Everyone who has already answered has pretty much already told you what you desperately NEED to know: it is NOT, under any circumstance, okay to stop taking birth control without telling your boyfriend. It is bad enough that you want a baby at this age, but to consider-even for a second- to go off of birth control without telling him, is absolutely inexcusable, selfish, and just plain disgusting behavior.

You do not even know what love is. To love someone, you have to take their feelings and desires into consideration. No, to truly love someone, you have to compromise, and absolutely rule out doing anything that would hurt them in any way. Your even considering doing something like this is not love. It will lead to a level of betrayal no answer could even capture. You are a kid- you aren't even legal. It doesn't matter- even if you were married and 35, this is absolutely wrong. But, you are not at a point where having a baby should even be a priority at all. You will be messing up your boyfriend's- and your- life. Believe me.

He says, "maybe in five years," you know what, by then you will only be 22, and even that is too young. You need to grow up yourself. Being grown up means taking responsibility for yourself and others. At this point, you are doing neither. Do yourself and your boyfriend a HUGE favor, and get these thoughts out of your mind. Use a damn condom, continue taking birth control pills- whatever you can do to prevent pregnancy. This is NOT what you should even want.

Trust me, it's not just you. It could be due to a combination of:

a) being intrigued by the whole "professor in a suit/glasses/smart guy" thing, even if your teacher does not wear a suit, nor glasses, or isn't even all that smart. It's totally normal to be attracted to your teacher, in spite of (or even because of) the fact that he is there only to teach.
b) he might very well be "hot" and the object of many students' fantasies. Maybe he really is model material.

I used to have an Economics teacher in High School (I graduated 6 years ago!), and all the guys almost drooled over her. There were no hot male teachers (at least not in my opinion), but all the guys (and maybe even some girls) thought this one was HOT.

And about dreaming of having sex with him, that is also completely normal, and something that more than just a few of us have had- hey, it's part of life. I used to have a MAJOR crush on my brother's good friend, and I swear I'd imagine having sex with him at least a few times a week (haha, you're the first to know!). Whenever you find someone really attractive, whether it's your teacher, friend, a stranger...or in my case, my brother's good friend, it's very common to fantasize about him/her. It really doesn't matter who it is, even if your fantasy involves your teacher. So when you ask, "is it just me?" the answer will almost always be a firm, no. It really isn't just you.
And for good measure: anyone who says otherwise is probably lying.

As painful as it is, one of the best conventional methods of hair removal is waxing...especially for your bikini line. I used to shave too, and I'd get bumps and ingrown hairs all the time. I switched to waxing, and it has made a difference in the long term. The hair grows back later, and overtime, it growns in thinner. It is painful, but well worth it. You can ask around, a lot of salons offer waxing services. Just make sure that the facility is clean. Usually it's around $30 or so for a bikini line wax, it depends on the place. If you really don't want to wax, you should definitely avoid using Nair or something similar. The ingredients are too harsh for that area, and the hair grows back quickly, and just as thick as if you had shaved. If you are going to continue shaving, make sure to use a fresh razer, and soften the area with a shaving cream made for sensitive skin, or better yet, plain old baby oil. Also, make sure you have been in warm water for at least a few minutes before you shave. Noxema has little razers made specifically for the bikini area...I haven't used it, but it looks easier to use than any generic razer. But anyway, I would still recommend giving waxing a try...you will be happier with the results, especially in the long run.

Don't worry, the morning after pill, as the columnist below said, is full of hormones (estrogen) and will likely make your period irregular for one cycle. It is like taking several birth control pills all at once, which tricks your body into thinking you are already pregnant. The excess estrogen, in addition to any stress you have, will cause your period to come a few days later than expected. The morning after pill (I'm assuming you took Plan B) is very effective, but not 100%- you only took the pregnancy test two days ago, almost right after you had sex. That would have been too soon, so go to your gyno or free clinic and ask for a urine test. They can tell around 10 days after you have sex. Anyway, it's a good thing you took the morning after pill to be safe- it is very effective, so chances are you are not pregnant. Again, wait a few days and monitor when your period comes (it will be irregular due to the hormones). And to be on the safe side, go get a urine test (most effective) to be completely sure.

