If you thought you’d put high school behind you, think again.
New US research has discovered being a jock or a nerd can predict your chances of dying sooner (uplifting stuff!)
The study, which looked at nearly 50 years of data from over 26,000 former high school students in the 1960s, identified ten personality traits in teens: calmness, empathy, impulsivity, leadership, energy, self-confidence, tidiness (who was tidy as a teen?), sociability, curiosity, and maturity.
They then compared these traits to the 13 per cent participants who had died in middle and later age.
Too cool for school?
The results? Teens who showed calmness, intellectual curiosity and an aversion to being social – in short, the nerds and goths – all had a higher life expectancy, while the impulsive, sociable kids tended to drop off the perch earlier.
Interestingly, leadership and self-confidence in teens – typically seen in former school captains and popular kids – also lead to shorter lifespans (sorry jocks!)
It does make sense when you think about it – calm and mature teens will always have a better shot at living longer than that naughty kid from school who took up riding a motorcycle and hanging out at the local dive bar.
But like the researchers, we’re amazed your formative years really are … formative.
So, if your grandkids are going through an ‘emo’ phase, maybe leave them to it – just make sure they put those socks away.
