Who Is a Basic American Teen?
Defined by everyday struggles, a typical American teen is a 12–17-year-old dealing with academic pressure, mental health problems, identity crises, cultural and societal expectations, and uncertainty about the future.
Cyberbullying, body-shaming, gender identity, and school shootings are some of the “casual” concepts an American teenager should deal with.
But when judged by the cover of Netflix teen dramas, the life of American adolescents seems nothing but a glamorous adventure. So, how should you define the line between reality, virtuality, and futility?
7 Signs You Are an Average American Teen
If you have four or more of these characteristics, you are the perfect example of a normie US teenager:
- You have seen, touched, or used fake IDs.
- You have at least one friend who smokes marijuana.
- You would say you are fairly depressed for your age.
- Your parents believe you’re addicted to social media.
- You prefer online shopping over in-person shopping.
- You’ve been bullied in school at least once.
- You have experienced body dysmorphia.
Why these seven signs expose American teens, you might ask. Here are the statistics:
- According to Veriff, “15% of pre-college teens and 32.2% of college students have confessed to owning a fake ID.”
- According to Statista, the share of high school students who ever used marijuana is 27.8%.
- Mental Health America states, “15.08% of youth (age 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode (MDE) in the past year.”
- According to Cross River Therapy, Around 70% of teens and young adults in the US have a social media addiction.
- PACER Center states one out of every five (20.2%) students report being bullied.
- According to Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 0.7% to 2.4% of teens have BDD (body dysmorphia disorder).
Are You a Normie US Teen or an Extreme Example?
Have you ever questioned your personality in its entirety, like, “Am I a normie?” If you’re brave enough to hear the answer, this quiz has got your back. It identifies if you’re a basic American teen (a normie, if you will) or an extreme example like the ones we see in TV shows.
The following questions might seem lighthearted and surface-level. But they unveil if you have the life of a typical American youngster or if your lifestyle is on the extremes of being overly dramatic or irrelevant.
If you’re looking to have fun, you can also try the “How American Are You?” next. That one would investigate the patriarchy in you—with some twists.
Now, let’s see if you’re a standard American teen or not.
