Writer’s Overload, Fairy-Tale Endings,

and Mr. Right Now

By YOUNG & FREE writer CORINNE VANCE

One - - - - Wait

Follow Corinne on Twitter @corinne143.

Time and time again I have sat patiently in front of my computer screen waiting for a thought to stimulate my mind and put my fingers to work on my keyboard. I have desperately attempted to pull emotion out of the most impassive experiences I could think of, but it simply isn’t possible to make a trip to Wal-Mart or a lazy Sunday interesting.

Previously, I have wasted hours trying to write something worthwhile and ended up with dozens of one-line articles. But, today as I sit at my computer, I am faced with an entirely different problem. Writer’s overload.

When I begin to write, I start by thinking about the things in the world that impact the majority. Then, out of that vast list, I narrow it down to the things that have influenced my life, also. These things include relationship problems, facing racial issues, life-threatening experiences, big decisions, and rising up after falling down–all things I have written about. So, what do I write about now?

Although I am not directly influenced by teen pregnancy, abuse, poverty, fame, or other significant issues many people face, I am enduring their second-hand effect on a daily basis and in turn suffering from writer’s overload.

Things used to be so much simpler. Gentlemen used to court ladies and win their love before winning anything in the bedroom. People used to treat each other with respect and now we are defaming people we don’t even know through cyber bullying. Famous used to be worthy of fame for their accomplishments, not because of their scandals.

And, if these alterations weren’t enough already, our society has invited them into our homes for their sheer entertainment value, thereby allowing ourselves to receive their second-hand effects.

With shows like 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom on MTV and an increasing number of teen pregnancies in my hometown, it is impossible for society to ignore. Accidents happen and young couples get pregnant; this has been occurring for a long time, but only recently has it become a way to achieve fame.

When the first 16 and Pregnant season aired, we were given a front-row seat into the lives of four pregnant teenagers. They faced struggle after struggle trying to keep their relationships in tact, complete high school, hang onto friends, mature, and make enough money to support a family, and more. Every day was a challenge, and the more we watched the bigger the characters loomed in our psyche.

They evolved from just being teenagers who had gotten pregnant to stars who were now being followed by paparazzi everywhere they went. The show was a hit, and it seemed like the bigger it became, so did the number of pregnant teens they had to choose from in the U.S.

As much as it sounds like I am looking down on these pregnant teens and blaming them, I am not. I place the blame on the those that use the struggles of these people’s life for their pleasure. And, I can’t deny that I have watched the show myself. But after each episode it leaves me with a small pit in my stomach, because I realize that with each episode also comes the acceptance for the actions as a social norm.

Child negligence and relationship abuse are rising on the show each time I watch. The couples become more violent towards each other and the children often seem ignored. Yet we still follow these girls’ lives through TV, magazines, the Internet, Facebook, and Twitter.

Every little girl grows up playing with baby dolls and dreaming of their wedding day. What girl doesn’t want a fairy-tale life? But the fairy tale has morphed. Sex is a powerful thing–it brings out all of one’s emotions. It complicates relationships, and it forms an attachment between two people. An act this powerful used to be rightfully reserved to the people old enough to handle it’s intensity. However, as the world has gradually evolved into becoming a less-sheltered place, more and more young people are partaking in this impressive act– attaching them to a person they might not want to be attached to down the road. This is inevitable–especially when pregnancy is involved.

The world is in such a rush to grow up and find their fairy tale ending. The hard, most important part is knowing when it IS the ending, and not stopping too short of the finish line. Everyone wants to love and be loved in return; therefore, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the relationship at hand.

But we should remember to take a step back and realize that Mr. Right might just be Mr. Right Now.  So don’t give more of yourself away to Mr. Right Now just to keep him around. Save all you’ve got for your Prince Charming. It’ll make the ending much more magical.

Follow Corinne on Twitter @corinne143.

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A drawing by YOUNG & FREE Delta Bohemian Columnist Corinne Vance.