I feel like I've been living my life doing what other people want and expect me to do, instead of what I want. I'm always trying to live up to other people's expectations, mainly what my parents want.

But, what if I don't care about having straight A's and going to college to get a good job, because I know money doesn't buy happiness? What if I don't want to ever have kids? What if I want to do something stupid and dangerous, just for the thrill of it?

I feel more trapped every day and I'm terrified I'll never get to live my life the way I want to.

Everyone living under their 'rents' roof wants to be their own person. Trust me—I get you completely. The part that's hardest to remember is your mom, dad and all the adults who serve as your mentors and teachers, just want the best for you!

The thing you gotta do first is ask yourself: What do YOU want to do with your life? When other people are trying to tell you what to do, it can be hard to sort your own thoughts out. Though it might not be what you want to hear, mom and pops are trying to help you the best they can. Have a talk with them about what you're  thinking about trying. Or try to make a plan for yourself.

Like we said before, find something you love to do. You can make a career out of it no matter how crazy it can be! When I was in high school I didn't love typical subjects, like math or English. I just wanted to go to college and live my own life more than anything. But when I talked to a bunch of my teachers and girl friends, they all helped me realize that my true passion was art. I love art because it's an escape from everything; you can express yourself anyway you want to. I immediately got motivated to do well so I could get into a great art school.

Definitely try to test different things out and keep your options open. Who knows? Maybe you'll be in a band, take awesome pictures, discover the cure for a serious disease and hey, maybe you WILL be the world's great mom on top of it all. Give different things a whirl. You could learn to love a certain subject you had no idea about before. Oh, and um, just don't get wild in a bad way. There's a big diff between going on a million roller coasters for a thrill and doing something seriously bad for ya, like drugs or alcohol.

Yeah, it stinks right 'cause you feel like all these adults have opinions about how YOUR life SHOULD be. But someday you'll be an adult, too—one who makes difficult decisions like how to pay the bills, how to run a company or how to give kids of your own the best life they deserve. For right now, enjoy where you're at and love the fact that, yes, you DO have the freedom to experiment and make mistakes before you're old. Stay confident, work hard and you'll shine for sure!

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3/8/2010 7:00:00 AM