Tag: #teenagers

Menstruation & It’s Taboos

N kavya

The menstrual cycle is a part of your reproductive system. Menstruation is the monthly shedding of the lining of your uterus. The menstrual blood which is partly blood and partly tissue from the inside of your uterus flows from your uterus through your cervix and out of your body through your vagina.

It has been said that during those days the tradition started for a good reason as women go through heavy cramps, PMS (premenstrual syndrome), headaches, stomach aches, mood swings, etc. Women were being isolated from their family and given complete rest in a separate room, as time passed the traditions became aggressive and gave more stress associated with myths, or misconceptions and taboos to women than being supportive to them during their menstrual cycle. Women are not allowed to enter the temples, in many households’ girls are subjected to many superstitious practices such as; prohibition from entering the kitchen and prayer room, being made to stay in a separate room, being forced to eat in separate utensils, and in some houses, the girl is provided the left-over food. Not being allowed to touch certain kinds of food because they could get spoilt, and tagging the girl as impure and unclean. The stigma associated with a woman bleeding every month leads to poor hygiene among a large section of rural women who use wood husk, leaves, paper, and other such materials instead of sanitary napkins when on their periods. The temple in Assam ‘Maa Kamkhaya’ where the main deity is the uterus of a woman signifies the importance of reproduction and the menstrual cycle is completely natural. In India, some school girls were allegedly forced to remove their underwear to prove they were not menstruating. The girls also reported that they were barred from touching other students during their menstrual cycle.

These social stigmas isolate the girls from family and friends which increases their stress levels and impacts their mental health. As per the survey in India, only 48% of adolescent girls are aware of what menstruation is before getting their first period, which is unhygienic for their health due to a lack of proper sanitation facilities. Young people do not have access to reliable and correct information about their reproductive health and rights. The lack of acceptance and the taboo associated with it leads the girls to stay at home due to anxiety and embarrassment… An overall lack of scientific knowledge about menstruation also gives way to myths and misconceptions. During previous centuries, there were many rules followed due to some circumstances but following those rules in this period seems unreasonable.

Girls must be given proper menstruation knowledge before they get their first period because many girls do not have the knowledge about how their body works and provide free napkins to the government schools. The main development goals must include an equal opportunity for education for girls and boys and access to proper sanitation. The media creating public awareness regarding these issues would break the taboo prevailing in society. The movie ‘Pad Man’ starring Akshay Kumar and Radhika Apte which speaks about the importance of women’s menstrual health is notable. To cross these barriers government, NGOs, corporate companies, and media and entertainment industries must collaborate and take advantage of each other’s capability and influence to achieve this vision.

Image credits- Google

Peer Pressure

More Harm Than Good

Peer pressure is the direct influence on people by peers, or an individual who gets encouraged to follow their peers by changing their attitude, values or behaviour just for the sake of acceptance. The section of society which is most vulnerable to the effects of peer pressure is teenagers. The fact of peer pressure is that when your peers start trying to get you do things which you otherwise wouldn’t do. For instance, in our society we have people who pressurise us to do things we don’t want to do, hence causing us to not being able to think for ourselves. If you neglect being able to think for yourself and let others do that job then it could have a good outcome for them, but for your well being and for you as a person it can turn out to be a disaster.

Ill effects and Impact

Peer pressure can harm the group by making it too uniform. When all the members think and act alike, the group does not have access to alternative opinions creating a barrier in solving problems.

Peer pressure is a rite of passage that all of us go through but its impact varies from person to person. Some are able to brush it off without any issues while it negatively impacts others. Peer pressure affects the lives of teenagers in a number of ways. It can take a self-confident child and make him or her someone who is not sure about themselves and has a low self esteem. It affects their academic skills too because despite being capable of performing well, they choose not to because in the eyes of their peers, it would seem uncool. In an effort to fit in with their peer group, they place more emphasis on being social rather than working on their academics.

