Every breath is new. Not a single moment in life will be an exact replica of the last, but of course this isn’t anything fancy; this isn’t any hidden knowledge, but just like a single mustard seed — this means a lot with so little. 

In the late summer before the school year of 16-17, I and my family moved from the less bustled district of Aldine, and curravaned our way to Cypress (Jersey VIllage) Houston. I could still remember the distant gape on my face, despite such a change being minor — to an unexplored kid the weight was felt. Bad, no, but felt. 

The trod from one water to another had a great and somewhat confusing effect, that like many things when I was younger went unnoticed, or at least much by me. I can’t say that my wandered face and hidden hands went unnoticed, but gratefulness kissed me in reflecting on those different days. 

Being young is a big opportunity, a mess at times, and a pool of changes; living can be the exact same thing for all ages, the youth experience different circumstances of this opportunity of change and challenge. 

Even the most stern and well-raised can be thrown into the pool of life (and will). If you live in a big city of any kind you can’t deny the division of money and class. Still, there is change, growth and challenge in all of the youth. 

March 2nd, 2021, I sat down in my aquatic science class and began to pen some minor ideas for my next article. The class, stagnant, busied within the first 15 minutes, while I sat. Next to me a student and friend watched, so I chose to interview her — picking at “being young”. 

“The hardest part of being young is actually being accepted, because the way I grew up is different. Not being able to do something can destroy you. Another one can be self love, because people in our society love based on the cover of the book, when in reality it’s more than an image you can see,” senior Alyssa Gonzalez said, grinning earnestly. 

There’s no hard truth when it comes to being young; no kind of pill to swallow that the mouths of teens have to swallow, and whether we know it or not consciously, we struggle. 

“I grew in independence. It has to be that’s how I was raised. Noty having a father figure growing up and seeing my mom doing it all means that I am capable of doing and accomplishing something I set my mind to,” Gonzalez said. 

Youth is something that doesn’t come twice, being a stage that everyone has or is experiencing. The shift that the people we pass have experience can be useful to understanding what it is to be young and what it is like to grow. 

Gonzalez excitedly remarked,  “My mom she had to grow up; meaning she was cooking and cleaning, because my grandpa was trucking; meaning he drove 18 wheelers, and he was barely home. My mom had her first child at 15, so my mom had to take the responsibility of still going to school, so she had to take care of me and my brother.”

Gonzalez had several remarks about her mom and her admiration. This ambition stems deep without all young, and it’s why everyone from adult to old sings the same song of how much responsibility the young have. 

 “My mom had to grow up; meaning she was cooking and cleaning, because my grandpa was trucking; meaning he drove 18 wheelers, and he was barely home. My mom had her first child at 15, so my mom had to take the responsibility of still going to school, so she had to take care of me and my brother,” Gonzalez said as she reflected. 

And it isn’t the kind of responsibility that sits in our hand with homework or rest in our pockets like money, but it’s the kind of responsibility that says after the final bells and the walk across the stage, even years before, we have a chance to ask ourselves who do we wanna be? 

“Having fun is one of the most important parts of being young — reason being because despite being young and having responsibility you have to explore more than just being a student sitting in a chair,” Gonzalez said. 

As the year goes on it isn’t that life gets worse or that some secrets have been revealed, because the world doesn’t change but we do; so it’s the change in us as the years go on that makes us grow. 

Being young has nothing to do with age — all can and should practice being new to things and practice growth. Even if you’re experienced.