You're nervous about speaking in front of a group of people- it's normal, so relax. Fear of public speaking is one of the most common fears/phobias, or whatever you want to call it. I find that a little bit of stress is alright, since it helps you take the situation seriously. Too much, however, will of course turn you into a nervous wreck- which is clearly how you feel right now.

The best way to overcome stress and nervousness, is to be as prepared as possible. Try to read the text out to yourself, or even in front of a mirror. If it helps, try to read in front of a friend or your parents. Repeat yourself a few times, until you feel totally comfortable and confident that you already know the material enough to read in front of the class.

Before you read the material in front of your class, you might want to breathe in a few times and remind yourself that you have done what you could to prepare. Also, remember that people are not going to think anything, or say anything negative to you afterwards. Most of the class is just there to listen, and seriously, are not going to make fun of you or bite your head off, so you can relax. Also, remember that of course, people will be looking at you, simply because you are speaking. It always seems like people are staring at you, but just remind yourself that the class is simply there to watch your presentation, and nothing more. Just do the assignment, and try not to focus on being nervous. If you prepare in advance, you should feel a lot better.

You might want to speak to an adviser about this, as transfer requirements are different depending on the university. In general, you do not need to have an SAT score to transfer, but it does look good if you have attempted it, and have a relatively high score. Really anything you can do to strengthen your application, including attempting the SAT, is helpful. Of course, other factors, such as GPA, course selection, etc., will weigh more heavily, but it couldn't hurt to take the SAT, as a good score can boost your application, if even by a little. Again, all of this depends on the universities that you plan on applying to, many of which are increasingly competitive. First, focus on keeping your GPA strong, making sure that courses are transferable. Throughout the first couple years or so at the community college, keep in contact with an adviser, who can give you all the advice you need, and answer any questions you might have- my sister transferred to a four-year (this was about six years ago), and she said that the advisers really help, as well as trying to get involved in an honors program, if the college offers one. Remember, if you have a decent SAT score, it can help, but does not supplement the GPA. So make sure to keep your grades up, and you'll be fine.

It's very nice of you to be so kind and considerate to your teacher- I'm sure she will be so happy to receive such a nice card.

I think that a good basic approach toward going about writing something nice and thoughtful would be to brainstorm ideas. You can try writing down some bullet-points of any qualities she has that you admire. Then think of some examples (maybe of something she said, how she inspires you, how she helped you become more interested in biology, etc.). The key is to introduce the letter with some general trait(s) you like about her, then add some support, through some of the examples you come up with. For instance, if she mentioned a particular story or experience in class, you can try pointing that out in your letter, making it clear why it means a lot to you.

A good way to wrap up the letter is to say something general, along the lines of...being fortunate to have been in her class, how you feel she was an inspiration to you, etc., something short and sweet that will leave an impression. I find that often times, the best letters/cards are well-written, well thought out, and sincere. Trust me, the ideas will start flowing once you start to think about how much she means to you as a teacher. Sometimes I just get out a blank piece of paper and jot down a few things I might want to mention, then try organizing the info. Keep in mind that you will have limited space, so try to say the most important things and keep in concise. Again, it is very nice of you to be doing this for your teacher. I wish you all the best!

You are lucky that you have curly eyelashes, but I know what you mean about them being unruly; even people with nice, curly hair, find that to be unmanageable. To try to tame your curly lashes, you could try using an eyelash comb, and see how that works, or even try slightly wetting your lashes before combing through. Then try mascara... hopefully it'll work for you. It might be similar to trying to tame unruly hair-gently comb through, and always make sure to take off all traces of mascara, as that can clump to lashes and make the problem worse.

I also find his behavior to be going quite a bit too far. This sort of relationship is not common among siblings of the opposite sex- I mean, if they were younger ( a lot younger), then you could argue that they just like to play around. But he is 29, she is 21. Way too old for child's play, if you ask me. However, I can understand that what may seem strange to others is perfectly normal for them. Still, you have a right to ask about and even condemn this. You can tell him that it makes you feel uncomfortable, and that you would appreciate it if they would stop acting that way when you are around. Oh, and about his comment about your family: a) he has no right to criticize your upbringing, and b) there is clearly nothing abnormal about your family; I would say that he and his sister are too close- beyond the norm. Unfortunately, it seems that the only thing you can do is tell him to stop doing things like that when you are around. You might even consider asking him exactly why they find that sort of behavior to be okay- maybe try to get his perspective without sounding judgmental (although I can totally see why you feel weird about this). Good luck!

