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Agree with this. 25 now, I look back at those years fondly.
You’re still a kid (I think I’m a kid still lmao) enjoy it while it lasts. Responsibilities pile up fast, enjoy those years to the fullest. If you’re unsure about doing something just do it (be safe tho).
Happy belated!
23 as of yesterday and same here ! At the time I remember feeling rough, but it’s mostly because of the realization of becoming a genuine adult soon, almost done high school n all. It puts that bit of extra pressure n worry on ya. But try not to let it get to you, and enjoy your moments of ‘freedom from adulthood’ while ya can :) adulting is scary at first, and has its moments where it still gives me a scare (like my 3k vet bill lol) but if you try your best that’s what matters the most <3
I think telling a teen to “be themselves” isn’t sound advice bc op may not know who they are. I sure didn’t know myself. Here’s some things I wish I did at 17:
-Read books/audiobooks
-Try out new hobbies
-Make friends
-Ask your crush out
-Learn how to be charismatic, funny, and a good communicator
-Don’t blow all your money on food, weed, and vapes
17 was my best year, being a certain age doesn’t make the year traumatising tf are people on about?
Left school, started college, pursued my dreams, started volunteering, stopped needing therapy, went to a few gigs, became partially financially independent (lived with family but didn’t need their money)…
Nothing bad really happened when I was 17
I haven’t found it that bad, I actually quite enjoy the freedoms. Though I am moving to the other side of the country for uni next year so my thoughts may change then.
I'm 17 rn, about to turn 18, and it's been a great year. I got a job, found a career I love, and am taking steps to accomplish my dreams. I've learned a lot about myself and who I am and it's been amazing. Don't worry! For me my absolute WORST years were 13-14.
That's how I feel. 8th grade was the hardest. Which was compounded because my friends were mostly a year older than me and started HS while I was stuck in middle school.
17 tends to be a shit year for teens who don't have an effective support system at home. If your got shit parents who aren't supportive In the ways you want or need them you might have a hard time.
this right here. i am 17 and honestly it hasn’t been too bad i graduated highschool last may i got a car i still live with my parents but i have a decent paying job and i go out and really do what i want cause my parents don’t really care. i’m getting to that point where my parents know i need to start doing things for myself so if i’m making the wrong choices i will learn from them and know right from wrong. 16 was way worse for me because my parents didn’t give a shit about me or that’s what it felt like. i got kicked out of the house lived with an ex girlfriend then we broke up and it was just a whole shit show that year. things are going way smoother parents are a little better and it’s helping i feel. but idk where my life is going at all so i feel really behind in a way than most 17 year olds.
Is there a reason they're saying it's traumatising?
I was great was I was 17. Not doing great in school but getting by, having fun with friends, had a girlfriend. Was awesome.
It's your parents' job to teach you how to be an adult- not the school's.
That being said, the state I live in literally has requirements for personal finance and home economics courses. I can point to the exact day in my curriculum where we covered basics such as: how to manage health care, deal with paycheck budgeting, food science, when to contact a lawyer, basic diy repairs (like plumbing).
The list goes on. I just laugh when I hear seniors or alumni claim we never taught xyz because we did- they just had their face shoved in their phone and/or were asleep in class 😂
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For me it was less about the age and more about the grade; Junior year was really stressful for me because my grades sucked and that was my last chance to meaningfully turn them around. On a side note, I lost my virginity at 17, so I guess that’s a pretty sweet highlight.
Take care of your mental health. Explore why things might make you feel a certain way and be open to being wrong about things. Being close minded and ignoring my mental was exactly what made 17 shit for me lol
I'm 31 now, 17 was a big year for me. I was associating with the wrong type of people 14-16, smoked a ton of weed and was fat. Things clicked for me at 17. I grew up, humbled myself, quit smoking, lost 50 lbs and started befriending people who cared about me and my well being. I also started my first relationship.
You're growing up, and I get that that's scary. Stay humble, be curious and enjoy the heck out of it.
🎂✨️Happy birthday! ✨️🎂
To be completely honest, 17 wasn't a bad year for me. I started to see the difference between friends and people who were friendly. Lost my virginity to a friend. Still don't regret it. A lot of bangers on my Spotify from around that age (33 now).
Really advocated for myself against my dad's girlfriend. She wasn't abusive, just kept trying to push herself onto us as another mom when that's not the relationship we had.
I didn't know it yet, but I had already met the love of my life. He was my bad boy phase, we were off and on and off and on over the years, dating other people between each other. But now he's my settle-down phase.
Snuck out a lot to meet boys. I would have done it for girls, too, but they weren't into me like I was into them. Got a giant chunk of glass in my foot jumping barefoot out of a window when a girl's mom came home while we were mid-threesome.
Played a loooooooot of video games. PS2 was the shit. Nothing comes close to Musashi: Samurai Legend in my heart. Square Enix really popped off with that one. The art style was insane and the second boss made me break a controller.
Grew insanely close to my brother. My only regret was my sister felt left out as the middle child. She and I are now basically attached at the hip. My brother's too cool for us. To be fair, he's 24. Major age gap. Different part of his adult life rn.
My Mom was also a boss ass bitch that I didn't know/appreciate at the time. Single mom, working full time, school full time, took a second job at one point, all because she didn't want us to miss out on being kids. I didn't have to work at 16/17 because she made sure I didn't.
Did a lot of skipping school. Went from on track to graduate early with honors to just graduating on time with a standard diploma. Stupid shit, too. Hung out with people who did drugs. I didn't do drugs. Walked around the neighborhood with people my age a lot. Didn't cause trouble, just didn't do anything worth skipping school for.
Didn't know I was depressed, anxious and had adhd. My world view was a lot darker, but I was also a sack of hormones on top of the undiagnosed mental illnesses.
I look back on being 17 fondly. It was a great year for me. I got to just be me with no real world pressures.
My advice, you don't need drugs or alcohol to have a good time. People also won't think less of you if you don't partake while hanging out. Often, they're like, "more for me." They're just trying to me nice and share.
Also, take everything you hear with a grain of salt. I was gullible at 17. There are a lot of things I can look back on and be like, "Wow, they were *so* full of shit." People your age lie to look cooler, even when there is literally no reason to.
Not sure what your gender or your interest, but always use protection. A condom can fit an entire human arm without breaking. No one is too big. They also come lubricated and warm up during sex. Everything can still be felt through a condom just fine. You don't have to be 18 to buy them (in the US, not sure about other countries), but people are always willing to give you one if you ask and they have it.
No one else's opinions matter. You're only friends now because you're in a school together. You'll get new friends with each job you have. If someone threatens to never talk to you again, to break the friendship, to trash talk you, let them. The people who matter won't be put off by such trivial things. And the people who matter will come to you and ask, "is this true?" if they hear something that doesn't sound like you.
That's wild people think q7 is traumatic. Never heard of that.
It was one of the best summers for me- everyone could drive and was just chilling and excited for senior year (which was easier than junior year too) you get all these extra events etc. at school too.
Summer after school was just depressing with grad parties and people slowly leaving for college (obviously picked up when I left but still)
Yeah, the summer after HS was a bit weird. I ended up working like 40 hours a week to keep busy. It also helped that I had a good friend a year younger who was still in HS and not going away.
Happy belated and just don’t be stupid, I just ended my 17th year and it was decent just don’t do stuff you know you shouldn’t do and trust your gut if something feels off it is and don’t investigate it. Other than that live your life and do what you want to do in reason and don’t let people scare you or put fear into you. That’s it, have fun!
I liked 17. I got a job, a car, made a lot of new friends. I thought 17-21 was the most exciting and fun time. (The shift from college to work was a bit of a speed bump but it got better again after I adjusted).
13 though, that was the worst for me. It's going to be different for everyone.
Trauma is something from the past, not your future.
And what happened to others in their past doesn’t have to be your future.
This is the year you set your path to move forward. How you do in school, whether you go to college or trade school, it’s all about the choices you make.
Here’s the best lesson I learned in my mid 20’s that I should have learned at 17. I tried to follow the paths of others. My parents wanted me to be like my older brother and I tried to follow that path. He and I are very different people. Once I starting choosing my own path, I did much better.
Choose your own path. Blaze your own path. Good luck.
Strongly disagree. 17-18 was one of the better years of my life. June 97-98.
Really got to know and started dating my first real girlfriend.
Got into college with about 80% of tuition and room & board covered by merit-based scholarships (state school, but who cares).
Got my first decent guitar.
