What was your main objective as a teen?

[dolo amber]

I can say with pride that I remained chaste until age 19. O8)

I can also say, with much chagrin, that I thought nothing of trying to see how many different chemicals I could stuff into my body at one time. Which probably explains away any credit I might take for the *chaste* thing. x(

However, the soundtrack I made for myself during those years remains with me to this day. :D

So to sum up, I was a "drugs and rock and roll" kinda kid.

And you?

[goobergunch]

1. Other: Politics

This should be in the present tense....:evilgrin:

[dolo amber]

4. I didn't forget you guys, Goober

I just didn't know how much info our young'uns wanted to be making public about some of the more *delicate* answers. ;)

[JohnKleeb]

7. not sure what mine is

Sigh it cant be sex because this poor bastard hasnt had a girl, sigh :(, must be the shy factor.

[Maple]

2. Geek , loner

nose in book, female persuasion.

[RainDog]

3. To get out of high school and GET AWAY

and that's what I did...

[HEyHEY]

5. Ready for this?

Believe it or not HEyHEY was a straight edge little skate punk except for smoking and the occasional dube, like once a year.

All my chemical days came from age 13-15, in high school I was ll about politics and skateboarding.

[JohnKleeb]

8. You know I think I could pass for a skater if I didnt wear what I wear

But hey I wear skate shoes and no I dont skate, do you really wanna watch me fall on my ass but some of my buddies are or were skaters.

[HEyHEY]

10. I'm very glad I discovered it

It was a great way to spend spare time.

Whenever cops came and hassled us for skating we'd say "Okay I'll just go do drugs in a park then"

[johnnie]

6. Voted

Rock and roll because all I did was play music, but the sex and drugs came along with that. I guess if I had to give them all up and stick with one back then, it would have been the music.

[mdmc]

9. Other: Artistic Expression

Anything that would make Jello Biaffra proud. And filling my head with all sorts of art and lit. Everything else; church, skateboarding, politics, skiing,... trying for love... MY God, nothings changed!

[HEyHEY]

11. Church wouldn't have made Jello too proud!

;-)

[dolo amber]

14. Oooh, good one

I'll see if it's too late to edit. ;)

[mdmc]

44. the best place to scope chicks

Jello be damned! I bet that while Jello might have a major problems with my religion, he would have no problem with me getting satisfaction out of going to church. Plus I was a abortion activist.

[Nikia]

12. School, sports, church w/ goal of college

I didn't have a very happy upbringing. I couldn't wait until I could go away to college. I had that as a goal since I was 11 and that was why I didn't run away or get arrested like some other kids that I knew did when they had some of the same problems I did. I became rather religious by my mid teens and found comfort in my religion. In high school, I tried running and excelled at it. This was my happiness. This was my redemption of being a mega geek who got straight A's through high school. I had to do well in school to get scholarships at good colleges. I did not get drunk or use drugs in high school. I had a couple of boy friends and felt bad when I didn't but I didn't really have time for them.

[Langis]

13. Skateboarding and lots of pot

Other things I would rather not get into here, but that was about it.

[Mr. Brown of MD]

15. Music, but not rock and roll

I was big on the jazz, plus your chamber-style kind of music.

I was awarded the music department's outstanding student award for my graduating class - only one person per class gets the award, so you can see how much that took up my time.

In retrospect (though I've actually only been a not-teen for about three weeks,) I should have gotten laid more/at all, but that's neither here nor there.

-CollegeDude
But it's somewhere

[Demobrat]

16. My home life was terrible then.

My main objective was to not go home. Which led to a lot of hanging out, which led to mega experimentation. Like the original poster, I kept my legs crossed, though. Didn't want any little accidents running around.

[populistmom]

17. School and sex I suppose

School because I always knew I wanted to keep going with it for many years to come and was generally successful when I put my mind to it (although I'm still working on many goals I put off).

Sex in a sense, but sex within the context of relationships. I'm a woman who's been blessed (or cursed at times) with a strong sex drive, but I could never go for the whole recreational sex thing with just anyone (not so much a "sin" thing, but knowing my own emotional limitations in that regard). One of the hardest things in life for me was that frustration of wanting both a good emotional and sexual connection with an intelligent guy who treated me well and didn't have f*cking hangups or issues.

