Maybe you are the quietest kid in class. Maybe you are class president.  Maybe you are just trying to make it through high school. What we know for certain is that you have a voice. Your voice is what you can choose to use and what you deserve to use for the good of society . According to the World Health Organization, five percent of people across the world are affected by some form of depression. This number is absolutely absurd, but hopefully with the spread of positivity, we can lower these numbers.

Teenagers are becoming more and more afraid to speak up in classrooms and in front of their peers because they are terrified that someone will judge them. As a student, I have witnessed the, at times, hostile environments that cause students to develop these fears. Students teasing each other, making fun of others, and just being plain rude are what cause school environments to be so hostile. As a result, many teenagers are afraid to speak up in classrooms.  Some students in these environments believe that it is okay to joke around and tease each other, but to other kids the things they say can be hurtful and sometimes very upsetting. In less than two months, two of my teachers at school have given long speeches explaining how our classrooms need to be careful what they say to others.

In addition, teenagers are afraid to tell their parents or even their closest friends how they feel. Several of my peers take honors classes or go above and beyond in their grades because they are afraid that they will be shunned by their parents. Teenagers are old enough to make their own choices and use their own voice to make their own decisions. The excessive pressure that parents put on their children causes anxiety and stress that is unnecessary. Similarly, some teenagers feel afraid to express how they truly feel about something because they are afraid of how their friends will react. Whether they are scared to tell their best friend about the cute guy in their class or about how they are freaking out about school, teenagers should feel comfortable talking to their peers about basically everything, without being made fun of or teased.

Freshman class secretary, Emma Bergren, explains how her friends deal with the stress they are put under with stating, “Many of my peers fall into heavy cases of stress, and it’s everyone’s responsibility to help them.” Bergren deals with water polo, work for council, tons of homework, as well as softball, so she definitely has a lot on her hands. She helps her friends out while her friends help her deal with the drama and stress that goes along with all of these responsibilities.

There will always be a shy student just like there will always be a more outgoing person. Nonetheless these students do not deserve the cruelty of being judged or to be afraid of what their peers think regardless of their level of confidence. They should feel safe and encouraged amongst their fellow peers and companions. They deserve the support and positivity from their friends. We need to increase the positivity in our youth today, by encouraging students to be kind to one another and to support and encourage each other, so that later generations can benefit from this positivity.