Right, so super-paraphrase of my last 2 years of my life:
I started Yr 11 as a 16 year old at a massive public college, (I live in Australia, The last 2 years of school are called college) I fucked around, barely went to any classes as I thought I could just cruise through smashing tests and not doing any work. As you'd expect I found myself WAY WAY behind and got expelled for lack of attendance. (And just some other stuff they threw in)
So, I worked as a full-time labourer (Paid on casual rates in CASH!!) for the remainder of the year, $800 a week odd, I literally worked, partied, worked, partied. Because I wasn't 18 and neither was any of the people I associated with, (Other than work colleges) I saw an opportunity to make money. I got my brother to buy alcohol and I became a "supplier" of alcohol at parties for EVERYONE! I quickly began selling smokes, then weed, then ecstasy, then what is essentially speed (Dextroamphetamine) ... I got mugged twice in that time! (Just had WAY to much cash)
I met the girl of my fuckin' dreams. She dropped out of school as well, and we were a modern day bonnie and clyde. (Well, not at all really, but I like thinking of it like that haha) We just skated ... A LOT... Everywhere. We slept in shitty trashed houses together and best of all, we could crash at either of our parents houses at ANYTIME! Her house was empty EVERYDAY ... ... (If ya know what I mean Wink Wink )
Anyway...
The girl broke up with me and I freaked out. I flew to Thailand with a 15 Person team on a Christian mission that my parents paid for. I taught English in Orphanages in Thailand and slum-schools in Cambodia for just under 2 months.
NOW TO GET TO THE POINT AND ANSWER THE QUESTION!!!
When I got back from Thailand, I told my parents I wanted to go back to school, and turn my life around blah blah blah. (I think I'm back on the rails now, but, tend to smoke a fair bit of pot, which, I don't think that's that bad)
CURRENTLY- [ This VERY second ] [ Like- NOW ]
I'm sitting in Launceston Christian School's common room, as a nearly 18 year old student, RE-DOING YR 11 !!
There's REALLY REALLY SHITTY music playing, I'm surrounded by 16/17 year olds and I'm not sure whether I feel older than a 17 year old? But, my experience in comparison to these kids is IMMENSE.
TL;DR : You're average 16/17 year old has average experience. I have a little more than average. The people surrounding me are sheltered, and have non. Their heavily bias towards non-thought-out opinions that have been pressed on them from birth, as well as having no REAL-LIFE experience to have let them shape their own views anyway.