Edit to add politics too. I've always had strong beliefs, but I'm really cynical (even then) about the extent of how corrupt things are. Most of my extra curricular activities though were related to political groups that our school had (Amnesty, environmentally related). I guess I used to be pretty into singing and theaer stuff also.

[youngred]

18. Sex, Politics, Drugs, Music....in that order

[SOteric]

19. I was either going to be a ground-breaking, award-winning

journalist and writer; or a nun who did important work with the hungry and oppressed.

[HEyHEY]

21. How about a ground breaking Nun?

[SOteric]

23. More like a hungry and oppressed writer.

[_NorCal_D_]

20. School

I was a rabid chess playing, math club nerd! Wait, I still am! B-)

[Exultant Democracy]

22. I was in training for college

so pretty much sex and drinking. It was funny I was talking to this little frosh the other day and she asked me how I party like I do, and I told her all it took was 7 years of practice.

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

24. Creativity and art

politics

[CoNnOc]

25. Ahhh.... the teenage years....

I, being 16, know absolutly what my objective is!
Its a violent mix of books and sex or sex and books, which ever is perferable?
(my first post hehe }( )

[JohnKleeb]

27. Well I am 16 too and so is LPFF

Welcome
How about books about sex :evilgrin:?
Got a good amount of 16 year olds here.

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

29. Sex is fine

but i'm not looking for sex as much as i'm just looking for a nice guy.

[MrScorpio]

31. Welcome to DU, CoNnOc

Hope you stay

[CoNnOc]

35. I hope so too

Glad theres other young folk around here. I was begining to think this is an old folks home....old folks forum?
In any case thanks for the welcome!

[dolo amber]

33. Hiya CoNnOc

Welcome to DU...ya wee perve. :evilgrin: ;)
:hi:

[Lizz612]

92. Welcome

:hi:
18 here, been on DU since I was 15.5 or some such
Lets see, Academics so I could get the heck out of my parents house, not cause I don't love them but just because I was ready to GET OUT!
Welcome again!

[Philostopher]

26. Beer.

Guys. Writing bad novels. Both rock and roll music and high school choir. Beer. Journalism class.

Did I mention beer? Okay, actually once in a while, if somebody else was buying or if I was at a party where somebody was raiding their folks' liquor cabinet, I had rum and Cokes.

I didn't 'surrender the pink' until I was 19 and (as a matter of fact) married. I did go out with two or three guys a lot, all of whom understood that if I didn't expect them to date me exclusively, they wouldn't expect me to have sex with them. That arrangement worked perfectly well for the last two years I was in high school. None of the guys I dated went to school with me, though -- they all were out of school and lived in the next town over.

[DrWeird]

28. Everyone here who doesn't say sex is full of shit.

Unless, of course, you were neutered or spayed in some sort of farming accident.

[JohnKleeb]

30. Dude I dont even have a girlfriend so sex is out of the picture

Well getting a girl and sex go hand and hand.
So I am
Politics
Sex
Sleep

[DrWeird]

43. The question is what was the main objective.

Not if you actually acheive your goals.

:smoke:

oh, and...

A hand and sex go hand and hand.

[JohnKleeb]

47. Well yes then sex is a goal

[Demobrat]

34. I was a cute girl. Sex wasn't a problem for me.

Staying out of trouble was a problem for me.

[CoNnOc]

38. We all cant be cute girls ya know...

Some of us have to work for it... }(

[HEyHEY]

40. As a guy who was once a teenager

trust me you don't have to work for it

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

41. that's the truth

although, I think i'm pretty cute! :) Welcome to DU, I'm Maggie :hi:

[CoNnOc]

46. Hello....

Always interested in the cute ones...I'm Connor :)

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

52. Ahh! I love the name Connor

You get bonus points already ;)

[CoNnOc]

53. lol

Look at that, I get points just for being named! I like this place already! :)

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

56. you'll like it here!

Remember to go into GD and try it out- it's a little scary but worth the experience.

[JohnKleeb]

57. Yes beware

Politics/Campaigns is the new hell Maggie, and Ive been to hell and back a number of times, I should hang in the lounge more, more people my age but I dont know.

