The Great Debate: Should Teenagers Get Into Relationships?
- ferdiepostexco3
- May 11
- 3 min read
Prop: Hussain Sayed
Opp: Claudwin Jones
Proposition
Before everyone panics and thinks this is some crazy “date immediately” campaign, relax. We’re not saying teenagers should run off and plan weddings. We’re saying relationships can actually be a normal and helpful part of growing up.
1. Relationships Are Practice for Real Life Let’s be honest. Nobody is born knowing how to communicate, say sorry, or deal with feelings right away. Relationships help you learn these skills for life. You learn how to talk things out, respect boundaries, and deal with misunderstandings. While your brain might not be fully developed until you are 25, that doesn’t mean you have to sit around like an NPC until then. Students make big decisions every day like subject choices, friendships, and planning their future. It’s better to learn how to say sorry at 16 than to be 35 and arguing about whose turn it is to wash the dishes.
2. Relationships Help You Discover Yourself Some people say teenagers should figure out who they are first. The truth is, relationships actually help you do that. When you connect with someone, you learn what you care about, what your boundaries are, and what kind of person you want to be. It’s like a mirror; sometimes a relationship shows you sides of yourself you didn’t know existed.
3. Not Everything Has to Last to Be Valuable Just because something doesn’t last forever doesn’t mean it was pointless. Friendships change, hobbies change, and favourite foods change. That doesn’t mean those experiences were a waste of time. Teenage relationships can teach confidence, emotional strength, and communication—skills that stay with you long after the relationship ends. Not every relationship needs to be forever; sometimes it’s just a lesson.
4. Teenagers Will Always Have Feelings No Matter What Teenagers having crushes is nothing new. You can’t stop people from having feelings. Someone will still smile when a certain person walks past, care about how their hair looks before school, or check their phone every minute. That’s part of growing up. The real question isn’t “Should teenagers like someone?” The real question is “Should they learn how to handle those feelings in a healthy way?” Pretending teenagers don’t like each other doesn’t work—it’s like pretending homework doesn’t exist. If teenagers can handle schoolwork and projects, they can handle a crush too.
Opposition
Before you roll your eyes and say “Here we go again, another relationship lecture,” let me explain. This isn’t anti-love; it’s about patience.
1. Your Brain Is Still Developing The part of your brain that handles decisions and long-term thinking is still buffering. Teenage relationships are hectic—she doesn’t reply in 30 minutes, and you think “Oh, so I’m single now.” You’re trying to survive exams and now you want emotional twists as well?
2. You Barely Know Yourself Yet Teenage years are for finding out what you like, who you are, and what you stand for. Early relationships can distract from that. You might stop hanging out with friends or change your style to fit the relationship. That’s not love; that’s losing your identity. Before finding “the love of your life,” find yourself.
3. Heartbreak Hits Differently at 16 Teenage breakups feel real and can hurt deeply. They can impact self-esteem, mental well-being, friendships, and self-worth. Why volunteer for emotional damage when you’re still learning the definition of self-esteem?
4. Academic Pressure Is Real Teenagers are already juggling tests, exams, projects, and homework. Adding relationships means constant texting, hours of video call arguments, overthinking, and break-up recovery. That’s a lot for a developing brain.
5. Most School Relationships Don’t Last You might date someone at 16, and it feels perfect. But in two years, tastes, priorities, and goals change. What seemed like forever can quickly become “this won’t go beyond high school.”