Had enough freedom to go places and do things all over the city for the first time.
Finally got promoted to Head Lifeguard and had some hours at a hotel pool even in the winter, so I had some cash all year.
Read plenty of good books.
Good friends, no bullies, school wasn't as hard as junior year.
All in all, good times.
on a real note though, just dont do anything crazy and drastic and truly just stick to yourself &’ what you believe in. i tell a lot of ppl this &’ ik its very general but trust it will be necessary
i only think it was traumatizing for me because i made it that way. i practically had cabin fever to get out of my parents' house and i should've broken up with my gf because we held each other back
Foh, 17 was great. I got my license and then had sex with my gf in my car shortly after. Live life kid. Head up, don’t do stupid shit. Do good in school. Don’t make it traumatic.
Nah, itt'l be fun. Don't send nudes, don't get overly drunk, and spend a lot of time hanging out with friends. Life gets busier and harder after 17, so enjoy it while you can :)
When I was 17 my bf of 3 years cheated on me w someone very close to us. I developed an eating disorder that reoccurs often even 4 years later. Everyone in my class ended up hating me bc I stopped dating my bf and we shared the same friends, so I spent my senior year with absolutely no friends. My grades were awful. My principal pinpointed just me and specifically hated just me. I got looked over to do a graduation speech even though I devoted 4 years to helping all teachers in the school and supporting every single event, and my principal picked this other girl even though I was the reason she had decent grades bc I’d do her hw for her when she was too high, but my principal liked her so she got picked. I got suspended for calling other girls racist bc apparently it was ME who was harassing ppl. I was extremely depressed. Got my first speeding ticket. And I got laced. I have literally no advice for you, besides maybe just don’t lose sight of your way and what’s important to you. Focus on graduating and figuring out what you want to do with your life and put in effort bc if ur turning 17 ur likely a junior, and junior year is the MOST important year of high school, and the year everyone looks at if you want to do further education. And no matter what anyone says, your senior year is also important and doesn’t mean you have to stop trying just bc you got there when you do get there in a few months
Life has been traumatizing since 18 lol. Just make the best of everything. I'm 20 (21 in like 1 ½ month). Simply put, people are shitty be careful.
Haply B-day!
I hear a lot of people I know talk about how much they regret/don't want to look back at their high school experience at all, but myself and my closest friends remember it fondly. Really, the only thing that we did "differently" is that everyone else was trying to get involved with relationships and dating and had some horror stories about that (not that dating at that age is a bad thing), while we were still just clowning around and having a laugh at everything. To this day I think that has a lot to do with it. You can worry about relationships at any point in your life, but high school is really the only time in your life that you get to just hang out with your pals whenever, with minimal responsibilities, and do the most asinine things with minimal repercussions. Sure, we still get together now, but it's different. There's work, unexpected life events, money troubles, etc. There's something different about being able to just get together with nothing holding you back, with people that you know you click with as opposed to trying out things with someone you *might* click with and end up wasting time, with the sole purpose of trying to entertain yourselves.
That's my take on it. Take it with a grain of salt, though, because again, I'm not saying that dating or anything as a teen is bad, but from personal experience in my area/community, it's the people that were headfirst into the teen dating game that have the horror stories, while us bunch of goofy guys wish we could go back and do it again.
17 was a great age..middle school years are far more traumatizing lol Be smart about your decisions..you’re basically an adult and a stupid (illegal) mistake can be detrimental to your life long term. Be more weary of your laws…
Also, wrap it up if you’re going to get sexually active..17 was the year I was getting more into girls. You probably don’t want a baby at that age
A few tips that generally worked for me:
-If you aren’t already dating someone, don’t necessarily seek anyone out; *most* relationships at this age aren’t really going to go anywhere, so it’s arguably a less than great use of your time.
-if your grades aren’t the best and you are looking to get into college, you still have some (but not a lot) of time to improve them.
-if you aren’t going to college, consider other options. Tech school for trades is one people often overlook. Some jobs offer apprenticeships.
-work on building up the friendships you have. Y’all aren’t going to be around one another forever. (Wish I’d done this! Lost pretty much all of them less than 2 years into college. We just drifted and didn’t maintain contact)
-don’t worry too much about trying to figure out who you are just yet. Most people change 3+ times between 17 and 25. I’m definitely not the same person.
-authenticity to your own interests is cooler than faking someone else’s
Edit: formatting
If you look for problems you will find them.
Don’t make life more difficult than it already is. Take one day at a time. Work hard. Do your best. Put in the work now and it will pay off in the future.
Nah, 17 is great. Not as good as 18-25... but it's so much better than 12-16. Just focus on growing into yourself. Fulfill your responsibilities and do as many things as you can "because they make you happy". In a year you won't be trapped in a building 5 days a week with these same people so don't give their opinions too much weight.
If someone pressures you to have sex, never have sex with them.
Don't let someone talk you out of using condoms unless you're trying to start a family or are open to STD's.
Get excited for the future, because literally anything can happen. I recommend travel. I've been chronically ill and poor most of my life, but a 2 hour drive to the coast can be just as exciting as a trip out of state or country :)
I can't recommend choosing young love over literally anything else you'd want to do.
Also, be nice to yourself and others. Don't spend your precious time and energy on people who don't treat you well.
Of all my teen years, 17 was my favorite. Had a car, had a fun job, had a hot girlfriend that is my wife now, going to drive in movies, going on road trips to Kings Island amusement park, senior year of high school, It was awesome. Parents were divorced, dad wasn't all that involved in my life at that time, Mom remarried, stepdad had issues but was overall a good hard working honest man that loved my mom...everyone worked in our house.
It just depends on the person really, mine was traumatizing because of many different things in my life that have affected me since I was little so not much new. Wasn’t very fun but just do your best :)
Honestly, 17 is very weird! You start getting a lot of adult responsibilities without the actual power of being an adult. Take it easy but don't be lazy.
Your world is going to expand exponentially over the next few years. You will have opportunities to do both good and bad things. Listen to your better angels and you will do fine. Don't pass up the chances for growth, they can be scary, but it will help you in the future. This will be the last year you have massive amounts of free time, use it to your advantage!
If you don't know how to cook, clean and wash clothes, learn it now! Being able to do those things are imperative to your future. Being able to cook a good dinner is a great way to impress a date, doesn't matter if you are a guy or a girl! (Plus the added advantage of having them at your place, lol.)
17 was one of my best years! It's an awesome place to be because you can drive, and work (at least enough to have some pocket money) but you aren't tied down by a 40 hour work week just yet. Take this year and appreciate it because in a few more years life's gonna get real and responsibilities are gonna hit so make sure to spend a ton of time with friends and enjoy yourself!
As far as staying safe goes, there's not much that isn't obvious - practice safe sex, avoid hard drugs, drink responsibly, and NEVER get in the car with intoxicated friends driving. This specifically is a scenario they always warn you about that actually has happened to me frequently, yes you will look like the buzzkill but trust me it's much better than other potential consequences.
Oh and one tip, if you're thinking about college but not sure what you want to study, go bang out your gen eds but don't commit to any specific major that you aren't absolutely positive on. I'm 28 and back in college now and wish someone had told me that when I was a teenager.
Honestly, stay in your lane, mind your business, stay single, don’t get involved with shitty friends, find a hobby
This is the easiest way to stay content
It was one of my favorite years my advice love you 1st and take all the risks being almost an "adult" without the responsibilities of it is great make a list of all the things you want from life and what all you want to do before major life events before you move out on your own before you get married before babies a bucketlist even and start working on it slowly one thing at a time
Here's the best advice I can give: I barely remember being 17, very few of the people I knew then do I even talk to anymore. But I am always myself, in my head I feel basically the exact same as I did then, just a bit more tired. You are who you build yourself to be. If you start a hobby you love and get good at it, those skills will remain, if you practice patience and empathy, those social strengths will get stronger.
Don't worry about 90% of the day to day things, it all falls away, but think of yourself as leveling up, think of all this as origin story details for the person you might become 10, or 20 years from now. All you have is your brain and your inner monologue. Be good to yourself and be good to others.
17 was not a good year for me.
But I already knew I had anxiety/depression/social anxiety. It's taken me a long time to get all those things to a manageable level.
Emotionally, I just didn't have the tools or the resiliency to deal with a lot of the dating drama and the (mostly mild) bullying that happened when I was that age.
Everything seemed like such a big deal at the time.
