I believe in God, and I try to abide by those rules that follow that belief.
Friends definately, because boyfriends come and go, but friends last forever (the good ones at least)
It really depends on the guy, if I'm really serious about him, then I won't look around, but if its just kinda for fun, then I might. I hope that he would do the same.
I enjoy having money. Money means you can go places and do things, although too much is a bad thing (especially when its tax season)
UGHHHHHHHHHH I can't stand finals or midterms. I don't like tests and when it comes to finals, especially in things like math and science, I get worried.
Yeah, actually I have one now :)I had a few beers tonight, so bear with me. I believe in God, I’ve hated every church I’ve been too though. It doesn’t really affect my actions besides the fact I have respect for myself and others. Play the field, hell yea. Which brings me to an earliar question about slang. My motto is '‘Hit that shit, fooooool" I’m not really into material shit, I hold onto my money. Final exams in high school were smooth sailin’. In college it matters what class, but now I get nervous because I know this shit counts. I got an internship at an accounting firm lined up (I’m an accounting major.)
I missed one. Well it matters how good in the sack that SO is. Like you know, can you go without sex for awhile or do you have to have it…you know what I mean. Naw, I’d say friends, just because all my (guy) friends are good in the sack too.
Do today’s youth/you generally believe in some supreme being or entity and, if so, how significantly does this belief condition their/your actions? I believe in a supreme being, and many of my friends believe in it also.(In fact, they are active in their church groups). I think it does not condition our actions in any other way than believing which things are good, and which things are bad. I get along with people of different religions(or none at all).
Friends vs Significant Other: who has priority here? Friends because I don’t have a SO.
Are you fiercely monogamous or do you like to play the field? Do you expect the same from your SO? N/A
Money: Necessary evil or key to a good life? Accessorily, how much importance do you attach to material possessions?
I do not give much importance to material possessions, at least not as much as my peers here. Money I see as a necessary evil that is unfortunately a key to a good life(a stress free life).
Final exams: Nervous as hell or smooth sailing? Depends on the class. For English and Spanish, smooth sailing. For Math, Science, and History, nervous as hell.
Got a job lined up for the summer? NO
PD. I thought that when another poster asked about what was the last book your English teacher ordered to read, that was about a book written by an English speaking person. Since I see this is not the case, then let me switch English for Spanish, and then the last classic I read is Don Quixote. The 2 parts.(sorry for my run on sentences)
Do today’s youth/you generally believe in some supreme being or entity and, if so, how significantly does this belief condition their/your actions?
Umm… I, for one, do - but not really organized religion, I just think there must be something or someone above us. But this kind of thing can’t really be answered by anyone, everyone has their own different beliefs - there isn’t really an average.
Friends vs Significant Other: who has priority here?
Friends, definitely. Absolutely no question about it.
Are you fiercely monogamous or do you like to play the field? Do you expect the same from your SO?
In a relationship, I try to stay loyal, yes, and I’d definitely expect the same from my SO. I’d say most other teens would, too.
Money: Necessary evil or key to a good life? Accessorily, how much importance do you attach to material possessions?
Money is necessary for what me and my friends do - shopping, movies, etc. Not as much material possessions. But I don’t see material possessions as too important… I just like having them.
Final exams: Nervous as hell or smooth sailing?
Nervous as hell. Thank God I’m not there yet.
Got a job lined up for the summer?
It’s nearing winter here, so… no.
Homosexuality: Has this become accepted at your school? Does your position differ from that of your classmates? From that of your parents?
Teachers: Do you feel that, on the whole, your teachers consider their profession strictly as a job, or are they genuinely interested in ‘communicating’ their subject matter?
USA: “The USA aren’t ‘all that’”. Agree? Disagree?
I give you $100,000 today*. How much of it will be left a year from now?
*This is solely for discussion purposes, you understand…
What, you’re not hip to the jive?
Sorry.
Another teenager here-
*Freshman in a high school of about 1000
*North Jersey about 20 min. from NYC
*Lives in a rich preppy town where everyone is into Dave Matthews Band, lacrosse, and smoking pot
*In all honors classes, but hang out with a fairly cool crowd
*Single white female
Baggy pants, the hair:
Let me tell you, I borrowed a pair of my brother’s pants and they are pretty freakin comfy! The hair is just a trend, although I do like it (I assume you’re talking about the spikes? The bleached blond thing is UGLY.)
