about

"Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love" - Albus Dumbledore

Hi, I'm Laura. I'm a senior in college & I'm slowly deciding what I want to do with my life. I love Harry Potter, coffee, writing, and sleeping (amongst other things). I'll never claim to know everything, but I'm confident in my ability to help people with their problems. Feel free to send me an inbox question; I'll get back to you!




A few thoughts I've gathered from my teenage years (and being on this site for most of them!):
1. If you Google song lyrics, the song will come up 99% of the time.
2. Dress to fit your body type, and buy the size that fits. If you're a size 6, squeezing into a 4 won't make you look skinnier. It makes you look fat when you aren't.
3. You will never regret waiting to lose your virginity.
4. There is such a thing as a stupid question, but we're all allowed to ask them.




BU 2014 :)


wicked awesome conversations

^my forum, liven it up a little?

advice

Okay so I'm 13/F (almost 14 though) and I recently met a boy (15/M we'll call him J) and he seemed pretty nice, so I gave him my number and we've been talking for awhile now but haven't hung out a lot. I asked him once about his past relationships and he told me that there has only been one girl and that they only made out. And I was kind of surprised because I knew one of his friends was a pretty bad kid but I thought maybe J is diferent. Well I talked to that friend (close friends) and he told me that J went all the way... Im not really okay with that. I've never even been kissed... I asked J if that was true (but I didnt say who told me) and J denied it... Well i dont know who to believe... I dont know either of them very well but I really want it to work with J. What should I do?

Believe J, not his friend. Some guys (not all) exaggerate about their sexual experiences, or lack thereof.


And even if he has in fact had sex before, that really shouldn't be a measure of his character. He's a bit young, in my opinion, but it doesn't make him a bad person. And it's not an indicator of if he'd force you to have sex with him (which seems to be a concern of yours).


Go with your gut, though. If the relationship starts moving too fast for you, put on the brakes and tell J so. A good guy will respect your feelings.


-LM
[17/f]

[view]

hey i have dry and oily skin, i get breakouts easily and my face is not evenly toned. What's the best facial product that's cheap but really effective??

and do facial masks really work??

please help!

18F. phil.

http://www.advicenators.com/qview.php?q=510619
(My own answer from awhile ago)


Face masks work for some people. I personally LOVE them. Neutrogena has this product that is a cleanser AND a mask - I use it on any breakouts I have and it's incredible. There's also the peel-off variety, which often contain acids (the kind you want for your skin) that can even out your skin too.


-LM
[17/f]

[view]

i don't have thin hair or thick hair, more like in the middle (probably closer to thin).
i have front bangs, which i blow dry and usually straighten the ends. (i heard heat makes it more greasy, faster.)

I use Tresemme moisture & remoisture.

however... the problem is, i shower at night, around 8 oclock, dry it by 9, and then when i'm up ready for school at 7am, its already getting greasy.

I took a shower at 11 am yesterday, and it was greasy by 6pm. what shampoo & conditioner can i use so it doesnt get as flat, messy and greasy as quickly? i feel like a mess when i go to school, because everyone else's hair stays cooperative, while mine is pretty gross. (especially when front bangs go greasy - it looks terrible & stringy).

thank you (:

Make sure you're using an adequate amount of shampoo and really getting down to your scalp. Scrub with your fingertips/nails and make sure you're getting shampoo on the crown (back) of your head, too, because it's an easy spot to miss.


Use a conditioner formulated for fine hair (it won't weigh your hair down as much) or a volumizing variety. I'm not sure if all the shampoos and things I use are cruelty-free, but I know that Bath and Body Works and Victoria's Secret don't test on animals, and they both have nice hair product lines.


If you pin your bangs back while you're sleeping, they won't get as greasy (from the oil in your skin). Throughout the day, use oil blotting sheets on your face to get rid of any excess oil. You can even use them on you hair! If the problem continues, consider investing in a dry shampoo. They can be a bit pricey, but are often well worth it because they work so well.
- I was going to put a link here, but Sephora's site isn't working for me. Look up Ojon dry shampoo.


-LM
[17/f]

[view]

My feet smell sometimes. What should I do?

After you take a shower, take the time to dry your whole foot, and between each toe. Seriously, it will really help.


Get some foot powder, too. If that seems too messy, Odor Eaters has a spray-on product that works almost as well.


