Peer Pressure: Don't Give in to the Hype

   
There will always be some person in life that will pressure into doing something. Someone might try to get you to smoke, drink or even have sex. Peer pressure is a serious problem in inner city kids. Teenagers always want to be considered cool or popular. So, they try to put themselves into the situations where they can become these things. However, the people who are already considered this aren't particularly "cool". The "coolest" people are often considered as the best fighters and the ones who get in trouble the most. Essentially, they are the baddest kids around. These kids often take advantage of the kids who want to be like them and make them do crazy things.  
     In the story "The Skin I'm In" by Sharon G. Flake, Maleeka was pressured into vandalizing her teacher, Mrs. Saunder's, classroom by her "protector" Charlese. Charlese used her as a sort of "flunky" so she could get good grades. Maleeka was blinded from seeing Charlese as a bad influence, so she let her boss her around. This peer pressure is extremely dangerous because it could have gotten her kicked out of school or even arrested.  In most cases, the need for attention and popularity is so great, that the teen would do anything for it. This is how teens become victims of peer pressure. The best advice I can give on this is  just be true to yourself and live your own life to the fullest.

Complextion Complex




Different Skin Tones..Which do YOU prefer?

 I once asked a friend of mine which skin color on boys does she prefer. She said that she liked light skinned or "Caramel" boys and referred to other darker boys as "burnt" or blue -black. It was a truly harmless conversation that day, but now i realize that this really hurts.
   People are always talking about someone because of their unique skin color. In the story, " The Skin I'm In," by Sharon  G. Flake Maleeka was harshly talked about because of her dark skin tone. The boy John -John who was the main one always antagonizing her teased her constantly about her skin tone. This is a major problem because a person cannot control their DNA and change their skin tone. Therefore, you can't hold the fact that they are too light or too dark for you. I would be categorized as a light skinned girl. I have been called all types of names like "light-bright", "yellow Oreo cookie" , and even white. This may not seem like a huge problem, but it is because it can tamper with ones self esteem.Their are many teens who aren't as confident as they should be because they feel that they aren't "light enough" or "dark enough". Only thing that I have to say is that you should be happy about the things you know like your special talents and knowledge. You shouldn't be so self-conscious about something that you can't change like your skin tone.

SPEAK : What Holding Your Tongue Can Do.

       Have you ever been in a situation when something happened to you and it was so horrible, but you were afraid to tell? Or, have you ever felt trapped by threatening words and blackmail? Maybe, you just feel ashamed and don't think that you should tell anyone?  Well, I'm here to tell you that you have to SPEAK UP. Being scared to tell someone your problems is normal because many people feel as though their buisness doesn't have to be shared with everyone they know. However, you have to find the strength in yourself to be able to tell. Their are a vast amount of issues that people are ashamed to speak up about. For instance,it can be a small problem like someone having a bully and don't want to tell a teacher because they are intimidated. However, it can also be a major problem like being raped.

When something like this happens , you must inform SOMEONE!

    In the story "The Skin I'm In" by Sharon G. Flake, Maleeka was in a situation where she was almost raped. She never told her mom, but told her bestfriend. In the end, you have to tell someone! If you don't, you will be scared alone, and thats the worst fear ever.

Why Must You Degrade Me?: A Thought On Bullying and Intimidation

       Bullying and intimidation are major problems in kids no matter what ethnicity or age. Many people are effected so strongly because of it. Being bullied varies from the classic instances of "Give me your lunch money" to being pushed into criminal activity. No matter what kind of bullying it is, it all hurts the same. Victims of bullying have been known to become very anti social and even more exposed to enduring depression. The reasons for bullying are extremely vague, for bullies can talk about anything from the way a person dresses to how smart they are. This shows that people always talk no matter what you have or don't have. However, if you are a victim, you can't try to change yourself to make people stop talking about you. When I was younger, I was teased very badly. However, I never had low self esteem, so it didn't bother me and I was able to fight through it. I was able to show everyone how smart I was by earning straight As as well as showing my different artistic abilities.In the end, I was able to overcome it.

    Being intimidated goes hand in hand with bullying, but it can be a little different. The way I interpret bullying is when you are getting teased and people alienate you. However, my perception on intimidation is different. Intimidation to me is when someone scares you enough to manipulate the things you do. For instance,  in the story, " The Skin I'm In" by Sharon G. Flake, Maleeka is intimidated into doing Charlese's homework. Charlese, however, is supposed to be a type of friend and protector to Maleeka. However, she uses her to get what she wants. Initially, that is my definition to intimidation. When someone makes you do something and uses you to benefit themselves. Its all the same though, really because in the end, you can either let this destroy or make you stronger. You must choose the latter.

       To get more information, you can go to Bullying for help.

      

I'm Alone: The Obstacles of Isolation

Being isolated is one of  hardest obstacles in a teenager's life that they struggle to overcome. Isolation can be internal as well as external. I see isolation in the mind as being very traumatic for a person. On the outside of the teen, they could be very outgoing or even appear happy. However, if you tried to look inside their mind, you could see their hurt. As it gets more  severe, they become more and more difficult to actually interact with and finally become isolated and categorized as an outcast. In the novel, "Pemba's Song: A Ghost Story", she was isolated form her mom and all of her old friends. One of the first problems she encountered was moving away. To make matters worse, she started to feel as though her friends had already started to forget her. Additionally, her mom didn't see how much her problems bothered her and kind of ignored it, which made it even more difficult for Pemba. She felt extremely alone.

  If you ever feel isolated from anything varying form friends to family, I think the best thing to do is try to find a hobby that can fill the sadness of feeling of isolation. Maya Angelou went through a time of silence where she refused to speak to anyone. When she finally spoke again, she was into drama and other extra curricular activities. Also, you could try to take up writing .As an aspiring poet, writing is an escape from life, and it gives you an opportunity to express how you really feel. In the end, maybe you won't feel so alone.