Do I Need a Mobile Phone?

Some youths carry on secret
relationships via the mobile phone

"I feel very insecure and irritated if I don't have a mobile phone with me."—Akiko.*

MOBILE phones are becoming ever more popular in many lands. They are convenient. Your friends and parents can contact you anytime, anywhere—and you them. Some models allow you to exchange short text messages, which "is the latest way for young people to feed their urge to communicate," says The Times of London. There are even mobile phones that can connect you to cyberspace, providing access to Web sites and E-mail.
You may already have one, or you may be planning to get one. In either case, you might consider the saying: "There are two sides to every coin." A mobile phone may well have some benefits. However, you may want to think about the other side of the coin, for even if you choose to buy one, being fully aware of its potential drawbacks will help you use it wisely.

"A Time Killer"

Many who start out using the phone moderately may find it taking up more of their time than they expected—and crowding out more important things. Mika used to spend a lot of time with her family around the dinner table. "Now," she says, "after we have our meal we go back to our rooms with our own [mobile phones].
The Bible advises Christians to buy out time for spiritual activities.  (Ephesians 5:16)  How sad when such precious time is taken up by telephone conversation!


source: http://watchtower.org/

How should I view my curfew?

Challenge #1: Your curfew makes you feel childish. “I felt like such a baby having to interrupt everyone else’s evening so that someone could bring me home early,” recalls Andrea, now 21.

Like a driver’s license, your curfew is a sign of progress

What can help: Imagine getting a driver’s license for the first time. In some places the law imposes restrictions on where, when, or with whom you are allowed to drive—at least until a certain age. Would you turn down such a license, arguing: “If I can’t have unlimited freedom, I’d rather not drive at all”? Of course not! You would view getting the license as a great accomplishment.

Likewise, try to see your curfew as a sign of progress—a step in the right direction. Focus, not on the limitations, but on the leeway it gives you. Don’t you have more freedom now than you did when you were younger?

Why this works: A curfew can be more palatable if you view it as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. Handle it well now, and likely you’ll be given more freedom later.—Luke 16:10.

Jehovah's Witnesses Official Website 

 

Why do I hurt myself?

“I cut my wrists so bad I had to get stitches. At the time, I told the doctor that I cut myself on a light bulb, which was true—I just didn’t mention that I’d done it on purpose.”—Sasha, 23.

“My parents have noticed my cuts, but only the ones that aren’t so bad and look like scrapes. . . . Sometimes they’ll see one they don’t recognize, so I make up an excuse. . . . I don’t want them to know.”—Ariel, 13.

“A Mechanism to Cope With Stress”

To those who are not acquainted with the disorder, self-injury may appear to be an attempt at suicide. But this is not usually the case. “Generally speaking, these people are trying to end just their pain, not their lives,” writes Sabrina Solin Weill, executive editor of a magazine for teens. Hence, one reference work refers to self-injury as “a ‘life preserver’ rather than an exit strategy.” It also calls the practice “a mechanism to cope with stress.” What kind of stress?

It has been found that many self-injurers have suffered some type of trauma, such as childhood abuse or neglect. For others, family conflict or the alcoholism of a parent is the factor. For some, a mental disorder is involved.

There could be other problems as well. Sara, for example, was in the throes of what she calls self-abusive perfectionism. While she had made serious mistakes and had received help from Christian elders, she felt exceedingly guilty over her daily imperfections. “I figured that I had to ‘get tough’ on myself,” Sara says. “To me, self-injury was merely self-discipline. My ‘self-discipline’ included pulling out my hair, cutting my wrists and arms, hitting myself and causing deep bruises, and sentencing myself to such punishments as keeping my hand under scalding water, sitting outside in the freezing cold without a coat, or going an entire day without eating.”

