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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

I AM MY FATHER'S DAUGHTER


I look in the mirror. Gazing back at me, I see my mom's forehead, my dad's smile.  The color of my eyes--along with my sisters'--are plucked from generations of baby blues.

As a teen, like a lot of us, the mirror was often a place of self criticism. I avoided it, and when I had to look at myself, most times were a passing glance to get a ponytail without bumps before a sports match or to get the right amount of makeup on before acting in a school play. Most of all, it was definitely not a place to think about where I came from and how many ancestors worth of DNA were put into how I look.

Whenever anyone said I looked just like my mom or dad, I would cringe. "I am my own person!' I wanted to scream. I see my yearbook photos now and think about just how much I looked like my grandmother's teen portraits, even though I am wearing flannel shirts and jean skirts in mine and she dawned buttoned up cardigans and long skirts.

Last month, my dad and his wife were visiting me up in the Big Apple. On East 23rd Street and Park Avenue, he and I posed for a photo with our matching coffee cups that his wife shot with my iphone. A random lady walked by and said loudly to herself, "Damn. That girl looks just like her daddy." It was one of the nicest things a stranger has ever said to me.

What if, instead of picking ourselves apart, we wondered.... How many people in my family also had my nose? What relative grew up with natural red hair too? What great-great-great-great grandparents were as tall/short as I am? Then, maybe just maybe, the things we hate in the mirror could transform into the things we learn to love about ourselves.

I am currently getting that iphone photo of my dad and I framed to sit next to the picture of him holding me as a baby in the hospital. It will stand amongst photos of generations of people who are MY people--they are part of everything that comprises me. When I feel adrift with my family (including my dad) living thousands of miles away, I will got to the picture and think, "I am my daddy's girl, just like he was my grandmother's boy and she was my great-grandmother's girl. Always."

Monday, August 8, 2011

NOTES FROM A TEEN PLAYWRIGHT

Sofia in NYC

Sofia Johnson, 17, is the youngest playwright represented at the New York International Fringe Festival this year with a production of her work, 22 Stories. We asked Sofia to write a guest entry for Girls in the Hall about both the plot of 22 Stories and her experience writing it. 
___________________________________________________________

I started writing 22 Stories when I was a sophomore in high school. I was also going through somewhat of an identity crisis. Like any student, I was beginning to branch out in terms of friends and opportunities, and I found myself in situations that I never though I would be in. I loved it, but there was a sharp divide between this new life and the life I was used to. In terms of 22 Stories, I didn't know if I was Nicole, the bookish perfectionist, or her twin, Natasha, the emotional non-conformist. So I split myself into two personalities and constantly jumped between them. Writing 22 Stories helped keep both personalities intact for the better portion of that year.

The security of a group is a key component in a girl's life. For her, it means shelter from isolation, support, and a sense of belonging and purpose. This rings especially true for teenagers, when girls have hormones and all other things to deal with.

Obviously, girls are composed of many elements and put together by many different experiences. We are multi-faceted, layered, and complex in a way that makes us all gloriously unique. Yet groups are often based on similarities. As a result, girls often play up some of their many distinctive qualities, while ignoring or hiding others.

This is not only true to girls only in tight cliques, however. Sometimes a simple identity can hold the same place in a girl's heart as a group. By claiming to be one thing, a girl feels more comfortable with who she is. Nicole likes her glasses because "they made everyone know who [she is]." She focuses on her schoolwork to the extent she does in order to distance herself from Natasha as much as possible.

Even when we try to construct our individual identities, we still neglect other aspects of ourselves. Natasha (and her friends) voice a negative opinion of modern establishments and their success criteria, but Natasha still cries when she does poorly on a state test. As much as her sister epitomizes everything she detests, Natasha is still crushed at her Nicole's apparent indifference to her struggles.

This is never a good thing. Even though we might not all jump off a roof a la Natasha, we are still affected when we ignore part of who we are, as Nicole discovers throughout the play. The only way she can get rid of the itchy feeling in her brain and make peace with herself is when she gets in touch with her inner Natasha.

I like to entertain the idea that I am part Nicole and part Natasha. On one hand, I am fiercely ambitious and a bit of a perfectionist. On the other hand, I cannot stand all these rules and regulations we set up for ourselves, and how we can cheat each other out of living. For most of my life, I've had to choose between the two personalities. Through writing this play, they became unified.

