TEEN SCENE Reviews
What to read and watch in Northampton
It’s not easy being teen Why the teenage years aren’t always the best of your life!
LOUISE SMITH Exclusive interview
£1.50 2nd April 2015
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It’s not that easy being teen... Most people think the teenage years are the best of your life. This isn’t always the case. Here’s why teen years are important.
B
eing a teenager is hard. We all know that. It may be inevitable that one day you will grow up and think you had it easy. But, right now, it’s not. You might be experiencing something big or be overwhelmed with new responsibilities you may be facing. We all have good and bad experiences as teenagers. The good might be the best of your life, and the bad might be the worst. This is a time when big decisions need to be made about your future. This can put a lot of pressure on young people. “Learning new skills, making new friends and discovering who you are. They often come across barriers in their friendships.” These are some of the biggest struggles young people face. Every decision you make has a knock-on effect on the rest of your life. There’s pressure from teachers and adults to do the right thing. All of this is necessary and we all go through it at some stage.
“Adults sometimes look back through rose-tinted glasses”
L
ouise Smith is a photographer who works with kids who’ve been kicked out of school for various reasons. She teaches photography once a week for the Pupil Referral Unit (PRU). This is sort of a replacement school run by the county council. Kids are taught in one to one sessions with tutors like Louise. She has worked with young people for several years. She knows that there is a reason people are kicked out of school and sent to the PRU. “They’re not naughty kids; everyone has a history and a background.” Most kids can’t help not being able to thrive in a state school. Many young people have special needs, either mentally or physically. Others have a difficult home life. Smith says the most important thing about being a teenager is communication. “Parents dread the day when they ask their kids what they did at school and hear: ‘nothing.’ They aren’t doing nothing, they just have so much going on their brains can’t cope.” Parents and teachers just want what’s best for you. They want to help you succeed but they may not understand
how difficult this time is for you. This is because they often forget what it was like. “Adults sometimes look back with rose-tinted glasses”. She says that in our 20s and 30s we think teenagers have nothing to worry about, but actually it’s a rough time. But there are “highs and lows”. You may think some teens have it easier than others but this isn’t always the case. Most teenagers are in the same situation; trying to figure out where their life is headed. “It’s the most challenging and most rewarding time in all of our lives.”
“They’re not naughty kids; everyone has a history and a background.” You really do have your whole life ahead of you. It’s a cliché for a reason.There are many opportunities available for all young people. You have to keep your eyes open: as well as your options. Smith says that adults usually think that teenagers around 13/14 should know better but they might be flipping from one thing to another. You can’t possibly know what your future holds. Most adults didn’t at this age! If you do, stick to it and keep trying, don’t miss out on any opportunity that comes your way. If you are good at something or enjoy something, keep going. If you have a certain problem that might be holding you back, nothing is impossible if you try hard enough.
In this day and age, cyberbullying is a prominent part of this generation. “We didn’t have computers when I was at school.” It’s a fairly new occurrence but it’s more damaging. It’s a less personal way to attack someone. Teenagers who bully people online or by text, sometimes, don’t see it as a problem because they are emotionally detached from the person. Sufferers need to contact someone for help and block them. There is so much to overcome as a teenager “they have a million and one things to think about.” Most young people decide to focus on the wrong things i.e. friendships and relationships. This is good but at the same time, it’s not essential yet - especially not as much as your education. It’s the most difficult part of being a teenager but also one of the most important things you’ll do in your life. It will be your biggest achievement. “I wasn’t popular until I was 18/19.” Many adults regret not getting an education because it’s for life. People come and go but don’t wish your life away by trying to grow up too fast.
Profile: Louise Smith, 33
“It’s the most challenging and most rewarding time in our lives.” Most teenagers worry about making friends and being popular, this might be important for confidence and selfesteem but don’t forget your education! The most important part of school is to learn (obviously). This is ignored more often than not in favour of trying to be considered cool. Embrace your individuality. Whatever it is you have that no one else has. is usually an advantage, especially when you start looking for a job or building a career someday.
Photographer Photography teacher for the Pupil Referral Unit Youth work Assistant with Wootton Parish Council Photojournalist for Northampton’s Chronicle and Echo
Book review
REVIEWS
The 100 series: Waterstones £5.99 trilogy out now Kass Morgan’s book series is what the show of the same name is based on. It’s set in a post-apocalyptic world 300 years after a nuclear explosion. 100 expendable teenage prisoners are sent to earth to see if it’s survivable. If you watch the E4 show, this a slightly different spin. Some would say more satisfying – especially if you’re a fan of Wells, Bellamy and Clarke as a couple. But there’s no Finn. It’s great for fans of the show who want a lighter tone to these characters. It’s still action-packed and full of mystery. You don’t want to miss what happens next in the series. You don’t have to be a viewer of the show to get into it as it’s all laid out in a slightly different way.
TV review
Brooklyn Nine Nine: Thursdays at 9 on E4 This cop-show follows a young detective, Jake Peralta (Andy Samburg), who’s surprisingly good at his job. His lazy streak ends when he gets a new boss; the stoic Captain Holt. He always seems to get the gang into trouble, then they work together to get him out of it - always in the funniest ways possible. These original characters work well together. Gina’s (Chelsea Peretti) free-spirited aura plays off Amy’s (Melissa Fumero) overachieving optimism perfectly. Captain Holt (Andre Braugher) and Rosa (Stephanie Beatrice) both have the hilarious deadpanned delivery. Jake and Charles (Joe Lo Truglio) have a weird Pinky-andthe-Brain-type relationship. Charles idolises him more
than anyone. Sergeant Terry (Terry Crews) loves yoghurt and his family, and can lift Jake on one finger. Don’t forget the smelly outcasts in the precinct, Scully and Hitchcock (Joel McKinnon Miller and Dirk Blocker). It goes against all the tropes of its genre. It’s the most original comedy of the year. It’s won 5 awards including 2 Golden Globes for Best Actor and Best Television show. Wacky things happen in the Nine-nine precinct that probably never happen in real life. All the best names in US comedy have joined Samburg for this hit comedy. The executive producing team, Phillip Lord and Christopher Miller, directed 21 Jump Street its awesome sequel. If this doesn’t persuade you to watch, who knows what will!
The third book has just been released and the gang have finally been joined by the rest of the ark. Bellamy deals with the concequesces of his actions. Clarke continues to search for her parents. Wells tries to take back the camp from the adults trying to take control. The books introduce you to many more characters, including Well’s best friend, Glass. Her complicated story continues on Earth for the first time in the series. The 100 must protect what they’ve built from the rest of the Ark. Everything we learned from the last book continues. It’s been compared often to a cross between The Hunger Games and Lord of The Flies. If you like teen romance and adventure you need this book!
Film review
The Theory of Everything: Vue £6.10 teen ticket Eddie Redmayne’s Oscarwinning performance will blow you away. It’s brilliant. It was nominated for several more Oscars including Best Picture. Not just for Redmayne’s performance (even though: wow). Felicity Jones’ performance was also spectacular, as the wife who stands by Stephen Hawking through his life with motor neuron disease. It’s an inspiring true story and relates to all ages. You don’t need to be a scientific genius to love this film, it explains everything very well. It’s a journey from their years at university to having children and his becoming world famous. The relationship between Stephen and Jane Hawking is complicated but you can’t help rooting for them. This film is filled with
drama, romance, triumph and tragedy but overall a success story for all of them. This happy ending is one of the most earned and convincing on the big screen - it’s not cheesy or cheated. You might cry at the end of this film, but no spoilers here! Go and see the brains behind the (real) Big Bang Theory.