If the stains are yellow, then they are due to aluminum in the deodorant. For some reason, aluminum can cause sweat stains to be yellowish.. Also, you might want to try switching to a gel deodorant, or, as the the person below mentioned, something that goes on clear- of course, the only way to be completely certain is to use a gel/gel solid- Dry Idea, even men's deodorant, or Secret Platinum are all clear. Or, you could switch to a more natural deodorant-all of which are clear- especially since you do not have major issues with sweating. Tom's of Maine has natural (or mostly natural) deodorants.. I use Queen Helene deodorant (also has no aluminum) which works well for me- you can find it at Whole Foods (if you're in the states) or online.

All (and I mean ALL) of this self-pity and negativity is rooted in your lack of confidence. You feel that you do not matter to yourself or the people around you because you are looking at your life through a foggy, distorted lens. In other words, if you feel like shit, then everything is going to be negative to you.

First and foremost, your friends and your girlfriend, in this case, are one and the same: people in your life. You can bundle them all up into one category since you feel you are not good enough for ANY one of them. Why would you feel that your friends have no reason to like you, or that you are not "good enough" for your girlfriend? It has less to do with who you are, than with how you feel about yourself. If you could stand tall and look the world in the eye, you would not be saying these things.

Secondly, you feel you cannot achieve your dreams or even simple goals. This is also because you lack confidence in yourself, you have said so already. Little things you do may not matter in the "here and now," but overtime, your actions add up. So don't expect an easy solution to anything. If you want something, you have to work hard for it; nothing comes easily. Now, to work hard, you have to play hard- and this requires energy and dedication. To have either one of these things, you have GOT to have some confidence. We all have our moments, but to let your insecurity get the better half of you is an entirely different story.

So, there is no solution to making yourself likable and confident..it's more of a process. You have to take little steps here and there to make you feel like YOU.

I would suggest (as some others have) really talking to some of your friends about how you feel; chances are, you are just being too hard on yourself. Try planning to do something fun over the weekends- a) to take your mind off things, and b) to realize what friends are for. You don't hate your friends, you hate how you are right now...so take it easy on them, and try to reflect more on yourself. As for your girlfriend, it does not seem that you want her to leave you, otherwise, you would have left her yourself, if an end is what you really wanted. So try to ask yourself why you feel you aren't good enough for her. Again, talk to her...communication is key. She may sense the insecurity sooner or later, and decide that enough is enough. So before it gets to that point, let her know how you feel, and what you can both do to make the relationship stronger. It all depends on you, her, and the relationship. But I think that the main thing is for you both to communicate more and see what needs to be done.

You are 25, but age is not a factor in this; there are plenty of insecure 40 year olds. You need to think about all your positive attributes, and above all, take ACTION. Stop thinking about all this negativity, and stop putting yourself down so much. Pitying yourself will not help at all. You have to honestly tell yourself that it is now the time to take it as it is. Improve upon yourself, only think positively, and be open with those around you. It can only make you feel better about yourself and the people you care about.

This is probably not what you want to hear, but I will write it anyway. If you are having doubts, and do not feel ready quite yet (even if your body tells you otherwise), then you might want to wait a bit and really feel comfortable before taking things further...especially because you are very young. You have got a lot of time ahead of you to think about these things. Now about your friend telling you that you need to "return the favor," I will tell you one thing: you do not NEED to do anything. There is no rule that implies that once a guy does something to a girl, she is obliged to follow through and do something back. Sure, it's the natural thing to do. But if you do not feel totally ready, then it's your mind and heart you should listen to, not your friends. Now, chances are you aren't going to listen to any of this- you did ask for tips, and tips are not what you are going to get from me. All I can tell you is, when you are ready, you just know. Things just fall into place- there really are no rules. And dear, here's a tip for you: you are probably not ready to do anything below the belt. Try not to get too ahead of yourself, and only act when you are completely ready.

