for their first several years post 18. They could use this towards going to uni, getting training, buying a house, etc. It would help diversify the paths people take post 18 whilst redistributing wealth. — A man in his mid-twenties living in Sheffield, UK

*Comments have been edited for length, style and clarity

Feel free to join the conversation by sharing your thoughts and experiences in the comment section below.

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Are Today's Youth Really a Lost Generation?

They're calling us the "Lost Generation." Young people are struggling in record numbers to find work, leave home, and start a family, according to 2010 Census figures released today .

The proximate cause is the Great Recession. The number of young Americans living with their parents, nearly 6 million, has increased by 25 percent in the last three years. But the greatest cause for concern is that even when the recession has finally let go of the economy, young Americans -- Generation Y or Millennials -- will face a longer road back to normalcy than their older peers and parents.

Last week, I compared the impact of the recession on three generations: Gen-Y, Gen-X, and Boomers. Each face a particular challenge. For Boomers, it's a wealth crisis. They invested in homes whose value has fallen by as much as 30 percent. For Gen-X, it's an income crisis. They should be in the highest-earnings years of their life, but the recession has depressed their salaries and threatened their pensions. For Gen-Y, it's about the future. The money they're not making today is a problem. But the money they might not make tomorrow is a greater concern. Two decades after graduating into a recession, an unlucky generation can continue earning 10 percent less than somebody who left school a few years before or after the downturn. When Don Peck added it all up, he found "it's as if the lucky graduates had been given a gift of about $100,000, adjusted for inflation, immediately upon graduation."

For Millennials, this is the great irony of the Great Recession. A crisis that started in the housing market could wind up having the most lasting negative impact on the one generation that didn't own any homes before the bust. We're living within two crises. The Great Recession and the greater recession . The Great Recession is a demand crisis. The wealth shock of 2008 devastated the housing market, reduced demand for goods and services, and slowed the growth of spending and income. As latent demand reemerges -- naturally, over a long period of time, or pulled forward with stimulus -- the Great Recession will end. But the greater recession will not. Men with low education attainment will continue to see their real incomes fall. Americans looking for work in manufacturing, IT and media will continue to find their positions under assault. In this greater recession, we are in a race between education and the twin forces of technology and globalization. It's hard to say how this trend would continue to play out for families. Would more women bypass marriages as they outearn their male peers? Or 30-somethings return to dual-earner households in the face of declining earnings in the middle class? I'm not a prophet. But it seems to me that these socio-cultural questions will come down to this tango between education attainment that enhances skills and earnings and corporate productivity that finds a way around U.S. jobs. The news here is not all bad. The Census reports that there were "significant increases in educational attainment between 2009 and 2010." The percent of people of 25 with high school degrees increased to 85.6 percent, and the percent with bachelor's degrees increased to 28.2. College graduates have never been more numerous in the U.S. (despite what you might have heard) and the benefit of college has never been more clear (despite what you might have heard). It's lamentably boring to conclude a column about poverty and income with a "stay in school" mantra, but -- spoiler alert -- that's exactly how this column is about to end. Investments are notoriously risky. If stock markets were safe, there would be no crashes. If bonds were safe, there would be no defaults. If mortgages were safe, there would be no Great Recession. But stocks do crash, bonds can default, and home values can fall. The safest and most profitable bet we know is a college education.

"The $102,000 investment in a four-year college yields a rate of return of 15.2 percent per year," the Hamilton Foundation reported , "more than double the average return over the last 60 years experienced in the stock market" and more than five times the return in corporate bonds, gold, long-term government bonds, or housing.

Whether or not this is a "lost generation" depends first on our recovery from the Great Recession. But in the decades after, it will depend on our ability to attain skills that match with the needs of consumers and employers through undergraduate degrees, retraining programs, and online education. More on that story in our special project next week on college and college applications. Stay tuned.

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Essay on Problems Faced by Youth Today

Students are often asked to write an essay on Problems Faced by Youth Today in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Problems Faced by Youth Today

Introduction.

Youth today face numerous challenges that shape their lives. These problems range from social, emotional, to economic issues.

Social Problems

The rise of social media has led to problems like cyberbullying and online harassment. It has also increased peer pressure and created unrealistic expectations.

Economic Challenges

Youths struggle with unemployment and the high cost of education. These financial constraints limit their opportunities and growth.

Emotional Issues

Depression and anxiety are common among youth, often due to pressure from society, school, or family. Mental health issues are a significant concern.

250 Words Essay on Problems Faced by Youth Today

The complexity of modern life.

The youth of today face a myriad of challenges, the complexity of which is amplified by the rapid pace of modern life. The digital age has brought about new opportunities, but it has also introduced problems such as cyberbullying and online privacy violations. Young people are constantly exposed to unrealistic standards of beauty and success on social media, leading to a surge in mental health issues like anxiety and depression.

Educational Challenges

In the realm of education, the youth are confronted with an increasingly competitive environment. The pressure to excel acadically is often overwhelming, leading to stress and burnout. Moreover, the traditional education system is struggling to keep pace with the evolving job market, leaving many young people ill-prepared for future careers.

Socioeconomic Disparities

Socioeconomic disparities pose another significant challenge. The wealth gap is widening, and many young people from disadvantaged backgrounds find it difficult to break the cycle of poverty. The lack of access to quality education and healthcare further exacerbates this problem.

Environmental Concerns

Finally, the youth are inheriting a planet fraught with environmental challenges. From climate change to pollution, these issues pose a threat to their future. However, they also present an opportunity for young people to drive change and create a more sustainable world.

In conclusion, while the youth of today face numerous challenges, they also have the potential to overcome these hurdles and shape a better future. It is our collective responsibility to provide them with the necessary tools and support to do so.

500 Words Essay on Problems Faced by Youth Today

Socio-economic challenges.

One of the primary issues young people face today is unemployment. Despite being the most educated generation in history, many young people struggle to find stable, well-paying jobs. This problem is compounded by the rapid automation of jobs and the gig economy, which often offers unstable employment without benefits.