We are all strong and every bit of us deserves celebration. But that can only happen when your inner Nicole and Natasha come to terms with one another, and join together. 



-Sofia Johnson

___________________________________________________________
If you are interested in hearing more about 22 Stories (which plays August 12-28) and Sofia, check out her blog by clicking here

Monday, July 4, 2011

THOUGHTS ON THE FOURTH


When I think of Fourth of July's as a kid, a flood of images race to my mind... My mother's berry flag cake (which I was allowed to put the stripes on as a teen, careful to measure out the right amount between the rows and rows of strawberries), going back for seconds and thirds of grilled goodness and then, of course, fireworks. One of my first memories is as a four year old begging my Uncle to take me to see them off the coast in Miami. Then, I remember one of our grandmothers (gram, we call her) taking my middle sister and I to watch fireworks at the racetrack in Kentucky, and the magic of seeing a kid discover them for the first time. During my high school years, we usually rang in the patriotic holiday on our father's boat. There would be yelling, of course, and me voicing just how mad I was to be missing the party going on an hour away where all of my friends were lighting of sparklers and probably getting into a little bit of trouble. But, when the fireworks started, we were silent as the symphony of bursting gunpowder filled our ears. My middle sis and I watched our baby sis, both the delight on her face and the bursts of the fireworks reflected in her eyes. Though I would have rather died than tell my parents on those nights each summer, there was no place I would have rather been than sandwiched between my sisters, lemonade in hand, watching the fireworks.

For Girls in the Hall living in other countries around the world: The Fourth of July, Independence Day,  celebrates the independence of the USA from Great Britain way back on July 4, 1776. Each year, Americans take this day off from school, work, or other obligations to celebrate our country. What national holidays are in your country?

Monday, June 13, 2011

LESSONS FROM MY WORLD


Another school year has come (or is rapidly coming) to a close. What did you learn? I don't mean the equations in algebra, or the meaning of The Awakening (though Girls in the Hall does heart that book), but what have you learned about yourself and the world around you? In the past month as I have gone underground, I have been reflecting on my school year in the classroom of the universe. The lessons I realized that have guided me into the girl I am now surprised me. Now, I'm ready to share the top five with you:

Dive in and let the world catch up with you.

Have high standards for yourself, and those around you.

Dapple in a daydream, maybe today's dream will be tomorrow's reality.

It is ok to be wrong sometimes. Mistakes are often the best lessons to grow from.

In the rush to grow up, savor moments to remember the beauty of life in the present, the here and the now.


Drop us a message and tell us what you have learned this year!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

PREVENTING TEEN PREGNANCY?


021., originally uploaded by starless_city. MTV Logo. All rights reserved.
Today, May 4th, is the 10th annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. According to CNN, an irony is that an estimated 1,000 teen girls will give birth today.

From sex ed to THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER to JUNO to those addictive marathons of 16 AND PREGNANT, we witness how hard it is to be a teen who is expecting, and harder still to be a kid while raising a kid. We see girls from every corner of the country, with every grade point average, from every background and with all sorts of dreams go through this.


On last night's episode of 16 AND PREGNANT, an honors student with a promising college-filled future gave birth to a baby girl after having unprotected sex with her boyfriend and without birth control. She didn't think it could ever happen to her and, of course, she was very wrong. Do you know any one who has gone through this? Have you gone through it?

Encouragingly,  The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unwanted Pregnancy reports that teen pregnancy is at an all time low, but it isn't low enough yet. What do you think can be done to spread the word even more?

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

BEING A SISTER: A GRADUATION STORY

Big Sis & Little Sis, originally uploaded by J.DoyonPhotography.

It was 1998. At 16, I was dancing between the identity of the drama nerd, school council activist and cheerleader. However, there was one identity that everyone knew about me--and it was my favorite one--I was a sister. I will always be a sister to two amazing ladies.

That spring afternoon, an eclectic collection of my six closest friends and I sat in tiny plastic chairs in a room that smelled of glue, play doh and little kid. Most of the friends with me that day weren't even really friends with each other; they were united by their love of me (I am very lucky) and a certain curly haired blond girl who peeked out from the hallway to get a glimpse of us.