[CoNnOc]

61. It looks "busy"

They all look a little too serious in there. :(

[JohnKleeb]

63. Yeah I go in there

and survive, hard shit but you know I think the lounge is the best, most of the people I most often am with are here. Nice to see another 16 year old here btw.

[leftist_rebel1569]

67. I don't go into GD!

:)

[CoNnOc]

69. hhhhmmmmm

If I find something really interesting I might post....

[JohnKleeb]

87. My friend its because youre a wuss J/K Derek

I was the only who wouldnt go off a diving board until he was 11, yes people thats true, and you can point ya fingers and laugh.

[leftist_rebel1569]

90. God, you're a wuss...

:P

Actually, I prolly could beat that

[JohnKleeb]

91. Really?

Yeah but I am sneaking in to a mafia club tonight ;) in my head at least.

[Nikia]

36. Conflicted view

Well, I was big into church of course so I wasn't suppose to be having sex. When I did, I felt guilty. Then, of course, I had a late period the second time after I had sex and I was scared out of sex for quite a while. I got emotionally hurt from having sex so I am glad that I didn't have more sex in high school even though I liked it. When I was 19, I met my husband, and I've been having a lot of sex ever since then.

[populistmom]

42. I said it, dude.

The issues don't seem to change much either sadly. :(

[SOteric]

45. Nope. Sorry. People are individuals.

With all due respect to the raging hormones and American cultural pressures that accompany sexuality and teenagers, not everyone develops in exactly the same way. Not everyone experiences or succumbs to the same social pressures.

We're all different. :hi:

[johnnie]

48. You honestly think..

....everyones main objective as a teen was sex?

[DrWeird]

50. Well, maybe after food, water, and air.

Can't fight biology, buddy.

[SOteric]

54. I disagree that it even comes down to 'fighting biology.'

Everyone develops differently.

Cultural messages and pressures account for a great deal of variety.

I know many teenagers even today who are not obsessed with their sexuality, and I knew more than a few back in my own youth.

[populistmom]

55. Total biology

Sometimes there can be a pervasive attitude though that enjoying sex or pursuing sexual fullfillment makes you less "evolved" or intelligent, especially as a woman. Perhaps some people don't have as strong of an urge, but just may mean your hormones are at a different level.

[SOteric]

62. Not actually, no.

Peoples hormone surges vary greatly in their teen years. Some folks don't actually get them until they're 19 or 20, some get them when they're 11 or 12. It's fairly normal.

But assuming that all people's biological changes and hormone surges influences their thoughts in their teen years is simply mistaken. And assuming, as Dr. Weird has, that anyone who doesn't 'admit' to being obsessed with sexuality as a teenager is lying, is also mistaken.

People are different.

[populistmom]

73. Variations are normal

I guess I was trying to say that somewhat and hopefully Dr Weird understands that too. I just find, that, for a variety of reasons, I tend to defend strongly the notion that sex is a healthy part of life. No, it's not everything by any means, but still important nonetheless. When you look upon our country and the level of sexual violence that it has, where there is still a pervasive thought that somehow it's the woman's fault or "what was she wearing?", I see it that women have to be strong in saying that being sexual is okay to combat the attitudes surrounding the concept of of "good girl" vs. "bad girl" that sometimes subconsciously gives an okay to sexual violence or just messed up, repressed attitudes in general.

[SOteric]

82. Sex is normal

and can be a very healthy part of life.

It breaks my heart though when I see sweeping generalisations such as that by some of the posters in this segment of the thread. Generalisations such as these seem designed to make any of those youngsters amoung us (or others in society, past and present) feel bad, or different or worried about themselves because they aren't obsessed with getting laid.

I don't have poor ethical boundaries required to tell their stories, but a number of my young (18 & 19) students have suffered some intense, quiet anguish over being made to feeling that they should be in a bigger hurry for sexual encounters than they are.

Some teenagers aren't in a hurry for sex, aren't obsessed by sexuality and romance, and they aren't lying about it when they say so.

[populistmom]

89. I don't disagree with you at all

I think we're just coming from a different set of experiences in how we interpret the whole subject initially in our responses.

:hippie: Peace!

[CoNnOc]

51. In most cases I would think it is.

Maybe not the main objective but it certainly affected whatever your main objective was.

[leftist_rebel1569]

64. Not Neutered. Not Spayed...

not currently looking for sex.

