Late adolescence generally encompasses the high school years. As a new freshman, your teen faces a new world — awed by the size of the institution, intimidated by older and more experienced students, and excited by growth possibilities that did not exist before. Wanting to catch up with what older students are able to do increases the desire for more independence. An enormous amount is taught in high school, but most of it is not from classroom instruction. It is derived indirectly from the experiences of other students and directly by acting more grown up and learning from playing the part.