We are 11 years apart, but were inseparable for most of my high school years. During the week, my sis went everywhere I went--dinner with friends, out for ice cream, to the park---you name it, she was there, her little hand in mine.

That day, we watched her graduate from kindergarten. My mom had to be out of town for work, and my dad didn't know if he could swing being there with his work schedule, so my friends came out in droves. As she adjusted her tassle on that tiny hat, no one had a bigger cheering squad than my sister.

It is a moment in my rites of passage that is just as distinct as my prom or when the envelope came in the mail saying I had gotten in to my first choice of college. As I pick her up to give her a congratulatory hug, I remember wanting to freeze the moment to encase her in a cocoon of blissful innocence. She didn't know yet what it would be like to fight with our parents and realize they are human, or have a boy break her heart, or face the crushing failure of disappointment when she makes a mistake. My heart was heavy as I realized she would have to go through all of those things, and the big sister in me couldn't protect her. All I could do was pick her up when she needed me.

It is now 2011 and I am a certified grown up, but with the heart of a teenage girl. In a few weeks, my family and I will sit side-by-side and watch the youngest one in our family walk across the auditorium of her high school and passage through another graduation; this time it's the big one. After she throws her hat in the air and comes over to give us all hugs, I will feel that same pride that I felt in that ABC decorated classroom so long ago. Also, I know that worries of everything we can't protect her from in this next phase of life will flash through my brain. While the world was spinning, our family's little girl grew up. Like always, I will remind myself that whenever she needs me, I will always be there to pick her up.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-COMPASSION

We are raised to be told to be the best with unfailing self-esteem. And, we are--the trick is that we are the best at different things. Being the best at everything is utterly impossible. The fabric of human behavior that weaves success in society is we all have different strengths, and that means we also have different weaknesses.

We feel we have to be the best over all, which means that many of us often feel superior to others, whether that means we think that we are more compassionate, intelligent, talented or (fill in the blank) compared to everyone else... but that we also fall harder when we fail these unrealistic expectations. Kristin Neff's fascinating article in the Huffington Post, Why We Should Stop Chasing Self-Esteem and Start Developing Self-Compassion, details this phenomenon. We are pushed time and time again into the need to have super high self-esteem, but aren't told that, at some things where we don't and can't be the best, that can be a-ok too. The worst people at attacking these "short comings?" Not an outside person, but the self-critic that is in all of us.

As a teen, this can be particularly true. When was the last time you struggled on a test after studying for endless hours and felt like a failure for getting a well earned average grade? Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that everyone shouldn't strive to be the best person they possibly can be, I am saying that perhaps we should re-examine what "the best" should mean. Perhaps instead of the focus to achieve the pentacle of what people think confidence is--high self-esteem; we need to re-examine the way we look inside of ourselves. Self-respect, self-values, and self-awareness that comprise self-compassion could be the building blocks toward a better world of people who know how to care about themselves, and in turn, can care about others and the world around them.

Maybe, just maybe, if we explored this way of thinking, Neff's viewpoint could change our culture for the better. Perhaps if the biggest bully in school was taught self-compassion instead of focusing on just self-esteem, that bully wouldn't be such a bully after all. Maybe if we give ourselves the chance to be average at some things some times or permission to fail when we have tried, the criticism that swirls around our culture like air would dissolve into a world of self-compassion and then compassion in general. As Neff asks, "Why not try it?"

Monday, April 4, 2011

JAPAN: HOW YOU CAN HELP

The tragedies in Japan have startled the entire world. So, what can you do to help?

You know that change sitting on your dresser drawer? Or, the allowance you were thinking of spending at Starbucks with friends? How about the extra mullah from your afterschool job? Any donation, no matter the size, helps.

Some of the organizations we recommend giving through are The Red Cross, Salvation Army, Save the Children and Unicef. We also really dig Living Social, where you can pick specifically what type of donation you want to make for the cause. You can donate to help the children of Japan,
buy shelter boxes, get more emergency supplies, put your dollars into a general fund to help disaster relief and more.

