Tropes about teenagers, adolescents, and youth, as well those in middle/high school and puberty, typically aged 13-19. Set apart by having left elementary school and being filled with hormones but not yet legal adults, they tend to lead adventurous and dramatic lives—at least in fiction.
Some of these can apply to children or adults but because they are named for those who are growing up they go here. If the title has the word "child" or "kid" in it then it only counts if it means non-adult (under 18). Comes after or blends with Youngsters and precedes Adult Tropes. See also School Tropes and Puberty Tropes.
Tropes:
- All Periods Are PMS: Irritability during the menstrual cycle.
- Appearance Angst: Adolescence is the prime time for being self-conscious over appearance.
- Artistic License – Child Labor Laws: Teens below 14 are shown working despite being too young to work in real life.
- Bittersweet 17: A 17-year-old in their Coming of Age.
- Bratty Teenage Daughter: A teenage daughter who is whiny and demanding.
- Carload of Cool Kids: A car with the windows down passes by to reveal students making harassing remarks to passersby.
- Child Popstar: Child and adolescent pop singers.
- A Child Shall Lead Them: A child, often a teenager, leads a group of adults.
- Child Soldiers: Teenagers recruited to fight in the military.
- Children Forced to Kill: A child or teenager is forced to kill someone.
- Chuunibyou: Coolness is rooted in awkward middle school experience.
- College Is "High School, Part 2": College often has a lot of the same components as high school.
- Coming-of-Age Story: Story revolves around a character maturing from childhood into adolescence.
- Dangerous 16th Birthday: A 16th birthday party which is disastrous.
- Dating What Daddy Hates: A daughter brings home a boyfriend of whom her father disapproves.
- Dawson Casting: (Young) Adults play teenagers on TV or in movies.
- Dreaded Kids' Table: The kiddie table becomes insufferable during adolescence.
- Dumbass Teenage Son: Your teenage son is slow on the uptake.
- Elaborate University High
- Emo Teen: A teen who can't find their place in life joins the nonconformists.
- First Period Panic: A girl becomes shocked over having her first period.
- Former Teen Rebel: A character used to be a member of the teen rebellion.
- Freshman Fears: Freshmen at secondary or tertiary level who gain fears at their education institution.
- Gotta Pass the Class: A teen needs to get good grades lest they fail and possibly have to attend summer school.
- Grade-School C.E.O.: A minor holds a high-ranking position in a company.
- Graduation for Everyone
- High School A.U.: Fan Fic where the characters are in high school.
- High-School Dance: A high school prom.
- High-School Hustler: Someone who gets through high school using rebellion.
- High School Rejects
- High School Rocks: High school is portrayed as fun.
- High-School Sweethearts: High schoolers who enter a relationship.
- Hormone-Addled Teenager: A teenager who is ruled by their sex drive.
- Kiddie Kid: A teenager who's very childish and immature.
- Kid Hero: Children save the day.
- "Leaving the Nest" Song: Many songs of this nature tend to involve teenagers leaving home for college and/or adulthood.
- Menstrual Menace: Periods are linked to supernatural powers.
- Minor with Fake I.D.: A character under 18 presents a fake ID to be granted access to an adults-only place.
- Most Writers Are Adults: Teenagers behave a lot like adults in fiction.
- No Periods, Period: A female character of child-bearing age is never shown going through her menstrual cycle.
- Ode to Youth: A song embracing the irresponsibility of adolescence.
- Ordinary High-School Student: High school student who appears normal at the start of the series.
- Parental Fashion Veto: Parent objects to a teen's outfit.
- Phoneaholic Teenager: Teens who are obsessed with their phones.
- The Promposal: The request to go to prom with someone.
- Really 17 Years Old: A minor disguises themselves as an adult.
- Recruit Teenagers with Attitude: A random group of teenagers is assembled to save the day.
- Senior Year Struggles: A high school senior faces stress about their future.
- Sex Miseducation Class: Teenagers will never learn anything from sex ed.
- Smitten Teenage Girl: A teenage girl has a nonsensical and obsessive crush on a guy.
- Teen Drama: Show targeted to teenagers which is a drama.
- Teen Genius: What the Child Prodigy becomes once they approach adolescence.
- Teen Hater: A character who hates teenagers.
- Teen Pop: Music aimed at teens.
- Teen Pregnancy: Teenage girls get pregnant as a result of having unprotected sex, often earlier than appropriate.
- Teens Love Shopping: Teenagers are portrayed as having a fondness for shopping.
- Teen Superspy: Teenagers are portrayed as secret agents.
- Teenage Wasteland: Kids now have adult power and responsibility and rule over society.
- Teens Are Monsters: Teenagers are rebellious, insensitive, and sociopathic.
- Teens Are Short: Teens in short stature.
- Troubled Teen: Teenager dealing with serious issues.
- TV Teen: The media depiction of adolescence.
- When I Was Your Age...: Adults complain about how easy the youth have it.
- Wild Teen Party: A rambunctious party full of teenagers.
- Young and in Charge: Children and teens are leaders of an adult tribe.
- Young Conqueror: A teenager who utilizes their power of idealism.
- Youth Is Wasted on the Dumb: Children and teenagers can be pretty stupid.
