Tag: wellness

Dealing with Tragedy and Fear

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dealing with tragedy and fear

In the wake of recent global terror attacks, such as those in France, Lebanon and Kenya, and the frequent domestic mass shootings across schools and public places within the US, it is important to pay attention to what you may be feeling in response to tragedy. It is common to experience heightened anxiety as a result of communal or global events, and it is ok to feel scared, angry, saddened and confused by random acts of violence and terror.

You may see friends and family band together on social media during times of crisis and feel a sense of unity, or you may find that no one wants to discuss the events – including you. Whether you find yourself deeply saddened by these random acts of violence or you’d rather shrug it off as something you are not directly affected by, it may help to take the time to consider your feelings surrounding these issues so that negative sentiments or fears don’t creep up and unknowingly impede other areas of your life. Here are a few ways to deal with tragedy and cope with potential anxiety and fear following a catastrophic event.

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Love Letters: Girl In The Mirror and Self Loathing

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Love Letters

‘Love Letters’ is a Petal + Sass blog feature that regularly asks a group of diverse women in their 20’s and 30’s about their experiences with health, sex, emotional wellness, body image, college, careers – and what they wish they had known themselves as teenagers. Visit the ‘Love Letters’ To My Former Self page to learn more about the contributors.

Question Posed: What advice would you give to a girl who looks at her body in the mirror and hates what she sees? Is there any way to feel better about how you look?

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Love Letters: The High School Party Scene

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Love Letters

‘Love Letters’ is a Petal + Sass blog feature that regularly asks a group of diverse women in their 20’s and 30’s about their experiences with health, sex, emotional wellness, body image, college, careers – and what they wish they had known themselves as teenagers. Visit the ‘Love Letters’ To My Former Self page to learn more about the contributors.

Question Posed: Did you experiment with drugs or alcohol in high school? Were there any repercussions? What advice would you give teen girls who are presented with the opportunity to engage in drinking and drug use?

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Sleep: How to Get Some in 10 Steps or Zzzzz.

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Sleep How To Get Some

Ok, maybe don’t count this kind of sheep. He’s a little creepy.

Zzzzz… it’s not just the sound of your phone on vibrate.

This is considered a pretty boring topic, but could add years to your life (ok, maybe not years, but at least a few more months worth of Netflix). You probably aren’t getting enough sleep. Only 15% of teens actually clock in a decent 8.5 hours a night. From overbooked schedules to midterm anxiety, late night texts and social obligations, you’re probably only taking in an average of 6.5 hours a night, when in reality you need anywhere from 8 to 10 hours just to function without dribbling that third cup of coffee down your shirt.

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5 Quick Ways to Make Friends Fast (Just Don’t Expect It To Last)

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How to make friends

If you are on the brink of heading off to college this month, or even starting a new boarding or high school, you may have been sent this recent article in the New York Times, The Real Skinny on Freshman Year. Conventional wisdom at its best – a definite read as you embark on a new adventure surrounded by strangers and boundless options.

What the piece didn’t break down was how and when you make friends. When starting a new school, this is perhaps the most anxiety-producing, keep-you-awake-at-night dilemma as you envision your new life unfolding. The truth is, the friends you make off the bat when starting a new school may not be the friends you end up keeping in touch with 10 years (or even 10 weeks) down the line – but they are important to settling in, feeling happy, and meeting those friends that will click for life. Maybe you’ll get lucky and your roommate or lab partner truly will your maid of honor someday. If not, here are 5 solid, quick tips (and their flip sides) to finding fast friends as you step foot onto a new social scene.

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CONSENT: Learn it, Live it, Love it, Love it, Love it.

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Do You Want To Have Sex.

Do You Want To Have Sex.

Is this ok?

Do you want this?

Does that feel good to you?

Should I keep going?

Should I stop?

What would you like me to do to you?

Do you want to have sex right now?

These are consent seeking phrases you should be exchanging with a partner when you are about to hook up, while you are hooking up, or when sexual intimacy is advancing to another level. You can never ask “too many times.” Being a conscientious or good lover entails more than just thinking you know when the time is right or where the g-spot’s hiding (hint: you didn’t leave it in the glove box). It involves listening to each other and respecting boundaries.

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Love Letters: My Body, My Birth Control

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Love Letters

‘Love Letters‘ is a Petal + Sass blog feature that regularly asks a group of diverse women in their 20’s and 30’s about their experiences with health, sex, emotional wellness, body image, college, careers – and what they wish they had known themselves as teenagers. Visit the ‘Love Letters’ To My Former Self page to learn more about the contributors.

Question Posed: What types of birth control have worked best for you and why? Conversely, what forms of birth control didn’t work well for you?

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Self Knowledge is Power: Take This Test.

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Myers Briggs Test

You may have heard someone say “I am such an ENFP” before, or maybe the name “Myers-Briggs” rings a bell from your ‘Intro to Psych’ elective. But what is that? And who cares? While Buzzfeed quizzes about what kind of Dorito flavor you’d most likely be (cool ranch, for sure) are super amusing, seeking to understand the depths of your personality, your likes and dislikes, and how you operate in daily life can be a huge asset to your growth and success.

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Relationship Violence and the Teenage Girl

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Abusive relationships

A recent issue of seventeen Magazine highlighted an important- and growing- issue that young women are facing with alarming frequency; relationship violence. Chances are, you or a close friend of yours have been in a relationship with a partner where the power imbalance has been way off: from controlling how often you text, to fat shaming or even threatening or acting out physical abuse.

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