So, count up that extra money (whatever you have means a lot), and talk to your parents about using their credit or debit card to make your donation with one of these trusted organizations on their website. If you don't wanna do it online, it is also easy to make a cash donation, just hit up your local Salvation Army or Red Cross locations.

Our thoughts and hearts go out to the Girls in the Hall in Japan, and everyone coping with this tragedy.

Monday, March 21, 2011

GLOBAL GIRLS IN THE HALL

globe two, originally uploaded by !!Kayla.

We started Girls in the Hall over a year ago to be a platform for girls all over the world trying to be themselves and get through high school, JUST LIKE YOU! Thrillingly, blogger has given us the stats about our readers and the results are in (drumroll, please)...


We have readers in twenty five (count 'em below, 25) countries! Where are you from? We wanna know.

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Canada
Denmark
Ecuador
France
Germany
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Japan
Lebanon
Malaysia
Mexico
Netherlands
Pakistan
Philippines
Russia
Slovenia
South Korea
Thailand
United Kingdom
United States

See that link that says POST A COMMENT, right below this line? Go ahead and click on it to let us know which country YOU are from.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

OUR SECOND TEEN CONTRIBUTOR

We are proud and delighted to share our second Girls in the Hall Teen Contributor Winner! Details are below on how YOU can enter to be the next teen published on Girls in the Hall and win a Barnes and Noble E-Gift Card.

THE MASQUERADE OF LIFE
By Leanna, 17, Utah


Wake up.
Clean canvas.

Time to decide.

Is it to be, Which?
           
A day of drama,
A day of love & romance,

Which mask to wear?


Will it shine and glitter         
        
to hide the pain,


or shall I fade into the background,

so no one sees the tears?

To costume, we move.

Attract or hide?
comfort or aesthetics?

All a mask.

Smoke and mirrors to get through the day.

But even masters can't hide their eyes.
So called windows of the soul.

Framing what we all wish to hide.

Walking down the halls. 

gossip.  judgment.  expectation.

What we dread,
we do. 

we all hide.
who are we?

As a collective, closer than ever;

as an individual, more lost and alone.
Fake smiles.
Fake people.
Empty eyes.
Heartless black-holes.

Will we survive?

Painted faces.

Empty shells or emotional prisons? 

A gilded cage. 

What if we forsake it all?
Would we know our selves?

Pain & Questions.
Where is the joy,

Where are the answers?

"all the worlds a stage,"
     
Whose mask do you wear?


___________________________________________________
Do you have an original...
Short story? 
Poem?
Essay?
Photograph?
Book/Film/TV review?
Recipe?
Editorial?

Send it to us at girlsinthehallblog@gmail.com for a chance to be published on Girls in the Hall and win a Barnes and Noble E-Gift Card. You could be next!

Monday, March 7, 2011

GIRLS IN THE HALL: ECUADOR EDITION

Remar Orphanage, taken by GIRLS IN THE HALL

The streets are lined with stray dogs, litter and vendors selling everything ranging from fresh popcorn to sunglasses. The background is dappled with lush green mountains, and the sky alternates almost to the minute with fierce sun and cloudy mists of mystery. Welcome to Quito, the capital of Ecuador. This was my home for two weeks at the end of February.

An imposing metal door clicks open as I ring the bell, the security guard is a girl no more than thirteen years old with spiral curls and a New York Yankees sweatshirt. Chaos of little hands grab at my clothes as young children spring up around me, I am the unfamiliar face piquing curiosity amongst everyone inside the walls of this place, the biggest orphanage in Quito. I have a smattering of presents for the little ones, but they are not why I have come here. I look around and see all of the reasons why I have traveled to another continent....

There is a girl in the corner, sweeping up the dirt that has crept into the dining hall. Two girls lift the trash of the day's breakfast into the dumpster. Three girls sit on the concrete wall and take turns holding each other's babies. More girls help out with the toddlers, who respond to them as if they are being raised by not one mom, but a pack--which is true. The girls, who range in ages 11-22, are the foundation of this orphanage. They are the mothers to the motherless, even though most of them do not know who their mothers are or, if they do remember, most of them wish they didn't.

As I am introduced to these teens, all of the girls are distant and polite, tolerating me because they know it is important to be nice to the volunteers coming from around the world. When I try to take their pictures, they look away, cross their arms, or glare--the photos from the afternoon turn out to be a manifestation of just how uncomfortable one can look when posing for a picture when uncomfortable inside the trap of low self esteem.

