What is the number one problem facing teenagers?

The number one problem facing teenagers would have to be teen pregnancy and the spreading of sexually transmitted diseases.  It is a sad, but true realization to say that this generation is experiencing things a lot younger than they really should.    

It is said that 52% of high school teenagers are already sexually active. More than half of all twelfth grade students reported being sexually active compared to 20% of ninth grade students.  Although teen pregnancy rates have declined over the years, they are now climbing their way back up the percentage chart.  According to, “Teen Pregnancy Statistics,” 820,000 teenagers in the United States become pregnant each year, meaning 34% of teenagers become pregnant by the age of twenty.  40% of teenagers who reported having sex at the age of thirteen and fourteen say that it was unwanted. Not only this, but 80% of teenage pregnancies are unintentional. 

North Carolina is not only among the fifteen worst states for teen pregnancy, but also for STD’s, AIDS, and HIV.  It is estimated that in 2011, 8,300 people ranging from the age of thirteen to twenty-four in forty of the fifty states report to have an HIV infection.  Every day, 1,000 children are infected with HIV.   Many children who have AIDS or HIV do not receive treatment, in fact, it’s only 23%.  One in five people living with HIV are unaware of their infection and over one million people in the U.S. suffer from this disease.  Many cases of HIV not only occur in the US, but sadly, occur in third world countries, which lack many of the resources and medicines to treat the symptoms of this incurable disease.  Comparing heterosexual relationships to homosexual relationships (MSM), the percentage varies immensely with homosexuals rating a lot more.  In fact, the comparison was 27% to 61%. 

A possible solution to such distressing and ingenuous statistics would be to require all public schools to offer a sex education class.  With this class, it would inform teenagers the dangers of premarital sex and sexually transmitted diseases.  Even though sex education is covered in parts of health classes, it is only taught for a week maximum.  Also, 16% of high school students reported never being taught about AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.  With this solution, it would offer the chance for high school students to learn more, which could possibly help lead to less teen pregnancies and HIV rates. 

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1956645,00.html

http://www.teenhelp.com/teen-pregnancy/teen-pregnancy-statistics.html

http://www.unicefusa.org/work/hivaids/?gclid=CNiw98CJlLYCFQYFnQodInEA1w

http://aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/statistics/

Lines of love

In Allyn Rosser’s poem, I found many of his ‘final lines’ to be the most powerful.  I was able to pick out five lines that I was able to understand and connect to.

 The first line was, “We watch the puppet show to spot the strings.”  When I read this, I began to think that what Rosser meant was that we often look for such minor details that we miss the most important part.  So often, we lose sight of what actually really matters because we’re so distracted by such minute and unimportant situations and incidents.  

Another ‘final line’ that I thought was very powerful was, “Success occurs when you forget to fail.”  This should be a quote that everyone follows.  I think that Rosser was trying to say that once you forget that there’s even the slightest possibility of you failing, you can do anything. 

“He dreams about the smiles she suppressed,” is very relatable.  I think that this ‘final line’ is speaking of a man who would love to see a certain girl happy.  He knows who she really is, but can’t seem to understand why she hides her happiness.  He longs to see the day where she actually feels genuine and doesn't have to fake a smile. 

When Rosser said, “Some stones bleed if resolutely pressed,” I think he was saying that if you constantly push and expect someone to do something, it will eventually lead to their downfall.  Some people have so many expectations that are placed upon by them by their selves and others, that they become overwhelmed and fail miserably.  

The last line that I understood was, “The bay leaf is never served with the stew.”  A bay leaf is a type of leaf that is very hard and rough and never softens even when cooked.  You’re not supposed to keep the bay leaf in the food that you cook it with because it can damage your body if swallowed.  I feel that he said this in order to contradict life.  Throughout your life, you’ll constantly be challenged with difficult obstacles that may affect you, but it’s your choice on how you respond to it. 

“Lines of Love” 

By: Hannah Lunsford

Love, the word over used by so many. 

A rare thing finding the one who is true.

