Teen Problems

Many people think that teenagers have no reason to be depressed. They don't have to deal with bills, insurance, work, the house... etc. But teens do become depressed. And it often hits them harder because they do not have enough life experience to realize that things will eventually get better. Don't get me wrong, I'm not brushing away teenage depression, I just don't think adults should brush it off so easily.
Now that that's said, we all know that teenagers have to deal with a lot of stuff that adults don't. And in the same respect, adults deal with stuff teens don't. But this page will deal with teen problems, since I am a teen and can relate.
For teen depression links, click here.

School
Fun place to be, huh? Putting up with teachers who assign hours of homework and projects like there's no tomorrow and/or their class is the only class you have. Then they complain cuz you're tired the next day cuz you stayed up half the night or all night to finish your work. Ugh.

Advice #1
If you stay up late to finish something, and complete whatever it is less than two hours before you need to get up, DO NOT, under ANY circumstances, go to bed. You will be more tired than if you had stayed up. Instead, drink some mountain dew or coffee, eat something and take a shower. Blare some music. Exercise (good choice cuz it raises your heart rate and temperature). But DO NOT go to sleep.

Advice #2
Ok, picture this: you've just spent 5 hours working on your research paper. It sounds great. But before you push that print button, SPELLCHECK and PROOFREAD. Those two things should become your two best friends. It really sucks to get an 80 only because of grammatical errors.

Advice #3
Get a daily planner. I find the kind that have a place to write daily assignments as well as a monthly calendar are the best. Write everything in there... homework assignments, tests, due dates, auditions, appointments.... EVERYTHING. It helps.

Advice #4
Don't discount "Homework Help" sites just because you're a senior. They often have links for all types of subjects as well as information for many grade levels. I think BigChalk.com is an excellent resource.

Advice #5
Cliffnotes on the web!! This is big!! They have many, many, MANY books listed, so don't waste your money on Cliffnotes, get Sparknotes for FREE at Sparknotes.com.

The College Search Process
And you thought school was hell. Well THIS is hell.

Advice #1
Be prepared. Study for the PSAT's and SAT's. Very important. If you do well, and maybe even if you don't, be prepared for a ton of mail to be in your mailbox. Everyone will want you. After awhile, I stopped reading the letters. The only one I've read all the way through since January 2000 was from Macalester College. It was funny. So anyways, be prepared for an influx of mail.

Advice #2
There are many wonderful sites out there to help with the search process. Some of my favorites are Embark.com, the US News college section, and I guess thats it. The compare colleges feature at US News is really nice, and I've found that Embark has the most detailed, easiest to access information on schools.

Advice #3
Once you've narrowed down your choices to a few schools, its time to go on field trips... err visits. A visit is the best way to get a feel for the school. For example, I didn't want to go to RIT because I thought it would be too large due to the number of undergrads, but upon visiting, I was very pleased. Ask questions, talk to students as well as faculty, and eat in the dining hall. If possible do an overnight.

Weight
There are many girls out there (and a few boys) who are unhappy about their physical appearance. Well if you want to lose weight, you know what to do. Eat fruits and veggies and exercise. If you don't like the way you look, try a new haircut, hair color, or some makeup.

Advice #1
When you are sad, don't eat. You'll most likely just feel worse afterwards. Yes it is true that some foods are "comfort foods", but if your depression is fueled by your weight, eating will only make things worse. Try doing something with your hands or going for a walk instead of eating. I've always found that brushing my teeth keeps me from eating because I can't stand the taste of toothpaste and food.

Money
This one can be a source of depression for both young and old. One of the most obvious things is to get a job, and start saving. Well here's another thought:

Advice #1
There are many many MANY pay to surf (PTS) programs on the web. If all you do is live on the internet, these can be very profitable.

Relationships/Breakups
The best advice I have for anyone in a relationship is not to lose yourself and don't turn your back on your friends-- they have the shoulders you're going to by crying on when its over.

Advice #1
Enjoy it! "You never know what you've got until its gone". He/she should make you happy, if he/she doesn't... well... maybe it's time to reconsider.

Advice #2
When the time comes that you do breakup (and yes, that time will come) there are a few songs that are just great to lift your spirits! "Stronger" by Britney Spears (my favorite!), "When the Heartache is Over" by Tina Turner, and the girls' anthem... "I Will Survive" by Diana Ross. (If you want the words, try lyrics.com or use a search engine).

Advice #3
One of the things I've always done is to make a list of his faults and look at it frequently. It really helps you to move on. Also journaling about your hurt, what went wrong, what you want in future relationships, and how you're moving on is helpful.

Advice #4
Find a new hobby! After I ended a relationship of 15 months, I discovered that I had A LOT of time on my hands. I started making jewlery, working on decoupage, painting, and paying more attention to my music. Distraction works!

Advice #5
Some of my favorite quotes from my bulletin board:

Friends
Most of us have some really odd friends that can always make you laugh. This is the time to call those kinds of people or go to their houses.

Humor
I find that jokes are always good. One of my favorite sites is Funnymail.com. It has several categories of jokes.
Comedy movies are also good. I found American Pie to be a good mood lifter, as is Home Alone (sorry i'm not up on current movies). UPDATE: What Women Want was hilarious!!
TV shows like Third Rock From the Sun, Seinfeld, Home Improvement, Ally McBeal and Mad About You are all pretty funny.

Music
Music can also make or break your mood. My favorite mood lifting musicians are Shania Twain and the Dixie Chicks. The song "Have Fun, Go Mad" by Blair also always makes me feel better. But thats just me. Listen to whatever works.

Journaling
I think journaling is one of the best things ANYONE with depression can do to help themselves. I always feel at least 50% better after I write out my worries, fears or problems.

If you have any other suggestions or problems you would like to see addressed here, feel free to email me!