Drugs and smoking:
Although I don’t do it, most of my male friends are occasional to heavy pot-smokers. Most of them started smoking cigarettes after they started smoking weed. Drinking isn’t too big here. I don’t know why they started, but there’s not that much peer pressure. Sometimes they ask me to come smoke with them, but they’re kind of joking because they know I’ll say no.
Eminem:
He’s okay. I like his music, but I don’t always agree with his message. In general I like about half the rap they play on the radio, Limp Bizkit, Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys (sorry, I can’t help it!) and some of my dad’s music (Grateful Dead, CSNY).
Loud music:
That way, I can’t hear my awful singing voice.
Dream car:
I know a specific car I love, that always parks at the Y. It’s a metallic burgundy Porsche Boxter. As it stands now, I’m probably getting my mom’s friend’s Subaru Legacy, which is missing the visors and several other key parts, has crayons melted into the carpet, smells bad, and has open ketchup packets cooking in the glove compartment. It’s affectionately known by my brother and I as the Crapmobile.(Not to sound ungrateful.)
What seems long ago to me?
I’m 15, but I definitely remember the trends of the late 80’s. (Sweatshirts and leggings, crimped hair and scrunchies, those little clips you put on your huge T-shirt)
The 60s and 70s don’t seem like ancient history either, mostly because my dad forces me to listen to music from that time period on grueling 5-hour car rides.
I’m not too worried that my school is the next Columbine.
My English teacher isn’t mean. This year we’ve read To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, the Iliad and the Odyssey, and Romeo and Juliet, but we also read books like The Princess Bride (better than the movie!)
Homosexuals: Especially among teen males there is a huge stigma on homosexuality. Homophobia is rampant and nobody really frowns upon it. I know of a couple openly gay guys and while I don’t shun/harass them I don’t know them very well.
Teachers: My teachers are fairly dedicated to their jobs. FYI: Again, I’m in the 'burbs and in advanced classes, so I’m sure it’s different for other kids.
USA: Omni? {Excuse my ignorance) but I take it you’re European. I’m not sure about this question. I guess we teens don’t feel the US is always right in it’s foreign/domestic decisions, but we support the country and have normal patriotic emotions.
$23,000 goes straight towards an automobile. The rest goes toward savings. I would have said stocks, but with our economoy’s current state…
Sorry Omni. I didn’t know you were Canadian. It’s the same thing as a European, though. 
Really, I don’t know. Really I haven’t heard teachers or students bringing up homosexuality. We always have those retarded guys that all call each other fags though. Some teachers it’s a job and some care deeper, that’s all there is to it. I’ve learned usually the closer the teacher is to retirement the more job like it gets. USA is cool, but the UK is better, I think. Not talking politically or anything, just all around fun. Like the person before me, $20,000 or so to a car, $2000 to my 2001 IRA contribution and the rest in the bank.
Homosexuality: Has this become accepted at your school?
Hmm…many classmates, myself inlcuded, have no trouble with homosexuals. Heck, we have teachers who are homosexuals, no problem with that.
Does your position differ from that of your classmates? See above question.
From that of your parents? No.
Teachers: Do you feel that, on the whole, your teachers consider their profession strictly as a job, or are they genuinely interested in ‘communicating’ their subject matter? Sometimes they see it as only a job, other times they want to comunicate something. Rarely, they are just old perverts(I swear I have them at my school).
USA: “The USA aren’t ‘all that’”. Agree? Disagree? Erm…I do not know how to answer this. What exactly do you mean by all that? The most powerful nation in the current world? The most important?..I’ll abstain from comments after I see this question more clearly.
I give you $100,000 today*. How much of it will be left a year from now? Let’s see…take out $20000 for the university(personal expenses included, assuming I study at the US), that lefts $80000. Take $2000 for travel expenses(my family does not live in the US), that leaves $78000…I put that in a bank account…You’ll have about that much money a year from now. And if you have it, please pass it to me, ok?j/k
KG
Hmm. And I thought I was ‘jiving’:D. In my mind at least, it means a bit chauvinistic, ethnocentric.
