Introduction

Life roles are the different responsibilities and expectations individuals have in different areas of their lives such as being a student, an employee, a friend,
or a sibling. As adolescents transition from childhood to adulthood, they often have to take on new responsibilities and roles. These may include career
planning and development as they may start to take on responsibility of planning for their future occupation or careers. Furthermore skills and
responsibilities such as financial management are also included as they need to learn budgeting and saving money, and maybe take part in contributing to
household expenses as this sets them up for the future when they start living alone.

Around this time things like secondary gender characteristics take place during a process called puberty. These are the physical features that develop during
this process, and according to the National Library of Medicine, "Puberty is the process of physical maturation where an adolescent reaches sexual maturity
and becomes capable of reproduction". Some of the secondary gender characteristics take place during this process are breast development and facial hair
growth

A lack of understanding of the meaning of secondary sex/ gender characteristics could be traumatic to an adolescent for various reasons.
When adolescents feel confused about their own identity they tend to feel insecure especially if their experienced differ from their peers. Furthermore this
can raise body image issues and low self esteem as they might not understand that puberty is an essential part of growing to all humans and eventually
passes at some point. Without a proper understanding of these characteristics adolescents might be vulnerable to social stigma or bulling from peers as they
may be teased for not conforming to societal community of how they should look and and behave during this period or phase.

Outlining The Problem

Primary caregivers could struggle to understand the life of an adolescent as this is a very dynamic and unstable period of their lives as they are going
through many changes. According to the World Health Organization, "Adolescence is the phase of life between childhood and adulthood, from ages 10
to 19. It is a unique stage of human development and an important time for laying the foundations of good health". Some of the reasons why primary
caregivers struggle to understand adolescents during this time include generational gaps, changes in parent-child dynamics, peer influence and
communication barriers.

Adolescents could struggle with increased social anxiety during this time for various reasons. One of the most common ones are high expectations from
family, friends and society. This is because they take it upon themselves to impress and please all these people around them, and fulfill societal norms to the
point of forgetting to take care of themselves. This usually results in emotional breakdowns and depression. As adolescents don't gave fully developed
brains until they are in their early twenties frustration and a lack of mental maturity to handle the tasks and relationships around them is oftentimes
burdensome and becomes a factor negatively influencing their anxiety. According to Paradigm Treatment "hormones can affect areas responsible for
emotions, impulse control, and decision-making. So, when teens seem impulsive or moody, it's often due to these changes."
So therefore if they are not aware of this, and they are constantly aiming ot be the best version of themselves, by working hard in all aspects of life this can
have a very negative impact on their mental health eadily influencing anxiety and depression

Wanting to be accepted by friends can make adolescents spend less time with family and share less with them. This can lead to fights and not talking much
at home as family members might be concerned or offended by thhd sudden change in relationship dynamics. Sometimes, adolescents might act differently
around their friends than they do with their family due to various external and internal factors such as generational gaps. This can make everyone feel upset
and not understand each other well. Especially if the individual is partaking in unhealthy behaviors such as smoking and consumption of alcohol to get their
peers approval. As it builds a wall between family members, making it harder to trust and support each other.

According to study.com "The prefrontal cortex is the last part of the brain to develop. Some researchers think it isn't quite fully developed until humans
are 25 years old. Technology such as the magnetic resonance imaging machine, or MRI, has shown that the PFC undergoes dramatic changes during
adolescence." So ongoing development of the prefrontal cortex can result in Impaired impulse control, leading to difficulty resisting distractions and
delaying gratification. This may pose challenges in organization, planning, and decision-making, affecting academic goals set and task management.
Furthermore fluctuations in neurotransmitter systems such as dopamine may result in heightened sensitivity to rewards, leading to difficulty staying
focused on academic tasks and susceptibility to boredom and disengagement, affecting motivation and interest in learning.

During this period of their lives adolescents are most likely to engage in risky behaviors for various reasons such as peer pressure, curiosity, emotional
struggles, anxiety and depression as these factors occur due to the fact that they don't have the mental intelligence or maturity to shut out negative external
influence or deal with anxiety, depression or low self esteem in positive and rational ways.
Risky Behaviour and Healthy Decision Making

Adolescents' coping strategies refer to the methods adolescents use to manage and deal with stress, emotions, and difficult situations. U healthy coping
strategies that adolescents usually turn to if they are struggling include: substance abuse, self harm (such as cutting themselves), avoidance and withdrawal,
and eating disorders such as (bulimia or anorexia).

Adolescents could definitely avoid such feelings and behaviors by seeking alternate ways to dealing with these problems. Such could include talking it out
with a friend, relative, parent or a professional as it helps in making you realize how menial the problem may be and the feeling of being alone,
misunderstood and depressed dissappears or lessens. They could also choose to avoid bad company as it corrupts the mind and start seeking to hang out
with people who are positive or on the same mission as them. This will aid in having a positive outlook on life and promote progressive productivity.
Another technique that could be useful is taking a break from tiring tasks and duties because sometimes the biggest of problems are caused by the subtle
fact of low energy levels, so doing so might relieve the brain from working, and providing you with the time you need to restore and recover from
straineous activity.

Effective healthy coping mechanisms that adolescents could implement to assist them in dealing with their troubles could include exercising and eating
healthy as this produces dopamine in the body, and aids the brain in thinking clearly, thus relieving it from tension fatigue and stress which usually
influences negative emotions. Furthermore taking on a hobby or partaking in an extra mural activity may be relaxing and great for someone going through
a difficult time as it is a healthy distraction that promotes creativity. Adolescents can also practice creative expression like journaling painting or drawing as
it provides s healthy outlet for processing emotions and coping with changes.

