Among today’s youth, there seems to be a surplus in the amount of risky activities that they choose to engage in. From vaping to smoking and drinking, teenagers appear to not realize their own mortality. This may be due to the brain not being fully developed and formed during this stage in life. 

  Students at San Luis Obispo High School (SLOHS) are playing a very large role during this pandemic because they have the power to help curb the spread of the disease. Yet Some are unfortunately choosing not to follow the social distancing precautions issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). During these very unprecedented and tumultuous times, adolescents do not realize the importance they play in helping control and curb the amount of new coronavirus cases. 

  The concept of mortality is very abstract among youth and young adults. Their lives are barely flourishing and they are at an age when they must begin to decide for themselves. According to American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychology (AACAP) the adolescent brain is not fully developed, especially the frontal lobe. The frontal lobe is “the area of the brain that controls reasoning and helps us think before we act, develops later. This part of the brain is still changing and maturing well into adulthood.” 

  Without the frontal lobe fully developed, it is possible that teenagers will not take full precautions when faced with risky situations. If young adults do not realize that they can and will die if their actions are reckless, the gravity of the ongoing situation across the globe will not reach them and impact them seriously. 

  When our country is going through a time in which teenagers and young adults play a key role in the transmission of the coronavirus, it is necessary for them to understand that they are not invincible; rather, they are susceptible to contracting it. Teenagers usually do not have the complete notion that they are not immortal.

  When life is just beginning, it is difficult to even think about it ending. According to an article by The Guardian, “It is hard enough to calculate risks with the still forming cause-and-effect part of the teenage psyche, but if death is something fantastical and far off, those calculations lack data.” This is necessary for young adults to realize if they are to help curb the spread of the virus and protect themselves. 

  Unfortunately, some young adults are ignoring the order and choosing to party. During an interview by CBS News with Florida university students, Brady Sluder, a college student, said “If I get corona, I get corona, at the end of the day, I’m not going to let it stop me from partying.” 

  Older Americans seem to be the most susceptible to the new disease and if they come in contact with a young adult or a child who is infected but not displaying symptoms, it could be deadly. If younger generations do not realize the imperative of their actions, the COVID-19 pandemic can quickly turn much more serious than it is now. 

  It is crucial that younger generations realize how important they are, but not to forget they are not invincible. Teenagers and young adults have an altered sense of mortality because of their still developing brains and a very optimistic view on reality.

According to an article by The Guardian “Young People are Dying to Talk About Death”, there are many factors that contribute to the altered reality of many young people. “There is no imperative for action. Teenagehood is already restrictive enough in its removal of power. Without the imperative of fragility and loss, there is no reason to get anything done.” 

  Students at SLOHS need to realize how important they are but not to forget that their time on the earth is limited. Perhaps the WHO Director General Mr. Tedros Adhanom says it best, “I have a message for young people: You are not invincible, this virus could put you in hospital for weeks or even kill you. Even if you don’t get sick the choices you make about where you go could be the difference between life and death for someone else.”

Sources: bbc.com, theguardian.com, aacap.org, cbsnews.com, nbcnews.com