Another question:
You’re the products of parents who’ve gone through the hippie/commune/sharing generation of the '60s and the 'Me generation of the '70s. Which one of these traits would you say characterizes you most?
Hmm. And I thought I was ‘jiving’. In my mind at least, it means a bit chauvinistic, ethnocentric.
Chauvinistic as in sexist, no, there are more sexist countries…and sorry, but that is the only definition I know of that word. Ethnocentric…yes, it is, the same as with other nations, but then, other nations are not as powerful as the US.
Another question:
You’re the products of parents who’ve gone through the hippie/commune/sharing generation of the '60s and the 'Me generation of the '70s. Which one of these traits would you say characterizes you most?
None…my parents where not in that wave of the 60’(that does not mean they are conservatives), nor in that of the 70’s. Mainly because it was another nation? I read in an essay that the hippies where the response of that generation to the society of the US and other industrialized countries.
Sheesh don’t you teenagers do anything but hang around message boards and IM each other? (Don’t answer that!)
The serious question:
What do you think is MOST different about the time in which you live from that of your parents?
*Do today’s youth/you generally believe in some supreme being or entity and, if so, how significantly does this belief condition their/your actions?*Well, it really depends. Some of my friends are atheists, and the rest are spread amongst the great and not so great religious beliefs of the world. No satan worshippers though. I do not associate with sheep. All my friends do have similar priniciples on how to properly treat people and their place in life.
*Friends vs Significant Other: who has priority here?*Uhm, boyfriends/girlfriends are trouble. Does that answer your question?
Are you fiercely monogamous or do you like to play the field? Do you expect the same from your SO? * I like to play the field, but when I do get in a relationship I am only with that person and expect the same from them.
Money: Necessary evil or key to a good life? Accessorily, how much importance do you attach to material possessions? Well, money is an important tool in attaining position and keeping out of the financial and literal gutter in life, but it’s not something that I find to be very important other than for use to get things that are wanted and needed.
Final exams: Nervous as hell or smooth sailing? I’m not all that worried about finals. I don’t generally study for tests or exams and I do just fine most of the time.
Got a job lined up for the summer? Not yet. Hoping for blockbuster 'cause I found out my friend Shannon works there whom I met working at Kmart. She’s tres kewl albeit being a tad bit older than me. *note the understatement
What do you think is MOST different about the time in which you live from that of your parents? People’s sentiments towards how life is supposed to be lived and how people are to be.
I’ve been in Vegas for the past few days, and coming back, I’m happy to see that this thread is still alive and kicking.
Thanks FireUnderpantsBoobs! That made my day. 
*Are you and your peers (significantly) influenced by advertizing? * Yeah, kind of. Maybe not significantly, but yes, most of us are.
Do you feel you’re political? Not at all.
Do you live for the present or think about your future? The present, mainly because I’m enjoying it. I do think about the future, but very vaguely.
Does the unknown worry you? It depends, but in general, it excites me.
What’s toughest being a teenager today? For me, it would be the generalizations that are made about us and trying to prove that we’re not the reckless irresponsible people that we’re made out to be.
What/Who brought you to the Straight Dope Message Board? I found the Straight Dope website through http://www.etour.com, and the board just sucked me in.
How would rate the Community? A+
Do you consider yourself to be a representative member of your generation? No, I feel that I am much more secure and happy with myself than most other people my age.
Do you see the world around you getting better or worse as you grow older? I want it to get better, but I really see it getting worse.
In your personal code of ethics, what’s on top of the list? Me and my happiness, so long as it doesn’t come at the expense of anyone else.
Do today’s youth/you generally believe in some supreme being or entity and, if so, how significantly does this belief condition their/your actions? I don’t believe in God or a higher power, but most everyone else does. I think this affects my actions very little, if at all.
Friends vs Significant Other: who has priority here? Friends, without a doubt.
Are you fiercely monogamous or do you like to play the field? Do you expect the same from your SO? It’s fun to play the field, but if I had an SO, I would try to be as faithful as possible. I would expect the same from my SO.
