What do teenagers do in Taiwan? (besides, I assume, study!) Or even college aged. What I mean is, do they party? Drink? I’ve always assumed Taiwan isn’t as liberal as the US as far as adolescent shenanigans.
HA ! You may be surprised !
Haha, so I assumed incorrectly? The reason I ask is, I’m going to Taiwan in a couple of weeks. I’ve been there several times, as my parents are from there, but I’ve never really had a chance to hang out with other people my age. This time, I have a friend there I met in the states, and I have no idea what we’ll be doing-not that I care if it’s going to museums or drinking, I’m just curious as to what kids to there for fun. Of course, I’d prefer to be partying 
Before graduation from high school, teen life is primarily studying and attending buxibans, so it seems.
It’s not true they also have online games…
They spend all day studying/stinking up the MRT. Poor kids, they’re always either studying, or if they’re lucky enough to be naturally good at a sport they’ll spend all day “training” rather than “playing”. I think that the Taiwanese education system is great…until Middle School, then it’s just an endless hell of exams and buxibans. I really feel sorry for the kids here.
EDIT: Oh, but as you’ll be coming in the summer holidays, maybe they’ll be spending some of their time at trendy adolescent cafes. They’re pretty nice, A/Ced and serve great food too at a low price (Around 50NT for a drink, but this may vary in Taipei (add about 20% for stuff in Taipei), they also have reading material and wifi.
The Strawberry Generation? They’re pretty hooked up, online and connected (electronically) 24/7. I’ve also learned recently that they apparently start having sex around 16 these days. 
So I don’t think they’re as closeted as we have been led to believe…
Internet Cafe playing Warcraft/Starcraft/CS (yelling 幹林娘 every 2 seconds), buying cute things, being loud on the bus talking about people (specifically TES TAS kids in English), those manga reading shops, walking around Ximen taking cute pictures in massive groups, looking for foreigners to practice English with then giggling the whole time when you say “how are you?”, stalking people on Facebook and sending me stupid game/quiz requests all the time.
It’s really the same as at home though, you never know what teenagers are actually doing (…in their time not spent studying or at buxiban).
Plenty to do that is non-computer. Wandering around Hsimen with friends, or going there to skateboard/watch movies/check out street-bands and dancers. Also, hanging out by the Taipei Main Station to check out the dancing, even though they’re not all that. Many kids also like to go to places like Luxy and Room18, but you’re not really supposed to until you’re 18. Kids always find a way around that, though. Going to the beach is also pretty nice right now with summer and all that.
It will probably depend on what your friend is like, who they know, and what they’re allowed to do.
[quote=“twonavels”]Plenty to do that is non-computer. Wandering around Ximen with friends, or going there to skateboard/watch movies/check out street-bands and dancers. Also, hanging out by the Taipei Main Station to check out the dancing, even though they’re not all that. Many kids also like to go to places like Luxy and Room18, but you’re not really supposed to until you’re 18. Kids always find a way around that, though. Going to the beach is also pretty nice right now with summer and all that.
It will probably depend on what your friend is like, who they know, and what they’re allowed to do.[/quote]
Yeah, I forgot about those awful dance groups (the equivalent of a 8 year old’s hip hop class) that practice all over the place…too bad that carries over into Uni too. At least they’re having fun though, and not doing coke somewhere like my high school classmates, so that’s good, I guess…but it’s just painful to watch sometimes. I’m 22, so high school wasn’t that long ago for me, but I don’t remember any one of my classmates gathering to practice horrible dance choreography in the metro station at such a bad level after watching Step Up 2.
Watch TV
Play computer
Sleep
Go the shopping
[quote=“Super Hans”]Watch TV
Play computer
Sleep
Go the shopping[/quote]
You forgot: Give girlfriend/hopeful girlfriend a lift home standing on the stands on the back of my bicycle.
[quote=“Super Hans”]Watch TV
Play computer
Sleep
Go the shopping[/quote]
Listen the music
And then there’s the kind that lives in the petri dish.
[quote=“bismarck”][quote=“Super Hans”]Watch TV
Play computer
Sleep
Go the shopping[/quote]
You forgot: Give girlfriend/hopeful girlfriend a lift home standing on the stands on the back of my bicycle.[/quote]
That one is actually cool. It always brings a smile to my face.
Aside from studying: teenage guys here are all about playing basketball or playing computer games, besides practicing breakdance, surfing the net or reading comic books. Girls usually love going window shopping, singing at KTV, eating out, blogging, reading and watching tv. A lot of young people here also like playing musical instruments, guitar being the most popular.
Some of the cooler ones hang out at Nangang MRT station in the skate park
How is it so different than the rest of developed countries?
Teen sit! 'tis neet.
How is it so different than the rest of developed countries?[/quote]
It’s not so different, and I think that was GC Rider’s point. I think kids here are more or less like kids everywhere else.