NinjaNeer's advice column

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Q: tomorrow i am leaving for puerto vallarta mexico!
ill be there for 10 days, i need some tips for sun.
how tan will i get? i tan fairly easy and i dont burn that easily, what sort of sun screen should i wear? how strong is the sun there? any tips or advice would be great

Trust me on this one... wear strong sunscreen, the sun is VERY strong. When I went to Mexico, I got severe sunburn (to the point where I lost a layer of skin on part of my face), and I also tan easily and don't burn.

Be careful, and have a ton of fun!

Q: ok this is a homework problem that i really need help on cause i missed 3 days of school....Applying pressure lowers the melting point of ice. Why might an icy road at -1°C be more dangerous than an icy road at -10°C?

Thanks in advance

Well, based on the information you provided...

If you're driving on the ice, you're applying pressure, right? This will decrease the melting point of the ice. This means that the top layer of the ice will melt, so that you have a layer of water between your tires and the ice. I don't know if you've taken enough physics to have learned this, but the kinetic coefficient of friction (the constant that you multiply the force by to incorporate the effects of friction based on the material you're looking at) will be lower between water and ice than it will be between rubber (the tires) and ice.

So, at -1`C, it's more likely that the top layer of ice will melt to give you a layer of water than it is at -10`C, and therefore it would be more dangerous.

Make sense? If you have any other questions like this, I can definitely help... I just finished my fourth physics course :)

Q: I am thirteen years old and I have two dogs and two cats. As much as I love my dogs right now, they are very old and they cant run or play or anything. Ive always wanted a small dog of my own but my parents say I cant have one. Should I keep on trying to get them to let me have a dog or should I lay off?

My friend got a new puppy about a year ago, and it's had a terrible effect on their other dog, who was 16 years old. The puppy keeps pouncing on the old dog, who is blind, deaf and has arthritis. The whole family plays with the puppy because she's more fun, and the older dog is kind of ignored. Really, just try to enjoy your older dogs' lives :)

Q: What is a good snack but is healthy at the same time? Recipes please!

~TurrrrrrtleMolly

I go for something simple; fruit is my favourite thing ever! It's fat-free and full of nutrients :)

Another good one is pretzels... either that or crackers and salsa, because salsa is extremely low in fat, and if you eat crackers like Triscuits, they're high in fibre!

Q: i keep falling asleep in his class. i'm a junior and have the most dreadful class of american history. he's a great guy, don't get me wrong, but the class feels like it lasts 2 hours...and i keep falling asleep halfway into it. i try to stay awake and still take notes, but half a sentence into writing i suddenly wake up and find that i have only scribbled every other letter together into a giant mush.

he mostly talks, and his notes on the screen are just for reference (very little), so you have to pay attention if you want to know what something means. any advice? what would be the best way to take notes on his speech: outline, bullet, sentence, etc. thanks in advance.

This class is going to prepare you wonderfully for university; all my classes are in this format! And yes, I can't help but fall asleep. Try to just write down the heading he provides, and write down every major point relevant to that heading. If you fall asleep, ask a friend if you can see their notes.

That's about all that can be done :)

Q: (15/f) whenever i am friends with a guy/or become friends with a guy i always seem to end up liking them or at least consider a crush. its like i cant just have a guy whos a friend that i dont end up liking. even guys that are just nice to me or smile at me, i just start to think about them all the time and maybe its because i've never had a real boyfriend so i jump to conclusions/get overly excited about a guy being nice. i dont know how to fix this becuase it causes me to like alot of guys but not like just crushes and i hate having to think about all these different people and decide who i actually lik and who i jus think are fun to flirt with. please help i want a guyfriend who i dont think about as a boyfriend!

The same thing happens to me, because I have a LOT of male friends. My theory is that because I'm friends with them, I get to see what great guys they are. I end up falling for the sweetheart that they are, and it happens all the time. All I do is tell myself that I'm falling for them for the same reason that I'm friends with them, so I should be satisfied with being just friends :)

Q: Hey im 13f and it seems everyone has a boyfriend of girlfriend but me. It's really starting to bother me lately because ive liked this guy for over a year and he's known about it but doesnt do anything. I want to get over him and try and move on and meet a new guy, but its kind of hard because i get really shy and are extremely afraid of rejection. So really my questions are how to get over this guy and how to get to know new ones

thanks i rate 5's for good advice =)

Don't worry! I didn't have a boyfriend till I was almost 18! But you know what? You realize that all of the drama that dating brings just isn't worth it at a younger age. Just concentrate on school, friends, and extracurriculars, because there's so much more to life than dating.

Q: There is this guy I like...we'll call him Chris. He's really funny, and I think I might like him. I've known him for a month or two now. The problem is, I don't act myself when I'm around guys that I like. I also don't know how to flirt and seem appealing to them. So in the end, I make a complete fool of myself trying to impress Chris and being someone I'm not. Is there something that can help me stop acting so crazy? Also, how do you know when to tell a guy that you like him? Or are you not supposed to do that? Ah, I just need boy help in general! If there is someone out there who would be willing to talk to me on AIM and give me pointers, that would be great...