I agree, stress has gotten the better half of you (or rather, your brain). Like the person below mentioned, it happens to us all. Sometimes all the pressure mounts up and causes you to go blank, with regards to the information (aka, lessons) your brain has to process. It's not that you aren't thinking- the fact of the matter is that your brain is just focusing on the wrong things, making it nearly impossible to absorb all the information you're trying to learn. It's almost like trying to learn a new language while simultaneously playing a musical instrument- impossible, right? Well, your brain can only truly focus on one thing at a time: either your thoughts of not absorbing the material (shutting down), or actually studying and focusing on the material. You can't study and mentally freak out at the same time.
I have had the same problem countless times...sometimes I get so stressed out that it is really hard to focus on the task at hand. There are two things you can do to improve the situation. One, like the person below mentioned, go somewhere quiet (library, bookstore, etc.), and make sure you have no distractions. Focus only on studying, and almost literally tell your conscience to be quiet. Two, maybe you need a break. Try not to be so hard on yourself, there is only so much pressure you can take. I know your exam is coming up in a couple days, but take little breaks as needed (but don't get too lazy). Oh, yes, and three, don't stress out the night before the exam. Eat well, get enough sleep, and don't spend every waking hour trying to cram. Even if you know each and every piece of information like the back of your hand, you will have a lot of difficulty processing it if you are tired and/or hungry. During your exam, remind yourself that you know what you need to know. If you find yourself feeling anxious, close your eyes for a couple seconds and breathe deeply. Stress can be your worst enemy, but if you know how to deal with it, it is manageable.

I think that one of the most important things to remember is to be calm and confident. Try not to think too much about the exam (and stress) too much, and instead focus on preparing for the exams as thoroughly and efficiently as possible. I find that the best way to stay focused and on top of things is to have a schedule. Time management is key- wasting too much time, or stressing out over the amount of studying you have to do (instead of actually studying) is not going to help. Try dividing your studying up between subjects (a certain amount of time, as needed, for each exam). do this every day until the exam. Focus the most on concepts that you are having the most difficulty with. If you feel you need more outside help, you could always get a tutor, or see if your school offers free tutoring. Before you start preparing, you might want to talk to your teachers to see what they plan on testing the class on, and what you can do to improve your grades and/or do well on the exam. Trust me, your teachers will be happy to help you out in any way they can.

If you start studying now, you will not feel the need to cram at the last minute. Study a bit every day, and make sure that you understand key concepts or lessons as you go along. Again, confidence and time management are both very important, and will help ease the exam pressure, or 'test anxiety.' Also, see if your teachers could offer any advice about the exams, and possibly refer you to a tutor or tutoring center. Oh, and while you are taking the exams, it's a good idea to stay calm and focused..sometimes just closing your eyes and breathing deeply for a few seconds makes a big difference. I always tell myself that I know the material well, and have prepared enough to do great on a test. The mental "prep talk" always helps me out. Anyway, good luck with your exams, and enjoy the coming summer!!

I also got my wisdom teeth removed, actually on two separate visits, two teeth at a time. The second time was a lot worse, since my teeth were impacted and the dentist (who's also my mom, if you can imagine) had to put in a lot more effort into getting the damn teeth out (they hadn't fully grown in, and were growing in at a weird angle)...I joked that it was like pulling out a baby....but with force. But anyway, my main point is that since it was so hard to pull out the teeth, I was in a lot of pain afterwards. If you are experiencing unbearable pain, then it could have to do with the actual procedure (as in, you may have had impacted wisdom teeth). It is normal to have pain for a few days after the surgery.

I don't think you should have been prescribed Oxycodone, probably Vicodin or even prescription strength Motrin would have been safer. You could try Alleve, I find it to work better than advil or tylenol. Also, did your doctor prescribe an antibiotic? If so, that should also help a bit with the pain. But anyway, the process of healing hurts a lot for most people, it's a matter of time. Try calling your dentist and asking him/her about it- maybe they can suggest some things you can do to alleviate the pain, or even try to prescribe something different all together, in case you are not reacting to the Oxycodone. In the meantime, put an icepack on your cheek/jaw area to dull the pain. I know how much it sucks, but it's a matter of a few days or so till you feel better.

