Many teenagers around the world struggle to fit into the society they are raised in. In this era, they gravitate towards society for validation and confidence.

This might be because the world tends to paint a certain picture on how a person should look, speak, behave or even dress, and they have varying opinions on how teenagers should be at certain age.

The confusion might also arise from the fact that they are still finding their footing in the world, wondering how to make an impact in society.

Well, I believe that as teens, we could oversee these expectations that the world has created for us by engaging ourselves in numerous activities that could help us understand ourselves better and make an impact while at it.

This will not only distract us from the harsh expectations of the world, but guide us towards being content and ecstatic about growing up and discovering new things as well.

One of the ways in which we could stay effective in this diverse world is through volunteer work. It might be with vulnerable children or even at a hospital. Helping out here and there gives a sense of fulfilment, and it is worth it. The feeling of doing good by others will pull the attention away from the assumptions that the world has of us and turn into something that contributes to the growth of our surroundings and to you as an individual.

Another way to keep occupied is by finding a mentor. The key is to find someone you can trust, someone who is successful and someone who can assist you with the indecisiveness that we experience as we grow. Mentors are beneficial to teenagers because they speak from experience, because they too were once in those shoes.

Looking past who the world thinks we should be and focusing more on how we could do better by being ourselves and advancing is what I think a better approach on life is. If teenagers are to obsess over trying to impress the people out there, we would only go so far in life and not utilise the raw potential that we are embodied with. Together, if we all choose to ignore the expectations, we will take the world by storm.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw