You’re 15. You’re told you’re still “growing,” your brain is still “developing” — but somehow, you’re expected to decide what you’ll do for the next 40 years? I mean, really? One minute, adults tell us we’re “too young” to vote, to drive, to make big life decisions, but the next, we’re being handed forms to pick our career streams as if we’re already at the finish line. I’m sorry, but can we get a little consistency here?
It’s the biggest plot twist of our generation: we’re told we’re still kids, but asked to act like we have it all figured out. While adults debate whether we’re “mature enough” to vote, we’re expected to buckle down, cram for JEE, NEET, CUET — all while juggling homework, social pressure, and whatever personal drama the day throws our way. And let’s not forget the “career counselling” sessions that somehow feel more like career sentencing.
Here’s the kicker: we’re expected to choose our path at 15, but we can’t even choose what to have for lunch half the time. I’m still figuring out which Instagram trends I like, and you’re telling me to pick a lifetime profession? Maybe I’d like to dabble in design today, dabble in marketing tomorrow, and who knows, maybe I’ll end up starting a podcast about how I never figured it out in the first place. But nope — we’re told there’s no time to experiment. Pick one thing and stick with it, or else you’ll fall behind.
And then there’s the absurdity of it all: if we’re too “immature” to vote at 15, shouldn’t we be too immature to make decisions that could literally decide our futures? Why is it that we can’t make an informed choice about who runs our country, but we’re expected to make an informed choice about which stream to pick and which entrance exams to prep for — at an age when half of us can’t even remember where we left our phones?
Here’s the thing: life isn’t a spreadsheet. We can’t just pick “Column A: Career” and hope everything falls into place. We’re still learning, still growing, and we deserve the space to make mistakes, explore different paths, and change our minds without the fear of ruining our entire future. Who says we need to know it all right now?
Maybe it’s time to stop acting like a 15-year-old has to be a walking success story. Maybe our “purpose” at this stage is simply to live, to learn, and to not have everything figured out. So let’s stop pretending we should have our whole future mapped out at 15. We’re too young to vote, but we’re apparently old enough to choose a career? Give us a break — literally.