QUOTE OF THE WEEK

..Finally, originally uploaded by Nas _.

"Count to ten... Take it in. This is life before you know who you're gonna be."

-Taylor Swift, FIFTEEN

In the past couple of weeks and the days to come, including as I type this right now to all of you, many Girls in the Hall around the country are putting on caps and gowns getting ready to grab that coveted diploma from the Principal's hands. It is the end of the school year. As we dream of this day coming, we all envision the grandeur of what being a high school graduate on the other side will feel like. The freedom of the future shines as a bright spot manifested in this piece of paper called a diploma. We wonder... Where will we be in five years, ten years and beyond? What career path will we carve out for ourselves? Who will we marry? What parts of the world will we explore? What signature will we stamp on the world?

Mostly, our minds drift to the overall question that encompasses all of the details that will comprise our future--"who are we gonna be?" We meander through different phases--All in the span of my year of being fifteen, I know I went through a flannel wearing phase of Kurt Cobain obsession (Me: Mom, can I dye my hair black with cool aid? Mom: Absolutely not!), an attempt at embodying the ultimate tennis champ (I even got a purple racket for my bday, that ended up being donated after gather dust in my closet months after), and a dabble with getting into technology with being VP of the tech club (today, I freak out when my iphone doesn't turn on and am usually told it was because I let the battery die). There are probably many more identities that I tried on in the metaphorical dressing room of high school that year. What I did I find out? The answer is that, I am still all of them--that alternative music loving, clumsy wannabe jock, technology interested (though challenged) girl.

The funny thing is, I always thought that one day my identity would just emerge, after I had left the halls of school. The glorious joke of discovery is on me. I still am finding out, every day, who I am. Last year, I wrote a book, started a jewelry business for fun and allowed my hair stylist to give me bangs after swearing them away when I was, you guessed it, fifteen.

I am set in my beliefs of leading my life with kindness and an open mind. These are things that I value, and have always valued, to my core of being. As for the rest of it, I will spend every day of my life happily discovering what makes up who I am while figuring out how to take it all in. I wouldn't have it any other way. So, Girls in the Hall graduating now, congrats and best wishes for a lifetime of learning who you are gonna be.

SAFE AND SOUND

For those who read our last post about Abby Sunderland, the sixteen year old sailor lost at sea earlier this week, we wanted to report that she is safe! To follow Abby and read more about her rescue, click here to check out her blog.

ABBY'S STORY

309794 S.O.S. Help Abby Sunderland, all boaters ALERT ! (Internet), originally uploaded by godisinusall (unfocused ).

Abby Sunderland

At Girls in the Hall, we are constantly doing research about all things that apply to being a teen girl. Therefore, we were fascinated by the 20/20 show last Friday, which profiled teens with ambitious goals and asked the question, "How young is too young?" There was the teen who, with parental permission, risked his life climbing Mount Everest last year on a quest to be the youngest hiker to see the world from the the highest peak on each continent. And so on. The story that touched me most that night was the dream of Abby Sunderland to be one of the youngest to sail across the world by herself. At 16, she embarked on her journey hoping to edge out a girl very close to her in age in Australia who had already started the journey. Abby's interview was fused with contagious passion for the art of sailing, something she had done since she was tiny. I was torn between admiration for Abby's determination and enthusiasm, but scared for her with the risk she was going to undertake. Regardless, her courage, determination and warm smile were infectious when watching the interview. Her parents in the interview clearly loved and cherished their little girl, but I couldn't understand how they would let her go thousands of miles into the fire of the ocean on a small boat. Over the past few days, I have been playing ping-pong in my head with this conundrum, trying to figure out my stance. Are quests like these noble aspirations to be granted permission by parents, or are they allowing teens to masquerade as adults in a world of dangerous cotton candy dreams?


This entry was going to be all about not letting your age as a teen get in the way of dreams, but also knowing when waiting is better. Originally, I wanted to take the question straight to you--how young do you think is too young?


