#survivethejungle

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League of Legends is among the most popular online multiplayer games that are available on PC platforms. Now the game

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Relationships- The Struggle is Real

A good bit of middle school students are looking forward to high school. In Taylor Swift’s song Fifteen, she talks about being a freshman girl and wants to be noticed by an older guy. We can look to love songs all we want, but how do you truly handle a high school relationship? Education Digest states that, “High schools are failing to provide information on relationships and also abuse and sexual harassment” (Rolland, Rebecca, and Weissbourd, Richard). Both high school and middle school students need to learn what healthy relationships are and the signs of unhealthy ones.

Unhealthy Relationships Revealed

When we normally hear the word friend from a potential partner, we cringe. We want to go ahead and date the individual already. Well, here is a wakeup call. Speaking from experience, a relationship does not start that quickly. Maybe when the person you like tells you they only think of you as friend, then that is a good thing. Maybe friendship is the key to a lasting relationship. In my own previous relationship, my ex and I had nothing in common. Even though he respected my morals and values, he pressured me to do things that I would not normally do. Everything was rushed; we did not even have time to be friends. A friend is one who respects you and who you have things in common with. If your partner forces you to do things you are uncomfortable with then break off the relationship.

Abuse, sexual harassment, and cheating are signs you should call the relationship off IMMEDIATELY! Abuse is when your partner treats you with violence whether it is physically, emotionally, or verbally. Secondly, when your sexually harassed it is when someone pressure you to do sexual things or will not leave you alone about it. Also, this could include sexual remarks as well. Finally, if your partner cheats on you, for example has sex with another person or does anything else romantically with another person, then they are likely to do it again; it might be difficult to break off the relationship, but it is necessary if you want to find true happiness with someone.  Do not be afraid to talk to a trusted adult about the issue because the worse thing you can do is to keep quiet.

In high school you may feel pressure to change your morals, values, goals, attitude, and anything else for a potential partner, but always stay true to who you are because compromising yourself can lead you down a dark path. Stay true to who you are and someone amazing will come across you. If you are already in a relationship then make sure you and your partner are on the same page about intimacy, each other’s values, and how you feel about each other. Honesty is truly the best policy and it can save relationships (not just the romantic ones).

RelayHealth. "Relationships: Teen Version." CRS - Pediatric Advisor (2013): 1. Health Source - Consumer Edition. Web. 19 Sept. 2014.

Rolland, Rebecca, and Weissbourd, Richard. "Learning About Love." Education Digest 79.2 (2013): 4-10. MasterFILE Elite. Web. 21 Sept. 2014.

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Dealing with Self Image

Your body is the outer image that everyone sees. It is the source of someone’s first impression, and for most people, it’s their origin of happiness. People are going to judge you no matter what; you can’t do much about it. It doesn’t mean that judging people is okay. It just means that you have to be strong and happy with who you are. They do not know the real you, so their opinion should never effect you. Everyone experiences changes to their bodies at different at some point in life; its called puberty. “Physiological changes and body modifications lead to great vulnerability” (Chiara). This vulnerability results in a lower self-esteem for both boys and girls. In turn, they tend to look down on themselves and compare their bodies to others in a negative way. Our physical image may become something of an obsession to some of us. “Physical and psychological changes can influence perceptions of and satisfaction with body image, both of which are key elements in the development of self esteem and social adjustment among adolescents” (Chiara). The changes can produce a negative perception and a lower satisfaction with your body, so it’s normal to think less of yourself. However, this vulnerability is a stage that everyone goes through as they transition through puberty. Do not dwell on it because you are not the only one, and the truth is, someone's negative opinion of your body shouldn't effect your positive self-image. We are all built so differently, so comparing our physical looks between each other will produce a negative outlook because we will always be striving to look better than we do now.

                                If you see yourself as too fat, not pretty enough, not tall or strong enough, you are most likely wrong because you are comparing yourself to society’s standard of an attractive body type. Society’s standards portray an unreal, unhealthy, and underweight image compared to what a body type should be looking like. In a study of British female teenagers, “Although less than four percent were over weight as measured by standard tables, over ten times that number considered themselves over weight” (Davies). This statistic shows many people think they have the wrong body shape when they actually have what is a healthy body. Don’t be ashamed everyone’s body is different. A healthy body is more important that a malnourished body, no matter what the healthy size or shape turns out to be. If your body is healthy, keep it that way, and have a proud attitude because your body is how it should be. Being proud of your body can actually help raise your self-esteem, and result in an improvement of your self-image.

So do yourself a favor and love the real you. Yes, keep a healthy life style and body shape, by staying active and eating healthy, but do not look at your body in a negative way all because of what others or society say you should look like. The true you is on the inside. Everyone is handsome/beautiful in his or her own unique way. Surround yourself with people who care about you, the real you. Having friends who care about you will benefit you greatly. They will always have your back and never put you down. Friends like this are the meaning of true friends, and they will help boost your self-esteem.

           Nobody is perfect and puberty is all a part of life. It’s something that everyone must go through, so you’re not alone. You should never let the things other people say bring you down. Do not let society set the standards of what they think is a perfect body shape; everyone is made differently and that’s the way it’s supposed to be. A healthy body is a great body, and having confidence in how you look makes for a better life.

Davies, E, and A Furnham. "The Dieting And Body Shape Concerns Of     Adolescent Females." Journal Of Child Psychology And Psychiatry, And Allied Disciplines 27.3 (1986): 417-428. MEDLINE with Full Text. Web. 11 Sept. 2014.

Gatti, Elena, et al. "I Like My Body; Therefore, I Like Myself": How Body Image Influences Self-Esteem--A Cross-Sectional Study On Italian Adolescents." Europe's Journal Of Psychology 10.2 (2014): 301-317. Academic Search Complete. Web. 11 Sept. 2014.