Annie Fox for Teens... Hey, Terra!

Annie (AKA Hey Terra!) has been around long enough to have experienced a lot of what Life can dish out. But, it hasn’t been so long that she's forgotten what it's like to be your age. Check out some of the thousands of email questions teens from around the world have sent to Terra. You may learn something useful from her answers:

Wish I had one:
“Not one guy has ever asked me out!”

Hey Terra,

I'm in 8th grade and a lot of my friends have boyfriends. However, I've never had a boyfriend in my life. And I mean NEVER. How pathetic; not ONE GUY at school has talked to me this school year, except for my next-door neighbor. And the school year is half over! The annoying thing is that I've done some modeling. But most guys don't know that and I feel that if they knew that they would change their minds about me. Also, people say I am really funny, outgoing, smart, and sweet. I feel there is something wrong with me. I cry myself to sleep every night over my crush because my friends asked if he liked me and he said no, after it so seemed like he liked me. Can you help?

Pathetic

Dear Pathetic,

I'd assume that someone who's achieved your success would have higher self-esteem than you seem to have. People "say" that you're "funny, outgoing, smart, and sweet" but you don't seem to believe that, do you? You think of yourself as "pathetic" and "wrong". Well, I don't suppose it will help if I say this, but here goes: the only thing that's "wrong" as far I can see is that you believe there's something "wrong and pathetic" about an 8th grader who has never had a boyfriend. That's just not true. As for believing that if guys knew about the other stuff you do outside of school they'd "change their minds" about you... If a guy didn't accept you as YOU and only liked you because he found out you were a model what would that say about him? Wouldn't that show he was just with you to impress other people?

So here's my advice, quit crying (it'll make your eyes all puffy) and have a good look at the Truth. You are a beautiful, powerful, independent young woman. Someday, if you want a committed relationship in your life, you'll have it. Right now, you've got other things to focus on... Like developing who you are and why you're here. That's way more important than being somebody's girlfriend.

Breathe. Live your life. It all works out.

I hope this helps.

In friendship,

Terra


Need some advice? Write to Terra. She'll give you a straight answer you can trust without any lectures.


What's New?
''The Girls Q&A Book on Friendship: 50 Ways to Fix a Friendship Without the DRAMA'' by Annie Fox, M.Ed., illustrated by Erica De Chavez Books & Apps for Teens
''Middle School Confidential 3: What's Up With My Family?'' iOS app ''Middle School Confidential 2: Real Friends vs. the Other Kind'' iOS app ''Middle School Confidential 1: Be Confident in Who You Are'' iOS app ''The Teen Survival Guide to Dating & Relating: Real-World Advice on Guys, Girls, Growing Up, and Getting Along'' by Annie Fox M.Ed.
''Middle School Confidential, Book 3: What's Up with My Family?'' by Annie Fox, Illustrated by Matt Kindt
''Middle School Confidential, Book 2: Real Friends vs. The Other Kind'' by Annie Fox M.Ed., Illustrated by Matt Kindt
''Middle School Confidential, Book 1: Be Confident in Who You Are'' by Annie Fox, Illustrated by Matt Kindt
''Too Stressed to Think? A Teen Guide to Staying Sane When Life Makes You CRAZY'' by Annie Fox, M.Ed. and Ruth Kirschner