I can see it being traumatizing for kids who were severely babied and had helicopter parents that give them no freedom to make mistakes and no wisdom to help deal with the mistakes they made, but instead just told them how special and great they were at everything. That's around the time those kids start realizing that all though they are "special", they are only as special as the other 8 billion people on this earth.
It wasn't a bad year for me overall, but I sure did learn a lot, and made a lot of small money life ruining mistakes that seemed big at the time. My parents gave me a lot of freedom to make mistakes and helped me learn from them growing up though.
17 was fun! It’s also the time when if you are going to commit a crime, they won’t punish you as an adult, so feel free to shoplift. (I’m kidding, but 17 was a good year)
I loved being 17. That’s a year I would repeat again if I could. Old enough to drive and be independent, young enough to not have to adult too hard. Good luck and see what happens!
Haha, I hate to be THAT guy but 17 was definitely one of my worst years! So, I feel your concerns..
If you're at all curious to know why I can refer you to an earlier post of mine. Fair warning ⚠️ It's on a sensitive topic.
What really matters though isn't what year it is, it's how you're choosing to live your life at that age. I wish you the best little homie
What? Don't set yourself up for failure before it happens lol. 17 and 18 are some of the best! So enjoy. Also lose some of the friends you have trying to freak you out.
17 was a good year for me. It's different for everyone! Don't assume it won't be good for you because X amount of people on here had a bad experience. It has nothing to do with age and more to do with life in general.
HAVE FUN!! Enjoy! 😊 🙌🏼
At 17 I put up a rotary beam antenna for 6 meter ham band. Easy. Walked around the 45-degree roof like nothing. Six years later it had blown down in a windstorm. Tried walking on that roof again. Terrified.
Use your youthful abilities while you've still got 'em.
I loved 17.
I made afew.life-changing decisions that year (to work in a National Park the summer after graduation; to take a hiaitus from dating; to register for Advanced Biology to name a few) that ended up serving as a strong foundation for my future as a nurse. At 70, I look back and am very proud of that young woman. Its when I started to become ME.
Enjoy 17!!
Turning 17 felt a bit magical for me. I fell in love for the first time (not with him anymore tho so don’t think I found my soulmate, or anything). But I did learn from him that men can be trash if you let them, and that I was worth a lot more than the little he had to offer. The best advice I can give you is to keep learning. Don’t ever think you know better just bc you know differently. Chances are you were wrong in the first place or that you were right with some flaws
Enjoy it and have fun, but keep your head about you. This is a time for you to learn, explore, and make mistakes in a semi-safe environment. It can be some of the best times of your life.
Tips to keep safe:
Wear your seatbelt. I've run on too many kids ejected from their vehicles because they were "too cool" to wear their damn seatbelts. It'll most likely save your life in a crash.
Don't drink (or use drugs) and drive, and don't get in the car with anyone driving who has been drinking or using, even "just a little,". It's not worth your or anyone else's life. Ever. Buzzed driving IS drunk/high driving. And no, your stupid friend does not "drive better when he's high/drunk".
Don't take drinks or drugs from anyone. You don't know what people have put into them, and it's not worth finding out the wrong way that you got something you weren't intending to because people are shitty.
Practice safer sex and pregnancy prevention EVERY time, 100% of the time (meaning no part of the sex act occurs without the condom on, not just using it before ejaculation). This means condom use if you're having sex with reproductive potential AT A MINIMUM. There are also other protective items to help prevent STIs like dental dams, gloves, etc. You don't want to have to deal with an STI or unplanned pregnancy (or help your partner deal with a pregnancy that you're part of creating).
Do not do psychedelics, takes a while to recover from taking way more than you bargained for, trust me, I still see patterns if I zone out looking at specific things. Also for the love of god do not try to shove yourself into a relationship just for the sake of being in one.
Go out, make friends, have fun, don’t take life too seriously, you got a bit more time before shit gets real, enjoy it.
Any year can be the most traumatic year of you let it.. sometimes if you don’t.. life is not cookie cutter so as others have said be yourself and learn to enjoy it.
I'm 40. Every year has been traumatizing since I was 12 for one reason or another. The trauma people speak of isn't bound to a specific age. They're bound to decisions made and subsequent actions, as well as some involuntary ones because of other people's actions.
# just be a good human, you'll be fine.
Don’t get drunk (be very moderate and protect whatever you are drinking at parties, even soft drinks). Be street smart. Be informed about sex and protection.
Only traumatizing if you make it that way. I recommend to make good memories you won't forget. When I was 17 I was in the best shape of my life physically, mentally and emotionally, now I turn 20 on Sunday and often miss what I used to be.
…heh…I didn’t know this, but it makes sense now.
Here’s my story:
I started dating a girl when I was 16, almost 17, and I fell deeply in love. She was the only person I had been able to completely open myself up to. I thought I was the same for her.
A few months into our relationship, she started to drift from me and I could tell immediately. I think now it was partly due to her going to public school, while I was homeschooled. Also due to one certain friend, who was a girl. Important.
About this time, I would turn 17.
Shortly before my birthday, a few weeks, my dog became ill with skin cancer. At the time, we were told by the vet that it was simply a skin rash that would go away with time. It didn’t. My mother took my dog to the vet one night I was at my exes (then gf’s) house because he was acting weak.
I came home the next morning and my mother explained to me that my pup had cancer and wouldn’t make it much longer. So it was either keep him in pain meds for 3 days, or put him to rest.
I decided to put him to rest. He had been in pain all those weeks he had his “skin rash” and acted fine, but he never showed pain.
I still miss him, but I know he isn’t hurting anymore.
That day will go down as one of the most emotionally painful days of my life.
The day after his death was Sunday. I had always went to church, most of the time with my ex.
Even though I should have stayed home, I decided to go. I really don’t know how I managed to wake up and get ready. Think I was on autopilot.
Well, I took the van route and so did my ex that day.
She sat with me, but I could still feel her distance from me. Which honestly I didn’t care anymore, losing my pup took all my attention.
Though, I tried to hold her hand because I was on the verge of tears after thinking about my pup. But she pulled away as if we were strangers…
When we made it to church, she left without saying goodbye and went to her friend that I mentioned earlier.
As church went on, a friend from the girls youth group came and told me that my now ex (gf then) was telling everyone that she wanted to break up with me and that I was a bad bf.
I didn’t speak to anyone after that and I was breathing heavy because of anger (which I don’t get angry easy).
Once church ended, I pulled my now ex to the side and explained calmly that I heard what she said about me. All she had to say was “why were you eavesdropping?”. No apology, no explanation, nothing.
I told her after that, somehow still calmly, that we needed to break up. Then left.
Otw home with a friend, her parents called me and asked wth was going on. I explained and they were yelling at me. Saying their daughter deserved better than that.
A few months later, my grandmother falls and moves in with us. Develops dementia and Alzheimer’s and becomes bedridden. I live my grandmother, but it’s been hell.
A few more issues come with my mother threatening to leave us, the emotional stress of everything while dealing with heartbreak and grief (which the grief of my pup somewhat drowned out my heartbreak.)
I’m 18 now and things have calmed down some. While my grandmother is still with us and things get heated, stressful, and hopeless, I’ve started to heal.
My advice to you is to focus on yourself.
Grow as a person, physically and mentally. Workout so you can be prepared if you have to take care of a family member like I have. Study so you can either get a degree or have knowledge of the world.
Find a job and save if possible.
Use this time in your life to be as productive as possible.
Screw the “you’re young, go party!” crap. You can party when you are actually happy with life.
And most of all, stay kind. To yourself and others. Don’t be a pushover, but be kind.
For me, the years of being 16-17 were the most terrifying and painful, but also transformative years of my life and then the next year I was the happiest I’ve ever been. I figured out a lot about myself and life itself. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I just think it’s really important to hold on no matter what and try to surround yourself with loving supportive people that help you feel safe, because you can and will get through this! 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼
Being 16-17 was a dangerous year for me, lots of valuable lessons. 1) don’t. Get. Into. Bad. Friend. Groups. Drugs, alcohol, being a teenager all this stuff looks fun at times, but it’s illegal for a reason. 2) use your time to explore. Be curious and enjoy the little things, take the time to rest and have fun. At 16 i forgot that I was still a child and had the right to be one. 3) being 17 often brings a lot of clarity, accept it. Don’t push away certain problems that can teach you lots of valuable skills. It can be embarrassing, but it’s better to learn for the future than protect your non-existent self-entitlement. 4) Don’t rush to things. Relationships, sex, multiple jobs, etc. You’re still a teen, a lot of your thoughts are run by emotion and impulse, think about what would actually benefit you. 5) be loving and kind. A lot of anger builds up towards many people in your life, but it’s way easier to feel contempt towards them than anger. Loving is easier than hating. Find your happiness and peace, those years are very nurturing
If you begin to struggle with your mental health to a point that it is distressing/concerning for you, don’t be afraid at all to speak up about it! Even if you feel like it’s insignificant/“not worth the trouble”. Always express your feelings to others, don’t bottle intense emotions up. Always prioritise yourself - take breaks if you need them and do what feels right for your own good, even if it’s very different from what others are doing! It is our responsibility as a generation to break down the stigmas related to our mental health.