Here's what you do... Just be yourself! Don't worry about flirting and seeming appealing... You're a wonderful person, and if you stop with facades like flirting and let that wonderful person really shine, you're more likely to get a worthwhile guy. It might not work on the guys you "want" it to work on... but you could be pleasantly surprised! For instance, I'm a complete and utter nerd... but when I gave up on covering it up, it turned out my one friend LOVED my nerdiness, and now we're dating.

Bottom line: BE YOURSELF!!!

Q: I'm the person who asked what to do about a test if you don't know anything that's on it. Well I still can't/don't understand it. It's just too confusing to me. I still study it, but I thought about something. I might bring a cheat sheet and hide it and take the test, and if I am totally lost then I'll look at it, if not then I'll just answer the questions.

Is this bad? Well I know that it's bad, obviously, but if you just can't get all the studying done and don't understand everything what else can you do?? I tried everything everyone else told me to do and it isn't working.

NOTHING is worth cheating for. In university, you can instantly fail a course if you're caught cheating. You don't want to get into the habit. In high school (which I'm assuming you're in) no test is worth enough that you should have to cheat on it. Just take a bad mark if you have to, because that's better than the zero you'll get if you get caught cheating.

Q: okay i've been eating the same foods i normally do, not healthy..idk juss regularly, but i've been weight lifting, & i thought i'd probably lose weight. i gained 2 lbs!!! could this be turned into muscle & that's why i gained more??

thanks!!

Well, your fat doesn't turn into muscle, but yes, you will gain weight. This doesn't mean you're any less healthy! Actually, it means you're healthier, if anything. :)

Q: what does birth control mean?

Pretty much, it keeps you from conceiving even when you have sex. Birth control pills, injections, IUDs, VCF, condoms and diaphrams are all examples.

Q: im in grade 11 , im 16. ive wanted to be a vet since grade 7 , but it seems so boring ya know , now i think and research careers, i look at exiting jobs , or so i think , ive looked at pilots, airforce , army , cop , i want to go to university but what courses do i take if idont no wat i want to do in life? How do i find out wat to do? is there a rush? i just dont want to pick a career spend 10 years of schooling and hate the evryday stuff ya no, i also dont no wat im good at honestly, i have no hobbies i like to hang out with friends , tv , ect... i feel like i have no talent, wat should i do?

Well, for starters, I worked at a veterinary clinic for a year, and let me tell you, it was far from boring. You have to deal with a wide variety of patients and situations, surgeries are all different, and animals can be so unpredicatable! It's not a glamorous job, but if you love to help animals, then it's a great one for you.

Think about what courses you enjoy in school; do you like science and math? Consider a science or engineering degree! Or do you love history, English, languages, or any of the other arts? Try a degree in the arts :)

You still have time to make a decision, so don't worry!

Q: his guy I like wants me to suck his you know what. He has had a lot of girlfriends and he's really cute and I do like him and everything. Would it be bad if I did it?

Hate to say it, but if you can't call a penis by its proper name, you're probably not mature enough to be touching his. But yes, he's probably just looking for sex, I wouldn't do it if I were you :)

Q: what does dyke mean? because on mean girls in the burn book they said janice was a dyke? whats that?.... rate high for good answers!

"Dyke" is a politically incorrect term for lesbian. It is used as a slur... so don't go using it in your daily conversation :)

Q: my calves are disctuingly huge. i hate them, im doing 100 leg lifts each day but i need to know how to lose weight on my claves. what can i do. please i need major help. ill rate high.

Is it muscle you're seeing on your calves? Because my calves are larger than average, but it's 100% muscle. If not, then try doing something like squats, those work a lot of different muscles in your legs.

Q: Ahh I saw your column and you have some pretty good advice about college! So I thought I'd ask you something.

I really don't wanna go to college. I mean, I don't want to waste (well, maybe not WASTE, but you know what I mean) 4 years of my life living in the stress of college. But I also don't wanna be working at McDonald's my whole life and be stressed about money forever :(.

I'm interested in languages so what can I do without a degree that makes lots of money? Or what kind of degree should I get to get a good job that pays really well that deals with foreign languages?

Thanks!

Well, first off, university is stressful, but if you're doing something you enjoy, it's actually a lot of fun! So four years isn't that bad.

I live in Canada, I don't know where you're from and what your local schools are like... but at my school I know that you can do a three year bachelor of arts degree. You could major in languages, as most schools offer a wide variety of language courses... our school even has Ojibway classes!

With that, you can try and get into interpretation, ambassadorial work, or even teacher's college!

