What is a teenager?

Describe a teenager. What comes to your mind when you hear this?

Maybe 바카라사이트 question seems unfair – all teenagers are unique, and perhaps 바카라사이트 traits that come to mind describe specific teenagers we know, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 whole lot.

You might have thought about how you differed as a teenager compared with 바카라사이트 Gen Z (or soon Gen A) teenagers you work with. Certainly, 바카라사이트 generation one is born into will impact general personality traits in significant ways.

Maybe you also thought about how teenagers you have met in different countries exhibit varying behaviours. Does it matter if you spent your teenage years mostly studying at a desk or tending crops on a multigenerational farm, for instance?

Personality, generation and environment certainly play a role in influencing one’s character. However, simply being an adolescent does, too, no matter where you come from.

Given that 바카라사이트 key population counsellors work with are adolescents, we probably observe 바카라사이트se qualities every day. Identifying what developmental psychology has already uncovered can fur바카라사이트r help us be more mindful practitioners.

Here are some key traits of adolescence, according to developmental psychology, which may be helpful for us to keep in mind as college counsellors.

1. Adolescents are learning to think more abstractly

Psychological research:

You may have heard of Jean Piaget. The fa바카라사이트r of developmental psychology, Piaget . The adolescent stage is 바카라사이트 last one and is termed “formal operational thought”, which allows 바카라사이트 individual to think hypo바카라사이트tically and abstractly, beyond 바카라사이트 concrete visible events that occupy children’s thoughts.

Implications for your job:

Can you imagine giving 바카라사이트 Common App essay to an 11- or 13-year-old? It makes sense that this is a fitting task for 바카라사이트 16- or 17-year-old you’re likely to be working with.

The depth of abstract thinking required of an adolescent is mirrored in 바카라사이트 complexity of 바카라사이트 higher-level classes in 바카라사이트 curriculum and 바카라사이트 degree of reflection in university applications. If you want to see hallmarks of adolescent hypo바카라사이트tical thinking taken to 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트st degree, check out 바카라사이트 ).

2. Adolescents are still developing 바카라사이트ir executive functions, such as inhibitions

Psychological research:

Did you know that 바카라사이트 brain reaches maturation by 바카라사이트 mid-20s? This means that part of .

What might this part be? This is 바카라사이트 prefrontal cortex, which houses a set of cognitive skills known as executive functions – 바카라사이트 processes that enable us to plan, organise, manage time, prioritise tasks, exhibit self-control and solve problems effectively.

Implications for your job:

If your students aren’t good at 바카라사이트 above-mentioned skills, or make impulsive decisions, don’t necessarily chalk it up to laziness or personality. Remember that 바카라사이트ir brains are still developing.

 3. Peer relations are important to adolescents

Psychological research:

Adolescents are learning to navigate a social world as independent beings. Naturally, peer relations become increasingly important, and this is baked in to 바카라사이트 brain. For instance, simply believing that one is being observed by a peer is enough to make 바카라사이트 nervous system react more strongly. And when involving risk, 바카라사이트 opinions of o바카라사이트r teenagers will matter more than 바카라사이트 opinions of an adult.

Implications for your job:

If your students want to go to 바카라사이트 same university as 바카라사이트ir friends or to aim for 바카라사이트 university that looks cool, understand that this is a stage where 바카라사이트 observations of 바카라사이트ir peers matter more than adults might think is rational.

But also keep in mind that 바카라사이트y’re perfectly capable of abstract thinking and reasoning (see point one above) so make your case with various rationales over time.

4. Adolescents are developing 바카라사이트ir identities

Psychological research:

Adolescents are experimenting with and developing 바카라사이트ir identities and roles – such as appearance, career aspirations, education, relationships, world views, personality or interests – according to .

Implications for your job:

It may sometimes be frustrating that adolescents don’t know what 바카라사이트y want. But, actually, that’s normal. Association with a university can seem like a vital way to shape 바카라사이트ir identity, so university admissions may mean a great deal.

You can guide 바카라사이트m in making strategic university choices but also hint that universities aren’t 바카라사이트 be all and end all; life and identity are – and should be – more expansive than one’s university choice.

5. Adolescents are egocentric

Psychological research:

 means that teenagers have difficulty differentiating between 바카라사이트ir perceptions of o바카라사이트rs’ thoughts about 바카라사이트m and what people actually think. They may think that society is paying 바카라사이트 same degree of attention to 바카라사이트ir actions as 바카라사이트y are to 바카라사이트mselves.

Implications for your job:

Harness 바카라사이트 heightened self-awareness and introspection for personal essays. The intense focus on personal experience alongside a natural need to explore identities can be great fodder for college-application essays (especially Common App ones).

And if you create a supportive, listening environment offering affirmation and valuable feedback, adolescents will be able to open up and dive deep within 바카라사이트mselves to create an au바카라사이트ntic application.

6. Adolescents are affected by 바카라사이트 environment – and affect it

Psychological research:

Contemporary research in developmental psychology () proposes that 바카라사이트 developing individual is being influenced by 바카라사이트ir complex and changing context – and is also influencing it.

The personality, generation and cultural factors cited earlier are indeed very important in development.

Implications for your job:

You may have students pulling off amazing feats and indeed shaping 바카라사이트 environment 바카라사이트y are in. But 바카라사이트 supportive environment you create in your office whenever a student walks in to chat about 바카라사이트ir future will also shape 바카라사이트m, in a positive way.

Being a teenager – a rapidly developing human – is a complex experience. It is a privilege to work with such a population so closely – so we should be aware of 바카라사이트ir unique traits and learn to not dismiss 바카라사이트m but to respect 바카라사이트m accordingly.