Adolescence and Peer Pressure

The desire to be accepted by their peer group is one of the strongest motivating forces during adolescence. The reason that negative peer pressure happens, especially during adolescence, is because humans are social beings and ‘WE’ want to belong. We do what we believe others want us to do for the sake of acceptance and to ‘fit in’. Extreme peer pressure may lead you to follow what your peers feel right, thereby, you end up losing your own identity.

Conclusion

It honestly depends on the people you surround yourself with. Peer pressure is influenced from a members peers. So it is up to you who you hang around with. It is only a bad thing if you make it one.

What it means when you find yourself detaching from society?

Do you constantly find yourself cutting off from people without any reason? The feeling that you don’t belong? A major reason for such thoughts is that you find it difficult to blend in with your friends and family. While such mindset is not something permanent, it can develop from a constant state of neglect and lack of affection.

It is not necessary that such state of mind arises in only those who are generally closed off by nature. There is a larger percentage of so-called ‘extroverts’ who also suffer with the same complexion.

While this situation generally arises from a change in friend circle, or after losing a loved one, breakup, or a change in surroundings. Some other reasons like depression, heavy medicines, illness or other social factors can also be an imminent variable.

Some people can also call it a ‘Retreat’, a means to detach from society in order to better focus on their upcoming projects, a major people comprising this class will consist of authors, artists, and such other people in need of peace and tranquility.

The case is not always same for teenagers and young adults. Retreating from society in an abrupt manner is major teller of mental illness, depression, as it is generally termed. While it is not uncurable, a major support is required from family and loved ones in most cases. Emotional support goes a long way in providing support and a feeling of togetherness.



This does not mean that a person who appears to be detached from the general colorful society is weak. That would be a gross understatement. Such people are generally in need of a closure with whatever is it that they have suffering with. No other person can help solve this condition other than the person who suffers from it. All others can-do is provide an understanding gesture and emotional support.

The best ways to deal with such a swing of emotion could be to try to talk to someone and share your thoughts. Other than that, going out for a walk or eating your favorite dish will help make you feel better! The one thing that is imperative through the whole process is that you will emerge Stronger. A better version of your own self. With a better view of your dreams and desires. The only quality required is to have faith and be kind to yourself.

Think of your future self 5 or 10 years from now and how thankful they would be to you that in spite of all the hardships thrown your way, you held on, that is all that is required.

Just hold on!

Written by: Ananya Kaushal

Teenagers & Anxiety

All teens experience some amount of anxiety at times. Anxiety is actually a normal reaction to stress, and sometimes it helps teens deal with tense or overwhelming situations. For many teens, things like public speaking, final exams, important athletic competitions, or even going out on a date can cause feelings of apprehension and uneasiness. They may also experience an increase in heartbeat or excessive sweating. That’s how the brain responds to anxious feelings.

For some teens, however, anxiety can go beyond these typical symptoms to negatively affect friendships and family relationships, participation in extracurricular activities, and even their schoolwork. When feelings of anxiety interfere with normal daily living, the presence of an anxiety disorder should be considered. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 25% of 13 to 18-year-olds have an anxiety disorder, and just under 6% have a severe anxiety disorder.

Given that teens experience a wide variety of physical and emotional changes as they grow, an anxiety disorder can be difficult to spot. Many red flags may seem like usual teens struggles or be chalked up to hormones. Watch for these hidden signs of anxiety in your teens :

1. Emotional Changes to Watch Out For in Teens

While some anxious teens express feelings of pervasive worry, others experience subtle emotional changes such as :

  • Feeling “keyed up”
  • Feeling on edge
  • Irritability
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Restlessness
  • Unexplained outbursts

2. Social Changes

Anxiety can negatively affect friendships. If your once social teen suddenly avoids his favourite activities or stops making plans with friends, think twice. You might notice that he/she is :

  • Avoiding social interactions with usual friends
  • Avoiding extracurricular activities
  • Isolating from peer group
  • Spending increased time alone

