Band 6+: In some countries young people are not only richer, but also safer and healthier than ever before. However, they are often less happy. What do you think are the reasons for this and what can be done to help?

In many developed societies, young people today enjoy higher living standards, better healthcare, and greater personal safety than previous generations. Despite these advantages, many of them appear to be less happy. This is mainly due to growing pressure, social comparison, less physical exercises, and these issues can be addressed through better mental health support, stronger family relationships, and healthier lifestyle.

One of the most widespread reasons why many young people feel less happy due to too much academic and career pressure. To justify it further, in the past people have limited sources as well as limited expectations. However, the advancement of technology and rise competitions, people are expected to achieve higher excellent grades, get into top universities, and secure high-paying jobs. As a result, they often live under constant stress and fear of failure. In addition, another one of the significant concerns is social media and unhealthy comparison. To be more precise, social media makes young people compare their lives with others all time. They see edited images of beauty, wealth, success, travel, and relationships, which make them feel inadequate or unsuccessful.

To tackle these issues, there are several measured should be implemented. The most important one is schools and universities should focus on mental health and life balance. To be more precise, schools can play a crucial role by giving greater attention to students’ mental wellbeing rather than focusing only on academic achievement. If schools promote hobbies, sports, and creative activities, it will be reducing excessive exam pressure. Furthermore, another one of the effective mixtures is encourage healthier use of social media. To elaborate, young people should be taught how to use social media wisely and not let control their self-worth. Parents should set screen time and encourage about offline hobbies and real-world friendships.

In conclusion, although young people today are more advanced than before, happiness has declined because of career tension, and comparison. To solve this problem, schools must focus on practical activities, and parents should set time limit to use mobile phone.