Another socio-economic issue is the increasing cost of education. Higher education, once seen as a sure path to a good job and a comfortable life, is now a significant financial burden for many young people. The rising cost of tuition, coupled with the uncertainty of job prospects after graduation, has put immense pressure on the youth.

Psychological Challenges

Additionally, the fear of failure is a significant psychological challenge. In a world that increasingly values success and perfection, many young people fear making mistakes or failing, which can lead to stress, anxiety, and even mental health issues.

Technological Challenges

The rise of technology presents both opportunities and challenges. On one hand, technology has opened up new avenues for learning, communication, and entertainment. On the other hand, it has also led to problems like cyberbullying, online privacy concerns, and addiction to social media and online gaming.

The challenges faced by youth today are complex and multifaceted. They require concerted efforts from all sectors of society, including government, educators, parents, and the young people themselves, to address. By understanding these challenges, we can develop effective strategies to support the youth and help them navigate these issues. After all, the well-being of our youth is integral to the future of our society.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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The youth of today and the youth of yesterday

Posted on 02-04-2012

A colleague at school recently asked me if I knew of any examples of people from hundreds of years ago complaining about ‘the kids of today’.  I said I had a couple of ideas and that I would get them to him. After a bit of work on Google (see those 21st century skills in action!) I tracked down the quotation I had in mind. It was attributed to Socrates.

The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.

Except I hadn’t. Although this quotation was all over the internet, none of the sites I clicked on could provide an accurate citation. I found another quotation I dimly remembered.

What is happening to our young people? They disrespect their elders, they disobey their parents. They ignore the law. They riot in the streets inflamed with wild notions. Their morals are decaying. What is to become of them?

This one was meant to be by Plato. Except, again, it wasn’t. I couldn’t find any reliable attribution. I found yet another one, this time apparently by Hesiod.

I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words… When I was young, we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise [disrespectful] and impatient of restraint.

Then I found a slightly similar pattern of words attributed to Peter the Hermit.

The world is passing through troublous times. The young people of  today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint. They talk as if they knew everything, and what passes for wisdom with us is foolishness with them. As for the girls, they are forward, immodest and unladylike in speech, behavior and dress.

Again, there was no reliable citation. Finally, I found this.

When I look at the younger generation, I despair of the future of civilisation.

Again, it’s attributed to Aristotle but there is no reliable reference.

I found a few rather wonderful webpages ( here , here and here ) citing several of these quotations as proof that anyone who complains about the behaviour of the youth of today is a misguided whinger. Of course, despite constructing an entire thesis around these quotations, they too were unable to reference them correctly.

I also spoke to another colleague, who is a classicist, and we both embarked on a trawl of the internet and the very good perseus.tufts site to try and find these citations.  We had no luck. There were a few sites suggesting that some of the quotations were a misquotation or a slightly different translation of a speech in one of Aristophanes’s plays spoofing Socrates . Maybe. I had a look at some of the speeches, and this didn’t seem very plausible. We also had no luck in finding anything with a similar flavour – which is a bit odd when you think about it. None of the Greek philosophers were particularly shy about making authoritative assertions. If you wanted to find genuine examples of Plato or Socrates asserting that women are hugely inferior to men, for example, you would not have to look very far. So this silence on the subject of youths is odd. Of course, my colleague and I didn’t conduct an exhaustive search – we are teachers, we had marking to do – so it’s entirely possible some of these quotations are correct. If anyone does find a proper citation or anything else that is relevant, please link to it in the comments. The first colleague who asked the question still hasn’t had a proper answer.

I did manage to unearth the truth about one of the quotations, however. The first one I mentioned, attributed to Socrates, is definitely spurious . It seems to be that the Mayor of Amsterdam made it up in the 1960s. It was mentioned in an article in the New York Times in the same decade. And from then on it took on a life of its own, aided of course by the invention of the internet. When some researchers rang up the Mayor of Amsterdam and asked for the citation, he said he couldn’t remember the book he’d found it in.

The 1960s, of course, were famous for lots of protests by young people and the end of a culture of deference towards the old. It seems to me particularly significant that it was in that decade that a politician should feel the need to invent a quotation showing that kids have always been disrespectful. The subsequent afterlife of this quotation shows that it wasn’t just this politician who was in need of reassurance about the perennial misbehaviour of the young.

So, a quotation which is meant to show that kids have always been badly behaved instead seems to prove something quite different: that in the 1960s, people were so desperate to convince themselves that kids had always been badly behaved that they started making things up to prove it.

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16 Jun 2020

Panyaza Lesufi | What the youth of today can learn from the 1976 generation

Like the youth of 1976, today’s young people are full of energy, ambition and willingness to develop their skills and stand on their own two feet, to thrive and lead fulfilling lives, writes  Panyaza Lesufi .

Halfway through the 2020 Youth Month themed “ Youth Power: Growing South Africa together in the period of Covid-19 ,” it is relevant to ask what the anniversary means for the youth of today.

As we commemorate June 16 and celebrate Youth Month, how far has the youth heeded President Nelson Mandela’s call when he said: "I have a wish to make. Be the scriptwriters of your destiny and feature yourselves as stars that showed the way towards a brighter future."

Historically, June 16 and Youth Month are immortalised as the day and month when high school pupils in Soweto were massacred by the apartheid police during a peaceful march which sparked years of resistance to topple white minority rule.

As the whole month of June has been dedicated to celebrating and commemorating youth power, it is often opportune to reflect the achievements, address the difficulties facing young people today and come up with solutions.

Taking ownership of challenges

So, to go back to President Mandela’s wish, are today’s youth scriptwriters of their destinies and featuring themselves as stars that show the way towards a brighter future.

My answer is Yes and No simply because the youth of today are not battling against the same challenges and opportunities that the 1976 generation fought for.

Granted because of what started in 1976, during the past 26 years of democracy, access to education has been broadened to all races. One would have thought that the end of apartheid education should have provided equal educational opportunities for all to pursue their dream careers and live better lives.

But alas, despite the government’s bold efforts, inequalities and access to educational resources continue to be the biggest challenges ever.

For many young people, continuing education is the only route which can often still fail to prepare young people for the world of work.