People treat love like finding a penny,

And other times, some under use it too. 

It is a wondrous and beautiful thing,

But can break you in the blink of an eye.

An angel that has a halo and wing,

Or an evil spirit that feeds on lies.

A soft kiss on the cheek in the moonlight,

Or an awakening after so long.

A perfect ending to a Sunday night,

Or the tears that never end until dawn.

It is a risky adventure to take,

Though definitely worth the heart break.

Fraction friends

Jim Rohn once said, “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

I find what Rohn says to be correct.  I think you are shaped from the environment that you are grown up in and the people that you surround yourself with.  It’s your innate ability to learn the habits and qualities that others possess.  While this can be a wonderful thing, it can also be a negative thing, depending on if these people have positive or negative impacts on your life.   

My family, my boyfriend and his family, my friends: Brooke and Jennifer, and my other friends: Myranda, Peyton, and River, are the people that I spend most of my time with.  These people have made me who I am and have definitely had an impact on my life.  I choose to not be surrounded by negative people, so everyone that I surround myself with is nothing but positive attributes to my life. 

Since day one, my family has taught me to be kind to the people I meet and be wise when making choices.  They have taught me right from wrong and to know the love that Christ has for me.  These qualities have become a huge part of my personality.  It doesn't bother me one bit because I know these are qualities that all should possess.  I’m very lucky to have been brought up in such a loving and friendly home. 

My boyfriend and his family are definitely my second family.  I know that I could come to them for anything and they’d take care of me.  From the very beginning, my boyfriend has been my best friend.  He’s always been there for me, along with his family.  You could say that we have, “rubbed off on each other.”  He’s taught me to not worry so much about the little and pointless things in life, but enjoy everything that comes my way.  He’s also taught me what it’s like to smile for no apparent reason.  My favorite part about us two is that we can act foolish with the other and not be embarrassed.  This is a part of him that I have accepted as my personality.  I feel like we have both made the other a better person. 

My friends, Brooke and Jennifer, have always been there for me, no matter what situation tries to step in our way.  We three have the type of friendship where even though we don’t hang out a lot, it’s like we never went a day without talking when we do.  I know I could tell them anything and trust them to keep it between us. Brooke is definitely the most carefree one of us three.  Jennifer is the one who will always keep a smile on her face, even when times get rough.  I have accepted both traits from these two as parts of my personality. 

My other friends and I are complete opposites, but somehow mesh so well.  Myranda, Peyton, and River are truly the best of friends that I could ask for.  Myranda would be classified as the, “hippie,” of us four.  She has her own world and creates her own trends and ways of life.  Peyton would best fit under the, mother figure category.  She’s the one who always makes sure we’re all okay.  River is our little singer and song writer who could make anyone laugh with her corny jokes.  We four together form one person.  Even though we all have our ups and downs, I wouldn't trade them for anything.  I have accepted these qualities as my personality.  

What deserves our fears?

Fear: An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.

There is such thing as rational and irrational fear.  We as humans have different amounts of each.  Yes, deer kill more people annually than sharks do, but how could you not be afraid of sharks?  We base our fears on what we see as scary traits and the things that haunt us in our nightmares.  We base our fears on what we find different from the norm.  We even base our fears on people or events that happened in our past. 

Irrational fears- the ones that control you.  They stay in the back of your mind and affect everything that you do.  I think that most people’s fears are irrational.  People, including myself, worry about pointless things such as heights, their reputation, shark attacks, snakes, what kind of car that they’ll drive, what college they’ll get accepted into, etc.  The fears that are less important in the scheme of life, but play a key role.  Sometimes, fear is overrated.  We allow our mind to play tricks on us and before anything has even happened.  We begin to think, “What if?”  This then leads to the domino effect that causes an unnecessary amount of anxiety. 

A rational fear has a strong verifiable, basis in reality.   These are the ones that can keep us alive at times.  For example, my mother could have a rational fear of getting breast cancer when she is older because her mother had it.  However, she doesn't let this control her life.  Much less, she’s not sitting around waiting for it to happen either.  That’s the thing though; it’s what you decide to do with your fears.  Do you let them control you?  While some fears are necessary, majority of them are not.

