Terror attacks a defining time for teens

While everyday pressures like homework, jobs and applying for college are still present, local youth say the current world events make life challenging.

"While I still plan to go to college and earn my degree, I find it more difficult to stay focused on that specific goal while all of this is going on around me," said Michelle Rosbozom, a member of The Evangelist's teen panel (see page 2). "It's hard to plan for the future when it's all so uncertain."

Perspective

"Before the attack, I saw my role as a student as stressful and looked for ways to deal with the stress of that," she said. "Now I look to my school work and responsibilities to take my mind off what is happening in the world."

Mike Karpovich, another panel member, said that current events factor into his decisions about the future. "I had thought about an ROTC scholarship," he said. "But now I have people saying I shouldn't do that because I could get sent to war."

Career planning

"To change my plans is to be defeated by the terrorists," he said.

The recent events have reinforced Laura's plans for the future. "I've always wanted to be a reporter and be in the middle of what's going on instead of sitting in my living room watching it on television," she said. "Now more than ever, I want to achieve my dream. I look to the media as such an important part of our culture. I want to discover firsthand what this world holds and be the one to report back."

That day

"I will never forget the sickness and absolute fear and terror I felt," said Laura. "I don't think anyone will forget where they were when they first heard what happened or how they felt. It was the day we saw war and felt evil."

Michelle agreed, saying, "This will definitely be an event that we will never forget. We will always remember where we were, who we were with and what our initial thought was. This is our John Kennedy assassination."

Friends in war

The teens said their friends in the military knew that fighting in a war was a possibility when they signed up.

"I know they want to serve their country and that our country today is great because of all those who gave their lives in past wars," Laura said, "But I'm so scared. I'm scared for them. I'm scared of living my life without them. I know that my friends are scared despite the fact they say they're ready to go and fight for their country. I keep them all in my prayers."

God and teens

"I personally have struggled more following these attacks," said Michelle. "I find it hard to find solace when so many conflicting thoughts and emotions are running through my body. As the weeks have passed, I have reestablished my relationship with God and that has helped me come to grips with some of this. We will never have answers to many of our questions, but at least we know that God hears everyone and will never forget about us."

According to Laura, teens often question their faith, but the current world events have put additional pressures on some of her peers.

"While I think I have it hard trying to make sense of all that's going on, Muslim teens have the additional worry of being blamed for things that they had absolutely no part or connection in," she said.

Test of faith

"Jesus tells us to love our enemy, however hard that is," she said. "It is up to God to punish those who go against His will, not me. I trust in what God has planned for me and this world, so I try to act with my heart first when it comes to dealing with what is going on today.

"I still struggle with finding the meaning and reason that could possibly lie behind all of this pain and death; and with all that we hear about in the news, I am constantly questioning myself and how to deal."

Changed forever

Michelle said the days following the attacks were difficult. She noticed it was harder for teens to laugh or participate in their regular routines.

"Slowly, things are returning to normal, but it is definitely not the same," she said. "There's a kind of anxiousness that clouds our daily routines."

New connections

"I feel teens everywhere have looked past so many of the differences that separate us from one another and focused on one main thing: We are all Americans," she said. "In the weeks since the attacks, [my friends] have shared with me their concerns and worries; but more than anything, they have shown me that since the attacks it doesn't matter what team you root for or whether you're a skateboarder or if you shop at the Gap, things that used to force teens to separate into different groups or cliques. I've seen us all as one group that is now rooting for the same home team."

Coping

Michelle added, "We need patience if we are acting differently. We have not experienced something like this before. Many of us have never had to deal with tragedies. We are worried about where our futures will lead us. We are worried about our friends and where they will end up. We are worried about the stability of our home and world."

She would say to adults: "Talk to us and tell us what you're thinking and how you're dealing with it. Don't be afraid to help guide us. We are searching for ways to make a difference because we feel hopeless and helpless. We will never be the same again. We are scared, and we want to believe that everything will truly be okay."

(11-08-01) [[In-content Ad]]