Adolescence is a time in a person’s life when they begin to find out who they are, what they enjoy and what they’re good at. It’s important to be yourself particularly at this stage of your life because it will not only allow you to find yourself, it will also give people a sense of who you are and what you’re interested in. Hegemonic masculinity is a big problem among boys during their adolescent years. They want to be seen as strong and brave, but this can lead to many suppressing their talents and emotions because it’s not seen as masculine.
Friends will have similar interests and that’s why they get along. For many male adolescent friend groups, sport is usually a common interest. If sport is a keen interest of yours, there’s a high possibility that a number of your friends also share that interest. However, it’s important to note that not all of your friends will have the same interests or abilities and it’s vital not to push people into things that they have little or no interest in doing. This can cause mental health issues among these individuals because they are prevented from expressing themselves. Every individual has their unique skills and talents, it’s important that boys from a young age are able to express themselves in ways which benefit their well-being and not doing things just to fit in with others.
Here’s a video/skit that I’ve created which explains what I mean by expressing yourself rather than trying to fit in with others. The guy on the right is playing the role of your traditional male adolescent who is interested in sport which in this case is soccer. In contrast, the guy on the left is an avid dancer with very little interest in sport. In this video, the guy on the right is eager to play soccer with his friend but gets frustrated and leave’s due to the fact that his friend can’t play to a certain standard. The camera pans back to the guy on the left who gives us a taste of what he is passionate about and that’s dance.
Ultimately, this video delivers an important message and a valuable lesson. It shows us that its ok to be different and your friends should like who you are rather than who they expect you to be. Express yourself and don’t feel like you’ve got to impress anyone, the most important thing is your well-being. Your mental health is so important, particularly in times like this during self-isolation due to Covid 19. You’re free to go outside your house during this time, it’s vital to get some fresh air and step away from your screens. This is a time period where you can focus on yourself and even learn and develop a new skill. This period in your life can be positive or negative, it’s all up to you to decide how you spend it. Better yourself during this isolation period and take care of your mental health, don’t pass up this great opportunity.
Beyond Sport 