3. Physical Changes

Many of the physical complaints that can occur with an anxiety disorder mimic average teen complaint, which tend to increase as they get older. Pay attention to patterns. A couple of headaches here and there shouldn’t be a cause for concern, for example, but frequent headaches are a red flag. Watch for these common psychosomatic complaints :

  • Frequent headaches, including migraines
  • Gastrointestinal problems
  • Unexplained aches and pains
  • Excessive fatigue
  • Complaints of not feeling well with no obvious medical cause
  • Changes in eating habits

4. Sleep Disturbances

Teens aged 13 to 18 get 8 to 10 hours of sleep on a regular basis to promote optimal health. It is also recommend shutting down screens 30 minutes prior to bedtime, and removing all electronics from the bedroom.

It’s no big secret that homework demands, changing brain structure, extracurricular activities, and screen time can all cut into the sleep habits of teens. Therefore, it can be difficult to know whether fatigue is a product of anxiety or of a busy schedule. Watch for these red flags :

  • Difficulty falling asleep
  • Difficulty staying asleep
  • Frequent nightmares
  • Not feeling refreshed after sleep

5. Poor School Performance

Given that anxiety can affect everything from sleep habits to eating habits to missing school due to physical issues, it should come as no surprise that poor academic performance can also result from untreated anxiety. School avoidance, missed days due to anxiety-related illness, and persistent worry can make it difficult for anxious teens to keep up with their workload. Watch for these changes in your teen :

  • Significant jump in grades (usually downward)
  • Frequently missed assignments
  • Describes feeling overwhelmed by workload
  • Procrastinates on, or has difficulty concentrating on, homework assignments more than usual

6. Panic Attacks : Know the Symptoms

Not all anxious teens experience panic attacks, and some experience mild symptoms of panic without enduring a full panic attack. The following symptoms are common among people with anxiety disorders :

  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Sweating and trembling
  • Dizziness
  • Upset stomach
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Chest pain
  • Feeling like they’re dying
  • Feeling like they’re “going crazy”
  • Numbness or tingling in arms and legs
  • Derealization.

Before you vanish off the face of earth read these books.

If you are a regular know-all-the-famous-books voracious reader you have already read most of these so you may skip I won’t mind. But for those of you who want to show off that you “read” here’s a bunch of books you could actually read and not get bored and maybe magically fall in love with books.

I am not mentioning Harry Potter or Twilight or The Hunger Games and so because these are some books that shape you as a teenager and the books call the readers themselves I need not do it.

Note: This is not a ranked I listed my favourites. Let’s first go through the fiction section…

1. “All the ugly and wonderful things”

Author- Bryn Greenwood Page count-432

An unusual and disturbing love story but somehow you want this couple to be together. The story is messed up but trust me it will leave a mark on your mind.

2. “A walk to remember”

Author – Nicholas Sparks Page count – 240

http://eduindexnews.com/2020/09/06/a-walk-to-remember-book-review/

3. “The book thief”

Author- Markus Zusak Page count – 584

A historical novel narrated by Death. It’s about a little girl finding solace in books. The war makes things happen.

4. “Tell me your dreams”

Author- Sidney Sheldon Page count- 363

An absolute best thriller on Dissociative Identity Disorder or Split personality.

5. “The girl on the train”

Author- Paula Hawkins Page count – 317

Another great thriller. All about the title literally. Take my word for it you’ll love it.

6. “A thousand splendid suns”

Author- Khaled Hosseini Page count – 384

http://eduindexnews.com/2020/09/06/a-thousand-splendid-suns-book-review/

7. “Angels and demons”

Author- Dan Brown Page count -664

First of the Robert Langdon series. Though it’s a thick book you’ll want in read it all in one sitting.

8. “The boy in striped pyjamas”

Author- John Boyne Page count -216

Written from the perspective of a nine-year old boy. You won’t believe how and when this innocent narrative turns into a powerful holocaust story.

9. “Paper towns”

Author- John Green

Page count -305

A young adult about a group of friends finding out secrets about a mysterious girl. Dialogues and quotes are brilliant.