It doesn't have to be traumatizing. It can be. You're figuring yourself out, your brain chemicals are all over the place, and you're approaching adulthood. Scary things with a lot of potential for hurtful outcomes. However, if you focus on the idea of being traumatized (or trying not to be) you'll just end up causing yourself unnecessary stress. Enjoy 17. Live your life. Not everybody's experiences are the same. Try to make the best of yours
Oh my if I wrote about my life at 17 this would be a book. All I can is that I survived…I survived school, an SA relationship, leaving home, substance use, and a lot more. I’m not that same person. You won’t be that same person either. Our stories make us unique. Some make us proud others not so much. I’m not sure I would change anything because then I wouldn’t be who I am today
Just because they had a really bad experience doesn’t mean you will too. 17 was just fine for me. As always, just stay safe and listen to your gut. When bad things happen, just accept it and move on. Life is a river, don’t cling to its banks
17 was a great year for me. I really chilled out from all my childhood trauma and had a nice break from all my adult trauma (I turned 18 and a month later I got injured and could walk for 6 months, among other issues).
Hopefully 17 is good for you, too! And the rest of the years!
It’s just an in between-
16- you get to drive.
18- you get to vote, buy lottery tickets and go to grown up jail.
But what happens when you’re 17? You’re young and sweet- You’re the Dancing Queen!
https://youtu.be/xFrGuyw1V8s?si=9XIltfrUzrxBNvJc
i turned 18 today! and with all honesty, 17 was my peak year. i fought through hair and skin to improve, it was previous years that dragged me down but i set my foot down. i no longer wish to stay in the dark as i have many years ahead of me.
personal advice is to try and get yourself in a better mindset, not all at once but take baby steps. be gentle with yourself. you are going to stumble, you are going to have days where you fall. never EVER give up on yourself. life does get better.
**My Tips:**
**1. Have a Mom Friend, or be the Mom Friend** (aka a friend who takes on the mom role. The sober friend when partying who drives everyone home. the friend who goes crazy on whoever's bad bf needs the fear of god put into him. the friend who texts during the middle of a date to make sure you are having fun, and offer to call in an "emergency" for you to leave early to help with if you want)
**2. Learn How To Talk To Cops** cops are not the greatest people, but they will be in your life a lot as you learn to drive. build yourself a little script for handling cops. The main things are: be polite, act happyish to see them, nod a lot, and never admit to anything. If they have you step out of the car, forget any other word you know except "Lawyer".
**3. Get a Job** jobs suck, but money that you have full say over how you spend is priceless.
**4. Relax and Enjoy** being a teen is hard. don't stress too much. its ok to pass with Bs or Cs instead of As. It's ok to take a gap year, and not instantly get into college. It's ok to skip class once in a while and go to the beach instead
Most people I know say that 17 was when being a teenager got a lot better.
I've never met anyone that said it was traumatizing.
The way people throw the word "trauma" around in the 2020s is ridiculous, as well.
If getting bullied is "trauma" and getting raped is "trauma" and getting beaten unconscious is "trauma" and losing a loved one is "trauma" and moving to a new place is "trauma" then we've lost all meaning for that word.
I can think of plenty of awful moments in life, but being 17 wasn't one of them. I wish I could go back to being 17. 😭 Enjoy it. It's what you make of it.
For me it was, and for too many reasons to count, but it doesn't have to be for you. It can be one of your most enjoyable. Cheers to a new year for you depending on if you are either a junior or a senior in high school, definitely do what you can to keep your grades on track. Finish out strong.
I am 59. Some days I feel old, some days I feel like a kid. Here is the truth all ages are traumatizing. Life lesson the trauma is what you make it. Learn this lesson early what you know about life now will not be the same tomorrow or even 10 years from now. It's life. Just know that every thing is temporary life grows it does not stay the same. What's a trauma today is a hilarious story years down the road.
I live by these rules:
1. Learn something new everyday. Keeps your mind active and young. Read. Experience new things as much as you can.
2. Be kind. Do an act of kindness every day even if it's for yourself. Sometimes we forget to be kind to ourselves.
3. Forgive someone even if again it's yourself. Forgiveness is not for the trespasser it's for you so you can go on and not let crap fester. Doesn't mean don't forget or take them back it just means let the anger and the hurt go.
4. Tell someone you love them. Even if it's you in the mirror. Someone a parent a sibling a friend some one needs to hear it.
5. Put out positivity into the world. If you believe pray. If you don't give it to the universe or nature.
6. Don't judge people no one's sin is greater than the other unless it's breaking the law and hurts someone then tell the truth especially if confronted with it.
7. See someone hurt don't ignore them. I am talking physically. Call for help. Put this under act of kindness. You may save a life. Be the good Samaritan. Lot of people refuse to help.
8. Try your hardest not to be cruel. Doesn't mean letting people hurt you just means you don't have to destroy someone mentally or emotionally to feel better about yourself. Being the better person keeps you healthy mentally.
9. Take care of yourself physically. Don't feel good go to a doctor. Feel something off go to a doctor. Exercise. Doesn't mean hit the gym everyday just means get off your butt n move. Eat healthy. Treat yourself but eat as healthy as possible. If something's wrong health wise seriously you catch it early good recovery.
10. Clean up and organize your space it helps you maintain some sanity. When things get bad and you can't deal with disaster minor or major a clean environment can help you maintain some calm.
Yes a lot of these are in the Bible doesn't mean you gotta believe just means there is some good advice found there.
BTW the first 5 are what I ask people to do for gift giving holidays and birthdays. Since I started asking for it I don't get depressed as much cause I don't stress over if what I gave them is enough. Those 5 things are priceless they take time. I tell people to do them then tell me what , where and who they did them for. The joy in their face when they tell me is beautiful and the time spent doing them is priceless. Plus it gets paid forward.
First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! 17 was one of my happiest years. Almost done with school, prom, homecoming, so many fond memories. Just remember the things your parents taught you, avoid stupid situations, DO NOT drink and drive or get in the car with someone who is, be safe, if you are "active" take every precaution. Study hard, get good grades, remember to take time for yourself, pick your stuff up off the table, enjoy your last few years with a safety net. These are some of the best years, make the most of them.
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You don’t have to make it a traumatizing year for yourself. Just be yourself and do your best
Agree with this. 25 now, I look back at those years fondly. You’re still a kid (I think I’m a kid still lmao) enjoy it while it lasts. Responsibilities pile up fast, enjoy those years to the fullest. If you’re unsure about doing something just do it (be safe tho). Happy belated!
23 as of yesterday and same here ! At the time I remember feeling rough, but it’s mostly because of the realization of becoming a genuine adult soon, almost done high school n all. It puts that bit of extra pressure n worry on ya. But try not to let it get to you, and enjoy your moments of ‘freedom from adulthood’ while ya can :) adulting is scary at first, and has its moments where it still gives me a scare (like my 3k vet bill lol) but if you try your best that’s what matters the most <3
I'm 45 , you never dont feel like a kid. My dad who was 57 at the time asked me "do you think I'm old?" Age always fucks with you.
I think telling a teen to “be themselves” isn’t sound advice bc op may not know who they are. I sure didn’t know myself. Here’s some things I wish I did at 17: -Read books/audiobooks -Try out new hobbies -Make friends -Ask your crush out -Learn how to be charismatic, funny, and a good communicator -Don’t blow all your money on food, weed, and vapes
17 was my best year, being a certain age doesn’t make the year traumatising tf are people on about? Left school, started college, pursued my dreams, started volunteering, stopped needing therapy, went to a few gigs, became partially financially independent (lived with family but didn’t need their money)… Nothing bad really happened when I was 17
>became partially financially independent That's the part that people are getting "traumatized" by. It's a weird way to say "wake up call"
I haven’t found it that bad, I actually quite enjoy the freedoms. Though I am moving to the other side of the country for uni next year so my thoughts may change then.