The head of the orphanage, a passionate and incredibly resourceful woman, speaks to me kindly, but it is all business. She doesn't have time to give to the volunteer from the United States. It is clear that I must find my own way, somehow, with these girls. I then think of what the next day has in store and smile to myself.

When I raised the money to go on this journey, my core friends and supporters of Girls in the Hall sat with me for hours coming up with ideas of just what to do once I had raised the money to go to Ecuador. A good friend, Michael Aaron Capps, who is also a personal stylist to the stars and elite of New York alike, said to me, "Let's cut their hair. That is what I want my donation to go for." Michael's mantra is CHANGE YOUR LOCKS, CHANGE YOUR LIFE. It was to be the first real interaction I had with the girls of the orphanage.

The next day, I had arranged with my host mom for two respected stylists in Ecuador to travel to the orphanage to do thirty haircuts, complete with highlights. We walk into the orphanage, and the girls are nervous. All in Spanish, many of them say, "No one is touching my hair, it is all I have." Then, we unpack the bags of scissors, dye and hope. Slowly, the girls circle around us, asking we are doing this for them. They are suspicious. I say the lines that I have learned in their language, "We are doing this as a gift to you from the world because you are a gift to the world. You are beautiful, and we want you to look in the mirror and see it."

With trepidation, one girl volunteers to go first. Then a second, then a third, then a fourth until they are enraptured of the process. The stylists consult on which cuts are best and what color of highlights the girls want (there's an array of reds, blues, blonds and whites). Slowly, the images I have captured on my camera go from smileless faces, like this:


To after photos when the girls have finished their haircuts:









I talk to the girls about their new haircuts, and the universality of the need for self worth within all of us girls becomes abundantly apparent. A simple thing that many of us take for granted such as a good haircut, one example of how we each show our identity to the world, can transform and make one feel great from the outside on in.

The next day, Diana, one of the girls who had her haircut the day before, yells out, "Hola!" to me as she opens the door to let me into the world of the orphanage. Instead of looks merely tolerating me, I am welcomed with hugs and questions asking what we are doing for the day. We all sit down in the cafeteria and I pull out stacks of composition books brought from the US and a bag containing a zillion creative possibilities. I ask them how many have a safe place to record their ambitions, worries and thoughts--a place that is truly their own for what is going on inside their brains. They all say no. So, we create them by covering the composition books into a diary of dreams for each girl. Andrea's has a glitter heart with wings and Anita's name is emblazoned across hers in blue letters. They proudly hold up their works of art that will soon have the insides lined with pencil filled reflections:





The next days are filled with sharing, laughing and communicating. We even record videos on the flip cam that a generous friend loaned me.  Suddenly, these quiet girls have let me in and I go from being an outsider to becoming a friend, which is one of the greatest presents I have ever received.

These girls changed my life. They showed me that at our core, we all share the same heart, soul and needs. I watched in awe at their perserverance and positivity to get through the days and enjoy life. We all need to learn about the world around us. We all need to do things to make us feel good about ourselves. We all need to do things to bring out our creative spirits. Despite where we came from, where we live, what we do---around the world, we are all girls in the hall.

For more photos of the Girls in the Hall trip to Ecuador, including before and after photos with the haircuts and journal craft day, check out our Facebook page. Leave us a comment about what you think!

Saturday, March 5, 2011

BEING BRIGHT

everything is illuminated, originally uploaded by lagordajarra.

How many times have you known the answer in class, only to argue in your brain as to whether you should raise your hand and risk talking in front of the class? Moreover, how many times have you decided not to raise your hand for fear of being considered "nerdy", or worse, getting the answer wrong?

When I was little, I was told that I was smart, like really smart. The years passed and I fell into the trap sometimes known as the high school classroom, where answering a teacher's question sometimes was in tandem with social ridicule. As a result, the nagging feeling of incompetency crept into my confidence and I began to doubt, well, myself. The girl who was on math team in elementary school needed extra tutoring to get through Alegbra II. I blinked and didn't know what had happened to the pint sized smart spit-fire of my early childhood days. I knew I had changed, but didn't really know why. As a grown up, trying to manage a company is still a challenge for a lot of the reasons that linger in my brain from high school. "What did I do to make them upset me?" "How come that manager gets what he wants without as much effort as me?" 'Why do I second guess my choices?" and, most detrimental, "Why am I so freakin' hard on myself?"

