I have always wanted to visit France. It has always caught my eye since I was a teenager. I get excited whenever I have a chance to talk about anything related to French. I was so fascinated that I started learning the language using an app called Duolingo. There is so much about France that I find interesting, such as its delicious food, amazing arts, beautiful architecture, and inspiring literature. Of course, like other countries, France has its downside too. It can be expensive, and some parts of the glamorous city of Paris are not as clean as you might expect. In this article, I will discuss what is worth learning and what is not when it comes to French, especially from a teen’s perspective. Maybe even adults can relate too. Who knows, right?
Before this teenager tells you what we can learn from French culture, let’s take a quick look at how French teenagers live. Can we actually learn something from them? Well, in many ways, their lives are pretty similar to ours. They go to school, do their homework, and go through the usual teenage stuff. But what really caught my attention were two things: their fashion sense and their involvement in politics. Indeed, French teens are known for their style and for speaking up about issues they care about. Let’s dive into those a bit more.
France is one of the countries that developed fashion into what it is today, thanks to its world-famous clothing brands. Therefore, it is unsurprising that fashion plays a significant role in the lives of French teenagers. When a new clothing trend emerges, French teens seem to pull it off effortlessly. They definitely have style!
This has both positive and negative sides. On the positive side, buying clothes from local shops helps support small businesses and keeps the local economy going. Another good aspect of being up-to-date with fashion trends is that it shows your awareness of what’s happening around you. In this case, the clothing trend, you’re staying updated with global style and your way of responding is by joining in and following the trend.
Like I said, fashion trends also have a downside. One of them is the struggle to figure out what is really best for you, which can lead to overspending. The situation is you saw a trend, and you want to fit in. So, you spend money to keep up. Well, it might not seem a big deal at first, but it will slowly wreck your wallet as time flies by. The key is to know the difference between what you actually need and what you just want. Before jumping on a trend, you have to consider whether you really want this or can you leave it.
Another thing that French teens enjoy doing is engaging in political activism. Just like fashion, this also comes with positives and negatives. On the bright side, it helps build the bravery to speak your mind. You can learn to stand up for what is right or what is wrong in your perspectives. And remember, every voice matters, even the small ones.
The negative side of political activism is that you can get easily influenced. Some teens probably join a political campaign because they think it is cool or because their favourite celebrity is in that campaign as well. But that is not a good reason. You need to know what is wrong and what is right for yourself. It is important to have your own thoughts and values so that you can decide which side you truly support. Imagine joining a campaign only to find out later that it goes against everything you believe in. That wouldn’t be fun, right?
Now you might be wondering, “Why are the French teens and even tweens allowed to join some political campaign?”. Well, the answer is because they can, and there are laws that allow them that give them right. One of the laws is from the Declaration of The Rights of Man and of The Citizen in 1789. Though they can participate in some political campaigns, they have not to break any laws. For your information, I want to tell y’all that France’s voting age is 18 years old. However, this doesn’t prevent the younger folks from participating in political activities.
Parents and school are where we, young teens, spend most of our time. So, what are their reactions? Well, it depends. There are so many types of parents; some support their children and see their political involvement as part of civic education. While others do not support them that much. As for schools, they mostly support what their students do. Some even provide students opportunities to discuss political issues and share their opinions in a respectful way.
“Do teens actually get what they want after attending a political campaign?” You might ask me. The answer is: sometimes, yes. Teenager involvement in the political world in France sometimes influences public opinion, especially on the issues relevant to them such as climate change, education and youth rights. So, do you think they get what they want? If you ask me, I’d say yes, especially if their voices are heard loudly across the country. But even when their voices are not heard loudly, they will still get what they want, which is to express their thoughts. Remember, little voices matter.
French teens have their own pros and cons. Our job is to learn from the good and trash the bad. For example, being smart about what we need so we don’t waste our money. This is one of the pros, which we can learn from. Buying everything that the trend shows, in other words, being wasteful, is one of the cons, which we need to avoid. Remember, there is always something to learn from a person, even though we thought that person was the worst human in the existence of mankind. Everyone has a lesson to offer.