Like their 1976 counterparts, the young lions and lionesses of today want to make a go of their lives and be successful. They want to earn their place in society and know a job is the key to a future they can look forward to.

After high school and tertiary education, finding a good job these days can be an uphill struggle, especially for young people. Youth are particularly exposed to higher unemployment, poor job conditions and a mismatch between their skills and labour-market needs. In addition, the gap between the aspirations of young people and adequate employment opportunities is widening.

Unemployment and skills roadblock

Not only is youth unemployment a roadblock for current and future economic growth, it also prevents our society from harnessing their future knowledge and skills.

Other challenges for our young men and women include power dynamics; social-networking constraints; discrimination based on age, gender or race; lack of access to assets and capital; low levels of education, skill and experience; and unfavourable administrative and regulatory frameworks.

We know that in the current economic climate, young people are among the most vulnerable to long-term unemployment, something that scars people for life, be it in their careers, or even their health and wellbeing.

With little or no track record of employment, this group is at high risk of being out of work and faces greater challenges to entering the labour market. The longer they are jobless, the greater the risk of dislocation becomes.  

Therefore, creating a more favourable policy and business environment, setting up of efficient and resourceful trade and investment support institutions, and providing adequate skills and resources to work directly with young people are essential to their success.

Scriptwriter if their destinies

So how can today’s young generation be scriptwriters of their destinies and feature themselves as stars that show the way towards a brighter future.

It all should start with high-quality early childhood education which has proven to be an effective tool for fighting intergenerational poverty.

Decades of research have shown that a high quality early childhood education leads to future success in school and in life, both academically and socially, the best investment a community can make in its economic growth, civic vitality and health.

However, early childhood education needs the long-range vision and participation of today’s youth.

Also, our young leaders need to participate in business education at universities, something which is becoming increasingly important in developing the managers of the future.

Fighting for change

After embracing opportunities for education, our young men and women should emulate the 1976 generation, demonstrate courage and bravery to fight for political change.

They should help eliminate corruption, smoke out dishonest officials who are living beyond their means. This fight is very important because corruption affects every single South African, none more so than the people who can least afford it.

Youth and skills training

It is a pity that teens and young adults are often the last to be considered for jobs, a plight that is likely to extend over a long term due to the coronavirus pandemic.

For many youths, though, such idling will likely get worse, not better, without some basic skills and responsibilities learned at entry-level jobs.  The truth is stagnant young adults are prone to become less-productive older adults without better, valuable grounding earlier in life.

Some companies are reluctant to hire young people with limited education or skills.  It is especially true for learners from low-income families, even for those who do go to universities and drop out.

Teens and young adults should work hard to motivate public and private employers to develop talent and skill pipelines to find spots for the next generation of workers, our future.

First jobs can be priceless in teaching the value of money and earning it, as well as life skills such as time management, self-esteem and teamwork.

Indeed, young people are often very bright, intelligent and articulate but it is opportunities they lack. And without a grounding in what employers require, they struggle.

Digital natives

Indeed, young people often have a wide range of skills and competencies that can prove immensely rewarding to employers. They often have an excellent awareness of technology, are eager to learn and embrace further training and are also keen to progress. With the right support, we can address skills deficiencies and give employers the confidence to give young people a chance.

Our young people should continue being digital natives and be enthusiastic to pursue opportunities in the digital economy, whether to develop their start-up or become self-employed.

Like the youth of 1976, today’s young people are full of energy, ambition and willingness to develop their skills and stand on their own two feet, to thrive and lead fulfilling lives.

- Panyaza Lesufi is Gauteng MEC of Education

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Most in the U.S. say young adults today face more challenges than their parents’ generation in some key areas

About seven-in-ten Americans think young adults today have a harder time than their parents’ generation when it comes to saving for the future (72%), paying for college (71%) and buying a home (70%), according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in October 2021. These findings come at a time when younger Americans are more likely than previous generations to have taken on student debt with tuition costs steadily rising, and to face an affordable housing crisis as rent and housing prices have grown markedly faster than incomes in the last decade.

To learn more about how Americans view the circumstances young adults face across various life measures compared with their parents’ generation, Pew Research Center surveyed 9,676 U.S. adults between Oct. 18-24, 2021. Everyone who took part is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way, nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the  ATP’s methodology .

Here are the questions used for this analysis , along with responses, and  its methodology .

There’s less consensus when it comes to assessing labor market outcomes for young people today compared with their parents’ generation. Similar shares say finding a job is easier (40%) as say it is harder (39%) for young adults today. A smaller share of U.S. adults (21%) say it’s about the same.

When it comes to finding a spouse or partner, Americans are more than twice as likely to say younger adults today have it harder than their parents’ generation (46%) than to say they have it easier (21%). Around a third (32%) say it’s about the same.

On some other measures, Americans are more positive in their assessments of young adults’ circumstances. A significant majority of U.S. adults (74%) say it is easier for younger generations today to stay in touch with family and friends. Only 14% say this is harder for young adults compared with their parents’ generation. A plurality (41%) says getting into college is easier for young adults today compared with their parents’ generation; 33% say it’s harder for young adults today and 26% say it’s about the same.

There are notable age differences when it comes to assessing the circumstances of young adults today.

While majorities across all age groups say young adults have it harder when it comes to buying a home, saving for the future and paying for college, Americans ages 18 to 29 are more likely than older age groups to say this. More than eight-in-ten adults younger than 30 (84%) say buying a home is harder for young adults today, while 80% say the same about saving for the future and paying for college. Among those ages 30 to 49, 72% say buying a home and paying for college is harder for young adults today, and 74% say this about saving for the future. Those 50 and older are the least likely to say these measures are harder for younger generations to reach, with 63% saying this about buying a home, 67% saying this about saving for the future, and 66% saying this about paying for college.