For Sara, self-injury was a reflection of a deep self-loathing. “There were times when I knew that Jehovah had forgiven me for my mistakes,” she says, “but I did not want him to. I wanted to suffer because I hated myself so much. While I knew that Jehovah could never have conceived of a place of torment like Christendom’s hell, I wanted him to invent one just for me.”

Some might wonder why such a disturbing practice has only come to light in recent decades. However, students of the Bible know that these are “critical times hard to deal with.” (2 Timothy 3:1) Thus, they are not surprised to learn that people—including youths—turn to behavior that is hard to explain.

We are living in “critical times hard to deal with.”—2 Timothy 3:1

The Bible acknowledges that “oppression may make a wise one act crazy.” (Ecclesiastes 7:7) The challenges of adolescence—in some cases, coupled with tragic life experiences—can provide the groundwork for a pattern of harmful behavior, including self-injury. A youth who feels isolated and believes that she has no one to talk to might resort to cutting in an effort to find relief. But whatever relief self-injury may seem to offer is short-lived. Sooner or later the problems return, and so does self-injury.

http://www.watchtower.org/

Teens Schooling 

 

AGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!  It's so hard to study,, a lot of books to read and many theories to memorize. I want to quit my schooling!!!

 A big event in any teenager's life is high-school! It may mean more freedom of choice in your education, more responsibility and maybe even leaving behind some of your friends. No wonder it is scary. You are suddenly in a huge new environment and there isn't anyone to hold your hand! You have got to find your way around your own school, find your locker, meet tonnes of new people and deal with those older students that seem so confident and self-assured. Now you have to eat lunch in the caf and there is no such thing as recess! Ok, these are all aspects about high-school - but here is what most teens are afraid of - the work! High-school is gonna be a different type of work than you are used to, and you are expected to act more independently on you school work and create a higher standard of quality work. Here are some tips to help the average student with the academic aspects of starting high-school.

http://www.teensadvisor.com/

Appearance - How significant it is?

“I think I don’t look so good. I have such bad acne. I was embarrassed about the way I looked….. I looked so unpleasant.”

They say the beauty is only skin deep.

Well, only some of us are entirely satisfied with our appearance. Few of us nearly collapse into depression when we see our reflections.  A teen-ager’s appearance can change so rapidly that, according to one psychologist, youths often “feel like strangers in their own bodies.” Many thus frustrate about their face, hair, and figure and body type.

A healthy concern about your look thus makes good sense. On the other hand, when you become over self-conscious that you withdraw from others or feel bad about yourself, then such concern is no longer healthy.

Who says your unattractive?

“Adolescence is a period of transition in which a major reorganization of the body takes place… To deal with the awkwardness of a new and changing body, most adolescents rely upon the security of their peer group”, says professor of psychiatry Richard M. Sarles. But under the scrutiny of your peers, how small, giant, slim or chubby you are can happen to a great cause of anxiety. And when others get attention than you or when you are rebuke about your looks, you can easily begin to undergo stress or depression. For that reason, melancholy over personal appearance is not always due to actual physical defects.

Look you best

As a growing youth, our appearance is still changing. Time solves problems such as pimples, fluctuations in weight.

Many youths have to live with the truth that their looks are, well, simple. “For most people, the lack of good looks is one of the most painful facts in life, one they learn early and rarely elude for the remainder of their lives”, said by writer John Killinger.

Simple hygiene can do a lot to improve your good looks. Your hair may not have the gleam of that of a movie actress, but it can be clean; so can your appearance. With your parent’s approval, you may also try to experiment with clothing and hairstyles that bring out your physical assets and down play your flaws. You can present a nice appearance with effort and imagination - even if you are not naturally endowed with good looks.  

Balance

Be careful not to make your look the big thing in your life.  A tip to think about: are not of you friends are average-looking? And would either of your parents be material for the cover of a fashion magazine? Most likely not. Indeed knowing their fine qualities, you seldom even consider about their appearances. You too have assets as a person that far is more important than any physical flaws - real or imagined.