Rejection: it hurts. No one likes hearing the word “no” come out of anyone’s mouth, especially from a boyfriend or girlfriend. But those two letters could be the reason you don’t become pregnant or contract an STI. No matter how hard or uncomfortable it is, we need to know it’s okay to say no to sex. Teens must think twice before having sex, because once it’s done, there is no going back.

I do agree that guys and girls are expected to behave differently in a relationship. I feel that in relationships girls are expected to be kind, emotional, and lenient. They are expected to “ride or die” for their boyfriends no matter what. Guys are expected to be brave, protective, the provider, and the one in charge in the relationship. If a guy cheats, his girlfriend is expected to forgive and forget and stick with him. Whether you decide to live up to the double standard or not, it is difficult especially when you are involved in a relationship.   

Once you get to high school, a whole new world of possibilities opens up for you. Suddenly you aren’t limited to dating the boys you’ve known since kindergarten—the same ones who put gum in your hair or threw spitballs at you from across the room. Nope, you can leave those immature losers behind for a sophisticated older guy.

Guys often get a bad rap for being the ones who pressure their girlfriends into having sex. So it may surprise you to know that a lot of guys (8 out of 10 if you want to get exact) say that they feel pressured by their friends, the media, even girls, to get busy doing “it”.

It may be one of the seven deadly sins, but envy or, more accurately, jealously can sometimes be a good thing in a relationship—if you don’t let it get the best of you.  Think about it: if you’re even the slightest bit jealous if another girl or guy who tries to cozy up to your bf or gf, that could mean you have deeper feelings for them then you realized. Which could lead to a really meaningful relationship.

Do you ever feel like your parents don’t take your relationship seriously? Like they make it seem as though just because you’re young, you couldn’t possibly have any real feeling for your boyfriend or girlfriend or, gasp, maybe even be in love? You’re not alone. A few months back I had the chance to chat up members of the Youth Leadership Team and many of them told me how frustrating it is when their parents don’t get it. That even though they’re young, the ups and downs of being in a relationship are just as real—and sometimes as painful—as adult relationships.

If you could give other teens one piece of advice about relationships, what would it be? Hear what teens have to say and tell us what you think.
 

Sure, cell phones and the Internet are great ways to get to know someone better, but there are times they can get you into trouble. Have you ever been in a situation where you overshared online or texted something you couldn’t take back?  Hear what other teens have to say in this What’s Your Relationship Reality video.

By the time they leave high school, most teens have been in a relationship and most of these relationships didn’t last. Break-ups can be really hard, and breaking up with someone isn’t necessarily easier than getting broken up with. In this video, teens talk about what it was like to break up with someone.