When it comes to finding a job, younger Americans are again the most likely to say this is harder for young adults today. Overall, 55% of 18- to 29-year-olds say finding a job is harder for young adults today than it was for their parents’ generation. About four-in-ten or less of those ages 30 to 49 and those 50 and older say this about young adults (39% and 33%, respectively). There are also double-digit differences between the views of adults younger than 30 and those ages 50 or older when it comes to finding a spouse or partner (52% of 18- to 29-year-olds say this is harder for young adults today vs. 42% in the older group) and getting into college (45% vs. 27%, respectively). In fact, a plurality of adults 50 and older say getting into college is easier today (44%). There are no large differences by age on the measure of staying in touch with family and friends.

Generally, these views differ only modestly by gender, with one exception. On finding a spouse or partner, about half of women (51%) – compared with 40% of men – say this is harder for young adults today than it was for their parents’ generation. This gap is only present among those ages 30 and older; roughly equal shares of women (53%) and men (52%) younger than 30 say this is harder for young adults today. Notably, women in older age groups give similar answers as younger women, while older men are less likely than their younger counterparts to say finding a spouse or partner is harder for young adults today (42% of men 30 to 49 and 34% of men 50 and older say this).

Finally, on most of these measures, there are no significant differences between adults who are parents of children ages 18 to 29 and those who are not. On a few items where such differences exist, they tend to disappear when looking at adults 50 and older. The only item where such differences persist among older adults is on assessments of finding a job. Interestingly, those 50 and older who are parents of adult children ages 18 to 29 are more likely than those in the same age group who do not have young adult children to say young adults today have it easier when it comes to finding a job (47% vs. 42%, respectively).

Note: Here are the questions used for this analysis , along with responses, and  its methodology .

• Homeownership & Renting
• Personal Finances
• Unemployment
• Younger Adults

Stella Sechopoulos is a former research assistant focusing on social and demographic trends research at Pew Research Center .

Methodology: 2023 focus groups of Asian Americans

1 in 10: redefining the asian american dream (short film), the hardships and dreams of asian americans living in poverty, majority of americans prefer a community with big houses, even if local amenities are farther away, single women own more homes than single men in the u.s., but that edge is narrowing, most popular.

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10 Social Issues and Problems That Trouble Today's Teens

Technology and social media can amplify the struggles teens face, but they aren't the only issues they encounter.

Social Media

Peer pressure, on-screen violence, sexual activity, alcohol use, academic problems, how to talk to your teen.

Just like adults, teens nowadays often face social problems. They may also be more susceptible to challenges because their brains are still developing and their bodies are changing quickly. Combine that with advances in technology, and today's teens are facing new and different social issues than their parents may have.

Not only has electronic media amplified some teenage troubles, but digital communication and social media have also changed the way teens interact with their peers and romantic interests. The end result is a group of young people who struggle with essential interpersonal communication skills like picking up on social cues.

Some of this dysfunction can be linked to technology—especially since the average teen spends more than eight hours each day using electronic devices.  That said, not all teen social issues are linked to the digital world. Teens also are at a higher risk for overdose, might not practice safe sex, and are facing increasing academic pressures.

Here's a closer look at the top 10 social issues teens nowadays struggle with.

Brianna Gilmartin 

Instagram, Twitter, and SnapChat  can be great ways for teens to connect, but social media can be problematic for several reasons. It can expose your teen to cyberbullying, slut-shaming, and so much more.  

Social media can hurt friendships, and it's changing the way teens date. Research shows it can impact their mental health.  And no matter what precautions you take, teens are likely to be exposed to unsavory people, unhealthy images, and sexual content online.

Help your teen learn to navigate social media in a healthy way by following these tips:

• Talk about ways to stay safe online.
• Ask what your teen is doing on social media.
• Educate yourself about the latest apps, websites, and social media pages teens are using.
• Consider  limiting your teen's screen time .

While peer pressure has affected teens for generations, social media brings it to a whole new level. Sexting, for example, is a major cause for concern. Many teens don't understand the lifelong consequences that sharing explicit photos can have. 

But sending inappropriate photos isn't the only thing kids are coerced into doing. Teens face pressure to have sex, use drugs or alcohol, and even bully others.  

To keep your kids from falling victim to peer pressure, consider these tips:

• Give them skills to make healthy choices and resist peer pressure.
• Talk to teens about what to do if they make a mistake.
• Let them know it's safe to come to you when they have problems or make poor choices.
• Demonstrate that you can listen without judging or overreacting.
• Help them find healthy ways to make amends and move on if they peer pressure others.

Teenagers are going to witness some violent media at one time or another. And it's not just TV, music, and movies that depict violence. Many of today's video games portray gory scenes and disturbing acts of aggression. Over the past couple of decades, studies have linked these violent images to a lack of empathy and aggressive behavior .

Other studies have shown the top factor in determining the way kids relate to media is how their parents think and act.  That means the more violence parents watch, the more likely their kids will think it's OK.  

To help limit exposure to on-screen violence, pay attention to your teen's media use and consider implementing these guidelines:

• Restrict or limit your teen from watching R-rated movies or playing M-rated video games. Consuming that material excessively (and unsupervised) is not healthy. 
• Talk about the dangers of being exposed to violent images and monitor your teen's mental state.
• Discuss sexual situations and racial stereotypes that your teen might see.
• Help them identify what's good and what's bad about the media.
• Boost their media literacy by helping them think objectively about what they're seeing on television, TikTok, in the movie theater, or in a video game.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an estimated 5 million adolescents in the U.S. have had at least one major depressive episode . That means 20% of American teenagers may experience depression before reaching adulthood. Data from NIMH also shows that depression is much more prevalent in female teens (29.2%) than male teens (11.5%) and among teens who reported two or more races (27.2%).

Spending too much time on electronic devices may be preventing young people from in-person activities with their peers, such as sports or other physical activities, that can help ward off depression.  They're also experiencing new conditions like "fear of missing out" or FOMO, which further leads to feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Keep in mind that depressive disorders are treatable, but it's important to seek professional help. Here's how to navigate this situation:

• Schedule an appointment to a health care provider or contact a mental health professional if your teen seems withdrawn, experiences a change in sleep patterns, or starts to perform poorly in school.
• Consider online therapy as an option if your teen is reluctant to meet with a therapist in person.
• Be willing to discuss what they're thinking or feeling, including their thoughts of suicide. Having these conversations can reduce their fears and let them know someone is willing to listen, but it also needs to be handled thoughtfully.
• Call the  National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  at  988  or  911 if they are in immediate danger.

