For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for September 22, 2018

I sure was a teenager once… 11 years to 15 years ago.

Ah, the teen years. You couldn’t pay me to relive them!

Out on the lone prairie our boys walk out in the sunset and talk about how terrible it is to be a teenager, even though their parents say it was the best years of their life. That’s more depressing than funny.

I never want to be a teenager ever again. These years were my most horrible years. They are the best years for some who were popular, beautiful, athletic or wealthy. I was none of those. I did play sports but I was just average. It was not just that – my hormones were not kind to me. Gordon and Lawrence did have tough teenage years. Mike had two bad romances. I think Brian was the only one who breezed through high school. And Gordon and Lawrence were lucky to have a loyal friend in Mike.

Michael, wait until you’re approaching 60 and everything has been falling apart for almost a decade. It’s WORSE than puberty, trust me!

That statement says something about their lives.

A very poignant thought from Lynn, here- older people think the world of their youth, but young people either want to be older, or are completely miserable or confused. A very “real” strip, even with the cartoonish Gordon.

My teen years? I mostly remember seeming to be mostly out of my depth about most things. And getting no answers that made sense at that time from adults or friends. As I reached the later stages of life, clarity arrived with Oh THAT’s what that meant. Day late and a dollar short, that’s me.

I don’t remember anyone telling me my teen years would be the best years of my life. CHILDHOOD, yes. TEEN, no. Very few people look back on their teen years with fondness. For me, the old adage remains true: “Life Begins at Forty”. Best years of my life began then….I’m over 60 now and I still think these are the best years, even with all the arthritis crap. LOL

I remember going thru puberty. No one talked about such things back then, at least not in my family. I thought I was going crazy. All those physical and mental changes, with no explanation of what was happening.

Long ago I was burned over 20% of my body in a gas explosion. I if I had a choice to go through that again or repeat 7-8 grade . I say blow me up again please!

We’re born naked, wet, hungry, and cold… after that, things get worse.

If the best years of life come before age 18, no wonder they are depressed! What an awful thought!

My parents never told me that and they were right!

Being a teenager was NOT the best years of my life.

As a teacher, this arc reminds me of why I would rather not have mixed classes at that age. If boys and girls were separated for the 7th thru 9th or 10th grades, a lot more learning would go on, and less trying to impress the opposite sex.

I hated my teen years or rather my teen peers. I never “fit in” with most of my schoolmates and always felt uncomfortable around most of them. I always was much more at ease in the company of adults, or kids several years older than me. I looked older than my years ( although I didn’t think so, at the time ) but always remember the feeling of “not belonging”.

Looking back, my early teen years were the most painful period in my life.

Its true. Looking back now that I am 68 I agree with those boys, being a teenager were the worst years of my life

This adolescence series has to be at least 30 years old. I was the same age as Mike was in the comics when they were originally run. I remember how often I’d read these in the paper and feel better about what I was doing in life because this captured my own feelings… just expressed them better. Now, I’m a Jr High/ middle school teacher, and this is just as accurate of the kids today as it was for my generation. She’d just have to draw in phones in everyone’s hands. The essence if the awkwardness and confusion still rings true. That’s why Lynn is one of the true greats of comics.

I like that long view from Lynn. Reminds me of “the walk” from movies….

About the teen years, I don’t remember anyone telling me that “these years are the best of your life”, even older cousins who went though the teen angst, kept repeating to me that “it gets better when you learn to drive, get a part time job, and begin to vote”. It is true that when I turned 16 and got my licence and got a part time job I felt as if I turned a corner. I was really proud when I got to vote the very first time, (and have never missed voting since then)…

I had fun, I had a job, a car, a girlfriend or three, and no debt. What wasn’t to like.

I think they were pretty good. I had a place to sleep, eat and stay warm. I didn’t have to buy clothes unless I wanted something special. My doctor and dental bills were covered. My folks covered my car insurance. (they got the multi car discount, even with me being a teen driver) All I really had to do was use my part-time job money for was my car and pizza. Yeah, it was a groovy gig…

They are guys, they are.

I wish I could have thought years back

Maybe it’s a Canadian thing? But pre-teen boys never ever EVER talk about that with each other! But they’ll sure as heck LIE about stuff!