Through movies like “High School Musical,” teenagers have obtained this nearly unattainable image of what ideal relationships are. Children grow up with the idea that they will find a high school sweetheart and live happily ever after as if they were in a fairytale. In reality, life is much more complex, and so are relationships. 

The most important thing to note is that not all relationships are meant to last forever. The person that you pinky-promised in elementary school is not necessarily going to be your ride-or-die later on. The person in middle school who you thought was going to be your childhood sweetheart may not actually be the one. The sibling you grew up with may drift away. Beginning and maintaining relationships is harder than it may seem, especially when it comes to teenage relationships. 

Teenagers are at an age in which they are trying to find themselves as individuals. The teenage years mark the time period where people can finally break away from conformance and begin to think for themselves. Although, since there is the opportunity to gain freedom and independence, pulling away from others is common as they are forming their own moral code and sense of self. As a result, relationships can suffer during the teenage years. 

Friendships 

Shows such as Gossip Girl, Fuller House, and Boy Meets World that romanticize friendships are, simply put, horrible models for real friendships. Teenagers are going to have an enormous workload in high school, along with the weight of extracurricular activities, family life, and their social lives. Therefore, it is common to see people drift apart because of a lack of communication and lack of time for one another. Additionally, teenagers develop interests that may no longer be mutual among their friend groups. Having no common interests is not an immediate red flag for friendships; however, it does make it harder to bond. Even if friendships end, having the ability to look back on former friendships for what they were is important since friendships help you grow and mature as a human being. 

Romantic Relationships

The concept of high school sweethearts has become this teenage ideal that everyone wants to become true. This is mainly caused by a crush culture in society that glorifies romantic relationships and young love, despite the stress that it can inflict upon a person. Romantic relationships only work when they are built on genuine trust, love, and respect. Romantic relationships do not work out very often because people eventually go their separate ways; however, they can be seen as a learning experience and a precious memory later on. 

Familial Relationships

Raising children, let alone teenagers, is no easy feat. Parents will butt heads with their teenagers and will experience plenty of emotional ups and downs. It is not always going to be smooth sailing with your family members, and that is something each party involved needs to accept. 

Arcadia High School (AHS) students have voiced their opinion on the reality of teenage relationships. 

Junior Camila Cosme states, “I think it depends, but generally pop culture does not portray a realistic image of teenage relationships. In the media, they use many overused tropes and stereotypes. An example would be the quirky best friend or the gay best friend whose sole purpose is to fix all your problems. In some teen movies, romantic relationships are toxic since they incorporate manipulation, cheating, and the inability to communicate. Also, family is usually put on the back burner and feels superficial.​​”

Junior Crystal Kim said, “Pop culture does not portray a realistic image of relationships at all. While music videos and movies show teenagers happy and in love, they never show the real issues of a teenager in a relationship, such as a difficulty of making time for one another and the toxic traits that could arise.” 

Relationships are not as easy to maintain as pop culture may suggest. What is important to understand is that relationships vary from person to person and that even if a relationship does end, it happened for a reason. Relationships are there for you to learn from and hold onto in your memories for a lifetime; they do not have to be a permanent part of your life. 

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