What’s the first thing that comes to mind think of when someone says the words teen pregnancy? Maybe it is someone you know, or maybe it is one of those cheesy shows from MTV. Whatever comes to mind,we all know the stereotypes that come along with the saying. For many people the mere thought of a “teen pregnancy” could be enough to put an end to their dreams. However for Tricity Gustafson, this only means that she will have to work harder to achieve her goals.

Nearly one million teen girls get pregnant each year, up to 45% of these pregnancies occur in America alone. According to Women’s Forum magazine, researchers are also counting in the fact that other countries may report an even lower annual teen pregnancy rate since they fail to generalize statistics to include religious or cultural factors that may force teens to marry and conceive. Meaning that some cultures and countries do not add some married teens into the equation that make up the statistical numbers reported on how many teen pregnancies there are each year.

The real question we are all wondering is why teen pregnancy is such a dreaded idea. What is so wrong with a young lady wanting to start her family early, while her body is in its prime and able to snap back? What is wrong with someone who may very well have their life together, attempting to improve their life with the added joy that a child brings.

“It should be a personal decision, it shouldn’t be based on what other people think. I really don’t think that other people should have the right to look down on teen pregnancy or anything, because it is not their life and it does not affect them in any way. In some cases maybe the teen parent should not have kept their kid, but I know I am going to do everything I can to give my kid a great life,” senior, Tricity Gustafson said.

Of course many of the stereotypes formed by today’s society are likely due to the media. Television programs such as ‘Teen Mom’ and ‘16 and Pregnant’ can give people a negative connotation. Although these shows were created to reduce the amount of teen pregnancies, many people find that the show is glorifying the lifestyle. Even as the show displays all of the hardships that come along with being a teen pregnant many viewers still find that the show is encouraging teenage pregnancies.

“I honestly think that those shows are really, “trailer-parky” and i think that they give a bad image to teen pregnancy. I know that with my mom and I it wasn’t like that and with the way me and my baby are it’s not going to be like that either. I think that they put their kids through a lot and i don’t think that they should. I think they are all really immature and I just think that they are unnecessary. It is their lives, it is their kid and they are putting them on these reality shows, and then fighting with their mom and fighting with their boyfriend all for publicity and it is all while their kid is trying to grow up surrounded by it all and I think that is wrong.” Gustafson said.

It’s 2015 and people are going to have their opinions, and seeing as many of the opinions that those people form aren’t going to be based on facts it is only logical to believe that ignorant comments will be made. Luckily Tricity Gustafson isn’t one to let the haters get to her.