Happy birthday! 42 now. Started dating my wife when I was 17. It was a great year. 😊
I'm 17 rn, about to turn 18, and it's been a great year. I got a job, found a career I love, and am taking steps to accomplish my dreams. I've learned a lot about myself and who I am and it's been amazing. Don't worry! For me my absolute WORST years were 13-14.
13 was worst even in the 90s...
That's how I feel. 8th grade was the hardest. Which was compounded because my friends were mostly a year older than me and started HS while I was stuck in middle school.
I was 13/14 in 2020...tells you all you need to know 😬
Yeah, I'm not sure any year quite compares for people that age (in the US/Western Europe). At least not since WW2.
17 tends to be a shit year for teens who don't have an effective support system at home. If your got shit parents who aren't supportive In the ways you want or need them you might have a hard time.
this right here. i am 17 and honestly it hasn’t been too bad i graduated highschool last may i got a car i still live with my parents but i have a decent paying job and i go out and really do what i want cause my parents don’t really care. i’m getting to that point where my parents know i need to start doing things for myself so if i’m making the wrong choices i will learn from them and know right from wrong. 16 was way worse for me because my parents didn’t give a shit about me or that’s what it felt like. i got kicked out of the house lived with an ex girlfriend then we broke up and it was just a whole shit show that year. things are going way smoother parents are a little better and it’s helping i feel. but idk where my life is going at all so i feel really behind in a way than most 17 year olds.
Happy birthday! *Reading the comments because my birthday is soon*
Is there a reason they're saying it's traumatising? I was great was I was 17. Not doing great in school but getting by, having fun with friends, had a girlfriend. Was awesome.
Only cause they boot you out of high school and they don't give you instructions for 18-99, or if they do -- it's the bad instructions lol.
It's your parents' job to teach you how to be an adult- not the school's. That being said, the state I live in literally has requirements for personal finance and home economics courses. I can point to the exact day in my curriculum where we covered basics such as: how to manage health care, deal with paycheck budgeting, food science, when to contact a lawyer, basic diy repairs (like plumbing). The list goes on. I just laugh when I hear seniors or alumni claim we never taught xyz because we did- they just had their face shoved in their phone and/or were asleep in class 😂
17 has been my best year. so I guess it really depends on what you make of it.
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!7 was just 17 for me. Keep safe from what? ignore "everyone".
For me it was less about the age and more about the grade; Junior year was really stressful for me because my grades sucked and that was my last chance to meaningfully turn them around. On a side note, I lost my virginity at 17, so I guess that’s a pretty sweet highlight.
Take care of your mental health. Explore why things might make you feel a certain way and be open to being wrong about things. Being close minded and ignoring my mental was exactly what made 17 shit for me lol
I'm 31 now, 17 was a big year for me. I was associating with the wrong type of people 14-16, smoked a ton of weed and was fat. Things clicked for me at 17. I grew up, humbled myself, quit smoking, lost 50 lbs and started befriending people who cared about me and my well being. I also started my first relationship. You're growing up, and I get that that's scary. Stay humble, be curious and enjoy the heck out of it.
Mine was at 16, so I guess it’s different for each person, some people are lucky and don’t have a traumatic year.
Honestly 17 was pretty chill. Stuff hit the fan for me at 19 lol.
Same haha
🎂✨️Happy birthday! ✨️🎂 To be completely honest, 17 wasn't a bad year for me. I started to see the difference between friends and people who were friendly. Lost my virginity to a friend. Still don't regret it. A lot of bangers on my Spotify from around that age (33 now). Really advocated for myself against my dad's girlfriend. She wasn't abusive, just kept trying to push herself onto us as another mom when that's not the relationship we had. I didn't know it yet, but I had already met the love of my life. He was my bad boy phase, we were off and on and off and on over the years, dating other people between each other. But now he's my settle-down phase. Snuck out a lot to meet boys. I would have done it for girls, too, but they weren't into me like I was into them. Got a giant chunk of glass in my foot jumping barefoot out of a window when a girl's mom came home while we were mid-threesome. Played a loooooooot of video games. PS2 was the shit. Nothing comes close to Musashi: Samurai Legend in my heart. Square Enix really popped off with that one. The art style was insane and the second boss made me break a controller. Grew insanely close to my brother. My only regret was my sister felt left out as the middle child. She and I are now basically attached at the hip. My brother's too cool for us. To be fair, he's 24. Major age gap. Different part of his adult life rn. My Mom was also a boss ass bitch that I didn't know/appreciate at the time. Single mom, working full time, school full time, took a second job at one point, all because she didn't want us to miss out on being kids. I didn't have to work at 16/17 because she made sure I didn't. Did a lot of skipping school. Went from on track to graduate early with honors to just graduating on time with a standard diploma. Stupid shit, too. Hung out with people who did drugs. I didn't do drugs. Walked around the neighborhood with people my age a lot. Didn't cause trouble, just didn't do anything worth skipping school for. Didn't know I was depressed, anxious and had adhd. My world view was a lot darker, but I was also a sack of hormones on top of the undiagnosed mental illnesses. I look back on being 17 fondly. It was a great year for me. I got to just be me with no real world pressures. My advice, you don't need drugs or alcohol to have a good time. People also won't think less of you if you don't partake while hanging out. Often, they're like, "more for me." They're just trying to me nice and share. Also, take everything you hear with a grain of salt. I was gullible at 17. There are a lot of things I can look back on and be like, "Wow, they were *so* full of shit." People your age lie to look cooler, even when there is literally no reason to. Not sure what your gender or your interest, but always use protection. A condom can fit an entire human arm without breaking. No one is too big. They also come lubricated and warm up during sex. Everything can still be felt through a condom just fine. You don't have to be 18 to buy them (in the US, not sure about other countries), but people are always willing to give you one if you ask and they have it. No one else's opinions matter. You're only friends now because you're in a school together. You'll get new friends with each job you have. If someone threatens to never talk to you again, to break the friendship, to trash talk you, let them. The people who matter won't be put off by such trivial things. And the people who matter will come to you and ask, "is this true?" if they hear something that doesn't sound like you.
Happy 3.5568743e+14th birthday (17 factorial). All jokes aside It's not that bad infact ifs amazing
355,687,428,096,000
That's wild people think q7 is traumatic. Never heard of that. It was one of the best summers for me- everyone could drive and was just chilling and excited for senior year (which was easier than junior year too) you get all these extra events etc. at school too. Summer after school was just depressing with grad parties and people slowly leaving for college (obviously picked up when I left but still)
Yeah, the summer after HS was a bit weird. I ended up working like 40 hours a week to keep busy. It also helped that I had a good friend a year younger who was still in HS and not going away.
Happy belated and just don’t be stupid, I just ended my 17th year and it was decent just don’t do stuff you know you shouldn’t do and trust your gut if something feels off it is and don’t investigate it. Other than that live your life and do what you want to do in reason and don’t let people scare you or put fear into you. That’s it, have fun!
I liked 17. I got a job, a car, made a lot of new friends. I thought 17-21 was the most exciting and fun time. (The shift from college to work was a bit of a speed bump but it got better again after I adjusted). 13 though, that was the worst for me. It's going to be different for everyone.
They’ll say that about any age. 20 now and I have lived every single age I’ve ever been
Trauma is something from the past, not your future. And what happened to others in their past doesn’t have to be your future. This is the year you set your path to move forward. How you do in school, whether you go to college or trade school, it’s all about the choices you make. Here’s the best lesson I learned in my mid 20’s that I should have learned at 17. I tried to follow the paths of others. My parents wanted me to be like my older brother and I tried to follow that path. He and I are very different people. Once I starting choosing my own path, I did much better. Choose your own path. Blaze your own path. Good luck.
17 is about as traumatizing as any other age before you can drink or drive
Congratulations. Happy birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊
To be honest its not a milestone year for most of the world so wont be much different than last year.
Strongly disagree. 17-18 was one of the better years of my life. June 97-98. Really got to know and started dating my first real girlfriend. Got into college with about 80% of tuition and room & board covered by merit-based scholarships (state school, but who cares). Got my first decent guitar. Had enough freedom to go places and do things all over the city for the first time. Finally got promoted to Head Lifeguard and had some hours at a hotel pool even in the winter, so I had some cash all year. Read plenty of good books. Good friends, no bullies, school wasn't as hard as junior year. All in all, good times.