A Girl in the Hall forwarded us this fascinating article, THE TROUBLE WITH BRIGHT GIRLS, in the Huffington Post. In it, Dr. Heidi Grant Halvorson, details the facts and her viewpoint on a study of how "bright" girls and boys digested and attempted to tackle tasks in fifth grade. The result was astounding--the girls who were considered the "brightest" were the first to give up on a task, while boys (the rowdier, the more attention they got), plowed through the tasks without every questioning their abilities.

We are all "bright girls" in some way--whether you can ace the SAT, play an instrument with drive and skill, are the top of the list for babysitters in your area, run the fastest mile or are always there for your friends--we all have a light inside, a brightness that is beckoning to get out in some way. Maybe, just maybe, if we can give ourselves the gift of confidence while still in high school before being let out into the halls of adulthood, our gifts can shine out into the world.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

GIRLS IN THE HALL GOES INTERNATIONAL

mapped, originally uploaded by scoremat.

Have you ever taken a leap and done something completely out of your comfort zone? Tried out for a sport you have never told anyone you were interested in doing? Auditioned for the school play even though you have stage fright akin to a deer caught in headlights? Submitted a letter to the editor of your school paper about a hot topic at school, worried what people would think about you? If you haven't, I am sure you have thought or even dreamed of conquering a fear and going for "it"--what "it" may mean for you.

In a few weeks, I will be conquering a major "it" on my list. With the Girls in the Hall mantra of every girl being themselves while surviving the hard times of teen years, I will be flying to Quito, the capital of Ecuador, and volunteering in an orphanage with at risk teen girls. What does that mean? There will be 30 girls, ages 13-22, who want to learn about the arts and, in turn, about themselves. Some of these girls were left at the orphanage as babies and don't know any other sort of life. Others were left by their parents later on in childhood, and remember their families. The older girls in the group are moms themselves, and their babies live at the orphanage too.

The plan: to get together every day for nearly two weeks and learn about ourselves and each other through writing, expressing emotions and sharing. Then, I will blog about it for all of the English speaking Girls in the Hall to hear about what life as a teen in Ecuador really is about--the real scoop.

The catch?

My Spanish is bad. I mean, really really bad. MUY MALO! So, this is probably the biggest experiment of my life. Will I be able to share the Girls in the Hall spirit with these girls without knowing all of the words and communicating through emotion and understanding, and then accurately relay the journey to all of you? Time will indeed tell.

Here's where you come in! Have you wondered what it is like to grow up in a country so different from your own? We are collecting questions from teens here to ask the girls over there. Then, we will blog the answers to your question directly from the girls in Ecuador. Leave a comment on this post with your questions or drop us an email at girlsinthehallblog@gmail.com. We want to hear from you to ask real questions, from teen to teen.

Friday, January 21, 2011

OUR FIRST TEEN CONTRIBUTOR

Here is our first Teen Contributor entry! Have something to say? Look at the bottom of this post for details on how you can be featured on Girls in the Hall and win a Barnes and Noble E-Gift Card.

 _____________________________________________________________
MIRROR, WHO ARE YOU?
A poem and photo by Lee, 18, Florida  

I look in the shining glass with white covering these empty walls.
All I want is to be loved by myself and the ones around me
Like these walls I have scars and bruises I can never get rid of:
Love can be a very good thing
sometimes walls cover candy pink and apple red
Then again Love can be a damp thing
covering the walls of gloomy blue and coal black
At times I feel like re-painting these walls
to make them what I feel is happening 
Then the tears start running down my face
and the sunshine fades to a thunder storm
It’s hard to pick the pieces up after a long day of crying
As I talk to my friends and family
the storm suddenly ends and possibilities come my way
So mirror on the wall I look at you in awe wondering 
where you are taking my life when will you finally show!
_____________________________________________________________

Do you have an original...
Short story? 
Poem?
Essay?
Photograph?
Book/Film/TV review?
Recipe?
Editorial?

