MADD Teen Influencer
February 2023
Ask A Teen Influencer Looking for some advice? Each month our MADD Teen Influencers will offer helpful tips based on questions submitted by other teens. You can submit questions anonymously with the link below or by clicking on the icon to the left. TINYURL.COM/MADDTEENADVICE
2 Teen Dating: To Date or Not to Date? By Benjamin Haworth, MADD Teen Influencer
As a sixteen-year-old high school sophomore, I have yet to go on a first date. Like so many teenagers, I find it difficult to balance the demands of a rigorous academic workload with daily sports practices, in addition to extracurriculars outside of school. This is especially true now that the college admission competition is at an all-time high.
There just aren’t enough hours in the day for me to sleep and keep my grades up, let alone devote the time to a romantic relationship. Recently, I asked my classmates their thoughts on dating. I was surprised at their responses. Around ninety percent of the peers I spoke to told me they do not have time to date or really have no desire to have a relationship. Some said their parents wouldn’t allow them to date for fear that “My grades will suffer and I won’t get into a good college.” However, there are a few diehard romantics at my school who consider dating an essential rite of passage. These select few told me, “Without dating in high school, you might be socially awkward in the future and end up depressed or lonely.” One friend in particular mentioned she only dates, “to distract myself from the pressures of school and to relieve anxiety in general. It’s a mental health thing. ”It made me wonder: Is dating actually good for us? Or is it just another thing to add on to the already-packed to-do list of all teens?
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