Missing out because of Covid, exam pressure and feeling anxious without a phone are some of the biggest concerns for teenagers, according to a new survey commissioned by BBC Bitesize and 5 Live.
A poll of more than two thousand 13-18 year-olds helped give Bitesize an even better understanding of what it’s like to be growing up in 2023. Here are some of the findings and some helpful tips and advice.
What’s the most important thing in life?
When asked what was the most important thing in life right now 66% of teenagers said ‘family.’ That was the most popular answer with ‘friends’ ranking second (17%) and ‘school work / grades’, third (11%).
Sixty-six percent of those surveyed said they enjoyed school or college with almost nine out of 10 (88%) of those saying ‘seeing their friends’ was the part of school life they enjoyed the most. Just over half (56%) said they enjoyed lessons.
What to do if you’re feeling anxious?
When asked how often they feel anxious, just over a quarter of the those surveyed said all or most of the time, while 45 percent said they feel anxious at least some of the time.
If you’re feeling that way, you’re not alone and there is help and support available for you. It’s always important to talk to someone about the things you’re worried about, so make sure you reach out to a trusted adult.
There’s plenty of help and advice on dealing with anxiety and other issues that affect your wellbeing in Bitesize Study Support’s Wellbeing collection, where you’ll find articles like Four questions on anxiety answered and Understanding feelings of anxiety and low mood.
However, when asked what they felt most anxious about more than six out of 10 (64%) of the teenagers who said they feel anxious all, most or some of the time said 'passing exams and getting good grades'. This is understandable – exams are important! There’s plenty of support on Bitesize Study Support to help you understand how you can study smarter and loads of tips on exams and revision to help you out when it comes time for all that. And of course, we've got hundreds of BBC Bitesize revision guides to help you out too.
While exams are important, they’re not everything and you’re so much more than just the grades you achieve. Check out our results day collection, where you can find help and advice on what to do if you don’t get the grades you need.
What was the impact of Covid?
Almost eight out 10 (77%) of those surveyed said they thought that people their age had missed out as a result of Covid and lockdown. When asked what they felt they’d missed out on most, 56% said education and 46% said social interaction.
Are friends better online or in person?
Teenagers prefer meeting each other in person but see connecting online as the main way to keep in touch, according to the survey which was conducted by Survation on behalf of BBC Bitesize and 5 Live.
When asked for the main way they connect with friends outside of school more than half (55%) said ‘online’, via social media or messaging apps, while 40% said meeting face to face. However more than half (59%) said they prefer meeting in person to meeting online. If you feel like you need some tips on good ways to make new friends then check out our video How to make friends and manage difficult relationships in secondary school.
Should I be worried about how much I use my phone?
Smartphones, and other connected devices like tablets, featured heavily in the survey. Sixty-eight percent of teenagers said they were not concerned about the amount of time they spent on connected devices, with three out of 10 (30%) saying they were concerned.
When those with smartphones were asked how they felt about not having their smartphone with them 56% said anxious but 85% said they have never considered giving up their phone.
The future
Sixty-six percent of the teens surveyed said they feel positive about their future. Did you know that BBC Bitesize isn’t just here to get you through your exams and revision, but that we’ve also got loads of advice for your next steps with our huge collection of videos on careers and advice about college, Uni and apprenticeships? Head to Bitesize Careers to find out where your favourite subject could take you.
Want to read more?
Whether you want to understand anxiety, learn about healthy relationships, or discover how to stand up to peer pressure – we’ve got you covered!
Visit Bitesize Support to read more or continue exploring with Other Side of the Story, for content exploring AI for homework and phone usage.
Teen 23 is a survey conducted in the summer of 2023 by BBC Bitesize and BBC Radio 5Live, where over 2000 teenagers aged 13-18 answered questions about the issues important to them. The results of the survey have helped us to get to know you and the issues that affect you, from your feelings about the future to your feelings about yourself.
This survey was conducted by Survation interviewing 2014 teenagers aged 13-18 years old online between 16th to 25th August 2023. 1035 were boys and 980 were girls.
If you need support
You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.
If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are more links to helpful organisations on the BBC Bitesize Action Line page for young people.
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