[SOteric]

68. But kind and intelligent, and cuter than heck

When you're ready and the time is right, you'll be fine. :pals:

:thumbsup:

[leftist_rebel1569]

74. awww.....thank you very much

I needed that after today :) :pals:

[kodi]

32. survive

.

[CO Liberal]

37. Avoiding The Draft

Which I did by flunking my Army physical twice, earning a 4-F classification during the height of the Vietnam War.

[politicat]

39. Other: Escape

After my dad left the Navy, we moved to a small Mormon town. I'm not. Neither are my parents. (He took a job with the State Dpt of Transportation and that's where they assigned him.) We were pretty liberal, all things considered, though when my dad's not on his meds, he can give a freeper a run for his money with his paranoia. Their marriage was in a state of terminal meltdown from the time I was 13 until I was 17 when she finally escaped him. (He's a clinical psychopath of the high functioning paranoid delusional variety. He doesn't need constant hospitalization, but he's really hard to live with.) It was not a pretty environment. I lived in a constant state of grounded for the smallest infractions - once for a mont for not vacuuming my bedroom floor - and my mother getting me out of the house so I didn't slit his throat in my sleep. I'm sure my father expected me to come home pregnant and with AIDS by the time I was 14, when he was in a state ( as it used to be called.) The very few dates I had, he told the guy "don't knock her up." (I never had a second date.) I made very good use of my bedroom window.

Since it was a small town, though, it was relatively safe to be out and about, wandering in the dark. Running away was not an option - I was 120 miles from anywhere big enough to disappear into, and I wasn't so stupid as to not know that a 5 foot tall girl with a back pack on a lightly traveled mountain road was not likely to arrive in the big city - I'd be arrested. )(And this was in the days before you could make up a fake ID on a printer....)

So... no sex, no drugs, no rock and roll, no caffeine. There were about 12 of us that were "different" - the goths - and we survived by clinging to each other and in those pre-internet days, making big freaking huge directional antennas so we could pick up the rock stations in Phoenix. The local cable did not carry MTV, though we did get the CBC and at the time, they played very progressive videos late at night. (Big freaking huge directional antenna directions - go to Jim's dad's hardware store and get a roll of copper wire and 4 3 foot sections of rebar and a roll of duct tape. Turn rebar into a square by wrapping corners together with grotesque amounts of duct tape. Wrap copper wire tightly around rebar, run ends into antenna on cheap discount store stereo, adjust tuning by re-positioning antenna. Were we bored? yep.)

Sex? no.... there were 4 guys in my crew - all gay. 7 straight girls, plus me, bi. The guys got laid. We were too weird to even get asked on dates.

Drugs... sugar and chocolate and prescription tranks. Everyone but me was on valium or prozac (which was still new.). I knew people who could get high on a snak-pak of Dolly Madison powdered sugar donettes.

So my escape plan was get all my credits and graduate at 16. I did, and still managed to graduate as (effective, but didn't get the honor) valedictorian. I had the high GPA, but I reluctantly agreed that the "seniors" I was graduating with didn't expect me to be graduating with them....

Politics - don't make me laugh. If I'd said I was pro-choice, Dem, liberal.... I would have failed every class, regardless of my actual scores. I would have failed the "participation" section of the class. Closet? Yeah.... a big, dark deep one. I even wore those fucking "Precious Feet" just to blend in.... When I did suggest that one acquaintance, a 14 year old girl, pregnant by her boyfriend, give her baby up for adoption instead of dropping out and getting married (oh, yes, this is the dirty little secret of the Mormons - their teenage pregnancies get married off....) everyone thought I was insane that a woman should get an education.

When I went to talk to my guidance counselor about college applications, he gave me 2 choices - Northern Arizona University, BYU, or Ricks College (a residency CC in Utah.) I laughed at him.

I wanted to go to Harvard or Yale or MIT. (Got accepted at all three. Couldn't afford them, so ended up at Arizona State, which I could afford.) He had no idea how to even get an application to an Ivy League for me.

Crime? See the teenage criminal thread.

So... escape. That was my goal. I didn't want to end up like the brain-dead stepfords that surrounded me.

Politicat (who made it out.)

