Puberty is that time in every teen’s life when hormones kick into full drive, transforming them from children into sexually mature adults.
While there are classes in school and parents to talk to about the upcoming onset of changes, most information is kept minimal at best. If you’re coming up to that critical time in your life, here are a few things that maybe didn’t come up.
It’s a process, not a quick transformation
For most, puberty lasts a couple of years. You don’t wake up one day in the body of an adult. Instead, you’ll start noticing a few changes here and there that gradually alter your body.
For girls, this means years of breast growth and gradually expanding hips. For guys, it might mean a good chunk of time spent with a fluctuating voice. When the process is finally over, it tapers out just as gradually.
You need to wash
Teenagers are notorious for being smelly, and it’s not their fault, so much as it is the almost uninhibited release of oils and hormones.
Though classes warn you about body odor, they forget to mention how you should take care of it. Even if you don’t soap your body every day, make sure you have a solid rinse in order to keep your personal smell under control.
Deodorant is also a must.
Everything is more intense
During this time in your life, your emotions are at a fever pitch. They will never again be this heightened. This is the reason why failing a test can seem like the end of the world, or a breakup hurts worse than anything you’ve ever felt before.
Keep this in mind next time you’re faced with emotional trauma. Chances are it feels a lot worse than it actually is. Don’t dismiss your pain or feelings, but there’s no reason to completely submit to them either.
You’re not alone
Everyone in your age group will be going through puberty around the same time you do. Everyone will have acne and everyone will have to deal with some pretty embarrassing moments as they learn to adapt to different changes.
Keep this in mind, and you’ll have no problem retaining your confidence as you mature. Never let your physical changes affect how you view yourself. After all, this process is only temporary and, as you get older, will make up a tiny percentage of your life.
You don’t always have to wait
Though many adults will tell you to wait until full maturity for certain things, you don’t always have to live through puberty with an inconvenience.
Whether it’s waiting until you’re 18 for braces, or getting procedures like LASIK in Utah done, talk to your parents and doctors to see if you can get these fixes in a little earlier. It may depend on your body, how fast you mature, and other factors but for some things, you don’t always have to wait.
If you get scared, research
Puberty can be a scary time, especially if you face something you think no one else has ever faced before. In cases like this, do yourself a favor and research what’s scaring you.
Read about the psychology of puberty, and try to understand the physical changes brought about by the hormones. You can also talk to your doctor or school nurse if you aren’t sure what you might be facing. Everything you could possibly want to learn is out there. All it takes is you willing to search for it.
Even with a full explanation of what will happen, puberty can really blindside you with how hard it can hit at times. From fluctuating hormones that directly control mood, to dealing with a new body shape and size, no one ever said it would be easy.
Luckily, it doesn’t have to be hard.
Brooke Chaplan
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