Send it to us at girlsinthehallblog@gmail.com for a chance to be published on Girls in the Hall and win a Barnes and Noble E-Gift Card. You could be next!










Monday, January 17, 2011

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Failure, originally uploaded by Diana Pinto.



"Don't forget to win first place 
Don't forget to keep that smile on your face." 
-Alanis Morissette, PERFECT

Pressure, pressure, pressure. How many of you feel it? I do. Sometimes it sufficates me from all around. In high school, I went through a (very long) phase where I listened to this song on repeat--when I woke up in the morning and brushed my teeth while reviewing flash cards for Spanish or in my headphones as I ran from drama-to-cheerleading-to-study hall-to-babysitting. It was the perfect soundtrack to the loop of worry "what if's" in my head.... What if I didn't make the grade and didn't get into just the right college? What if dad won't be proud of me anymore if a fail? What if I let my team down? What if my teachers think I am stupid? What if my sister thinks I suck? What if my boyfriend won't like me for not wanting to go beyond kissing? What if people don't like me?

We are taught to go through life with these thoughts of potential failure as the end all, be all of how to measure life's success. Don't get me wrong, some pressure is good, like the adrenal you get right before running at a track meet or going up in front of a crowd to give a speech. I am finally learning how to separate the good from the bad.

While most of us are taught to be incredibly afraid of failure, society tells us we need to grin through it. Some think that expressing fear is weakness. We at Girls in the Hall know that it is the exact opposite--a girl who is able to voice her fears is not only being honest with the world, but counts as one of the bravest. Just think, these fears are shared by many.

This photo was taken by a great teen photographer, who we found on flickr.com. Her caption is, "
This is pretty much how I feel all the time. Wrote that on my hand yesterday in Latin class to remind myself of what I am. This isn't for attention, it's to express myself." When stumbling upon this while looking for Girls in the Hall photos, it reminded us that we are not alone and sparked this blog. Imagine if we could all talk about when we feel like this without society telling us to keep it bottled inside.



I love giving everything I start my best effort and I have now learned that it's ok to make some mistakes along the way. After all, mistakes are the pieces of a patchwork quilt that warm fear of failure away.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

CALLING ALL TEEN WRITERS


It's official! Girls in the Hall has hit 100 posts coming into 2011.

With our 100th, we are putting the word out. Do you enjoy writing? Whether you have ever thought about becoming a writer, love journaling or have pondered what it would be like to type out some thoughts on the computer, Girls in the Hall is looking for you!

We are in search of teen contributors.

What do you want to share with the world? Whether it is a book/music/movie review, advice you have to give, fiction you have written, or you just have something to say, we want to know. Any original blog you have written for real girls living real high school lives is fair game.

Plus, if your entry is chosen to be published on Girls in the Hall, you will win a Barnes and Noble Gift Card!

Submit your blogs to us at girlsinthehallblog@gmail.com along with your first name, state/country and age. Will notify winners within two weeks of submission.

So, what are ya waiting for? We look forward to reading what you have to share.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

FIRST 2011 QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Happy New Year, originally uploaded by Calsidyrose.


Peppermint Patty: It's been a great year, Chuck. You'll have to admit that. What you do think, Chuck, would be good rules for living in the New Year?


Charlie Brown: Keep the ball low, don’t leave your crayons in the sun, use dental floss every day, don’t spill the shoe polish, always knock before entering, don’t let the ants get in the sugar, never volunteer to be a program chairman, always get your first serve in, and feed your dog whenever he’s hungry.

Peppermint Patty: Will those rules give me a better life, Chuck?

Charlie Brown: The better life and a fat dog.
-CHARLIE BROWN

How did you ring in the New Year? At a party? At home watching the Jersey Shore cast on MTV or Dick Clark do the Times Square countdown? Regardless of where you were, I am sure that you were wondering about the possibilities of 2011. I know I was--and still am.

The opportunities to start something new for the future with the foundations of the past are both thrilling and daunting. One thing I definitely know is that the second year of Girls in the Hall will be a great new chapter where we will continue to bring you our thoughts--and yours--on being a teen, being yourself, and making it through high school. Oh, and we will be sure to not leave our crayons in the sun along the way.