[mdmc]

49. where did you go

like your story

[politicat]

59. College, first....

Spent a year at a tiny little Catholic college (scary, scary place!!) in CA that would take me at 16 and then transferred back to AZ to ASU. ASU wouldn't take me in the dorms at 16 and I didn't have anyone to live with (and couldn't use financial aid to pay for an apartment.)

Moved to Colorado 7 years ago to get away from the frightening father and the heat. (13 years in AZ for a pale skinned red-head was a bad idea. Summers, I was a vampire. Took a job doing graveyard in-calls to pay the bills so I could avoid the sun during the summers.) Got married two years ago to someone who doesn't see his family all that much either, and so we're in agreement.

Happier here; next stop, Canada. Where it's REALLY cold. (Would take Alaska, but no work for Mr. Politicat.)

Politicat (who practically suffocated when she had to go to AZ in June for her step-father's funeral....)

[FDRrocks]

58. Sex, Drugs, and Rock n Roll

As chincy as that sounds. As much sex as I could find. As much booze and weed as I could handle... and always in search of the perfect fill or the fastest rudiment.

[IronLionZion]

60. Sex, Rock and Roll, and School

I don't need drugs. Who's with me?

[leftist_rebel1569]

65. My current objective:

uhhh.......I dunno. It's something, i'm sure...

[CoNnOc]

71. Did you go too public schools?

[leftist_rebel1569]

72. I'm going to one

I'm a sophomore in high school

[CoNnOc]

75. Me too

Your attitude seems very common among public schoolers i'm sorry to say.

[leftist_rebel1569]

77. My attitude?

lol. Ha, my attitude...

(btw, nice to meet you :hi:)

[CoNnOc]

79. Hiya

Your objective of "something" in life is what I meant by your attitude.
Most people I know from school dont know what their objective is.

[leftist_rebel1569]

83. oh, I get it...

lol...forgive me, i've been out of it all day x(.

I'm really not quite sure what I really want to do yet. I mean, i'll prolly go to college, but I don't know yet what for. Other than that...well, I dunno :)

Edit: now that I think about it, I would really really REALLY like to get the hell out of the suburban hell I currently dwell

[JohnKleeb]

84. You go to private or somethin

I know a lot of people who go to private school being that my neighborhood is filled with devout Catholics, its pretty neat actually, I meet more people that way but I dont hang out with the two friends of mine anymore but its all good.

[dolo amber]

80. I'll give you a pass

No need to worry, we love you just as you are, regardless what your objective is. ;) :loveya:

[The Lone Liberal]

66. Try to remain at-large.

Between, drag racing, fights, drinking, funny smoke and general mayhem I felt everyday of not being in custody was a great day.

[greatauntoftriplets]

76. Get excellent grades, into a good college, make my parents happy

(so they would pay my college tuition), have a good part-time job, help my community and my fellowman.

Oh, and get laid as often as possible.

[Booberdawg]

70. survival

[SmileyBoy]

78. Numbers 9 and 10.

I didn't get any and still don't, because girls scare the hell out of me.

Never got interested in drugs.

I wanted to drink alcohol, but I couldn't find any ways of obtaining it while underaged.

I slugged my way through school, and still am.

Drawing and football were my vestiges of sanity in those days.

Etc. etc. etc. etc...

[HEyHEY]

81. At least you had the jets back then!

[Ramsey]

85. Rock N' Roll

I was chaste and clean, but I rocked my ass off!!

[ProudGerman]

86. Find a reason to get out of bed

One that didn't involve my dad's gun.

I made it, I'm here at least. Depression is hell. I went from being in the top 2 percent in the nation without trying, to dropping out. I didn't even really drop out, I just stopped going. I guess I fell through the cracks, no one seemed to notice that I just stopped showing up.

Now I'm struggling to climb out of the hole I dug myslef into. Its slow going, but I will go to college one day.

[populistmom]

88. I had a similar experience at 18

:hug: It got better, a lot better. :)

[ProudGerman]

93. thanks

It helps to know that it got better, for someone at least. It really helps.

[regnaD kciN]

94. I'd vote for "sex," but...

...is it still a main objective if you failed to achieve it?

[nemo137]

95. evenly divided between school and theatre.

i work hard at both. i'm a bit of a workaholic.

[Lady Freedom]

96. Sleep!