Nearly one in four teens between the ages of 12 and 18 report being bullied each year.  Research suggests that social media has made bullying much more public and more pervasive. In fact, cyberbullying has replaced in-person bullying as the most common type of harassment that teens experience.

To help guard against these kinds of teenage troubles, regularly talk to your teen about bullying and consider utilizing these tips to help:

• Discuss what they can do when they witness bullying.
• Talk about options if they become a target themselves.
• Recognize that being proactive is key to helping your child deal with a bully.
• Talk to your child about when and how to get help from a trusted adult.
• Acknowledge that talking about how someone has humiliated them is never an easy topic.
• Remind them that asking for help isn't a sign of weakness; it's a show of courage.

According to the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) survey, 30% of high school students reported having had sex and 21% said they were currently sexually active . That represents a decline over the past decade (47% had had sex in 2011; 34% were currently sexually active).

This decline in sexual activity doesn't necessarily mean teens nowadays are using contraceptives, though. Just over half of sexually active teens reported using a condom in their last sexual encounter, according to YRBSS data, while about one-third used hormonal birth control and 10% used both.

This may explain why more than half of the 26 million new sexually transmitted infections in the U.S. are among young people between the ages of 15 and 24. Here are some things you can do to ensure that your teen understands the risks of teen sex and how to be safe:

• Talk to your teen about sex and allow them to ask questions.
• Let them know they can come to you about anything and that no questions are off-limits.
• Do your best to not shame them or make them feel embarrassed by their inquiries.
• Instill the importance of safe sex practices—even if you don't think your child is engaging in sexual activity.
• Discuss contraception options and make sure they have access to contraception if they're sexually active.
• Give them resources to learn about safe sex.

The percentage of teens nowadays using illicit substances is roughly 10.9% of eighth graders, 19.8% of 10th graders, and 31.2% of 12th graders, according to most recent data from the Monitoring the Future Survey published by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. While this decline has been noted since the survey began in 1975, there has been a dramatic rise in overdoses among teens.

Illicit fentanyl, a powerful synthetic drug, is largely responsible for these overdoses. Drug dealers are adding it to counterfeit pills made to resemble prescription medications, which means that although teen drug use is declining, it's becoming more risky for those who do partake.

It's important to have regular conversations with your teen about the dangers of drugs. Here are some key topics you need to discuss:

• Mention the dangers of over-the-counter drugs and prescription medications. Many teens don't recognize the risks associated with taking a friend's prescription or popping a few pills.
• Tell your teen that drug use during adolescence increases their risk for developing a substance use disorder later in life.
• Address how easily addictions can happen.
• Discuss how drug and alcohol use can affect their brain development.
• Talk about the risks associated with overdosing.
• Explain the danger of illicit fentanyl contaminating counterfeit drugs.
• Recognize talks about drug use are not one-and-done conversations, but something you should be discussing on a consistent basis.

Alcohol use and binge drinking continue to decline among teenagers. Still, 15.1% of eighth graders, 30.6% of 10th graders, and 45.7% of seniors say they used alcohol in the past year. The forms of alcohol teens are using have also changed. More kids are choosing flavored alcohol (also called "alcopops") and alcohol with caffeine in it. About 36% of seniors reported drinking flavored alcohol.

It's important to talk to your teen about the risks of underage drinking. Here are some tips on how to navigate those conversations.

• Educate them about the dangers of alcohol use, including the fact that alcohol can take a serious toll on their developing brain.  
• Express your disapproval of underage drinking. Saying you don't approve can make a big difference in whether your teen decides to drink.
• Discuss the dangers of drinking and driving.
• Let them know that if they do decide to drink, they should call you or another trusted adult for a ride rather than risk getting behind the wheel.
• Assure your teen that it's safe to reach out to you if they make a mistake and need help.

About 22% of 12- to 19-year-olds in the U.S. are obese, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data. Hispanic and Black children are more likely to be overweight or obese than White or Asian children.

Children and teens who are overweight or obese are often targeted by bullies and are at a much greater risk of lifelong health problems such as diabetes , arthritis, cancer, and heart disease.  They may also struggle with body image issues or develop eating disorders as a way of changing their appearance.

But surveys show parents may not recognize when their kids are overweight.  They tend to underestimate their child's size and the risks associated with being overweight. Here are some ways you can help:

• Ask their health care provider privately about their weight in comparison to their height and age—though many health care providers will alert you to an issue without asking.
• Find ways to support and empower your teen , especially if their doctor recommends a different eating plan or exercise.
• Ensure your teen has the necessary tools to make changes, but recognize that they must want to change. You can't force the issue, nor should you try to control them,
• Avoid shaming or embarrassing your teen about their weight, but instead communicate acceptance for who they are as a person. They need to know their worth is not tied to their weight.

About 5% of high school students drop out of high school each year in the United States, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.  A high school dropout is likely to earn significantly less over their lifetime when compared to a high school graduate, which can have a significant impact on a young person's future.

But it's no longer just "troubled teens" who are dropping out of school. Some teens feel so much pressure to get into a good college that they're burning themselves out before they graduate from high school.

Here are some ways you can help your teen avoid academic problems:

• Stay involved in your teen's education.
• Provide support and guidance when needed.
• Be ready to assist your teen if they encounter problems.
• Try to remove some of the pressure they may be facing by not placing so much emphasis on grades, achievements, and college acceptances.

Bringing up any difficult subjects with your teen can feel uncomfortable. And your teen isn't likely to respond well to a lengthy lecture or too many direct questions. But having a conversation with your teen about social issues and other teenage troubles isn't something you should shy away from.

Even when it seems like they're not listening, you're the most influential person in your teen's life. It's important to lay a strong foundation before the window of opportunity closes. A good way to strike up a conversation about drugs, sex, vaping, or other uncomfortable situations is to ask a question like, "Do you think this is a big issue at your school?"

