Innocence - thing of the past.

I will never again complain about how I was brought up or the morals and ethics that I now hold firm. I have spent a day at uni which means I have also spent a lot of time on trains and train stations.

What has happened to innocence and the concept of being a child?

Little school relationships were defined by reaching different bases.

First base was establishing your friends could communicate well and that through Chinese whispers, you and this guy were destined to be together. You came under the bracket of cutely innocent when you asked your best friend to ask her third best friend from a different group to ask the guy who sits next to that guy in class if he thought you were cute. Then he would reply by saying to the guy he sits next to to tell your second best friend twice removed that he thought you were cute and maybe you would go out with him.

Second base was the first date. This, in some of my friends cases, consisted of walking a lap of the school oval. You would be standing two metres from the love of your life. The best friend representatives of the two parties involved could be found in hot pursuit only a step behind the doting couple. The man of the relationship would puff his chest and occasionally get protective if a rogue football was kicked in 'their girls' direction. The girl would giggle and over dramatise situations. (Yes, I did do this – oh risque little me!)

How Edwardian of us and we didn't even notice.

Third base. This was when you knew things were reaching crunch time. It was make or break for the rest of your life. Who cares about meeting the parents, setting up a career or establishing yourself. If a guy could not handle a day at the movies down at Penrith Plaza with you AND ALL YOUR FRIENDS then no way honey, get rid of him! He is so not right for you! You would spend the whole day not talking to him, this meant it was a successful date and you had powered through third base with flying colours.

Despite this progression and the clear chokehold cupid had intended for us young lovebirds, many relationships bloomed and then wilted! How on earth did these three bases fail? What possibly went wrong? What made the spark disappear?

Mind you, I am glad I experienced those innocent relationships. They have made me a stronger person. I have learnt a lot about myself, who I am and what I will tolerate thanks to those relationships.

Innocent relationships these days teach the youth of today lessons as well. Unfortunately, their innocent life lessons include pregnancy, addiction and what the legal system.

Sitting on Penrith station this morning, waiting for my train to leave for Kingswood I enjoyed the entertainment supplied by school kids. It was not a production of maturity or sensibility. Rather, it was a display of youthful activities of the 21st century.

"F**ing pass a smoke aye." 

"Piss off Ryan ya f**ing dick."

"Yeah, nah, ya get this train so ya have time ta av some smokes aye before class."

PEOPLE, ITS NOT EVEN 8:15! I don't know any of my friends from school who could manage to say hello or how are you before recess. Kids these days are so much more advanced. Not only can they have conversations, but the language is extensive and so very eloquent. 

As I sat watching them I wept quietly to myself. 

All they did was stood there, swearing and smoking. 

Lets not even think about the legal side of this issue! Or should I say illegal. If you are a)in a school uniform, b) waiting for the public transport to take you to school c) have a backpack clearly too small to fit anything in it other than a wallet and mobile phone or d) screaming/giggling with your girlfriends in a language defined by LOL, ROFL and OMG then you are clearly a school student. School students are generally under 18. I am pretty sure the smoking law is over 18! Bit bloody obvious guys!

Dignity children! Self respect! I promise you will appreciate it one day.

Embrace your childhood. Why is it that people long to grow up and age faster these days? The significance of turning 18 just doesn't matter anymore. Even turning 16.

16th birthday cards now traditionally say,

"Happy Birthday!

Yay you can DO IT...LEGALLY!"

Don't have sex! Save yourself the drama. You should be worrying about The School Certificate and Justin Bieber. You shouldn't be worrying about the pill, condoms or being baby mummies and daddies. Babies are not toys!

When it comes to turning 18 and once again getting legal rights, the enjoyment isn't there anymore. Who cares about being legally allowed to drink when from the age of 12 you have been throwing up in gutters and your best friend's mum's car. There is no fun in doing something that is your usual saturday night out.

Ok i acknowledge I was probably a shit teenager who broke rules, who rebelled but come on. Is there not a different between breaking rules and breaking the law?

I think the consequences of each experience is quite different.

Alas, i could go on and on about this. Instead, I urge you to watch the youth of today and as you watch them, I can promise you this, saying "I hope I wasn't like this when I was that young" is justified (and more than likely true).