The teenage years are years that a person might never want to forget, but can also be years that that same person does not want to remember. They are full of ups and downs as people grow into themselves and are forced to deal with more adult problems. They are too young to be on their own, and yet they are too old to be catered to hand and foot. Because of the pressures put on them by school, peers, and especially by themselves, teenagers face much more stress today than any other age group. .
Probably the most obvious factor contributing to teenage stress is school and the pressures that come along with it. Graduating from high school is a must for anyone who is reaching for success, and the risk and fear of failing school presents a large amount of stress for many teenagers. If they lose their grip on the importance of achieving in school they will be stuck in a rut; without an education they will be unable to climb out and move on. While many teens actually struggle with their curriculum, even more teens fail because they forget what should truly be of first importance in their lives: school. It is very easy for a teenager to momentarily forget that life is not all about fun. Michael, a high school senior, had floated through school with straight A's and had always had a passion for his school work. Michael was on the honor roll, on the academic pentathlon team, and was every teacher's favorite student. However, during his senior year everything changed. He started to spend more and more time with the "party crowd." It soon became very easy to assume that Michael would not be home on Saturday nights, and even easier to assume that he probably would not pass his math class-or his English class or any other class for that matter. Michael's priorities had changed completely. .
School is an awkward time for most people, and unfortunately it is also a time when people strive for comfort and the feeling that they "fit in.