Listen to what your teen has to say. Try not to be judgmental, but make your expectations and opinions clear. It's important that your teen understands that you don't condone certain behaviors and that they know the consequences of breaking the rules. That said, you also need to communicate that if they do make a poor choice, it's not the end of the world and that you're there to help.

Technology-Based Communication and the Development of Interpersonal Competencies Within Adolescent Romantic Relationships: A Preliminary Investigation .  J Res Adolesc . 2017.

Growing Up Wired: Social Networking Sites and Adolescent Psychosocial Development .  Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev . 2014.

Associations Between Social Media and Cyberbullying: A Review of the Literature .  Mhealth . 2016.

Smartphones, Social Media Use and Youth Mental Health .  CMAJ . 2020.

Sexting, Mental Health, and Victimization Among Adolescents: A Literature Review .  Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2019.

Emotional Desensitization to Violence Contributes to Adolescents' Violent Behavior .  J Abnorm Child Psychol . 2016.

Screen Violence and Youth Behavior .  Pediatrics . 2017.

Tips on How to Deal With Media Violence . Common Sense Media.

Major Depression . National Institute on Mental Health.

Physical Exercise in Major Depression: Reducing the Mortality Gap While Improving Clinical Outcomes .  Front Psychiatry . 2018.

The Myths & Facts of Youth Suicide . Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health (DPBH) Office of Suicide Prevention .

Bullying Statistics: Rates of Incidence . National Bullying Prevention Center .

Cyberbullying Prevalence Among US Middle and High School-Aged Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Quality Assessment .  J Adolesc Health . 2016.

Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report 2011–2021 . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Adolescents and Young Adults . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

Monitoring the Future: National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2023: Secondary School Students . National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Reported Drug Use Among Adolescents Continued to Hold Below Pre-Pandemic Levels in 2023 . National Institute on Drug Abuse.

The Effect of Alcohol Use on Human Adolescent Brain Structures and Systems .  Handb Clin Neurol . 2014.

Prevalence of Childhood Obesity in the United States . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

Morbidity and Mortality associated With Obesity .  Ann Transl Med . 2017.

BMI Health Report Cards: Parents' perceptions and reactions .  Health Promot Pract . 2018.

Status Dropout Rates . National Center for Education Statistics. 

Burned Out to Drop Out: Exploring the Relationship Between School Burnout and School Dropout .  Eur J Psychol Educ . 2012.

Related Articles

In Singapore, Pope Francis inspires youth, courts China

Over 50,000 faithful from singapore, but also china, hong kong and vietnam, gathered to see the pope on thursday..

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Pope Francis concluded his tour-de-force through Southeast Asia on Friday (Sept. 13) with a 48-hour visit to Singapore, where he showcased not only his ability to draw large crowds but also his willingness to be a welcoming and adaptable partner to countries in Asia, including China.

Pope Francis celebrated Mass in honor of Mary at the nearly packed  Singapore Sports Hub National Stadium, where 50,000 people gathered to catch a glimpse of the head of the Roman Catholic Church. For a country where only 6.7% of the population identifies as Catholic, it came as a surprise that Francis could compete with international artists who performed at the same venue this year, including Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift.

But it wasn’t just Singaporean Catholics who competed for seats at the papal Mass, but also faithful from neighboring countries for whom this might have been the only chance to see the pope up close. This was true for the delegation of Catholics from China and Hong Kong, but also faithful from Vietnam and Malaysia.

China and Vietnam do not have official diplomatic relations with the Holy See, but in December 2023, Pope Francis appointed the first resident papal representative to Vietnam, Archbishop Marek Zalewski, paving the way toward official recognition.

Relations between Beijing and the Vatican remain more complex, but Francis has long sought to build a bridge with the nascent superpower and second most populous country in the world. In 2018, the Vatican signed a provisional agreement for the appointment of bishops in China, which has led to mixed results and is up for renewal in October.

The deal hoped to mend the fracture between the officially recognized Catholic Church in China and the so-called “underground Church” that is loyal to Rome. The two ecclesial realities have been at odds for decades, and the new agreement hopes to finally unify them by appointing bishops who have the stamp of approval from both Beijing and the pope. But critics of the deal argue that the agreement has pushed the pope into a corner where he can no longer call out human rights infringements by China.

Pope Francis, right, attends an interreligious meeting with young people at the Catholic Junior College in Singapore, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. Pope Francis is wrapping up his visit to Singapore by praising its tradition of interfaith harmony. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Francis’ trip through Asia has been heavily scrutinized by Chinese authorities, according to theologian and anthropologist Michel Chambon, research fellow at the National University of Singapore. In an interview with LaCroix International, Chambon said that the Chinese Communist Party allowed for the pope’s speeches and events to be streamed live on social media.

Especially in Singapore, where 75% of the population is ethnically Chinese, Francis had the opportunity to project his style of papacy, which is respectful of other religious realities and willing to “render out to Caesar what is Caesar’s.”

On Thursday, Francis met with the civil and political authorities in Singapore, where he underlined the need for Singapore to be a mediator in the current context of war and conflict. While the pope made no specific reference to a particular conflict, the Vatican has sought to negotiate peace in Ukraine following the Russian invasion in 2022.

Pope Francis appointed a peace envoy, the Cardinal Matto Zuppi, to meet with political leaders in Ukraine, Russia, the U.S. and China to attempt to promote a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Francis also addressed the specific challenges of Singapore following its rapid growth into an economic powerhouse. The population of 6.2 million is characterized by religious diversity, especially due to economic migrants: 31% of Singaporeans identify as Buddhist, 18.9% as Christian, 15.6% as Muslim, 8.8% as Taoist and 5% as Hindu. Around 20% of the population doesn’t subscribe to any religious belief.

“I would like to highlight the risk entailed in focusing solely on pragmatism or placing merit above all things, namely the unintended consequence of justifying the exclusion of those on the margins from benefiting from progress,” he told political leaders on Thursday.

The pope also urged politicians to give special attention to the poor and the elderly while also “protecting the dignity of migrant workers” who “contribute a great deal to society and should be guaranteed a fair wage.”