It is important for adolescents to develop skills to help them make healthy lifestyle choices. Critically thinking and decision making is an essential skill
they should have as it provides them with the ability to think carefully and and analyze a situation in order to make rational and effective decision when
faced with a challenge. Self-Awareness and Self-Regulation goes hand in hand with the previous one as well as it provides the adolescent with the capacity
to practice self control in public and provoking situations, this comes in useful when it comes to avoiding unpleasant situations (such as arguments and
cyber bullying), that one could find themselves in. Another great skill to acquire at a tender age is communication. This skill single handedly solves half of
most people's problems, as an adolescent knowing how to communicate with your peers and surroundings provides you with the ability to communicate
your reasons and values for doing and not doing certain things. Most people respect anyone who has such a skill so meandering through life with such a
skill becomes way much easier.

Planning For The World Of Work

Career fields are ways of categorizing different types of jobs based on common similarities, shared skills, knowledge and tasks. Job security is very
important and it can be indicated by several characteristics.

High demand is one of the most common ones. Industries with growing demand for services or products offer more job security. These are fields like
healthcare and technology as there is always a need for health facilities and innovation in industries influences technological advancements exponentially.
Furthermore career fields where skills are easily transferable such as professions like project management tend to offer greater job security.

Other Characteristics that indicate job security are continuous learning and government regulation or stability. Fields that require ongoing education and
skill development such as software development tend to offer more job security as professionals can adapt to changing market demand. On the other hand
career fields influenced by government regulations also offer much job security duecto their stability such as public administration.

Developing skills and competencies during high school is an essential habit everyone should take advantage of. "Indeed" the American worldwide
employment website for job listings says "Your soft skills can determine the success of your social interactions, the timeliness of your work and your
ability to mediate conflicts on behalf of your employer to build a great reputation." This highlight the key factors of how bigcthe role of these is in
shaping you for your career.
The acquisitions of skills and competencies during highschool showcases an individual's proactive approach to personal and professional development and
employers are attracted to an individual who is committed and eager to demonstrate a willingness to learn and grow. Furthermore skills such as
communication, teamwork, time management, and problem-solving can enhance your first-time employability as they are highly sought after by employers
across a number of industries.

Adolescents can acquire transferrable skills while still in high school through many different ways. Extracurricular Activities such as sport teams, debate
clubs or volunteering committees can provide adolescents with opportunities to develop transferable soft skills as these activities offer hands-on
experiences outside the classroom.

Another buisness venture they can try out while still in school is Part-Time Jobs or Internships during tye holidays as this exposes them to real-world work
environments and helps them acquire transferable skills

The last way in which they can acquire transferrable skills while still in school is academic projects and competitors as participating in things such as
science fairs or math competitions can enhance critical thinking and promote management, problem-solving and presentation skills. These skills are not
only transferable, but also beneficial to your efficiency as an individual promoting productivity.

A positive work environment is very suitable to an individual's specific needs as it aids them in achieving greater enjoyment and productivity in their work.

One of the most common benefits for an individual in such an environment is increased motivation and engagement as they are at ease so clear
communication and creativity is promoted as the environment does not cater for negativity. Furthermore the individual does not feel oppressed or
obligation to act a certain way so working hard and going above and beyond to improve in their line of work becomes second nature.

Another positive effect of having an excellent working environment is improved well-being and reduced stress as a work environment that aligns with an
individual's needs contributes significantly to their overall well-being and mental health. A good example of this is companies accommodating a preference
for remote work as this aids in helping the individual establish a work life balance as they are working form the comfort of their own home.

Conclusion

As adolescents ensure that their future goals are not disrupted by difficulties they could face during thsi period they should have strategies put in place that
will help them do this more efficiently. Therefore goal setting and planning are very crucial strategies as this encourages them to break down long term
goals into smaller, actionable tasks, emphasizing the importance of flexibility and adaptability when anning and setting goals as things don't always go as
planned so leaving room for changes to occur keeps them focused and positive when working towards them.

Adolescents should also put in the time to learn how to build resilience and coping skills as such a strategie will set them up for disappointment and stress
induced periods of life during highschool. This will also encourage the development of healthy coping mechanisms such as mindfulness, self-care, and
stress management techniques useful for navigating through challenges as an adolescent

Adolescents can use their deepening emotional awareness to create stronger and healthier relationships. Effective communication is definitely one of them
as they can use their deepening emotional awareness to express their feelings openly and honestly, establish empathy and clear communication in their
relationships.

In addition to that by understanding their own emotions adolescents empathize with others' feelings and perspectives, building trust in their relationships
and promoting empathy and perspective-taking within their own character leading others around them to feel understood.

Through taking advantage of their deepening emotional awareness they can learn conflict resolution skills. This will aid them in managing conflicts
constructively and learn how to resolve menial issues that spark friction between colleagues and peers. Furthermore such enables them to build a positive
outlook toward conflict resolution rather than being defensive all the time, preserving relationships and promoting a supportive environment where
everyone feels repected and heard.

High school leamers could implement various research strategies while still in school as that could lead to more opportunities within different career fields

Informational Interviews are a very good example of strategies that endless highschool students to access more opportunities within different career fields.
Students should reach out to professionals in fields they are interested in so that they can conduct informational interviews. This involves asking questions
about the industry, required skills and job roles. Furthermore it provides invaluable first hand insight and networking opportunities.

Another one to look at is online courses and tutorials. With so many online learning platforms, students can explore the introductory courses in various
fields to gain knowledge on the fundamentals to look out for, as this helps understand their interests and establish a commitment to their future career.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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