Image by Danica Seitz

What Las Vegas needs is more spaces for teens to go and be able to hangout. Going to the same places over and over again can get very repetitive and boring. It can also be financially draining if you have to pay to go to these places. The lack of safe spaces for teens to hang out impacts our behavior and our mood. 

As Dr. Firestone writes in her Psychology Today article “Why It’s Important to Break Routines,” “The first step is to ask ourselves, are we really experiencing our lives or are we just going through the motions? We can start to look at patterns in our behavior that have become rote or even rigid ways of thinking that are bringing down our energy and cutting us off from a feeling of liveliness.”

Staying stuck in a routine can not only affect mood but behavior as well.

LVA junior Athena Deskin said, “I think because we don’t have a lot of opportunities to hang out outside of school, it makes students more willing to ignore lessons and other stuff at school because it’s the only time to hang out.”

Getting out to explore new places can improve your mood and can expose you to new experiences. When you’re trapped in the same place and are doing the same thing over and over again the mind and body can get into a rut.

“I think for me personally, being in a routine just after a while gets really tiring or just makes me feel like I’m unproductive because I need change. And if there’s no change, I just feel like I’m stuck in the same place,” Deskin said.

What Las Vegas needs is safe affordable spaces for teens and even younger kids. We deserve a place for them to grow and make good memories.

Where do you like to hangout? Comment below or take this survey.