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Calling All Teens/Young Adults for Help!

Ky_GirlatHeart
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Ky_GirlatHeart

Ky_GirlatHeart 1,310

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My current story (not the Adelaide one; this is another story) is going to incorporate something that teens struggle with daily/constantly. And while I am a teen, I'm more of a happy-go-lucky one (I hate that term with a passion) who's not exposed to a lot of these things...

So what would be some struggles you have gone through/are going through and/or would like to see addressed in a book? Currently, I can think of racism, LGBTQ+, and depression. I will gladly take other suggestions.

 

@ThePerilousPen, @AJCat29, @Grey_Skies, @Claire Tucker , @Micaiah ?

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Zee

Zee 1,941

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Why don't you write about something that you personally struggle with? I think the strongest stories are those that are born, one way or another, from personal experience.

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Grey_Skies

Grey_Skies 164

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Hello, Ky!

 

Thanks for tagging me.  Personally, some of the things I have gone through include struggles and doubts with my faith, and some on-and-off depression.  Not really sure what else, but I'll let you know if I think of something.

Edited by Grey_Skies
typo
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AJCat29

AJCat29 200

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2 hours ago, Ky_GirlatHeart said:

My current story (not the Adelaide one; this is another story) is going to incorporate something that teens struggle with daily/constantly. And while I am a teen, I'm more of a happy-go-lucky one (I hate that term with a passion) who's not exposed to a lot of these things...

So what would be some struggles you have gone through/are going through and/or would like to see addressed in a book? Currently, I can think of racism, LGBTQ+, and depression. I will gladly take other suggestions.

 

@ThePerilousPen, @AJCat29, @Grey_Skies, @Claire Tucker , @Micaiah ?

Oof.  Well, there's a lot!  I am very, very strongly against LGBTQ+ so having to deal with that in the world, yes.  I hate how Christians are put down and persecuted, so there's that.  And biggest to me, anxiety.  I am so incredibly anxious and nervous that it's just ridiculous.  I also have social anxiety.

I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for, so if not, please let me know!  I can clarify more if you want.

Quick, random question for you: what made you pick the people you did?

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Ky_GirlatHeart

Ky_GirlatHeart 1,310

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@AJCat29 I might post the first chapter for critique, but I also might start off with another chapter; we'll see. But, if you want, you can put your detective skills to use and see which one is supposed to portray me! The three of them are supposed to be mirror images of myself and a couple of my close friends. 😄

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AJCat29

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Just now, Ky_GirlatHeart said:

@AJCat29 I might post the first chapter for critique, but I also might start off with another chapter; we'll see. But, if you want, you can put your detective skills to use and see which one is supposed to portray me! The three of them are supposed to be mirror images of myself and a couple of my close friends. 😄

That's so cool!  Wait, should I see which struggle or character is supposed to portray you?

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Amosathar

Amosathar 367

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I haven't been a young adult for a long time, however one of my real jobs is working at a Christian school as the main IT Guy there. Some of the struggles I see these teenagers going through is possibly more sub-conscience struggles, but include a lack of self-esteem, a lack of self-identity, grappling with their own purpose and what they want to do as a career. Peer pressure is always a fun topic and confusing area of dating especially in Christian culture. Even with the Christian teaching they get, those who claim to be believers seem to struggle with what it really means to be a Christian with the wealth of information out there on the internet. I hope this insight might help.

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Zee

Zee 1,941

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48 minutes ago, Ky_GirlatHeart said:

@AJCat29 I might post the first chapter for critique, but I also might start off with another chapter; we'll see. But, if you want, you can put your detective skills to use and see which one is supposed to portray me! The three of them are supposed to be mirror images of myself and a couple of my close friends. 😄

Cool! I bet I can...

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ThePerilousPen

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4 hours ago, Ky_GirlatHeart said:

My current story (not the Adelaide one; this is another story) is going to incorporate something that teens struggle with daily/constantly. And while I am a teen, I'm more of a happy-go-lucky one (I hate that term with a passion) who's not exposed to a lot of these things...

So what would be some struggles you have gone through/are going through and/or would like to see addressed in a book? Currently, I can think of racism, LGBTQ+, and depression. I will gladly take other suggestions.

 

@ThePerilousPen, @AJCat29, @Grey_Skies, @Claire Tucker , @Micaiah ?

interesting! although I'm not entirely sure I follow you. You want to know stuff we've struggled with? Here's a list of mine:

Cutting
Panic attacks (ongoing)
Nightmares (traumatic ones-ongoing) 
Depression
Anxiety ( sort of ongoing) 
Bullimia
Suicide (the thought and planning, obvs I didn't go through with it)
I have lost some close ones, too, but that doesn't really count. Hmm I guess also like, I've struggled with some lgbtq+ related things (such as arguments with people...oops) 

 

is that what you were looking for? sorry if it wasn't! 

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RockyMtn Gal

RockyMtn Gal 539

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Not a teen/YA but I work with them.

 

#1 issue in general-anxiety. It can range from "I might pass out if I have to give a speech" to debilitating.

 

Had several who'd miss more school days due to anxiety than the sickly kids.

 

Related to that is the fear of getting anything wrong. Many aren't willing to try because they might embarrass themselves. I think social media has fueled this fear. Students are afraid their worst days will end up before the world forever.

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Claire Tucker

Claire Tucker 2,471

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Interesting question, @Ky_GirlatHeart.

 

I think you already have some really great questions here. In some ways, I don't feel that I can give you an answer that can be applied universally to teens/young adults. Part of that reason is that I was home educated, and so by the time I reached 19 or 20, I had already "outgrown" many of my peers.

 

I do remember that friends (or my comparative lack thereof) was a fairly big issue for me and something that I did struggle with often. In more recent years, my struggle has been more along the lines of what to actually do with my life, what God has called me to do or placed on my heart to do, and how in the world anything can be done with current restrictions worldwide.

 

Looking at my own answer, I would agree with everyone that "identity" and the struggle surrounding it is a crucial part of a teen's life. Dr James Dobson, in his book Life on the Edge (which I highly recommend, btw), talks about the "critical decade" in an individual's life, ten years in which identity, crucial career decisions, and many other key aspects are formed. The critical decade roughly spans the ages of 16 - 26.

 

I would also agree with the assessment of "anxiety" being a crucial struggle as well. Last year, South African schools were closed for most of the year (some grades only attended approximately 60 school days). One of the students I tutor reached a point of asking "how am I going to finish school and be able to study if I'm not going to school?" Another student I work with is now in her final year of schooling. She admitted to me in the last week that she isn't concerned so much about herself, as she knows that she will be alright, "but I have friends who suffer from anxiety attacks" were her words to me. In short, she is worried about her friends. '

 

Fear (and all the accompanying nasties like anxiety etc) and identity. I think that those could easily be the two biggest challenges facing young people in our world today.

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Ky_GirlatHeart

Ky_GirlatHeart 1,310

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Thank you guys for your answers! It's kind of interesting to see everyone's responses and see what they've been dealing with/have dealt with. One of my friends (she will have a POV in the story) does have anxiety and OCD; so I might throw that in there. The other one is a bit harder to figure out..Only things I can think of for her are her relationship with her mom and identity (by identity I mean her struggle with her thinking that she's fat when honestly I think she looks fine). But I may or may not throw my personal struggles in there too...We'll see.

Again, thanks for the help!

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