Money: Necessary evil or key to a good life? Accessorily, how much importance do you attach to material possessions? Key to a good life. I attach about the same importance to material possessions as the average person.
Final exams: Nervous as hell or smooth sailing? Somewhere in between, because I never study, but I tend to take things less seriously than I should.
Got a job lined up for the summer? If I can get one. There aren’t many places that hire 14-year-olds besides Publix.
My background: Male, 15, sophomore in mid-upper high school, generally considered to be intelligent (i.e. geek/nerd/whatever) for my age.
Political? Yes, I (believe) that I’m a Democrat. I used to be a Republican. But I kind of realized how skewed the attitude I had was, because I had basically grown up in an affluent neighborhood and didn’t realize it. Most people here are like that - haven’t realized that they are affluent - and as such, seem to be Republicans. Recently in US History, someone was complaining about how homeless people are lazy and could get a job if they wanted to. I had to mention that the great majority are mentally ill :rolleyes:
Live for present or future? I like to think about my future - it’s entertaining. I have a fairly bright outlook but feel that I have something huge to live up to.
Unknown worrying? Not really. I’m adaptable. At least, I hope I am
Toughest being a teen? Putting up with all the bullshit in school - at this point in my career, it’s mostly from teachers - but in middle school, it was all from my fellow students (I was in a “gifted” program, not particularly athletic or, for that matter, mature, so everyone except my best friends basically sucked from 5th to 8th grade.)
Who brought me here? I started lurking when my girlfriend linked me a few times. She made me pick this user name <3
Rate the community? I don’t need any enemies on my first post, do I?
I am most definetly the biggest hippie around.
Some people even refer to me as “the hippie”
I don’t really know of any people who are openly gay in my school, so I can’t say what the attitude would be. Personally, it’s okay with me and I do know a couple gay guys outside of school.
I would say at least three of my teachers are passionate about what they teach. One of them, unfortunately, just has trouble communicating what she means to the class. I think my geometry teacher loves to teach but doesn’t care too much about geometry. My history teacher is just making money so he can be a photographer on the side (his photography sucks!). My French teacher is nice but it’s just a job to her.
I don’t really know what you mean about the USA. I’m not really that political.
Like the other people who responded, I would first buy a car. Then I would put the rest away for college.
About having a job, there’s actually an interesting story to that one. One of my swim coaches works at a camp where she said she could give me a job as a lifeguard. I signed up for a lifeguarding class (to be refunded by the camp at the end of summer). Turns out, I’m too young for the job. She knows exactly how old I am because we swim in events by age group. So my other coach said I could work at her camp, it wouldn’t be a problem. So guess what? I’m too young to work there, too. My mom called around, all summer camps around here have the same age limitation. So now, I’m being a C.I.T. (unpaid) at the first camp. Okay, maybe not an interesting story, but I needed to vent.
Do today’s youth/you generally believe in some supreme being or entity and, if so, how significantly does this belief condition their/your actions?
I think for most teens, it’s a non-issue. Faith really doesn’t play a large part in my life, or in the lives of my friends. The general feeling for most of us is agnosticism.
Friends vs Significant Other: who has priority here?
I’m going to have to say friends.
**Are you fiercely monogamous or do you like to play the field? Do you expect the same from your SO? **
If I’m attached, I’m monogamous. If I’m single, I’m a man-whore. Yes, I’d expect the same monogamous attitude from an SO.
Money: Necessary evil or key to a good life? Accessorily, how much importance do you attach to material possessions?
Little bit of both. Money can help you along with day-to-day life, but too much makes you rich and snobby like a lot of teens I know. I don’t attach much importance to material possessions; it’s just not important to me.
Final exams: Nervous as hell or smooth sailing?
Smooth sailing. Final exams are a breeze. (pun INTENDED)
Got a job lined up for the summer?
Yep, easy data entry for GE. $11.24/hour. That’s a lot of money for a teenager. AND, I’m going to be working full time. dance
What do you think is MOST different about the time in which you live from that of your parents?
I think respect to our elders has simply disintegrated. It just no longer exists. You wouldn’t believe some of the things I’ve seen/heard concerning peers and adults…it’s frightening.