So now that we know what French teens are like and what to learn from them, let’s get to our main discussion: what can we teens learn from the jolly land of France? First of all, France is old. This great land has been through a lot, and its history has plenty to teach us. Let’s do a quick recap of some of its Peaks and Leaks. Here we go!
Their Peak:
- The Age of Absolutism: France became the European giant in this age.
- The French Revolution: France experienced a huge improvement in their politics and democracy.
- The Napoleonic Age: Spread the ideals of the French across much of Europe.
- Post-World War II: France played a big role in creating the European Union.
Their Leaks:
- The Hundred Years’ War: A long and painful conflict with England.
- The Wars of Religion: The violent clashes between the Catholics and Protestants.
- World War I: France experienced devastating losses.
- World War II: The periods of trauma when Nazi occupant France.
Like other countries, France has had its ups and downs during its long history. From this, we can learn that on the road toward greatness, we definitely will experience our own highs and lows.
France is a great country for a reason. Its rich history, innovations, and smart economic strategy have helped shape the world. Like many other powerful nations, France has also created some inventions that have changed our way of life. Let me share some of the inventions with you.
- Cinema
Yes, the cinema! The place where we all could watch a movie was invented by two French brothers, Auguste and Louis Lumière, in 1895.
- Photography
The camera and the photography that we all know today were invented in 1830 through the collaboration of Frenchman Joseph Nicéphore Niépce and Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre.
- Solar power
Solar power was born in France in 1839. Although the early project had to stop due to high costs, it still became the groundwork for all the solar tech we use now.
- Stethoscope
Cool, isn’t it? The stethoscope, the device doctors use to listen to our heartbeat and other body parts, was originally founded by Rene Laennec in the 1860s.
There are still many things we undoubtedly use every day that were founded by the French. These inventors were truly amazing, and we could be as great if we are willing to learn. As Harry once said in Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix, “If they can do it, why not us?”.
We all know that France has been a global powerhouse, so it’s not a surprise that this jolly country has had a huge influence on the world in many areas. Let’s take a look at just a few of them:
- Language
French is one of the most well-known languages in the world. Believe it or not, the English language was significantly influenced by the French language in the past, especially after the Norman Conquest. It was highly inspired by the French back in the day.
- Arts and Literature
France has long been the heart of artistic and literary innovation, from the Renaissance to the present day.
- Fashion and Cuisine
Of course! French food, such as croissants and fancy pastries, is known around the world. And when it comes to fashion, their world-known clothing brands have a huge impact on how we dress today.
- International Relations
France’s global relations with other countries are the other reason why France is the most recognized country worldwide. Through diplomacy and international leadership, France continues to play a major role on the world stage.
- Human Rights
France has been declaring human rights for centuries, since the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in 1789. It looks like they have had a huge role in maintaining human rights, freedom, equality, and justice until today.
So, we are nearing the end. In this article, you have read about teens in France, the country’s peaks and pitfalls, some of its brilliant inventions, and its influence on the world. But now let’s get back to what this article is about: what can we, teenagers, learn from France? Before I give you the answer, I want you to think about it first: what do you think you can learn from France? You might have completely different answers from me, and that’s fine. We all have our own opinions. Got your answer? Alright, now here’s mine. My very simple answer is that we can be great, influential, and powerful if we want to be and if we are brave. I know this is not the answer you might be expecting. Honestly, I did not think about this answer when I first started writing. However, as this article evolved, I realized that this is the right answer, especially for us, teenagers.
Now, if you really think about it, we, teenagers, have a similarity with France: we start small. France started as just another country in Europe, and we all started as just kids trying to figure life out. But if we learn, try, and dare to go a step out of our comfort zone, maybe we could grow into something great, influential, and powerful like France. Who knows, right?
One thing’s for sure: if we want to be great, we have to try. So, instead of spending our time scrolling on our phones, we would be better off reading or learning. France did not become great by doing nothing, but they kept moving forward, and neither will we. And if you fail? Don’t be afraid to keep trying. Even France once suffered destruction as well, but they managed to recover, and now they’re as great as their enemy, or maybe even stronger.
I guess this is the end of the article. Thank you for spending your valuable time reading this article. Now that you have finished it, go do something good, something better than watching videos and playing games. Bye, see y’all in the next article!
“It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” – Vince Lombardi.