You've heard the term ‘rebel without a cause’? Well, it is a term to describe someone who is angry and frustrated but doesn't know what they are frustrated with or who they are angry at. Adolescence or teenage is that part of life, at least for the majority of us. It is a confusing time where our body undergoes changes and while that itself is overwhelming we have to reckon with a changing mind. Our own mind. Our families who till now were treating us as children suddenly ask us to act grown up as we had reached a certain ‘age’. What most of them miss is the mental change that we undergo along with the physicality. We don't lose the innocence of childhood but certainly become more perceptive and observant of our surroundings. 

Time. That's all we need. At a time when hormones are rushing, our understanding of the world and the opposite gender is evolving, we are made to adhere to societal standards of sobriety. Don't dress like that, don't speak like that, and so on are regular quips from our elders. We are judged even before we start thinking. And being a teenager growing up in an Indian society is even more challenging. All eyes are on us as if to judge every misstep and ensure repentance. Yes we need guidance, yes we need support but what we need the most is understanding. We are bound to make mistakes throughout our life, some major and some minor. At a younger age we are more prone to those mistakes. But since we don't know any better it's our elders who have to be patient with us. We might lash out or get frustrated more often but the rebellion is against the misunderstandings and the impatience of our elders. It is not entirely without a cause. 

Our insecurities rule us in our teenage years. It might be because of difficulty at school or college, being judged by friends, our developing bodies, fears of an uncertain future or innumerable other things. But as you grow older you will realise none of these things matter in the long run. It all settles down and being a better human being is the pinnacle of your success. More importantly, introspection will tell us how exercising patience ourselves helps us to understand our parents and loved ones. We must also be mindful of how we respond to a situation rather than reacting immediately. 

In the end, we must realise that adolescence or teenage is just a phase. It comes with its own challenges and then passes at some point. But we surely can learn a lot from those formative years to tackle the obstacles that we might face later on. And the only true support system at that point is your family and real friends and inspite of their flaws, just like us, they mean well for you. What truly will set you on a path of self discovery while at the same time help you deal with stress is your choices. Explore subjects which interest you or make you curious. Invest time in good music, art & culture and quality movies. Engage in debates that broaden your outlook. Eventually everything falls into place. So, be a rebel, but a rebel with a cause.