On the last day of his visit on Friday, the pope met with local clergy for a private meeting before visiting a center for the sick and elderly. His final event in Singapore was the Interreligious Meeting with Young People at the Catholic Junior College. There, the pope engaged in lively conversation with young people and heard three testimonies — from Hindu, Sikh and Catholic young people engaged in interreligious dialogue — that addressed issues ranging from religious tolerance to artificial intelligence.

“All religions are a journey leading to God. They are, to make a comparison, like different languages, different idioms, to get there. But God is for everyone. And since God is God for everyone, we are all children of God,” Francis said, speaking off the cuff.

RELATED; In East Timor, Pope Francis met a church on the rise

On Friday afternoon, the pope departed to return to Rome following a two-week journey that led him the farthest he’s ever been from the Vatican. The trip has been arduous for the 87-year-old pontiff, who nonetheless shrugged off the struggles of moving from podium to pope-mobile to wheelchair. In his new state of vulnerability, Francis made a point of meeting with disabled people, and especially children, at every stop of his trip.

“Each of us has his abilities and disabilities. Do we all have abilities? Do we all have some disability? Even the pope?” Francis said preachingly to Singaporean children, who answered with a loud “yes!” to his questions.

“Yes, all, all! And just as we have our disabilities, we must respect the disabilities of others,” the pope added.

RELATED:  The Synod on Synodality needs to set its own agenda

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I’ve always been critical of my body. Then I saw what it was capable of

When I chose to freeze my eggs — something that took me two years to mull over and decide — I sought out the consult of women my age who had already done the same. A frequent warning I got was about a common physical side effect of the process: “Covering the bloat” was something I was repeatedly told I’d have to deal with. So naturally, when my timeline was set in stone, I put together a wardrobe for work and play that I hoped would do the trick. 

But then, once I was in the thick of the process, something surprising happened. I realized that I didn’t care how I looked. At all . 

Let me back up to one of my earliest memories — it’s relevant, I promise. It was August 1994, my third birthday party, and my parents graciously gifted me the presence of my favorite movie stars: Aladdin and Jasmine. I used to watch “Aladdin” every day, sometimes multiple times a day, so I’ve been told. I loved the fairy-tale aspect, and I idolized Jasmine — maybe because I hadn’t seen Middle Eastern beauty represented anywhere else.

When actors dressed as Aladdin and Jasmine showed up at our house, I froze. I remember thinking, “I can’t believe these people are in my home, and they’re here for me!” I could barely smile or speak — I just kept staring at them in awe, starstruck. After singing a couple of songs in front of my friends and me, it was time for cake (probably my favorite part). My mom set out the cake along with crudité and other bites for the parents, and while I was thinking, “I can’t wait to eat that cake,” I heard Jasmine behind me squeal in excitement. She must have been as eager for cake as I was! We have something in common , I thought excitedly. Then she said, “Ooh, cucumbers!” 

That moment has been ingrained in my psyche since I heard those two words. I remember thinking that if I want to look and be like Jasmine, well then I, too, need to prioritize the cucumbers over the cake.

And yes, I was only 3 years old, but we all have a first memory we can’t forget. 

My brain was wired around food and body image from a young age, hitting its peak distress in my late teens and early 20s. My insecurities around my body took up so much room in my brain. 

As an adult, I’ve done a lot of work to feel more comfortable in my body, and to stop being so hard on myself — but that seed of negativity never fully went away. I’m the type of person who asks to avoid seeing the number on the scale when I get weighed at doctor’s appointments, and if I accidentally see the number, mental havoc rules my week. I’m also the type of person to have an intense HIIT workout routine for both physical upkeep and mental release. So, I’ll be honest — when the time was approaching for my egg freezing cycle to begin, I was anxious about not what my body would feel, but how I would feel about how it looked.

What I never expected though was to completely embrace my body — mentally, physically and emotionally — throughout egg freezing, despite the fact that, yes, I was bloated and also had to limit physical activity. For two weeks I injected myself with hormones 2-3 times a day, combining the solutions on my own, feeling quick bouts of injection pain and periods of fatigue, and traveling to doctor’s appointments constantly. After each shot, ultrasound or blood draw, I’d await my body’s reaction. Would I feel run down? Stressed? Anxious about any expansion around my stomach? I waited, but that’s not what happened. I mostly felt … strong. I was surprised and delighted by what my body was capable of. The strength I felt made me feel immensely grateful for my body and what it could endure. I felt empowered. The experience also, frankly, made me angry at myself for all the times I criticized my body’s appearance in the past, and all the time and energy I wasted on that way of thinking.

I mostly felt … strong. I was surprised and delighted by what my body was capable of. The strength I felt made me feel immensely grateful for my body and what it could endure. I felt empowered.

Body image is a construct. It is an idea of what society deems to be subjectively appealing and has been supported by the media over decades and generations. I’m so glad society is evolving and becoming more welcoming of all shapes and sizes, but you can’t rely on internet culture and the news cycle for acceptance, especially since what is acceptable is constantly changing. It needs to come authentically and wholeheartedly from within.

I wanted to freeze my eggs in my 32nd year, and I did just that: My egg retrieval was on my last day of being 32. For my 33rd birthday — exactly three decades after that birthday party I remember as a girl — I started the year with a clean slate, freeing up that space in the back of my mind that used to be hyper-focused on what I looked like, for something new.

I vow to be less critical of how my body appears, and more in touch with how it feels. I vow to be mindful of the cucumbers and enjoy the cake, and maybe I can help other women be less critical of their bodies, too. Our bodies endure and are capable of so much. They hold so much power and strength. We should own the power of our bodies. We should be grateful for them. After this experience, I know I will be.

Donna Farizan is a contributor for TODAY's fourth hour with Hoda and Jenna.

• 'A youth came to donate Rs 1 crore ... ': Assam CM reveals how his 'doubt' unearthed multi-crore trading scam

'A youth came to donate Rs 1 crore ... ': Assam CM reveals how his 'doubt' unearthed multi-crore trading scam

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Husband who whispered in wife’s ear before murdering the mom of 5 during family Bible study at sister’s home, as divorce papers sat in car, is locked up for decades

Left: Corrina Woodhull, Woodhull as seen in a photo taken with her children (GoFundMe). Right: Robert Castillo (Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)

Months after pleading guilty to second-degree murder, a Minnesota man with was sentenced to serve more than three decades in state prison for stabbing his wife, a mom of five, 10 to 20 times with a hunting knife in front of family members at a Bible study. The violence unfolded just moments after he whispered something in the victim’s ear that prompted her to “sh[ake] her head no.”