Q: is it normal to feel a little jealous or upset if your boyfriend picks up a movie (not a porn) with a very "hot" girl on the cover wearing revealing clothes and says how "oohhh shes hot" and puts it in the wagon to buy?
i dont think he got it because he saw i was kind of upset. but was my reaction normal? and does this mean my boyfriend is a creep or he doesnt like me or anythign? whats your opinions? i definately think he reeeaally lpves me..but its just this one area of "hot" revealing girls that makes me mad. it makes me feel inadequate or something if that makes sense

Men are visual creatures... They might like to look at these beautiful women... but your boyfriend isn't dating them! He's dating you! That means that he's into what you have to offer, but he's just following his primal instincts in looking at the women on the cover. It's the same reason why guys will turn their heads to watch an attractive woman walk by, even if they're with their girlfriend. He's not a creep, and he definitely loves you for who you are.

Q: Everybody has something their good at right? Some people are good dancers, athletes, public speakers, etc. I feel like I need something to be dedicated to. I love to be creative and i like to paint. I know its an advantage to know what you want to be, but i don't know of any realistic jobs where I can be expressive and creative, and make decent money. I'm only 13 but i would like to set a goal so when I get to highschool I'll be ahead of my game. I take as many art classes as I have time for. If someone could give me some career ideas, that would be awesome!

How about Marketing? You can get into Marketing through a Bachelor's of Commerce degree (at least they offer that specialization at my school). You can earn great money while coming up with ways to promote products.

Q: what are typically the required classes of college? (like how many maths, histories, englishes, and sciences do you have to take to graduate?)

also, does college care if you "skip around" with your classes? for example, taking only a math class and 2 electives one semester? basically can you take any class whenever you want lol

Your required courses depend on what you want to do in college: for instance, I'm in Engineering, so my prerequisites were Calculus, Algebra, Chemistry, Physics and English. For electives I took another math course and Biology. In the Arts, it's pretty much open as to what you take.

As for your other question, I'm not really sure what you mean... but I'll try to answer anyways.

As long as you have the high school course credits required, it doesn't matter when you took them, not to the college. In college, though, you may have prerequisites that must be taken in a specific year.

Q: Let me start off by saying that I'm taking a very hard class. An AP class in high school. Anywho, I've been extremely stressed/overwhelmed/depressed because of it because of the ridiculous workload and amount of material to study. So, I started seeing a psychologist. All he tells me is that even if I fail the class, my life won't be ruined. And I know that, but truly believing it is hard. People keep telling me to do my best and that's all, but how do I know what my best is? Studying all day every day and getting no sleep? I don't know. I want a life, too. So, I told my teacher everything and she said that I should see a councelor. I did and she said it was too late to drop it unless a doctor says my health is at risk. I told the psycologist that and he said he'd talk to the school if it got worse. Well I hadn't told my mom ANY of this, and when she found out, she said I can't drop out. That devastated me. She said that I can only study for a certain time every day and that's all. But there's SO much. For example, this weekend I have to study for a test and read 60 pages of a textbook (I read about 1 page in 5 minutes. I know, I'm a slow reader :[). I also have to color a map and label every city and every country and it's just...flat out ruining my whole social and mental life. I can't study for other classes anymore, and the grades are slowly but surely dropping. Also, there's a 100 article project where I have to summarize 100 newspaper articles pertaining to different topics and give my opinion on 50 of them and back up another 50 with historical analyses. I have 18 done. It's do May 1. I just don't know what to do anymore. Please help.

Don't I know how you feel... I'm in first year university, and engineering is the toughest program at my school! We've got 40 hours of class a week, and this week I had a 5 page report and four tests! So I've dealt with a heavy workload before. This is just practise for when you get out there into the university world :) With your 100 article project, try doing a couple articles a day! It should take you one or two hours tops. I know it cuts into your social life, but be sure to take some time out for yourself. Like, don't go out partying all the time, but go out one night during the weekend with your friends and have fun! I deal with my heavy workload by rewarding myself: I work for 4-5 hours, then I watch a movie.

You can do it! Don't let it get to you; keep in mind the fact that they're trying to break you and test you to see if you have the determination it takes to succeed in life.

bio

My Personal Forum

My name is Amanda and I'm 26 years old. I'm currently studying electrical engineering. Armed with a fairly odd sense of humour and a sunny outlook on life, I'll take on just about anything. I'm also cussedly stubborn, which has its ups and downs. Things get tough sometimes, and I've never been one to run from it.

In my last 8 years with Advicenators, I've gone from honours student to failing out of university (and getting back on top again!), from single to married, from tenant to homeowner.

Until lately, I have been struggling with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and OCD, which had basically ruined my life and taken just about everything from me. I'm thankful every day for every experience I've had because of this ordeal, because it's helped to make me who I am today. Things like that really make you appreciate what you do have. Now that I'm back in work and school and starting to become myself again, I couldn't be happier. I credit Advicenators with saving my life back when I was a teenager, which is a big part of why I'm still here.

I won't necessarily give you the answers you want to hear, but I'll always be honest and do my best to help.