Then, a friend I had been talking about this topic with sent me an article this afternoon. I sat at my computer, tearing up. A wave of shock and nausea overcame my core. The news broke today that Abby Sunderland is missing at sea. As of this evening, the signal from her boat indicates that it is drifting with no word from Abby. I am going to now channel my thoughts and energy to be one of the millions who will be hoping for her safe return to her family on solid ground, and hope that in my shifting on the thoughts of this blog, you will be moved to do the same. She is one of us.


For updates on Abby Sunderland, click here for CNN's Blog.

A GIRL IN THE HALL ON THE FRONT LINE TO STOP BULLYING

Jonna at her school's Anti-Bullying Petition Signing

After this Girls in the Hall post  back in April, where we first discovered the fantastic organization Pacer Center's Teens Against Bullying, we spoke with Julie Hertzog at the Pacer Center about interviewing a teen who has played a role in the movement to stop bullying in our schools. Girls in the hall, meet Jonna. She is on the Pacer Center's Teen Advisory Council, and even started an anti-bullying movement in her school. Jonna epitomizes what Girls in the Hall is all about. To sum it up, she rocks. Here's our interview:

First Name: Jonna
Age:13
City, State: Chaska, MN

What does Pacer Center's Teens Against Bullying do and what inspired you to join up with them?
Our goal at Pacer Center Teens Against Bullying is to end bullying everywhere.  When Pacer had a meeting up at the MN capital, I went with my mom. ( I have a little sister with special needs)  I was the only kid that went so they asked me to speak.  After I told them how I was trying to change things at my school because I want to make things better before my sister gets to  middle school,  some  people gave me their cards with their contact information.  One of the people who gave me their card was Julie Herzog.  She asked if I would be intrested in joining the Teens Against Bullying advisory council.

What would you say to girls out there reading this who are victims of bullying?
That bullying is not cool!  That they are not alone.  That it happens to more kids than they realize.  That I have been bullied, too. That my advice to you is to tell someone and have them help you talk to the person who is bullying you.  They can also go to the website www.teensagainstbullying.org for some ideas.

Some Girls in the Hall have emailed us to say that they want to stand up against bullies at their schools, but are afraid of what could happen to them. What do you think are the best ways for girls to take a stand against bullying at their schools? What should a girl do who is friends with a bully? 

I think you need to tell a parent, counselor or principal and have them help you. You have to stand up for what you believe in and what is right.  I think that when you stand up for something you believe in that most people respect you for taking a stand.  Get your friends involved, too.  Your true friends will back you up and support you.  If you have a friend that is a bully, you need to confront them and tell them to stop.  If they won't stop then I wouldn't hang out with them anymore.

We heard that you did a petition signing campaign at your school. Could you tell us about the petition and how you did it? Was it hard?
Well the first Teens Against Bullying meeting I went to  we could bring a petition for the Students to sign at our school. So the Monday of the awarness week all the Home rooms did a anti-bullying activity.So every morning on the announcements we would say a fact about bullying.  Then at lunch students would sign the petition to end bullying. I got about 230 signutures. After they would sign the petition they would get a little dye-cut that they would get to put their name on it and then we would hang the dye-cut in the front window of our school.  It was not too hard and kids were really willing to sign it.

What suggestions do you have of ways girls can take a stand in their communities, like you did in yours?
Well I think they should talk to a student coucil advisor, counselor or principal and try to get things started in your school.  Get involved.  Stand up for what you believe in and stand for others if you see it happening to them.

Since online bullying is a new terror to many teens in our country, what tips do you have on how to combat it? Don't get involved with it! If you get a bad email or text then tell an adult.  Don't participate it any of it.  Be careful who you give your information to. 


How can Girls in the Hall get involved with Pacer Center's Teens Against Bullying?
Contact someone who works with pacer and tell them that you want to get involved or visit www.teensagainstbullying.org.

