How To: Survive Teenagehood

30/ Try Meaningful Rather Than Mundane

From the age of about 11 to 13 all I would do with my friends is walk around town and go into the same shops week-in-week-out. And each time we would hang out we would do the same things till it became extremely repetitive. Also my city is pretty small, so there aren't really many shops to go into meaning we would end up going back to the same shops for the sake of doing something.

And I look back and shake my head. Those pointless shopping trips when no-one even needed to buy something that were just to fill time in which no one really spoke to each other weren't anything exciting or memorable. And shouldn't that be what hanging out with friends be? I'm not saying going shopping with your friends can't be amazing and exciting, but if you feel like you and your friends don't do enough exciting things here are some tips for you.

1. Look up what things there are to do in your area. Festivals, concerts, fun runs etc can make for some of the most memorable days of your year. Going to do something out of the ordinary with my friends has led to some of the best stories I have.

2. Don't be afraid to move away from the shops. Go and sit in a park somewhere or go for a walk and just talk with your friends. Put your phones down and just talk. It's one of the best bonding experiences you'll have; away from everyone else, away from distractions, those conversations will be the ones you remember.

3. You don't need to spend a lot of money to have a good time. What happened to getting cheap food and watching films on someone's laptop? I see so many younger girls at my school forming friendships based on material items and how much people can spend when they go out into the city. Friendship shouldn't have a price tag.

4. Go out of your comfort zone. Travel around! Go somewhere new with your friends, see new places and experience new things. Save up to go to that city you've never been to. It's an experience you won't forget, and beats doing nothing.

Those are just some tips on how to really make the most of the time you have with your friends. You want to be able to look back at all the times you shared with your friends and not feel like you could have done more.

So rule thirty of surviving Teenagehood: if you can't fill a book with strange and wacky anecdotes that you and your friends have experienced, then you clearly haven't lived life to the fullest.