10. “Red, white and royal blue”

Author – Casey McQuiston Page count- 432 LGBT romance novel. It’s so so good needs no explanation.

Non-fiction…

11. “The diary of a young girl”

Author- Anne Frank Page count -352

12. A brief history of time”

Author- Stephen Hawking Page count – 256 13. “Into the wild”

Author- John Krakauer Page count -224

14. “Wild: from lost to found on the Pacific crest trail”

Author- Cheryl Strayed Page count-336

15. “Ikigai”

Author-Albert Liebermann and Hector Garcia Page count -208

Thank you for reading. Have a nice day!

10 things I hate about you (who hasn’t seen this movie) and 10 reasons I’ll give to convince you to watch it.

Directed by: Gil Junger
Production company: Touchstone pictures
Running time: 1 hour 39 minutes worth your time.
Based on: Shakespeare’s ‘Taming of the shrew’.


A newcomer at Padua high school ( filmed at Stadium High School, Washington), Cameron falls in love (at first sight) with Bianca the beautiful. Rich and handsome but dumb Joey has his eyes on Bianca as well. Kat is the older sister of Bianca who doesn’t care about social life. Their strict father won’t let Bianca date unless her sister does. In order to take Bianca out Cameron along with his geek friend Michael makes Joey to pay bad boy Patrick to take Kat out. Things don’t go as smoothly as planned but that’s the fun part. Patrick’s ways to impress Kat is reason 1. Reason 2 is that fight that happens. Reason 3 love can make bad boys turn soft. Check out the movie for details.


Reason 4, the cast: Heath Ledger as Patrick Verona10/10 actor, Julia Stiles as the savage Kat Stratford damn I worship her, Larisa Oleynik as Bianca Stratford perfect for the role, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Cameron James again perfect for the role. Rest of the cast is irreplaceable as well.


I am seriously obsessed with this movie. I have literally watched this one multiple times and have the whole script learnt by heart. I suggest anyone whom I cross paths with to watch this. Reason 5, it is definitely hands down one of the best rom com out there.

Reason 6,


Reason 7, “Patrick Verona: See, first of all, Joey is not half the man you are. Secondly, don’t let anyone, ever, make you feel like you don’t deserve what you want. Go for it!”

Reason 8, (lesson learnt)

Reason 9, (lesson learnt)

This can totally be a movie for your family night. Who doesn’t love a rom com plus it has Heath Ledger. Though the movie does contain a few slang words but that’s mild. Trust me it will leave you smiling at the end all satisfied.

Reason 10, 7.3/10 IMDb rating and 11/10 from me.

Thank you for reading. Have a nice day!

Shrestha Dutta is a high school pass out (batch 2019-2020) from DeNobili school Dhanbad, Jharkhand. She is a design aspirant and currently preparing for NIFT entrance exam.
Shrestha is passionate about art, books, movies, fashion. Team Marvel (cinematic universe). She is a normal teenager who has a lot of questions about life. She is an optimistic and happy person in general.

BULLYING – A DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR

Whenever we see a person making fun or play a prank on someone, we’ll probably snort or grin and say that guy is joking around but what about the person whom he/she made fun of? Was that person fine with it? Personally, no one cares, mostly because they don’t understand the real meaning of the term “Bullying”. Bullying is when someone is picked on by a person/group or someone who uses their power to harm or control a person. Bullies might make fun of somebody who they believe doesn’t fit in or seems like they are weak and cannot stand up for themselves. Some instances of bullying are spreading rumors, social status, appearance, threatening harm, sexual identity, religion, and one major kind of bullying where these bullies posts mean texts or nasty photos online known as Cyber Bullying. 

The aftermath of bullying can be horrifying. It can cause depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, lack of self-confidence and self-respect, lose interest from their work, or worse become a bully. Bullies can be kind and fake – this bully might act like your buddy so you tell them things, but later do harmful things behind your back.The outspoken and aggressive one might make fun of you to your face or physically hurt you and secretive and tricky. This bully might attempt to maneuver in secret. They might anonymously begin a damaging rumor just to witness what happens. Bullies are all similar to one another they don’t care about anyone, like to control others, are often vulnerable, and threaten others to make themselves feel great.

