When do most people gain their independence? Are you independent?

Many teenagers struggle to become more independent when they grow up, but those who overcome the challenge have different ways of doing them. How do these people overcome these challenges in their own methods, and why it’s so important to become independent at a young age instead of when we’re older.

Pong, a senior at Bangkok Christian College, said that “I became more independent when I started working”. Pong got offered a job as an actor since he was part of a show hosted at that school. His way into getting more independent was more by getting influenced by others. Other adults around him helped him, showing him what it’s like to work and become more independent. He also said that this helped him now when he now has to focus on turning in his college applications. He manages to get all of his essays and supplementary essays done on time because he spends his time wisely to finish them.

Ing, a senior at International School Bangkok talks about how he became more independent when his parents told him that they will no longer help him with his school work. He didn’t believe his parents until reality strikes and work got assigned, he did what he always did. Which was waiting for his parents to help them, but they didn’t this time around. After he failed the assignment he realizes that he has to become more independent. Not only did his grades go up he also felt good that he can now manage many other things by himself.

Perrine, a senior at International School Bangkok talks about how she has always been independent but the real major changes in her began when she was in middle school, she started making her own food at home. The biggest change that she said happened was “transportation”. She said that “I began to use the school transportation, I also use grab and other transportation methods”. She manages her own money using her debit car. She felt relieved that her parents didn’t spoil her at a young age so that she won’t become dependent on her parents for too long.

Nina, a DBS Vickers Head of Institutional expresses how independent and grown despite the fact that she is now 40 years old. She said that she knew that when she was around 16 a big change happened in her life which meant she had to become more independent, despite that there is another level of independence that appeared as well. This happened when she started working at Tesco, her old working place. She said that “Becoming independent is not a one time thing, when you get older there will be more things that you need to control”.

Teenagers and Adults have different ways and timeline that they become independent, but the similarity in almost all of the story was that there was something that influenced them into becoming more independent. Turning ordinary teenagers into a better version of themselves.