The defendant, 40-year-old Robert Castillo , was sentenced Friday to spend 33 years in prison for murdering 41-year-old Corrina Woodhull, and he must serve at least two-thirds of that sentence before he can be released, local CBS affiliate WCCO reported. At sentencing, Woodhull’s still grieving mother reportedly revealed that she found divorce papers in her daughter’s car after the murder.

“She knew it was time to walk away, and that’s why she’s dead,” Linda Castle reportedly said.

According to a the St. Paul Police Department , cops were called to the home of Castillo’s sister, where the Bible study was held, around 9:00 p.m. on March 21, 2023, more than a year ago now.

“When officers arrived, they located an adult female who was suffering from apparent stab wounds to her upper body,” cops said, noting that family members tackled and disarmed her admitted killer until authorities arrived. “Multiple witnesses on scene were holding an adult male suspect.”

Castillo’s sister told police that she hosted the Bible study group at the home on Tuesday nights, and that Woodhull and Castillo had arrived together and sat on the couch, local WCCO reported . Once there, Castillo, a man with numerous felony convictions on his record, had apparently been holding Woodhull’s hand, kissed her, and whispered something into her ear before pulling out the hunting knife and stabbing her repeatedly.

Castillo’s brother, who was also at the Bible study, reportedly told police that Woodhull and Castillo had been having marital issues, hence the discovery of the divorce papers.

Witnesses reportedly told police that they saw Castillo stab his wife 10 to 20 times and that Woodhull had pleaded for her life.

“Don’t let me die,” one witness recalled Woodhull saying, according to a Kansas City Star report .

According to WCCO, Castillo had an active warrant out for his arrest at the time of the stabbing, and he had failed to appear in court in connection with charges that he had assaulted a prison guard while an inmate at a correctional facility in Stillwater, some 20 miles east of St. Paul. Castillo reportedly had eight prior felony convictions, including an assault charge for allegedly beating the purported mother of his child with a hammer.

Prior to her death, Corrina Woodhull had worked for Juel Fairbanks Recovery Services and helped others with substance abuse.

“We are sad to report that one of our employees, Corrina Woodhull was tragically killed last night. Corrina had so much light and she spread that light and positivity each and every day to our clients and staff. Corrina was a force to be reckoned with. She had so much strength and was strong minded. She had a huge heart and genuinely wanted to help others,” the company said after news of her murder. “She leaves behind a legacy here at Juel Fairbanks and she will be truly missed. Please keep her family, our clients, and staff in your prayers.”

Family said that Woodhull was the mom of five “beautiful children” and had a “had a passion to help others experiencing substance use disorder and domestic abuse and violence.”

Castillo’s lawyer had asserted that his client was a meth and heroin user who was in a state of psychosis when he stabbed Woodhull, KARE reported .

Marisa Sarnoff contributed to this report.

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‘modern family’ star ariel winter set for top honors at legacy ball in los angeles.

The event, presented by Legacy Youth Leadership, is set at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills on Oct. 5.

By Chris Gardner

Chris Gardner

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Ariel Winter has something new for her legacy: a Legacy Award.

The Modern Family star is set for top honors at the fourth annual Legacy Ball, presented by Legacy Youth Leadership, at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills on Oct. 5.

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The Legacy Award comes Winter’s way thanks to using her platform to raise awareness and funds for the organization. Her work with the organization began in 2021, when she hosted a workshop at its Legacy Summit. The veteran actress spoke about finding your passion and the importance of leadership. She’s also served as a spokesperson for the organization’s campaigns on gender equality and mental health.

“I am beyond honored and excited to receive the Legacy Award from such an incredible organization leading the charge to secure the futures of young people worldwide,” Winter said in a statement.

Added Legacy founder and CEO Seth Maxwell: “In a time where it feels like it’s easier to get people to come together to tear something down than to build something up, we are so excited to celebrate the impact of the inspiring young leaders in our school programs at this year’s Legacy Ball. We can’t wait to honor our dear friend Ariel Winter for her activism, support of young people and commitment to the future.”

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NFL, esports platform PlayVS announce Madden NFL Youth Championship

The summer of video game football continues.

On Monday, the NFL and amateur esports platform PlayVS announced a partnership to launch the Madden NFL Youth Championship (MYC), a Madden NFL 25 tournament series for middle and high school students around the United States.

Split into tournaments in the fall and winter, winners from qualifiers will travel to the Pro Bowl or NFL Draft to compete in the championship round, the press release stated.

The MYC will provide access to gaming and learning opportunities for students. The NFL and PlayVS hope that this tournament will help students develop leadership skills, camaraderie and personal growth.

"Working with the NFL to bring the Madden NFL Youth Championship to life has been an incredible journey. This partnership highlights our shared vision for advancing esports, while opening doors for students across the nation to experience competitive gaming at a whole new level. We’re excited to continue to work with the NFL in the future to bring the benefits of esports to students," said PlayVS CEO Jon Chapman in a statement to USA TODAY High School Sports .

The fall tournament for individual players will consist of qualifiers from Oct. 25-27 and Nov. 22-24 with the championship taking place at the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Games in Orlando in January. Registration for the October qualifiers opens Tuesday and registration for the November qualifiers opens Oct. 24.

The qualifying rounds for the winter tournament of individual players will take place from Feb. 21-23 and March 28-30. Registration for these open on Nov. 21 and Feb. 20, respectively. The winners will be compete in the championship round at the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay in April.

In addition, middle and high school students can register with their school esports programs to take part in a season-long competition, according to the press release.

Learn more and register at  playvs.com/madden-nfl-youth-championship .

More: Final 2023-24 USA TODAY High School Sports/PlayVS Super 25 esports rankings