We can help a person who has been bullied by observing if there is any unusual change in behavior or attitude. Try to find out the circumstances and see if these changes usually take place during the use of digital devices or after coming from school, college, or workplace. Don’t sound too inquisitive, but gently engage that person in a conversation. Take him/her into trust and try to understand what is happening, when it all began, and who is all into this act. Immediately file a complaint with the police in case that person is receiving sexual or physical intimidations, or you sense an illegal activity or violation underway. 

If you are facing this issue, then ignore the bully and walk away. They normally like to get a response, so just show them you don’t give a damn. Always remember how much ever they provoke you do not get into a physical fight. You are better than them. It may help if you’ll talk to your parents, teachers, or friends or anyone who can give you the aid you require. Avoid being alone, stay with your friends who will back you up. Don’t forget self-confidence is the key to stand up against the bullies. Most people who bully others were once a victim, too. Try to talk to them and make them understand that all human beings are different and no matter what you should respect others. 

Reality of life trapped in social media.

The irony with social media is that it has affected most people in the exact opposite way. The general public has become less social than ever before. What everyone does nowadays is just looking at their phones all the time.

Social media has become the tool to compete, to portray your imperfect life in the most perfect manner. You want to post literally everything. Life has become a beautiful display of cosmetic products which are worst when used. It’s all about showing off on the internet because the world needs to know that you are the best. The norm is that you will be judged based on your Instagram profile instead of how you are in real. Well who has time to understand a person when social media can literally show the glossy life the person is leading, the last pub visited, last time they went for a run, the country/city ticket off their list, their milestones, the birthdays of their friends, the shopping they did, the TV show they are watching and you can literally watch the full movie they are seeing in the theaters right at this moment on their stories because if it’s not uploaded on insta than how will the world know they have watched a new movie or wait they themselves won’t believe that they have seen it because the whole time they were just busy capturing it to show it to the world.

Since it’s a massive competition now, You have to look flawless on social media. To capture that one exquisite picture which will be going online, you are ready to spend hours on a Diwali evening rather than enjoying moments with your friends and family because the world needs to know how you were looking. Social media can literally tell you who celebrates which festivals and where. So if you are not at home for a festival, you have to post #MissingFamily instead of actually connecting with your family and even if you are having a video call than everyone needs to look perfect and fake a smile because now a screenshot will go online. Editing is a must, you even change the shade of your arm to make it look whiter because everyone online is no less than a model.

You meet an old friend and all you do is click pics, talk about social media activities of your other friends and occasionally in between, check your new insta feed and WhatsApp messages.

The peer pressure is tremendous. This is the most dangerous thing because upon seeing the near-perfect life of everyone, the best office culture they have, the parties they enjoy every Friday, the coolest things they do on the weekends, the park they visited, the dog they liked, the sport they played, the wedding they attended and I cannot even start on the gym pictures but since everything is right there on your phone so your transition “from not getting at all affected” to “you also start posting the same shit just to show to world that yes you are also having fun” is very easy. Trust me, the things you do online due to peer pressure are higher than anything else, if your colleague is doing great things at work it’s okay but if your friend (Social Media Friend) is visiting a pub every weekend with the coolest people than you want that otherwise, you feel you are a looser.

People have created their own social media rulebook which needs to be followed otherwise you are considered outdated, boring, frustrated from life kinda person. Now is actually a high time to introduce a subject in school to teach the kids how to handle social media, How to handle the social media pressure, how it’s okay to not put everything online, how to have a life outside of it, especially how to talk to a person and have a real good conversation without checking your phone even for 15 minutes. But what about the people who are already educated? Well just learn it from your parents, they are the live example of how you can be happy even without social media.

Social media is good, in fact, it’s great but what it has become today, what it has done to people is simply dreadful. Blessed are the ones who are still not in this trap.

The biggest irony of all is that one is putting this post on social media.