# Is this normal for a 16-year-old? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 17, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-for-a-16-year-old/326656 "2005-10-17T21:37:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-for-a-16-year-old/326656/41 "2005-10-18T10:27:16Z")
> [@Omnipotence\_Lite](#): > > Am I the only one amused by the fact that a thread questioning a 16 year olds’ maturity became a contest to see who is the oldest, cleanest (in terms of drugs, at least) person who watches cartoons or hums melodies from the greatest videogame ever made? The point is usually for amusement. Glad it worked for you. ---
**Author:** ![Omnipotence\_Lite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@Omnipotence\_Lite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omnipotence_Lite)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-for-a-16-year-old/326656/42 "2005-10-18T10:34:07Z")
> [@Anastasaeon](#): > > The point is usually for amusement. Glad it worked for you. Also note that when a statment is made, everyone has an answer, (I’m lost here too) but when a question is asked, it is met with the cold shoulder of wit, with no answer in sight. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-for-a-16-year-old/326656/43 "2005-10-18T10:38:33Z")
> [@Omnipotence\_Lite](#): > > Also note that when a statment is made, everyone has an answer, (I’m lost here too) but when a question is asked, it is met with the cold shoulder of wit, with no answer in sight. You lost me. You asked a question, I answered. What cold shoulder did you get? I’d input more smileys, but they’re not working for me for some reason. This is MPSIMS. We like to play, and outrank each other in silliness sometimes. \ ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-for-a-16-year-old/326656/44 "2005-10-18T10:40:20Z")
Quick test for smileys, don’t know why they’re not working tonight… 🆒😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😕😛😛 ---
**Author:** ![Omnipotence\_Lite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@Omnipotence\_Lite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omnipotence_Lite)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-for-a-16-year-old/326656/45 "2005-10-18T10:45:16Z")
I understand the purpose of this section, I just suppose my sense of humor is what most would classify as “weird”, because I find it amusing to create conflict and when possible confusion, as I’m sure you can probably tell by my posts. Also, i asked if i was the only one amused, and you responded by letting me know you were happy i was amused, not answering my question so much as commenting on it in what i assumed (falsely?) was a witty response. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-for-a-16-year-old/326656/46 "2005-10-18T10:47:01Z")
Gah. :smack: They work now. Apparently. Anyway, sorry for triple post folks, and for the smiley diarrhea. There was this pop up, which shouldn’t have been, since I have a blocker, or so I thought, but then there was this evil pop up from hell, and I killed it, and when I killed it, the Straight Dope went away, too, then I crashed, then I came back, then I saw my post with a million smileys. Oh, and dude, apologies if I came off “cold” somehow, I was trying to be friendly. Let’s try that again, then: Welcome. We are friendly here. We like to be silly. I’m glad you found it funny that we were having fun, since that is usually what it’s intended for. Fun! 😃 (it works! my smileys work!) _bows_ _leaves before things go really haywire_ ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-for-a-16-year-old/326656/47 "2005-10-18T13:02:47Z")
> [@Agent Foxtrot](#): > > IANAT (therapist), but it sounds to me like bi-polar disorder with manic depression. I don’t have it myself, but that’s symptomatic of people I know who do have it. C’mon, if you are going to pull out the MMPI-2 (Junior Thereapist Edition) you have to at least consider [Histrionic](http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis1/p21-pe06.html) Personality Disorder. > [@](#): > > A pervasive pattern of excessive emotionality and attention seeking, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following: > > 1. is uncomfortable in situations in which he or she is not the center of attention > 2. interaction with others is often characterized by inappropriate sexually seductive or provocative behavior > 3. displays rapidly shifting and shallow expression of emotions > 4. consistently uses physical appearance to draw attention to self > 5. has a style of speech that is excessively impressionistic and lacking in detail > 6. shows self-dramatization, theatricality, and exaggerated expression of emotion > 7. is suggestible, i.e., easily influenced by others or circumstances > 8. considers relationships to be more intimate than they actually are ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-for-a-16-year-old/326656/48 "2005-10-18T13:51:31Z")
