It Gets Better

There have been a number of "It Gets Better" videos produced to show gay kids that, as bad as things are for them right now, the future is a better place. Videos like this one, from the folks at Pixar.


But I have to agree with Hal Duncan. Had I seen this as a teen who had a difficult time in high school (not as bad as some but definitely worse than others), I'm not sure they would have reached me. The big question kids have that these videos don't address is when. When does it get better?
I'll let him answer that (there's a fair bit of swearing in this video, but he definitely makes his point).


The answer, for those of you who don't want to watch the video, is 'when you leave high school'. And it's true. Whether you head to university, college or the work force, life is better once you're out of the high school environment. It's hard to imagine when you're there, but the friends you have now (if you have any) won't be the friends you have 10 years from now. I heard (and disbelieved) this from a teacher in high school, the friends you keep as adults are the ones you make as adults.

If life is bad, focus on school. Get good grades and ignore the rest as much as you can. Make it to your twenties. Make it to a time when you can live on your own and meet more enlightened people than the jerks you know in high school. If you've got the education, once you're out of high school you can follow your dreams. Wherever they take you. You will leave all of those people behind, like in Katy Perry's song Firework.


And this message is for everyone whose high school experience is the pits, whether your gay, visible minority for where you live, depressed, ostracized, whatever.

It does get better. Just live to see those days.

And like Hal Duncan said, your being in this world is part of what will make that future a better place, for you and others like you.