If you’re a Christian, this is where your faith plays a key role in fears.  You have no control over your fate, but you do control how you spend the time that you have.  As teenagers, we don’t know our exact future, but we know what we want to do in order to make a great one.  We don’t know when we’ll die, but we choose not to worry about that and let it control our lives.  We don’t know who we’ll end up marrying, but spending our time wisely with the one who makes us happy in our lives right now.  If you think about it though, why is it that we understand all of this? We lean on God, not our fears and reality.  Even though I choose to understand the fact that God has my life in his hands, I still have my fears.  I have plenty of fears.  It's normal for human beings to have them.  

Of course, crimes and the abuse of drugs deserve our fears.  Losing a friend or a loved one deserves them as well.   Most importantly, what deserves our fears is the fact that hate, not love, is on the rise.  People are fighting with each other more and more every day.   Taking prayer out of public, institutional events is now a debate and the rate of Atheism is growing.  Basically, anything that blocks our ultimate goal in life, which is getting to heaven, deserves our fears.   

Whole Person Score

If life were to have a Whole Person Score (WPS), attributes that should be included should be spiritual, physical, and academic qualities.  These could be divided up in 33.33% each. These three qualities complement each other.  One without the other makes less than a whole person.  

Spiritual qualities 33.33%

- Involve their faith in a higher power

- The ability to be kind to others 

- Treating others the way that you would want to be treated

* The spiritual qualities are very important to me.  It shows that they are strong Christians and believe in treating everyone with respect.  

Physical qualities 33.33%

-  Being active, enjoying the outdoors, and exercising 

- Keeping up good health 

- Taking care of one’s self 

* Physical qualities are important because it shows that they have respect for themselves and believe in staying healthy. By taking care of yourself physically, you are enabling yourself to take care of those that you love and care about. You are also contributing to society because you are doing your part in keeping down health care costs. 

Academic qualities 33.33%

- The ability to do the very best that they can for their selves and their family 11

- Helping to educate others about bettering themselves instead of relying on others such as the government to take care of them 11

- Staying thirsty for knowledge 9

* Academic qualities are very important. It shows that one has the intrinsic desire to always do their best and learn more in life.  There's no limit in learning. 

Rating myself

- When it comes to spiritual qualities, I would give myself about a 28% out of 33.33%.  I need to work on my faith.  I gave myself a 9% out of 11 % on this one because at times I tend to forget that God is in control and has a plan for me.  On being kind to others, I gave myself a 10% out of 11%.  When I become stressed and angry with my life, I tend to take it out on others.  For the most part though, I try to be nice to everyone.  On treating others the way that I would want to be treated, I gave myself a 9% out of 11%.  Sometimes it's hard to remember that others have it a lot worse than me.  I need to work on realizing that if I was in a bad position, I would want someone to be nice to me.  

- When it comes to physical qualities, I would give myself 31% out of 33.33%.  I love being outdoors, exercising, and staying active.  If I'm not doing something constantly, I become bored.  I gave myself an 11% out of 11% on this one.  Keeping up good health is a number one to me and my family.  At times, I will eat unhealthy, so I need to work on that.  I gave myself a 10% out of 11%.  I do fairly well at taking care of myself.  I try and keep up a good appearance and eat healthy.  I gave myself a 10% out of 11%. 

- Academic qualities play a huge role in my life.  I gave myself a 30% out of 33.33%.  I put 110% in everything that I do.  What keeps me motivated is that if it's not an "A," then it's not good enough.  On doing the very best that I can, I gave myself an 11% out of 11%.  When it comes to educating others and bettering themselves, I gave myself a 10%.  I believe that I lead by example.  Even my friends know that I do all of my homework, I stress out if it's not perfect, and I try to influence them in a positive manner.  On staying thirsty for knowledge, I gave myself a 9% out of 11%.  I'll be the first one to admit that it's easy for a teenager to become lazy, especially when it comes to learning.  I need to work on this, so that I can keep my motivation up for learning more.  My generation is responsible for tomorrow's society.  