> [@Ray Bradbury](#): > > I’m seventeen and I’m crazy. My uncle says the two always go together. When people ask your age, he said, always say seventeen and insane. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-for-a-16-year-old/326656/49 "2005-10-18T13:59:54Z")
> [@dare\_devil007\_](#): > > My friend, “Helen”, acts incredibly immature (well, to me) for her age. > > She thinks it’s cute to sing that “My Little Pony” song (and other kiddie show/commercial jingles/tunes, etc.) in the halls between classes and she bursts into class, waving her arms around and singing “La, la, la, la!”. She also goes up to anybody she knows and says, “Jesus loves you, [insert name here]!” in the most kiddie-ish voice possible. I don’t know about the holier-than-thou stuff, but it does afford you the opportunity for some amusement. The next time she does the Jesus thing, ask her to prove it. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-for-a-16-year-old/326656/50 "2005-10-18T14:42:37Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > C’mon, if you are going to pull out the MMPI-2 (Junior Thereapist Edition) you have to at least consider [Histrionic](http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis1/p21-pe06.html) Personality Disorder. Good Lord have mercy! That Histrionic Personality Disorder describes my oldest daughter perfectly! She’s been diagnosed bipolar and Borderline Personality, and frankly, the friend from the OP sounds an awful lot like my daughter. But then again, so much of it depends on the level of the behavior, the frequency, etc. I would say that if the girl from the OP doesn’t have some form of emotional disorder, she’s at least immature for her age. But then again, maturity is a lot like puberty. You can never accurately predict when it’s going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-for-a-16-year-old/326656/51 "2005-10-18T14:57:43Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > Freeze tag shmeeze tag. I’m 31, and I play 4-square whenever I get the chance to. Which, sadly, is not very often. \ Hi, I am 44 years old this month and _sniffle_ just had to buy another copy of Lilo and Stitch because I wore my last copy out … and we _don’t_ have kids. \ ooo look - scooby is next on the list to come to me \ ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-for-a-16-year-old/326656/52 "2005-10-18T15:30:18Z")
> [@dare\_devil007\_](#): > > And she calls me a tight-ass (okay, not exactly, but something like that) whenever I don’t laugh at something. :dubious: I don’t know…I’m one of those teenagers who don’t really laugh or smile much unless something really amuses me. Right now, she’s on a Message Board talking about her tight-ass friend dare\_devil007\_, asking if this uptight behavior is normal for a 16-yr. old. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-for-a-16-year-old/326656/53 "2005-10-18T18:40:09Z")
Holy Neuroses, Batman! “I’m a Histrionic!”, she exclaimed, tossing her blonde mane back. :eek: 😃 (I like hide and seek, read Harry Potter to myself, choc chip cookies are my favorite food and I don’t like martinis–when o when will I grow up!) ---
**Author:** ![dare\_devil007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@dare\_devil007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dare_devil007)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-for-a-16-year-old/326656/54 "2005-10-18T21:17:31Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Right now, she’s on a Message Board talking about her tight-ass friend dare\_devil007\_, asking if this uptight behavior is normal for a 16-yr. old. Hah! Knowing her, she might be! It’s not that I don’t know how to have fun, but I’m just not amused by what amuses her. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-for-a-16-year-old/326656/55 "2005-10-18T22:59:40Z")
> [@Anastasaeon](#): > > Anyway, sorry for triple post folks, and for the smiley diarrhea. Maybe it’s just me, but now I’m really craving some tasty, tasty mushrooms. > [@Heart On My Sleeve](#): > > Yep, I agree. If she’s really your friend, you should encourage her to become some kind of diva: an actress or soprano or something. Or a Director of Marketing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-normal-for-a-16-year-old/326656.md?page=2)