Teenagers are complicated creatures – but, really, who could blame them?

Sandwiched uncomfortably between childhood and adulthood, adolescence can be a difficult adjusting period in a young person’s life.

It’s a time when skin breakouts are common, the pressures of high school are building, the opposite sex suddenly becomes much more noticeable, and, perhaps most importantly, parents just don’t understand.

Yup, it can be difficult to be a teenager.

Luckily, Grove City-area teens have a place to call their own as the Grove City YMCA Teen Center opened its doors on Monday.

The new center, located at 540 E. Main St., across from the YMCA, will provide a safe, fun haven for local youth, according to John Nemet, program director. He said teens are often overlooked, even as they enter a difficult period in their lives.

“The teenage population sometimes gets lost in the mix, though that’s the age when they are most at risk for drugs, alcohol and juvenile crime,” he said. “It’s important for us to take a positive stance and do something good for them.”

The YMCA Teen Center is available to all YMCA members, 13 to 17 years of age and/or those currently enrolled in grades 7 to 11.

“YMCA Teen Center membership is included in a YMCA membership,” Nemet explained, adding that financial assistance was available for all youths that need it.

“Kids have been really excited and have kept asking when it’s going to open,” Nemet said last week. “There’s been a lot of buzz. We’re expecting a pretty large group, and once school starts, we’ll get even more.”

The center did not forget its audience either as the YMCA held several forums with local teens to get input on what they’d like to see at the facility, Nemet said.

Their suggestions did not go unnoticed as the teen center is packed with video game consoles, pool table, foosball, table hockey and an Internet lab.

“We wanted to give the kids something different from what’s offered at the YMCA,” Nemet said. “It’s a safe, fun place that kids can call their own.”

The teen center also aims to keep the teens active as featured video games include Rock Band and Dance Dance Revolution, which require players to get up and move, Nemet said.

Educational services will also be available at the YMCA Teen Center, featuring specialized programs such as homework assistance, drug and alcohol prevention, anger management and teen pregnancy prevention.