Bored Yet?

Today's a day off school for students (Presidents' Day). I'm friends with lots of teens on Snapchat (really, only teens on Snapchat, other than Rosalie) and I'm often surprised with how often students will post that they're bored. 

I can understand being bored if you are trapped somewhere (like a big meeting that just goes on and on, or - you know - school sometimes), but students sitting a home bored makes me feel sad for them. (And to be honest, a little jealous, sometimes. I wish I had time to be bored. I kind of miss that.)

Is it because there's nothing to do? Not usually. (That's what adults tend to think, and then we bombard them with ideas of things that they can do. Not helpful once they're teens.) Maybe there's nothing they want to do right then. I get that. Or there's so much to do they can't choose. I get that, too - see last Saturday's post. Often it's loneliness - that feeling of "I don't want to do anything by myself." I can relate to that.

I think many time students experience boredom because a lot of them haven't really learned to be self-motivated. Maybe a deeper issue is that many or most students haven't answered the question: "What do I want to do or accomplish in my life - or in this season of life?" Which ultimately comes back to purpose: "Why am I here? What can/should I do with my life?"

Helping students (and adults) answer that question is essential.