Believe me, guys do not care what your vagina looks like. Seriously. If anything, girls are the ones who care more about these things. First off, like someone else mentioned, it is not meant to be pretty. All it does is serve a couple of functions, that's it. The same thing applies to the penis- seriously, when you're having sex, the last thing to ever cross your mind is how your partner's penis looks. Simply put, guy's do not care what a girl's vagina looks like.

As for the vagina-or rather, the outer female genitalia (but who calls it that, lol)- like all parts of the human body, it comes in all shapes and sizes. Every woman is unique. For most guys, a vagina is a vagina. If you are with a decent, respectable and mature guy, he will care about you as a person. All other things are mere accessories. As long as you are hygienic down there (as in, wash yourself, trim pubic hair, shave or wax bikini line), then the looks of it will not matter. It is normal to feel you have an unattractive vagina- but remember, a vagina is not a rose. It's just a part of the female anatomy. So, do not worry at all about the reactions- cause there will be none, trust me.

Actually, to add to the first answer, the Van Daan's and Mr. Dussel were pseudonyms (fake names) used by Anne in her diary. I think that she used those names in order to give a literary, and more imaginative quality to her diary, to make it seem more story-like.

The Van Pels family and Fritz Pfeffer were the actual names of the other people in hiding with the Frank family.

The most important thing you can do is be fully comfortable with your boyfriend. You already mentioned that you feel ready to have sex, but letting down your guard and feeling totally comfortable with the guy you're seeing will make a huge difference. Your boyfriend will not be put off by your inexperience- after all, he was once a virgin himself. I am sure he (and most guys) would rather be with a girl they really like who is not experienced, than someone they don't care about who has experience with guys. What I mean to say, is that the most important factor here is you- how he feels about you. If the both of you know each other well enough and care about each other at a fairly deep level, then it doesn't matter. What matters is how you two feel about each other.

As for a tip, I can tell you that it's best to remind him to go slow since it is your first time. Do not be timid or anything, still be confident and frank with him. He will be understanding, and will be more than willing to show you a few things he likes. Once you start having sex, you will both see what you like, and can take it from there. For now, all I can tell you is to relax,and don't worry about being experienced or anything- in time, you will find out what you like, and how to please yourself and your boyfriend. If you need anything, message me.

First off, I wish you all the best with your pregnancy. The names you have listed sound nice and classic. Out of all the boy names, I like Aiden Jole the best- I think Aiden is a really nice name. Jayden is also nice (rhymes, too)...plus, if it's a boy, the kids can also call him Jay for short. But Aiden is definitely my favorite of the boys names.

As for the girl names (they're all very nice), i like Brianna May the best-it sounds nice to me. The first/middle name combination of this sounds very pretty and classy. I also think that Madeline is a nice name.

And...as for my own favorite boy and girl names..I like Eric, Alex, Adam, Nicholas.. all common names. And for girl names, I really like Sofia, Norah. Over the next few months, you and your boyfriend should try narrowing down the list, so you can both agree on a name you like. Of course when you find out it's a boy or girl, it'll be twice as easy to figure out. Usually parents just know which name fits right...sometimes out of the blue, a name will come to you, or you will figure that you like one of the names you listed more than all the others.. and by the time you have the baby, you'll just know. Good luck, and keep us updated!

There has to be a reason your friend dislikes the guy you like. It would help if you gave an example of something he's said to her, but regardless, it is unfair for him to talk down to her. Your priority here is your friend. Next time he says something rude to her, stick up for your friend. Even if she doesn't say anything, she must feel offended or even hurt, so if you stick up for her and tell him to stop his comments, you will be the bigger person.

Also, if he continues being this rude to her, it's a bad sign. He could start talking down to you too, later on down the line. People like that are bad news. You may like him now, but if you see the real him, you probably won't- you should try talking to him about it, maybe mention that your friend doesn't like how he talks to her, and that he needs to be nice to her. If he doesn't stop, lose him. You (and your friend) deserve better.

I am here to give honest advice, when I feel I have something to contribute. I try to be as empathetic and understanding as I can, as I know that the way something is said is as important as the message itself.

I usually advise on love/relationships, friendship and family issues, nutrition, and health (mental and physical). If I feel I can help out, there's not a whole lot I am unwilling to answer. Ask away!

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