Letter to me

There are so many lessons that I wish I would've known before I was fifteen.  If I could go back in time and tell the younger version of myself what I know now, I definitely would. I would tell myself these things:

- You're not going to keep some of your middle school friends.  You'll eventually grow up and find that you have different interests.  You'll realize that you may be going on a different path than them and you'll eventually grow apart, even though you swore that you never would.

- At least one of your closest friends will change.  It will be the last person that you ever imagined.  Whether it's just a stage that he/she is going through, or they're trying to fit in with the newest style, they'll change and you'll grow apart.  It's going to hurt you a lot and no matter how many times you try and talk to them about it, it won't work.  You'll have to accept that this is the new them and hope for the best.

- You're going to make a "B" more than once.  When you're used to making "A's" all the time, a "B" is a hard thing to overcome and handle.  You'll stress yourself out over it.  You'll feel like it's the end of the world and you'll beat yourself up.  However, there are much worse things than this.  You'll have to accept it because it will happen again, even sometimes when you try your hardest.

- You're going to meet someone before you're fifteen. It will be safe to say that he's your first love.  You'll grow closer to him, due to your breakup with his best friend.  You'll become a part of his family and he'll become a part of yours.  He'll become your best friend, whom you can confide in for anything.  No matter how many times he makes you mad, sad or annoyed, he'll never fail to make you smile and make you the happiest girl in the world.  You'll fight and you'll say things that you regret, but in the end, you'll know that you wouldn't trade the other for anything.  You'll learn from one another and memorize the others ways.

- Spend time with your grandparents and your elders.  In the blink of an eye, something could happen to them and you'll regret not visiting them enough.

- Your dog will pass away when you're fifteen.  She will always be the family dog who everyone loved and who was a big part of your life.  She'll greet you every day when you arrive home, she'll bark incessantly when she sees a squirrel or a stranger, she'll accidentally pee in the kitchen and get in trouble, and even until her last days, she'll continue to love you uncontrollably.  Play with her and pet her when you see her, feed her cheese to make her happy, and don't ignore her when she wants attention.

- Your sister always will be the person that you can go to for anything.  Before she leaves for college, you'll fight non-stop and say harsh words to each other.  However, once she leaves for college you'll miss her more than anything.  Spend as much time with her as you can when she comes home.  You'll be able to come to her for advice and you'll be able to tell her everything without feeling like you'll be judged.  You'll have secrets just between the two of you and you'll always be able to trust her.

A New Stranger

He just came out of nowhere.  My parents let him stay because they knew he had a hard life.  God only knows why they took in such a dirty looking thing.  He's so cute though... He may be dirty, but he is so good looking.  The way that his green eyes shine just sends the hairs rising along my back.  I'd never admit that to anyone though. 

 I have a reputation to maintain.  Being the classy, elegant, and sophisticated creature that I am, it would be a disgrace for me to admit my feelings for this 'farm boy.'  That's why I act so hostile towards him.  I mean, my family just took him in as if they had known him for his whole life.  They fed him MY food and treated him as one of us.  I know I've made a few mistakes in my life.  One of them was by getting pregnant at such a young age, but I've done well since.  The kids are happy and fat and the family is doing great.  Everything was going well until he arrived.  

His name is Herman.  Whoever would think of naming their child such a ridiculous name?  My name, Dutchess, is far more appropriate.  He hangs out at the barn all of the time.  I wish he'd just stay there where his work is- taking care of the rodents.  Every night around supper time, he just randomly shows up at the back door.  I wish he would stay away so this wave of emotions that comes over me when I see him wouldn't occur. 

That arrogant strut of his and the way his voice sounds is so hot.  Sometimes I wish I could just pounce on him.  You know what, who cares what they think? He's here, I'm here.  I might as well give love one more chance... being that I am a cat with nine lives.