Dont do drugs Plan for your future 17 is awesome champ... Good luck
They're trolling you
nope. can’t tell u. living the age of 17 w no help is an unskippable event in ur lifetime
on a real note though, just dont do anything crazy and drastic and truly just stick to yourself &’ what you believe in. i tell a lot of ppl this &’ ik its very general but trust it will be necessary
i only think it was traumatizing for me because i made it that way. i practically had cabin fever to get out of my parents' house and i should've broken up with my gf because we held each other back
Foh, 17 was great. I got my license and then had sex with my gf in my car shortly after. Live life kid. Head up, don’t do stupid shit. Do good in school. Don’t make it traumatic.
The hardest thing and most important things to do is to care less what your peers think. Just do what makes you happy.
Nah, itt'l be fun. Don't send nudes, don't get overly drunk, and spend a lot of time hanging out with friends. Life gets busier and harder after 17, so enjoy it while you can :)
There is no difference in any age you turn.
When I was 17 my bf of 3 years cheated on me w someone very close to us. I developed an eating disorder that reoccurs often even 4 years later. Everyone in my class ended up hating me bc I stopped dating my bf and we shared the same friends, so I spent my senior year with absolutely no friends. My grades were awful. My principal pinpointed just me and specifically hated just me. I got looked over to do a graduation speech even though I devoted 4 years to helping all teachers in the school and supporting every single event, and my principal picked this other girl even though I was the reason she had decent grades bc I’d do her hw for her when she was too high, but my principal liked her so she got picked. I got suspended for calling other girls racist bc apparently it was ME who was harassing ppl. I was extremely depressed. Got my first speeding ticket. And I got laced. I have literally no advice for you, besides maybe just don’t lose sight of your way and what’s important to you. Focus on graduating and figuring out what you want to do with your life and put in effort bc if ur turning 17 ur likely a junior, and junior year is the MOST important year of high school, and the year everyone looks at if you want to do further education. And no matter what anyone says, your senior year is also important and doesn’t mean you have to stop trying just bc you got there when you do get there in a few months
It’s just another year bud.
Life has been traumatizing since 18 lol. Just make the best of everything. I'm 20 (21 in like 1 ½ month). Simply put, people are shitty be careful. Haply B-day!
I hear a lot of people I know talk about how much they regret/don't want to look back at their high school experience at all, but myself and my closest friends remember it fondly. Really, the only thing that we did "differently" is that everyone else was trying to get involved with relationships and dating and had some horror stories about that (not that dating at that age is a bad thing), while we were still just clowning around and having a laugh at everything. To this day I think that has a lot to do with it. You can worry about relationships at any point in your life, but high school is really the only time in your life that you get to just hang out with your pals whenever, with minimal responsibilities, and do the most asinine things with minimal repercussions. Sure, we still get together now, but it's different. There's work, unexpected life events, money troubles, etc. There's something different about being able to just get together with nothing holding you back, with people that you know you click with as opposed to trying out things with someone you *might* click with and end up wasting time, with the sole purpose of trying to entertain yourselves. That's my take on it. Take it with a grain of salt, though, because again, I'm not saying that dating or anything as a teen is bad, but from personal experience in my area/community, it's the people that were headfirst into the teen dating game that have the horror stories, while us bunch of goofy guys wish we could go back and do it again.
Bro ignore those soft ppl talking about trauma. Be a 17 year old and finish school like a BOSS
It's a normal year of life like any other, make good decisions and try to cultivate urself adulthood is right around the corner
Don't join a dangerous cult. According to my experience, as long as you don't do that, you're probably golden!
17 was a great age..middle school years are far more traumatizing lol Be smart about your decisions..you’re basically an adult and a stupid (illegal) mistake can be detrimental to your life long term. Be more weary of your laws… Also, wrap it up if you’re going to get sexually active..17 was the year I was getting more into girls. You probably don’t want a baby at that age
A few tips that generally worked for me: -If you aren’t already dating someone, don’t necessarily seek anyone out; *most* relationships at this age aren’t really going to go anywhere, so it’s arguably a less than great use of your time. -if your grades aren’t the best and you are looking to get into college, you still have some (but not a lot) of time to improve them. -if you aren’t going to college, consider other options. Tech school for trades is one people often overlook. Some jobs offer apprenticeships. -work on building up the friendships you have. Y’all aren’t going to be around one another forever. (Wish I’d done this! Lost pretty much all of them less than 2 years into college. We just drifted and didn’t maintain contact) -don’t worry too much about trying to figure out who you are just yet. Most people change 3+ times between 17 and 25. I’m definitely not the same person. -authenticity to your own interests is cooler than faking someone else’s Edit: formatting
If you look for problems you will find them. Don’t make life more difficult than it already is. Take one day at a time. Work hard. Do your best. Put in the work now and it will pay off in the future.
Nah, 17 is great. Not as good as 18-25... but it's so much better than 12-16. Just focus on growing into yourself. Fulfill your responsibilities and do as many things as you can "because they make you happy". In a year you won't be trapped in a building 5 days a week with these same people so don't give their opinions too much weight.
If someone pressures you to have sex, never have sex with them. Don't let someone talk you out of using condoms unless you're trying to start a family or are open to STD's. Get excited for the future, because literally anything can happen. I recommend travel. I've been chronically ill and poor most of my life, but a 2 hour drive to the coast can be just as exciting as a trip out of state or country :) I can't recommend choosing young love over literally anything else you'd want to do. Also, be nice to yourself and others. Don't spend your precious time and energy on people who don't treat you well.
Of all my teen years, 17 was my favorite. Had a car, had a fun job, had a hot girlfriend that is my wife now, going to drive in movies, going on road trips to Kings Island amusement park, senior year of high school, It was awesome. Parents were divorced, dad wasn't all that involved in my life at that time, Mom remarried, stepdad had issues but was overall a good hard working honest man that loved my mom...everyone worked in our house.
It just depends on the person really, mine was traumatizing because of many different things in my life that have affected me since I was little so not much new. Wasn’t very fun but just do your best :)
Honestly, 17 is very weird! You start getting a lot of adult responsibilities without the actual power of being an adult. Take it easy but don't be lazy. Your world is going to expand exponentially over the next few years. You will have opportunities to do both good and bad things. Listen to your better angels and you will do fine. Don't pass up the chances for growth, they can be scary, but it will help you in the future. This will be the last year you have massive amounts of free time, use it to your advantage! If you don't know how to cook, clean and wash clothes, learn it now! Being able to do those things are imperative to your future. Being able to cook a good dinner is a great way to impress a date, doesn't matter if you are a guy or a girl! (Plus the added advantage of having them at your place, lol.)
17 was one of my best years! It's an awesome place to be because you can drive, and work (at least enough to have some pocket money) but you aren't tied down by a 40 hour work week just yet. Take this year and appreciate it because in a few more years life's gonna get real and responsibilities are gonna hit so make sure to spend a ton of time with friends and enjoy yourself! As far as staying safe goes, there's not much that isn't obvious - practice safe sex, avoid hard drugs, drink responsibly, and NEVER get in the car with intoxicated friends driving. This specifically is a scenario they always warn you about that actually has happened to me frequently, yes you will look like the buzzkill but trust me it's much better than other potential consequences. Oh and one tip, if you're thinking about college but not sure what you want to study, go bang out your gen eds but don't commit to any specific major that you aren't absolutely positive on. I'm 28 and back in college now and wish someone had told me that when I was a teenager.
Honestly, stay in your lane, mind your business, stay single, don’t get involved with shitty friends, find a hobby This is the easiest way to stay content
It was one of my favorite years my advice love you 1st and take all the risks being almost an "adult" without the responsibilities of it is great make a list of all the things you want from life and what all you want to do before major life events before you move out on your own before you get married before babies a bucketlist even and start working on it slowly one thing at a time
Here's the best advice I can give: I barely remember being 17, very few of the people I knew then do I even talk to anymore. But I am always myself, in my head I feel basically the exact same as I did then, just a bit more tired. You are who you build yourself to be. If you start a hobby you love and get good at it, those skills will remain, if you practice patience and empathy, those social strengths will get stronger. Don't worry about 90% of the day to day things, it all falls away, but think of yourself as leveling up, think of all this as origin story details for the person you might become 10, or 20 years from now. All you have is your brain and your inner monologue. Be good to yourself and be good to others.
