Misconceptions Of Teenagers Graduationg From High School Essay, Research Paper

Some teenagers believe that life should imitate high school. Adolescents think they should never have an inordinate amount of pressure foist upon them, and that deadlines are strictly an outline to go by. If something is done incorrectly the first time they can just keep doing it until it’s right. However, when young adults enter ‘the real world’ they come to the horrific realization that their boss doesn’t care how they feel, and if the deadline is missed, there can be severe consequences. High school should aim at preparing young adults for real life, rather than misleading them to believe the world will continue to revolve around them.

One of the major misconceptions unfairly given to our teenagers is that the world owes them. Stepping into life thinking that a cushy lifestyle, 50,000 dollar a year job, and a house will be handed to them strictly because they are “cool” is setting the future of our country up for a huge pitfall. After all, being “cool” in high school afforded them a great deal. This idea keeps our teens from striving to become all they can be on their own. They are then left in their mid-twenties with little to no education, no skills, and extremely unhappy because everything taught to them growing up is now proving to be blatantly wrong. Realizing that being popular doesn’t get the same response any more can be devastating. So we now end up with a generation that has spent precious learning years working on popularity, instead of developing skills and gaining knowledge. Our teenagers need to know that they can become, and should strive to be, whatever is in their hearts to be. Then, and only then will we produce an educated society who can earn the lifestyle that they so desire.

Another example of misconceptions given to our teens is that if their lives should happen to get in the way of their education, it’s all right; they can just take care of it later. If a paper is due, and is left at home, that’s no problem. They are given an extension to bring it in tomorrow. This gives them the idea that when an authority figure states what needs to be done, it can be overlooked with little or no consequences. When put into a real-life situation, we can see the consequences could be great. If the boss says he needs a report by next Monday, the report better be on his desk first thing Monday morning. If this does not receive the priority it should be given, the result could be loss of the job. So yet again, the teen is left not understanding why he has lost his job. After all, it didn’t matter in high school if the paper was late.

Finally teenagers need to be taught that there is a lot of competition out there. To be a commodity, earn, and keep the job they want, they have to stay sharp. Just showing up for class in high school was grounds for passing. Just showing up for a job, and not doing the job justice could result in having that job given to someone who is willing to do it wholeheartedly. If a boss is given the choice between person ‘A’, who shows up most of the time, and gets the bare minimum accomplished, and person ‘B’, who shows up every day and goes above and beyond the call of duty to do his job the best way he knows how, chances are person ‘B’ is going to keep his job. And more than likely, he will excel, and move forward in his career. Whereas person ‘B’, after having lost yet another job is left looking for another entry-level position. Yet again proving that the minimal standards put on our teenagers in high school is teaching them that just getting by is acceptable, when in reality, that just is not the case.

Obviously there is a deficit in the education system today, whether it is in the schools, or in the homes. Teaching and reinforcing accountability, pride in workmanship, ethics, and standards to the young adults of this country is a necessity. It is imperative that the standards of the teenagers be raised. If it is not, the degradation of this nation will be overwhelming. We will end up a country of ill-educated, self-serving, unethical, miserable people.