The rantings of a teenager

JUSTISIA SHIPENA
Evany van Wyk

Do you sometimes just feel sick to your stomach? That’s how I feel right now. And I’m wondering why this is happening to me. The truth is that bad things happen to good people and the sooner we accept that, the less time we will be spent on feeling sorry for ourselves.

But isn’t it just tons of fun feeling sorry for yourself?

My answer to that is a definite yes. I wish other people would notice too, though. I could literally be dying and nobody will notice. Why are we all caught up in our own little world? Why are we oblivious to the fact that there are people out there that could use our help? All I need is a little interest, maybe some advice and a shoulder to cry on.

Some say crying is for babies, but the last time I cried was last Thursday. Yes, sue me, but crying is a necessity. Why are babies the only ones allowed to cry? Sometimes letting go of your emotions can be strangely therapeutic. I believe in expression, and when I feel like the world is about to collapse, writing is where I find peace. Peace: what an amazing thing to aspire to. The world could certainly do with a little bit of that.

If we all just focus on our own problems, when is change ever going to become a reality? People are dying and suffering and we’re all turning our heads in ignorance. And we all know being ignored is a horrible feeling that no one wants to experience.

Being a helpful person and living selflessly can be quite a challenge. These days’ people don’t even know how to help themselves, let alone others. How can we get out of this bubble and get more involved? I, for one, have been in a slump since last year. Finishing school is such an emotional and mentally challenging rollercoaster that I was sometimes too dizzy to notice the world around me. The void left by school will never be filled and dealing with that void can be an immense burden to carry.

Feeling depressed was a full-time job, along with constant pressure to pursue a college degree. My point of view is: That degree won’t guarantee you a job. You can obtain as many degrees as you’d like, but at the end of the day, you’re probably going to be unemployed for quite a while. Our economy is in such a dire state that finding and keeping a decent job is like finding chicken teeth - basically impossible. So if you currently have a job, be grateful and give it your all. Life doesn’t require that we be the best, only that we try our best. Although sometimes our best just doesn’t seem good enough. Criticising ourselves and our achievements is what the world teaches us to do. Nothing is good enough if it’s not better than that of the next person. Why do we always choose to compare ourselves to others? We are all different and unique, yet we forget this and would rather live our lives trying to be someone we’re not. It’s exhausting and utterly stupid, because you will only excel in being yourself and living your own life.

The most upsetting part about being a teenager, is not being taken seriously. The decisions you make are being undermined, your opinion is regarded as worthless and you’re always being discriminated against because of your age. I’m 18, I think logically and I have new and innovative ideas. Give me a chance to open my mouth and enlighten your mind. Why do you think we spend so much time on social media, ranting and giving our opinion? Because it is the only platform we’re being given. The motivational speeches I listened to recently made me more determined to make my voice heard. That is the reason I’m writing this column about everything that’s bothering me, and that I believe needs to be said. I’ve decided to take a page out of Kanye West’s book and just go off. We are dealing with real life, just as much as anybody else.

I have experienced every single thing I write about and I still have about a hundred things spinning in my mind. It honestly feels like a maize up in here, and sometimes I wonder if I will I ever reach the end. “Life’s a game, but it’s not fair. I break the rules, but I don’t care,” those are the wise words of one of my favourite artists, Rihanna. Breaking the rules and overstepping boundaries are the only way we are ever going to open people’s eyes. What we need is more people who specialise in the impossible and we are those people. Don’t put a limit on what you can do.

The one thing I don’t believe is that curiosity killed the cat. Questioning the world we live in is how new discoveries are made, so if you have any unanswered questions or conspiracy theories that are gnawing at you, don’t hesitate to raise your opinion, because the odds are that you’re probably not the only one wondering about the same thing. Speaking out is really hard, I can relate to that. Don’t let a few challenges stand in your way!

evany@myzone.com.na