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BY RHODA GARZON CAMPILLAN
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Confessions of the youth
THE TEENAGE years are a tumultuous period in a person’s life. This is where a teenager manifests rebellion towards his or her parents.
A teenager feels smothered if his parents are always giving him advices and wanted what is best for him. A teenager feels he is wrong all the time and the culprits are his parents.
This is also the time where first love is experienced, when they experience raging hormones. If they cannot control themselves, this may lead to teenage pregnancies or early parenthood.
A teenager needs all the guidance from his or her parents in this difficult phase of his life. I was amused stumbling on a Facebook page called “Ilonggo Confessions.” This page, to my observation, is a vehicle for the youth to confess their stories of love, brokenness, victories and failures. In vernacular, the youth narrate their stories from the heart. They open their lives for the public to consume; however, they prefer to be anonymous.
Below their stories, numerous comments can be read, ranging from positive, negative and even funny.
Stories that capture the hearts of readers earn several likes and shares. One story that caught my attention was about a 19-year-old handsome basketball player. He was asking advice who to choose between two persons he fell in love with.
At the end of the confession, he revealed that he was a “gwapo guy” who looks for “gwapo guys” also.
It can be observed that some teenagers are secured of their sexuality and choices. When I was a teenager, it was considered taboo if you had a crush on same sex. Now, reading this particular confession, I think the youth now are braver in making choices, especially when it comes to love and relationships.
Themes from other stories include: caught in a love triangle, being a “martyr”, infidelity of a partner, choosing to stay away from drugs and a lot more. Each story is embedded with “kilig factor.” If you are a teenager and you read all the stories, you will be carried away. The stories are experiences a teenager can easily relate to.
Indeed, the youth has taken social media by storm. Social media now is more than a venue where they can post selfies, express their disgust and flaunt their achievements. Social media now has evolved into an online teenage diary. Gone are the days when a teen kept a special notebook where he or she poured out all emotions of happiness, anger, frustrations, and sadness. Not a single soul was allowed to read the contents of a diary. It was considered private – intended for the owner’s eyes only.
Now a teenager can freely express his or her emotions online through “Ilonggo Confessions” and other similar platforms. They are not afraid to be judged by others because they can be anonymous. They can read a variety of comments/advices from their fellow teenagers. They can learn from the experiences of others.
Though I agree that this can help the youth, I see eminent danger in this platform also. Teenagers can be lured to believe an advice even if it’s not good for them. Majority of the “likers” and those who post comments are teenagers also; what’s the assurance that they can give sound advice to their fellow teen?
Parents are the ones who should give their children advices. Parents know what is best for their children. They are in the best position to steer their children to the correct path. There is danger when parents are not aware what their teenage sons or daughters are sharing online.
There are a lot vultures lurking online waiting for a prey. Teenagers should learn to open up to their parents instead of opening themselves to strangers.
Parents, on the other hand, should learn to listen to their sons and daughters. They should not judge their kids immediately without hearing the entire story first.
Moms and dads should be a part of their children’s lives. They should know their friends, invite them into their homes and establish a good relationship with them.
It feels good if our children trust us with their stories. As parents, learn to monitor the online activity of your children. Most of all, show your children that you care about their feelings and you are willing to help them get through it.
At the end of the day, our parents are in the best position to listen to our confessions of triumphs, failures and love stories. It is not wrong to participate in this kind of platform. It is okay to have a venue to vent out, especially if you feel frustrated and lonely. It is not bad to share your story, especially if your purpose is to inspire and motivate others.
Yes it is “just for fun” as what “Ilonggo Confessions” claims but then again, you must be wise and discerning.
When you click Google and type “Ilonggo Confessions”, this line will appear: “May kwento ka ba? I-click lang ang link sa ibaba.”
I would like to rephrase this by saying: “May kwento ka ba? Tap your mom and dad, they are willing to listen.”/PN
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