Interview with Sungkyu

How do you feel being a teenager? How would you define it anyway?

As a teenager, due to hormones, or so I sincerly hope to believe, my emotions are much more unstable. However, in general terms, I'm happy as a teenager. I would define "being a teenager" as an age of time where you see the problems of the future under the supervision of your parents.

Of course there are ups and downs in a life of a teenager, so how do you deal with them?What makes you feel down, upset etc?

With the ups, I enjoy myself and try my best to reward myself, even if the efforts might be futile. With the downs, I think and meditate (not as in yoga meditation, but just deep quiet thinking time.) I also distract myself by making myself busy, as in studying, playing music, sports, chatting, etc. I rarely discuss my problems with my friends.

What makes you feel down, upset etc?

Ofcourse, there are the typical ones, such as earning a low grade in school, not "fitting into the group," conflicts with parents and siblings, rejection, and inconviniences where I have to make exceptions to my "routines."

Fitting into a group is a big deal when you are a teenager. How does it make you feel when you are within a group or not in a group at all?When I'm within a group, I feel sociable, I guess. I feel that the friendship might last forever. When I'm not I get, I guess I sometimes feel lonely. These lonely moments are exaggerated especially in my teenager years. However, even if I may be left out, I prefer to keep my values and morals or try to come to a consensus rather than leting them go.

How do you feel about stereotyping? Do you think you are ‘labeled’ as well?

I feel that there are both good and bad things about stereotyping. For example, I believe that stereotypes of age are usually accurate, but other things like gender, I completely disagree. I am obviously "labeled" too. I guess my surrounding environment including family, friends, teachers, etc label me as a "good student." It is in fact hard to live up to expectations, but i still like the label, so I try hard to keep up with it. But occasionall,y I get depressed over it, cause it constricts me and eradicates some freedoms. However, that was something that I was willing to pay as a consequence to this label, and I believe that regreting will do no help.

Sometimes do you wish to be someone else? Why? Why not?

Ofcourse I want to be someone else during times. As mentioned earlier, it's mostly because of the stereotype and image that I am put up to. Others include things such as dissatisfaction with my current life and status. However, as mentioned earlier, "Wishing" does not do any help.

Sometimes do you wish to be someone else? Why? Why not?

I do not believe that there is "true love," and therefore see love as conditional. Everyone says they "love," but I disagree with reserved antagonism and a bit of disdain because I believe that one "loves" another because of his or her conditions, which include but are not limited to financial conditions, personality (that's right, I see that as conditional too,) appearance, background, etc. Therefore, I do not believe in "love at first sight," but rather "attraction at first sight."

When do you think it is important to have a relationship with the opposite sex?

I think that high school should be fine, but nothing serious. College should be an appropriate time, especially in the junior and senior year.

At last, how would you describe your life at the moment?

My life is "set up to expectations throughout entirely," and I try to meet them while set my own expectations. 99% of the time, I meet those expectations with perfection. However, as mentioned earlier, my emotions are quite unstable, and I try to keep it under control. I am content with my life the way it is, and even though I want something more, as it is of human nature, I believe that it is impractical to "hope." Therefore, I try to "do" and "achieve."