Wash your socks well and change them after workouts, excessive activity, etc. Once in awhile I bleach my sweat socks to make them look new & kill any bacteria.


Lotions are often helpful, too. Especially minty ones.


-LM
[17/f]

[view]

I would like to know, which is better at cramps, midol or pamprin? If you have an answer, that would really help a lot.

It's a matter of opinion & your specific needs. No different than Advil vs. Tylenol.


Personally I like Midol better, it's always a lot cheaper, and works much better for me.

[view]

ok so when i shave down there, i can get to everything like theres some hairs that are noticable but they're kinda short. do guys care about that like everything else is clean and shaved all the way down


17/femalllle.

Nope, they're just excited to be having sex.

[view]

um i was wondering,well i have two questions my straightening iron is an andis 1 inch and i noticed that there is brown redish buildup on my iron can you give me some tips on how to get it off,using houseold stuff not like oils, scrapers, or rubbing alchohal somethin simple.

When it's cool (or barely warm) use a paper towel or a tissue, dampened with water or iron cleaner. I usually have to use my fingernail to scrape it off, or I use a Q-tip. Don't be grossed out or anything - it's just buildup from your styling products and natural oils from your hair. :]


I don't recommend washing an electrical appliance in the sink; I'd be afraid of a) electrocution and b) shorting it out and destroying my straightener.


-LM
[17/f]

[view]

I want to design my room to look like the room on this page, the lounge picture with the zebra skin on the wall. where can i buy things that look like this at good prices? so far i have only found zebra pillows

I don't know what page you're talking about, sorry.


Delia's has some crazy patterns for bedding/room designs.
- http://store.delias.com/browse.do?categoryID=1973&sidenavTrack=roomwares.wild\
- http://store.delias.com/browse.do?categoryID=2149&sidenavTrack=roomwares.zebra


They both look zebra-ish. =]


This is a site that sells "bed in a bag" which is essentially everything you need for a bed - sheets, sham(s), pillowcase(s), bed skirt, and comforter. Keep in mind that if a set says "comforter COVER" you'll have to have another blanket to tuck inside of it.


-LM
[17/f]

[view]

What happens when you poop blood

You get to a doctor as soon as possible. You could be bleeding internally (really bad situation) or have something like a torn muscle (not as bad but still painful)


-LM
[17/f]

[view]

my boyfriend is over protective and jelous

If his behavior isn't justified, he will probably always be that way. If you don't like who he is, don't try and change him because it won't work.

[view]

I'm a 15 year old girl, soon to be 16. & I absolutely hate my period, what girl doesnt, right?
I was just wandering, if anyone my age was on Seasonique, or if any GYNS on here could inform me about it.
I'm not sure my local health dept gives seasonique out.

Seasonique is yet another birth control pill. What makes it unique is that rather than having a week of inactive pills every month, you have that every three. I don't know of any gynecologists on this site, so you'll have to make a doctor's appointment to get it (and often, your parents don't have to know, but you're probably on their insurance)


Anyway, I'm not sure how often it's prescribed to teenagers unless there's a medical need for it. It's harder to know if you're pregnant (which CAN occur while you're on the pill if you don't take it exactly right) because you wouldn't be expecting your period in the first place. A good alternative is Yaz or Loestrin24fe. Both of these pills are low-dose and also give you an extra three days of active pills, and give you a shorter, lighter period (I probably sound like the commercial now). But it really does work.


-LM
[17/f]

[view]

16/f

i'm going to be a junior next school year and my boyfriend is going off to a college like 30 - 40 minutes away. He knew before we started dating that he was going to college there and i knew and we've only been dating like 2 months. the thing is now i'm getting worried that if we last through the summer it might not work or i'm worried he'll break up with me before he goes but i'm pretty sure he wouldn't. i really like this guy, he has like the best personality ever ha. i just got out of a one and half year relationship in march so i really, really don't want to get hurt like that again, it was like hell. and i started dating the new guy in like april which i know wasn't the smartest thing but it helped me get over it more. but thats not really the point hah, so should i just talk to my boyfriend about it or break up with him or what?

thanks a ton!

Stay together. Once he's off to college, you will both know if it's going to work out or not. 30-40 minutes is NOTHING, really. I dated a guy that lived a half-hour away & we're both in high school. And it was totally worth the drive =]


I can't tell you if you'll stay together or not- no one here knows you both well enough to determine that. I CAN tell you to not think about it yet. Cross that bridge when you come to it (sorry for the cliche, it just works). Enjoy the summer together, and try not to think about it yet. Best advice I can give.


