In 2020, along with a pandemic, I was expected to face yet another novel circumstance- High School. Any high schooler would agree that getting through high school is a Herculean task, from endless assignments to college hunting.
It dawned on me later that to be an eligible applicant, a sound academic streak wasn’t enough but years filled with certification, extra-curricular activities, and internships would get me closer to the finish line. I knew it was time for me to pull up my socks and get going.
I went from pillar to post looking for an internship, but all my efforts seemed futile, as most firms were hiring only graduates as interns. I was in a catch-22 situation; an internship is an integral part of the admission process; however, they are reserved for the college-going. It boggled my mind why a role that requires creativity, vitality and innovation is differentiated based on age. Perhaps it is the perception of teenagers being stereotyped as a group that is immature and incapable of dealing with contemporary problems.
Though I understand we are young to view it from an adult outlook, today’s youth lives in a competitive, challenging and complex world; this leads us to think and work efficiently to keep with the rapid pace. We approach and solve problems adroitly rather than apathetically. We have evolved immensely from the youth in earlier times; unfortunately, the older generation is slow in recognising this fact.
Climate change is a prime example; young adults thrive in various fields, from addressing COP 26 to taking real action through Fridays for Future. Youth is often considered the ‘future’, but if we are abstained from being part of the present, there might not be a future to look forward to.
So, to all the people who trivialise the youth’s role today, I would like to say, ‘we are much more than you think we are.’
Ashita Sai Manohar – Reposted from youthof2020stories on Instagram, a humansof2020 initiative
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