17 things London teenagers want adults to know

We asked more than 200 teenagers to reveal what they wished older people knew about their lives, here's what they said... 

1. Just because I don't smile on the bus, doesn't mean I'm a criminal.

2. Take our mental health seriously. Do not call it 'tantrums' or 'behaving like a child'. It affects everyone and anyone.

3. We're not lazy, we're often overwhelmed and tired.

4. Stop ruining the housing market. Let us use all the houses no one lives in. Build more council houses.

5. It might look like we’re doing nothing when we’re sat at home on our phones but really we’re interacting with people, contacting, networking and learning about the world.

6. There are so many movements, so many exciting causes that young people have organised via social media, and are actually affecting meaningful progress and change.

7. Take us more seriously. Leave off teenage girls in particular.

8. There's nothing wrong with taking selfies.

9. Lots of teenagers this century usually have creative mindsets and want to create their own paths and ideas. We might not get money from it straight away and that’s fine.

10. Back in the day it was easier for people to get jobs quickly whenever they wanted, but now it’s harder for us to get jobs. Especially if you’re from the ‘hood’ and you have a lot of stereotypes being put on you.

11. Stop shutting down clubs like Fabric. Whoever these adults are that are making these decisions… it sucks.

12. We’re more mature than you think. Seventeen in London is 25 everywhere else.

13. Our issues and ideas about our identity, gender and sexuality are valid and can’t be put on hold until we’re adults.

14. Please realise that WE DON’T HAVE MONEY.

15. So many events are 18+, with not much being organised for teens to do. Therefore there shouldn't be many complaints of us wasting our time or doing something useless like just hanging in the park.

16. We're a different generation, not a worse generation.

17. Thanks for Brexit, fuckers.