There's a first time for everything: understanding adolescence

Adolescence has been regarded as a stormy, emotionally turbulent time by many. Some have blamed physiological factors; others have pointed to peer pressure and intimacy. This paper examines the phenomenon of the "first time"--the teenagers first date, first job, first sexual experience. Since these "firsts" are embued with an inordinate amount of emotional investment, they offer an alternative understanding for the "storm and stress"--the emotional underpinnings of adolescence.