© Maro Samara, 2023
Time Zone Youth and the dark side of the moon
Utolsó frissítés péntek, 02/02/2024
Being young has its ups and downs, it is different for every individual, but some trends and perks can bring similar feelings and phenomena. The Glorification of Youth era brings at the same time big opportunities and challenges to young individuals out there.
“I don’t know about you, but I am feeling twenty-two” sings Taylor Swift in the song ‘22’. But what would it be like to feel and be twenty-something? I have no idea. What is this supposed to mean exactly? According to the EU Commission, being a young person is defined as passing from dependent childhood to independent adulthood or, in numbers, as those between the range of 13 and 30 years old, depending on the opportunities and projects they apply for. Being a young person in today’s world, particularly in the EU, comes with certain advantages since nowadays young Europeans have a wide array of opportunities to choose from. Opportunities like volunteering, youth exchanges, study and working abroad, or all of them together.
Most people would argue that youth is the best time of your life, an irreplaceable period that should be cherished, allowing you to grow and experience life to the fullest.
However, being in the ‘Youth Time Zone’ is not always sunny; there is also a darker side that few discuss. Let me guide you through it.
The ‘death sentence’ of the thirties
© Maro Samara, 2023
There is a concept I came across a while ago called the "Defining Decade." It suggests that the period between school graduation and the moment you turn thirty is the most important in your life. This is because the decisions and actions taken during these ten or so years will shape your future - no pressure, right?
It all begins around the age of seventeen or eighteen. At this age, most of us still ask permission from our teachers to go to the bathroom, yet, we are expected to decide what we want to be in the future. What field will you dedicate your time and energy to for the rest of your life? - easy peasy question. After graduation, a young person is expected to study, volunteer, work, have a social life, develop personally, and travel - all at the same time. Not everyone can juggle this lifestyle to its fullest but unfortunately, society subconsciously pushes young people in that direction. The voices constantly echo in their minds: "Your youth years are the best of your life; you can't replace them," "If you don't do it now, when will you? It will be too late”, "Think about your future but also live in the moment," You'll regret it if you don't seize the opportunity." These voices, along with the ticking clock, continue to haunt them in the relentless race until they reach the "death sentence" of their thirties.
Fear of Missing Out
© Maro Samara, 2023
While crossing the "Defining Decade" a lot of things are happening around you and you can’t afford to miss them. It's a Friday night, after six hours of university and a dance class. You still have essays to finish over the weekend, in addition to your part-time job and an upcoming exchange project the following week. You want to go out with your friends but you're exhausted and stressed about everything you need to accomplish. However, there's this voice in your ear saying: ‘Don’t be a granny, it’s Friday yay’. If you take the "high road" and stay home, there is still a trap.
The next morning, during your break from work, you open social media and you see posts of your friends with the hashtag ‘About Last Night’. You feel like you made the wrong choice because you missed out on something important. This is called Fear of Missing Out aka FOMO and it's increasingly prevalent among young people, especially after the pandemic according to a study published by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Social media plays a significant role in triggering the FOMO effect, as we have easy access to glimpses into anyone's life at any time, often unintentionally.
Unfortunately, this rising trend and culture of FOMO places even more pressure on vulnerable young people, who may compare themselves to others' seemingly "perfect lives" on social media, ultimately exacerbating feelings of loneliness and disconnection.
Aren’t you too young for that?..
© Maro Samara, 2023
…a question that can soon turn into "Aren't you too old for that" on your next birthday. Growing up in a society that idolises youth and dictates when is the right time to do certain things and when it is not, ageism and additional peer pressure flourish. Ageism, as defined by the World Health Organisation, encompasses stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel), and discrimination (how we act) towards others or oneself based on age. While young people often find themselves having to prove their worth in a room full of older individuals, simultaneously they can also exhibit ageist attitudes towards older people as a form of backlash from the pressure they face.
Each age label puts further expectations and standards on each individual, especially on today’s youth. It’s just a vicious circle that widens the gap between generations and just
transfers the pressure onto future young people who will eventually become older themselves—quite the surprise!
I can’t take it anymore
© Maro Samara, 2023
The critical issue with the Youth Glorification lifestyle is the normalisation of a fast-paced life for young people. You forget the importance of rest, or worse, feel guilty for taking a break because doing nothing implies wasting precious time during the best years of your life. For years, it has been acceptable to be overwhelmed, but it hasn't been acceptable to not be okay, especially when you're young.
Mental health problems among young people also carry a significant stigma. How can you be experiencing depression during the supposed best years of your life, surrounded by countless opportunities? There is a societal expectation that being young means having a flawless mental state. According to a Future Forum report, nearly 48% of individuals aged 18 to 29 admitted to feeling drained, in comparison to 40% of those aged 30 and above. However, these statistics only capture those who acknowledged their burnout in the report or to themselves. After the COVID-19 pandemic, there appeared to be a shift towards mental health awareness, but two years later, we find ourselves caught up in the fast-paced rhythm once again, driven by the feeling that we lost a lot of time during quarantine, compelling young people to run even faster.
© Maro Samara, 2023
Time Zone Youth is a great concept to embrace. It is not that young people nowadays are not grateful for the opportunities they have. Even so, glorifying this period and its associated benefits doesn't always empower them. Instead, it can be overwhelming and burden them in a significantly harmful way, making the challenging days of this phase even more difficult. The reason is that, when in the Glorified Time Zone Youth, it can be unjustified to have a bad day or period.
The importance, though, for each one wishing to find their balance, is the freedom to express ourselves without guilt, regardless of our age or position. Being aware of and addressing what may harm us from our perspective is important. No peer pressure should take this right from anyone, especially from young people who are trying to figure out their place in a loud world for the first time. Time Zone Youth is a great period for exploring opportunities, yourself and making mistakes, but it should not become a cage. Before subscribing to any socially indicated and glorified "time zone" or trend, it's vital to consider our origins and appreciate our individuality. So instead of synchronising with "Youth Time Zone", we can prioritise synchronising with our own Time Zone.
_______________
Meet the authors
Maro Samara
I am Maro from Greece. I am an incubating physicist and parallelly work in the digital education domain for vulnerable groups and migration. I gained journalistic experience from writing in online student newspapers and pop-culture magazines. I love channelling ideas in several ways and cooperating in multicultural environments to make a sustainable global impact. Reading, debating, arts, languages, volunteering, and sports are places I find comfort and growth at the same time.
This article reflects the views of the authors only. The European Commission cannot be held responsible for it.