What is Youthful Exuberance?
Table of Contents
Life is full of stages, you crawl, learn to stand, walk and run. You go to school, get a job and then start up a family. These stages and periods are accompanied by different behavioural activities and they may be different for every individual.
The stages, though varying across individuals, are naturally marked to be of certain age grades. For instance, at age 27-30, when it is expected that a man shows signs of responsibility and be settled.
Youthful Exuberance can be defined as that stage in becoming adults of an age range (15-25years) where teenage boys and girls show signs of livelihood, enthusiasm, vigour, energy and possible rebellion.
Where?
Recklessness and risk-taking: during this stage, there is a desire for adventure not considering the risks. They challenge themselves to do crazy, unusual Activities like drinking a full bottle of alcohol in one gulp, driving at extreme speed, smoking, sex exploration and drug fantasies.
Independence: at this stage, they prefer not to be told what to do. They prefer to make their own decisions. They want to be independent of the family but depend on their peers.
Rebellion: this is disobedience to authority. They possess this trait of rebellion. They would rather listen to advise from peers than the elderly.
Restlessness: the surge of energy at this stage of life makes them restless. They always want to be involved in social activities, such as partying and playing games.
Causes of Youthful Exuberance
Peer pressure and societal influence: the effect of peer pressure causes youths to indulge in social activities that would normally sound uninteresting.
Poor parenting: when parents lose-train their children, they can easily be influenced by anything.
Puberty: the changes in the body of youths and the whole ideology that they are now mature creates an argument for such behaviours.
Media Influence: this is a great source of information, good and bad alike. Youth copy a lot of things from what they watch, see and hear on the televisions and their phones. This contributes to youthful exuberance. For instance, challenges done on social media platforms such as drinking challenges, silhouette challenges, dancing challenges, are widely done by youths. Some of these challenges are good while some are bad, but neither the less, all is copied and practised by young people.
Depression and self-esteem: certain times, depression, self-esteem, and the ideology of trying to fit in makes young people want to try everything or do weird things to feel happy.
Effect of youthful exuberance
Youths at an early stage are exposed to many things which could have a positive or negative impact on them. Some of the positive impacts of youthful exuberance include:
Innovation and creativity: this surge of energy and willingness to try new things could be channelled into science and technology and art. Anything that may be of passion and interest to the individual.
Social services: with good support, youths could be incorporated into social services such as a community football team, dance team, singing groups, and teaching services. A percentage of resources and funds gathered from their activities would be given to them and the other to the community.
Learning of new things outside academic work. Such as taking a business, leadership or Programming class. Something that serves as a boost to his or her academic.
Trying a business and engaging in entrepreneurial ventures.
While the negative impacts of youthful exuberance if not controlled and properly channelled include the following:
Drug addiction.
Pregnancy, abortion from pre-marital sex.
Excess and unwanted expenditure on parties, trending clothes, drinks, and drugs.
Death: as a youth in this stage of life tend to try daring activities, this could lead to the loss of their lives.
Participation in violation of societal rules as over -speeding, cultism, noise pollution, and even theft.
Loss of cultural values and disobedience.
Irresponsible and lazy youths.
Sickness and mental issues from drug abuse.
Where there’s just these considering the negative effects of youthful escapades, there’s an endless list of opportunities found in discovering self if properly guided.