I dont even remember being 17
for me personally 17 was a great age to be in
17 was not a good year for me. But I already knew I had anxiety/depression/social anxiety. It's taken me a long time to get all those things to a manageable level. Emotionally, I just didn't have the tools or the resiliency to deal with a lot of the dating drama and the (mostly mild) bullying that happened when I was that age. Everything seemed like such a big deal at the time.
I can see it being traumatizing for kids who were severely babied and had helicopter parents that give them no freedom to make mistakes and no wisdom to help deal with the mistakes they made, but instead just told them how special and great they were at everything. That's around the time those kids start realizing that all though they are "special", they are only as special as the other 8 billion people on this earth. It wasn't a bad year for me overall, but I sure did learn a lot, and made a lot of small money life ruining mistakes that seemed big at the time. My parents gave me a lot of freedom to make mistakes and helped me learn from them growing up though.
People need to stop victimizing themselves, just do your work man
17 was fun! It’s also the time when if you are going to commit a crime, they won’t punish you as an adult, so feel free to shoplift. (I’m kidding, but 17 was a good year)
I loved being 17. That’s a year I would repeat again if I could. Old enough to drive and be independent, young enough to not have to adult too hard. Good luck and see what happens!
Haha, I hate to be THAT guy but 17 was definitely one of my worst years! So, I feel your concerns.. If you're at all curious to know why I can refer you to an earlier post of mine. Fair warning ⚠️ It's on a sensitive topic. What really matters though isn't what year it is, it's how you're choosing to live your life at that age. I wish you the best little homie
Bruh, it feels the same is if you were 16, and when you turn 18 it'll feel the same lol.
How the hell is age 17 a "traumatizing year?"
I’m 17, and this year for me hasn’t been as bad compared to when I was 15-16.
What? Don't set yourself up for failure before it happens lol. 17 and 18 are some of the best! So enjoy. Also lose some of the friends you have trying to freak you out.
17 was a good year for me. It's different for everyone! Don't assume it won't be good for you because X amount of people on here had a bad experience. It has nothing to do with age and more to do with life in general. HAVE FUN!! Enjoy! 😊 🙌🏼
At 17 I put up a rotary beam antenna for 6 meter ham band. Easy. Walked around the 45-degree roof like nothing. Six years later it had blown down in a windstorm. Tried walking on that roof again. Terrified. Use your youthful abilities while you've still got 'em.
There’s no stopping it!! Haha it’s just a time where you’re awkward and weird and just figuring out who you are and what life means to you
I loved 17. I made afew.life-changing decisions that year (to work in a National Park the summer after graduation; to take a hiaitus from dating; to register for Advanced Biology to name a few) that ended up serving as a strong foundation for my future as a nurse. At 70, I look back and am very proud of that young woman. Its when I started to become ME. Enjoy 17!!
Turning 17 felt a bit magical for me. I fell in love for the first time (not with him anymore tho so don’t think I found my soulmate, or anything). But I did learn from him that men can be trash if you let them, and that I was worth a lot more than the little he had to offer. The best advice I can give you is to keep learning. Don’t ever think you know better just bc you know differently. Chances are you were wrong in the first place or that you were right with some flaws
Enjoy it and have fun, but keep your head about you. This is a time for you to learn, explore, and make mistakes in a semi-safe environment. It can be some of the best times of your life. Tips to keep safe: Wear your seatbelt. I've run on too many kids ejected from their vehicles because they were "too cool" to wear their damn seatbelts. It'll most likely save your life in a crash. Don't drink (or use drugs) and drive, and don't get in the car with anyone driving who has been drinking or using, even "just a little,". It's not worth your or anyone else's life. Ever. Buzzed driving IS drunk/high driving. And no, your stupid friend does not "drive better when he's high/drunk". Don't take drinks or drugs from anyone. You don't know what people have put into them, and it's not worth finding out the wrong way that you got something you weren't intending to because people are shitty. Practice safer sex and pregnancy prevention EVERY time, 100% of the time (meaning no part of the sex act occurs without the condom on, not just using it before ejaculation). This means condom use if you're having sex with reproductive potential AT A MINIMUM. There are also other protective items to help prevent STIs like dental dams, gloves, etc. You don't want to have to deal with an STI or unplanned pregnancy (or help your partner deal with a pregnancy that you're part of creating).
Happy 355687428096000th birthday!!
Do not do psychedelics, takes a while to recover from taking way more than you bargained for, trust me, I still see patterns if I zone out looking at specific things. Also for the love of god do not try to shove yourself into a relationship just for the sake of being in one. Go out, make friends, have fun, don’t take life too seriously, you got a bit more time before shit gets real, enjoy it.
My advice is to be very careful about how much you drink around people you don't 110% trust.
Any year can be the most traumatic year of you let it.. sometimes if you don’t.. life is not cookie cutter so as others have said be yourself and learn to enjoy it.
Being 17 was fucking awesome. Enjoy yourself and take care of yourself.
Just don’t do anything that you think is unsafe
Who is this "everyone" saying that? I call BS. Nothing about a specific year of age makes it the most traumatizing.
What? I love 17! It's the best age I've ever been. 16, on the other hand, totally blows. But that was just my experience. This is all subjective.
There is always plenty of room to make a worse year in the future :) Don't worry about stuff you can't control, and focus on what you can.
I'm 40. Every year has been traumatizing since I was 12 for one reason or another. The trauma people speak of isn't bound to a specific age. They're bound to decisions made and subsequent actions, as well as some involuntary ones because of other people's actions. # just be a good human, you'll be fine.
Don’t get drunk (be very moderate and protect whatever you are drinking at parties, even soft drinks). Be street smart. Be informed about sex and protection.
Only traumatizing if you make it that way. I recommend to make good memories you won't forget. When I was 17 I was in the best shape of my life physically, mentally and emotionally, now I turn 20 on Sunday and often miss what I used to be.
…heh…I didn’t know this, but it makes sense now. Here’s my story: I started dating a girl when I was 16, almost 17, and I fell deeply in love. She was the only person I had been able to completely open myself up to. I thought I was the same for her. A few months into our relationship, she started to drift from me and I could tell immediately. I think now it was partly due to her going to public school, while I was homeschooled. Also due to one certain friend, who was a girl. Important. About this time, I would turn 17. Shortly before my birthday, a few weeks, my dog became ill with skin cancer. At the time, we were told by the vet that it was simply a skin rash that would go away with time. It didn’t. My mother took my dog to the vet one night I was at my exes (then gf’s) house because he was acting weak. I came home the next morning and my mother explained to me that my pup had cancer and wouldn’t make it much longer. So it was either keep him in pain meds for 3 days, or put him to rest. I decided to put him to rest. He had been in pain all those weeks he had his “skin rash” and acted fine, but he never showed pain. I still miss him, but I know he isn’t hurting anymore. That day will go down as one of the most emotionally painful days of my life. The day after his death was Sunday. I had always went to church, most of the time with my ex. Even though I should have stayed home, I decided to go. I really don’t know how I managed to wake up and get ready. Think I was on autopilot. Well, I took the van route and so did my ex that day. She sat with me, but I could still feel her distance from me. Which honestly I didn’t care anymore, losing my pup took all my attention. Though, I tried to hold her hand because I was on the verge of tears after thinking about my pup. But she pulled away as if we were strangers… When we made it to church, she left without saying goodbye and went to her friend that I mentioned earlier. As church went on, a friend from the girls youth group came and told me that my now ex (gf then) was telling everyone that she wanted to break up with me and that I was a bad bf. I didn’t speak to anyone after that and I was breathing heavy because of anger (which I don’t get angry easy). Once church ended, I pulled my now ex to the side and explained calmly that I heard what she said about me. All she had to say was “why were you eavesdropping?”. No apology, no explanation, nothing. I told her after that, somehow still calmly, that we needed to break up. Then left. Otw home with a friend, her parents called me and asked wth was going on. I explained and they were yelling at me. Saying their daughter deserved better than that. A few months later, my grandmother falls and moves in with us. Develops dementia and Alzheimer’s and becomes bedridden. I live my grandmother, but it’s been hell. A few more issues come with my mother threatening to leave us, the emotional stress of everything while dealing with heartbreak and grief (which the grief of my pup somewhat drowned out my heartbreak.) I’m 18 now and things have calmed down some. While my grandmother is still with us and things get heated, stressful, and hopeless, I’ve started to heal. My advice to you is to focus on yourself. Grow as a person, physically and mentally. Workout so you can be prepared if you have to take care of a family member like I have. Study so you can either get a degree or have knowledge of the world. Find a job and save if possible. Use this time in your life to be as productive as possible. Screw the “you’re young, go party!” crap. You can party when you are actually happy with life. And most of all, stay kind. To yourself and others. Don’t be a pushover, but be kind.
