'But, you're only 17'

Now that I'm 19 years old, this phrase is few and far between, but back when I first wrote this post as a 17-year-old, it was a constant cause of frustration in my life. It's a topic I feel strongly about and something I still want to address, for all the frustrated teenagers in the world who still have to hear this every day.

I have never understood how some people believe that age defines who you are. You are not just a number. There was a time when innocent people were categorised and reduced to just a number, no name, no identity, they weren't even seen as humans. Of course, this is on a much larger scale, an extreme case, but the fact that in current times we assume what someone is like based on a number, their age, is too similar. It's like what someone has to say, think or feel, is completely thrown away as insignificant once their age is brought into the conversation and this prejudging needs to stop.

We have all experienced at one time or another, being told, 'Oh, you'll understand when you're older.' It can be a parents signature catchphrase when you try to join in on a conversation, or elder siblings mocking taunt to disregard your input. Everyone has gone through their own hardships and cruelties that life loves to throw at us. You can't assume someone has gone through less, had an easier life, or overcome little just because of their younger age. You can't assume, they know more or less about the world, or that they are more or less intelligent than you. You can't assume anything about anyone because of their age, it means nothing.

One of my favourite quotes is, 'Some people live more in twenty years than others do in eighty, it's not the time that matters it's the person.' This fits wonderfully with what I'm attempting to articulate. The idea that someone couldn't possibly know what they're talking about, or understand a situation because of their age is utterly ridiculous. Someone who is 14 with a passion for Shakespeare knows a lot more than a 50-year-old who has never picked up a play.

The ideology of society that the number tattooed upon your life plays such a significant role in the way people see or respect you, your knowledge, your lifestyle choices, goals, work ethic, beliefs, dreams, hobbies, interests or understanding of the world, is absolute rubbish. There is not a cut-off point for people to enjoy things. Your age has no implication on the things you are entitled to like, the things that make up who you are, or the opinions you can share. Don't let anyone tell you you're too young to enjoy something, or too young to be part of a conversation that you are knowledgeable about. Your age shouldn't even come into question.

At what point do people stop looking at your age as a factor of your knowledge and understanding of the world? Does it ever stop? Or is society in a constant state of judging people based on how many years they have walked the earth?