-LM
[17/f]

[view]

I've been on birth control regularly for about 2 years and it is very vital that i am on it. Anyway, my refills were about to expire and i was actually at the doctors a week before they did so i asked if she could refill them, she printed me out the re-fill sheet and gave it to me but she regularly faxes it over so i assumed she faxed one over and then just gave me a copy. so when it came time to go get a new pack, i called the pharmacy and they said i had no refills so i had to go pick up the sheet at the doctors and by the time i was able to do that, it was thursday and i'm supposed to start the new pack on sundays. Soo basically my question is do i have to wait to get my period until i can start up my birth control again or think i will be okay if i can just start the pack on this upcoming sunday? Thanks!

My birth control packet says to start either on day one of your period, or on the Sunday during your period. Unless you're on a radically different form, every pill I've heard of is the same way. I'd call your doctor first, but if you can't, just follow the directions the pills come with. Better to be safe than sorry.


For future situations like this, ask your doctor for a sample pack, to keep on hand, so that you don't ever run out.


-LM
[17/f]

[view]

I do it for flavor, and it doesn't hurt. My boyfriend said that it makes me taste really good :]

He uses it to keep me sweet and whatever flavor he likes :]

But... is it bad for me? Like could I get an infection?

The worst that could reasonably happen is a yeast infection, from all the sugar. Technically you could get hurt if there was a sharp edge on it (like a scratchy part) or if you jammed it in too far.


So no, it's probably not a good idea, but you could easily be doing a lot worse.

[view]

Okay, I'm a sophomore in high school and I do a lot of community service, such as playing music at nursing homes every month and volunteering around my hebrew school. But how am I supposed to be keeping track of this? I'm recording all the hours I spend in a notebook, but do I need "proof" of sorts for when I put it on a college application?

Thanks :)

I'm in National Honor Society, and we have hours sheets to use for documentation. Make one of your own, or use ours:


And that should be proof enough. You can also put the directors or leaders of the places you volunteer at as references (just ask them first!)


- http://www.valleytech.k12.ma.us/documents/Community%20Service%20Form.pdf


-LM
[17/f]

[view]

Are there any sunscreens that still allow you to get a tan? I found out I'm at high risk for skin cancer, but I'm so white and I don't want to be. :P

Almost every sunscreen will still let you get slightly tan, you just won't get burned or tan as quickly.


I use Coppertone because I love how it smells. Plus, I've never gotten a sunburn while using it, and I don't reapply as much as I should. SPF 30 works for me, and I still get tan over the summer.


-LM
[17/f]

[view]

OKAY,SO I HAVE ACNE ON MY BACK.WHAT CAN I DO TO get rid OF IT?
PLEASE I NEED IT SOON,BECAUSE PROM IS CMING UP AND I HAVE TO WEAR A DRESS AND I DONT WANT PPL TO C IT.

Plain old acne face wash will work on your body, too. Invest in a back brush if you don't have one already, and wash daily in the shower. Neutrogena makes a body wash specifically for body acne, but it's not necessary to buy a new product if you already have one for your face.


Also, try to reach around and put spot treatment on zits you can reach, to help them heal faster. Good luck!

[view]

i cant remember the name of this song..

" so come on get higher loosen my lips"

it's like a slow songg..

"Come on Get Higher" by Matt Nathanson.

[view]

ok im 14 and my boyfriend is 16. he wants to have sex in the family bathroom at the mall but i don't know if i should do it or not. If it helps its the only place that we can atchually meet. Thanks in advance.

Uh, no.


It's entirely too risky, especially since you're both underage, and you're younger than 16. So if/when you get caught, you'd be in trouble for having sex in a public place AND you're a minor who isn't old enough to consent.


Plus those bathrooms are always nasty and full of screaming children- how unromantic is that? If you can't even get alone long enough to have sex, you probably shouldn't be.


-LM
[17/f]

[view]

So i bought a new Nalgene bottle that says its BPA free on the label. When i got hope i realized its #7 plastic. The website says that that there are several different classifications of #7 plastic and this one has no BPA, is this true and is it still safe?

Their new products do not contain BPA:
- http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/technical/bpaInfo.html


It's prefectly safe.

[view]

<<< Previous Advice Column
Next Advice Column >>>
eXTReMe Tracker