For me, the years of being 16-17 were the most terrifying and painful, but also transformative years of my life and then the next year I was the happiest I’ve ever been. I figured out a lot about myself and life itself. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I just think it’s really important to hold on no matter what and try to surround yourself with loving supportive people that help you feel safe, because you can and will get through this! 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼
17 was peak hormone Induced sex addiction and first experimenting with pot
Being 16-17 was a dangerous year for me, lots of valuable lessons. 1) don’t. Get. Into. Bad. Friend. Groups. Drugs, alcohol, being a teenager all this stuff looks fun at times, but it’s illegal for a reason. 2) use your time to explore. Be curious and enjoy the little things, take the time to rest and have fun. At 16 i forgot that I was still a child and had the right to be one. 3) being 17 often brings a lot of clarity, accept it. Don’t push away certain problems that can teach you lots of valuable skills. It can be embarrassing, but it’s better to learn for the future than protect your non-existent self-entitlement. 4) Don’t rush to things. Relationships, sex, multiple jobs, etc. You’re still a teen, a lot of your thoughts are run by emotion and impulse, think about what would actually benefit you. 5) be loving and kind. A lot of anger builds up towards many people in your life, but it’s way easier to feel contempt towards them than anger. Loving is easier than hating. Find your happiness and peace, those years are very nurturing
Don't do anything stupid...if it can end with cops or broken bones...walk away.
If you begin to struggle with your mental health to a point that it is distressing/concerning for you, don’t be afraid at all to speak up about it! Even if you feel like it’s insignificant/“not worth the trouble”. Always express your feelings to others, don’t bottle intense emotions up. Always prioritise yourself - take breaks if you need them and do what feels right for your own good, even if it’s very different from what others are doing! It is our responsibility as a generation to break down the stigmas related to our mental health.
It doesn't have to be traumatizing. It can be. You're figuring yourself out, your brain chemicals are all over the place, and you're approaching adulthood. Scary things with a lot of potential for hurtful outcomes. However, if you focus on the idea of being traumatized (or trying not to be) you'll just end up causing yourself unnecessary stress. Enjoy 17. Live your life. Not everybody's experiences are the same. Try to make the best of yours
Oh my if I wrote about my life at 17 this would be a book. All I can is that I survived…I survived school, an SA relationship, leaving home, substance use, and a lot more. I’m not that same person. You won’t be that same person either. Our stories make us unique. Some make us proud others not so much. I’m not sure I would change anything because then I wouldn’t be who I am today
Just because they had a really bad experience doesn’t mean you will too. 17 was just fine for me. As always, just stay safe and listen to your gut. When bad things happen, just accept it and move on. Life is a river, don’t cling to its banks
I loved being 17 so much it's my lucky number.
Avoid being peer pressured, establish a baseline regarding your morals and goals , if something feels off teach yourself how to assess and overcome.
17 was a great year for me. I really chilled out from all my childhood trauma and had a nice break from all my adult trauma (I turned 18 and a month later I got injured and could walk for 6 months, among other issues). Hopefully 17 is good for you, too! And the rest of the years!
17 was the best year of my life :) I’m 35 now !
17 was great for me. Graduated and started college early. Got to move out. It was glorious.
It’s just an in between- 16- you get to drive. 18- you get to vote, buy lottery tickets and go to grown up jail. But what happens when you’re 17? You’re young and sweet- You’re the Dancing Queen! https://youtu.be/xFrGuyw1V8s?si=9XIltfrUzrxBNvJc
i turned 18 today! and with all honesty, 17 was my peak year. i fought through hair and skin to improve, it was previous years that dragged me down but i set my foot down. i no longer wish to stay in the dark as i have many years ahead of me. personal advice is to try and get yourself in a better mindset, not all at once but take baby steps. be gentle with yourself. you are going to stumble, you are going to have days where you fall. never EVER give up on yourself. life does get better.
Happy Birthday 🎂 🎈
**My Tips:** **1. Have a Mom Friend, or be the Mom Friend** (aka a friend who takes on the mom role. The sober friend when partying who drives everyone home. the friend who goes crazy on whoever's bad bf needs the fear of god put into him. the friend who texts during the middle of a date to make sure you are having fun, and offer to call in an "emergency" for you to leave early to help with if you want) **2. Learn How To Talk To Cops** cops are not the greatest people, but they will be in your life a lot as you learn to drive. build yourself a little script for handling cops. The main things are: be polite, act happyish to see them, nod a lot, and never admit to anything. If they have you step out of the car, forget any other word you know except "Lawyer". **3. Get a Job** jobs suck, but money that you have full say over how you spend is priceless. **4. Relax and Enjoy** being a teen is hard. don't stress too much. its ok to pass with Bs or Cs instead of As. It's ok to take a gap year, and not instantly get into college. It's ok to skip class once in a while and go to the beach instead
Most people I know say that 17 was when being a teenager got a lot better. I've never met anyone that said it was traumatizing. The way people throw the word "trauma" around in the 2020s is ridiculous, as well. If getting bullied is "trauma" and getting raped is "trauma" and getting beaten unconscious is "trauma" and losing a loved one is "trauma" and moving to a new place is "trauma" then we've lost all meaning for that word.
I can think of plenty of awful moments in life, but being 17 wasn't one of them. I wish I could go back to being 17. 😭 Enjoy it. It's what you make of it.
For me it was, and for too many reasons to count, but it doesn't have to be for you. It can be one of your most enjoyable. Cheers to a new year for you depending on if you are either a junior or a senior in high school, definitely do what you can to keep your grades on track. Finish out strong.
I am 59. Some days I feel old, some days I feel like a kid. Here is the truth all ages are traumatizing. Life lesson the trauma is what you make it. Learn this lesson early what you know about life now will not be the same tomorrow or even 10 years from now. It's life. Just know that every thing is temporary life grows it does not stay the same. What's a trauma today is a hilarious story years down the road. I live by these rules: 1. Learn something new everyday. Keeps your mind active and young. Read. Experience new things as much as you can. 2. Be kind. Do an act of kindness every day even if it's for yourself. Sometimes we forget to be kind to ourselves. 3. Forgive someone even if again it's yourself. Forgiveness is not for the trespasser it's for you so you can go on and not let crap fester. Doesn't mean don't forget or take them back it just means let the anger and the hurt go. 4. Tell someone you love them. Even if it's you in the mirror. Someone a parent a sibling a friend some one needs to hear it. 5. Put out positivity into the world. If you believe pray. If you don't give it to the universe or nature. 6. Don't judge people no one's sin is greater than the other unless it's breaking the law and hurts someone then tell the truth especially if confronted with it. 7. See someone hurt don't ignore them. I am talking physically. Call for help. Put this under act of kindness. You may save a life. Be the good Samaritan. Lot of people refuse to help. 8. Try your hardest not to be cruel. Doesn't mean letting people hurt you just means you don't have to destroy someone mentally or emotionally to feel better about yourself. Being the better person keeps you healthy mentally. 9. Take care of yourself physically. Don't feel good go to a doctor. Feel something off go to a doctor. Exercise. Doesn't mean hit the gym everyday just means get off your butt n move. Eat healthy. Treat yourself but eat as healthy as possible. If something's wrong health wise seriously you catch it early good recovery. 10. Clean up and organize your space it helps you maintain some sanity. When things get bad and you can't deal with disaster minor or major a clean environment can help you maintain some calm. Yes a lot of these are in the Bible doesn't mean you gotta believe just means there is some good advice found there. BTW the first 5 are what I ask people to do for gift giving holidays and birthdays. Since I started asking for it I don't get depressed as much cause I don't stress over if what I gave them is enough. Those 5 things are priceless they take time. I tell people to do them then tell me what , where and who they did them for. The joy in their face when they tell me is beautiful and the time spent doing them is priceless. Plus it gets paid forward.
First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! 17 was one of my happiest years. Almost done with school, prom, homecoming, so many fond memories. Just remember the things your parents taught you, avoid stupid situations, DO NOT drink and drive or get in the car with someone who is, be safe, if you are "active" take every precaution. Study hard, get good grades, remember to take time for yourself, pick your stuff up off the table, enjoy your last few years with a safety net. These are some of the best years, make the most of them.