Some teenagers never realize their true identity. It’s simple to go through the rituals of school, obey parental demands, and apply to colleges. It’s so easy to get caught up in life’s to-do list that you miss the most crucial aspect of being a teen: discovering what makes you uniquely you.
This quest for one’s identity is critical! And now is the moment! Identity uncertainty and identity drift are common throughout the early phases of adolescence, as described by psychologist James Marcia. It is typical for teenagers at this early stage of puberty to have not committed to an identity and to have views that are vague or nonexistent. They lack a feeling of themselves.
Other teenagers may come from homes or cultures where their identity is predetermined. Because of the setting in which they exist, there is no choice, investigating, or uncovering. This is referred to as foreclosure by Marcia, and it occurs when teenagers do not have the option to choose their distinctive identities, ideas, or values since they have already been decided for them.
Teens who are members of a strong political or religious community, or a close-knit family, for example, may already have a strong sense of identity as a result of their affiliation with these familial or social organizations. Identity roles and values are fixed in this instance, and a youngster is unlikely to go through an identity crisis. Marcia noted that these teenagers generally conform to authority without developing a sense of self.
Teens are also skilled at detecting and reacting to hypocrisy. Few things irritate them more than someone who publicly proclaims one thing but acts the opposite in private. Or those who insist that teenagers follow one set of rules while breaking another.
Teens aren’t always delighted with restrictions, but they despise double standards. They are reacting to a visceral sense of the tremendous amount of injustice in the world. There is so much of it they can’t do anything about, so they tend to be militant about the stuff they can, such as remarking on and reacting to your hypocrisy.
However, if a kid is given the chance to experiment with other roles, beliefs, and attitudes, he or she is experiencing what James Marcia referred to as a moratorium. It is a time when people are exploring their identities without committing to any one identity. Even though it may be unpleasant, this is an important adolescent duty. This phase of discovery leads to more healthy adulthood.
If you’re a teen with this chance, you may need certain tools to get started. The first is discovery, which is one of the most effective instruments for growth and development. Discovering oneself entails learning about yourself. It entails learning from your own experiences and modifying them so that your life works for you. It entails being interested, open, and looking for methods to go forward. Most children and teenagers are inherently inquisitive. They investigate, learn more, and like trying new things.
Once you’ve received enough knowledge, you may act as if you’ve mastered the new idea or habit. For example, consider how one of your professors carries himself with poise, elegance, and maturity.
Why not put it on if you like it? Wear that emotion for a short while and see how it works for you. You may need to be a little more fun, or you may want to carry that mood but with a dash of humor now and again.
In conclusion, What’s fantastic about being a teen is that you can make up your own stories. You can continue to test out different attitudes, beliefs, thoughts, sensations, and moods. What works best for you? Playing with life and understanding what it has to offer may make a tough or dull adolescent fascinating! The fourth stage is termed identity attained, and it occurs after an adolescent has gone through a crisis and has reached an adult-like acceptance of his or her social, religious, political, and vocational identities.
To read more blogs #Click here.
Writer
Mobina Mostary
Intern, Content Writing Department
YSSE