Are there any other things that Girls in the Hall should know about bullying and how to help end it? Bullying can be teasing, name calling, starting rumors about someone, hitting, pushing, shoving.  It can be anything that is mean spirited to a person.  But you can put an end to it.  If you are against bullying then do something about it.  Talk to your school and try to get something started.  If you get one person to stop bullying you can change someones life.

Want to get involved in your community with anti-bullying movement? Become one of Pacer Center's Teens Against Bullying or email us at girlsinthehallblog@gmail.com. Girls in the Hall hearts the Pacer Center and will continue to post updates on activities with them  and how you can get involved. 

WAITING FOR HER, A Poem

Teenage Secrets, originally uploaded by {peace&love♥}.

WAITING FOR HER
by Anonymous Teen

I found a girl
From a distant shore
That wants to be with me

We hope to be together
Our love turned into lore
I struggle to believe it

I can only be assured
When she is outside my door
When I can hold her in my arms

So that in the future
When I look at the days of yore
I know I was destined to be happy

One of our fave readers is Anonymous Teen, a great guy who blogs from the United Kingdom and always gives Girls in the Hall the guy perspective on issues. He posted this poem the other day and we thought all of the Girls in the Hall would appreciate it.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Summer girl, originally uploaded by shanti929.

“If you vote for me, it will be summer all year round.”
Summer Wheatley (Haylie Duff), NAPOLEON DYNAMITE

Don't we wish this were the truth? I wait for summer with baited breath through the leaf changes of fall, the chill of winter and the hope of spring. Most of us long for the hot days of summer as we count down to the final bell ring of the school year.


I hope that your summer is filled with the adventure that all Girls in the Hall deserve. What are you most looking forward to? A trip some where exciting? Being able to sleep until noon? No homework? Whatever it may be, we look forward to hearing about it. Personally, the gift that this summer gives me is time to reflect on the past months about what Girls in the Hall has grown (and is growing) to be and to write more on here about issues you all care about. I love that we have readers from all of over the world, and that we will continue to grow our awesome base of teens who get what we are about. I know you are all out there, and I am so thankful. Cheers to flip flops, friendship and the future!

WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?

138.365, originally uploaded by epicfailer.

Most of us have seen it. That teacher who always calls on the guy sitting next to you, even if you raise your hand before him. The boy who gets better shifts at work when he started a couple of months after you did. What is up with that? We all want to scream out that it is 2010!


Sadly, women still make an average 7% less than men in the same field of work. Why am I bringing this up on Girls in the Hall when most of us are years away from joining the working world? It seems like a minor issue compared to all us girls have to deal with in the challenges of the halls of high school. I'm raising this issue to all of you because it starts NOW. Here's an example to throw out there. Have you ever looked at your report card or sat in an algebra or geometry class, feeling like you were hopeless at math? In fact, statistics show that small children, regardless of gender, have virtually the same performance levels in math. However, as we go through school and the jokes about girls being bad at that specific subject are bantered around, girls' math scores generally drop compared to guys'. How's that for sabatoge? We are subtly told what we should and shouldn't be good at, and those terrible confines echo in our subconscious. So, Girls in the Hall, this issue really started when they put the pink bows on our heads as babies way back when.


Don't get me wrong, I adore wearing lip gloss, having painted toe nails and also hope to go to Lilith Fair this summer. I enjoy scouring thrift stores with my friends for that perfect vintage dress, and also being one of the few girls I know who will raise my voice in debates with guys about football. My favorite journeys are getting lost in novels with stars like Elizabeth Bennet and Bella Swan. Quite simply, I love being a girl, and all of the character traits that define what being a girl means to me. Some girl friends of mine hate sports, some love them. Some look forward to any chance to dress up, some would rather live in jeans. Some love science, some music. You get the the picture. Each of our unique and wonderful versions of being a girl make up a thread in the powerful fabric of womanhood.


How can we shine the lights of what our identity is within our gender, and also break this pattern? Too often, when we do acknowledge such unfair situations, we are labeled--shockingly by women, not just men--as (gasp) feminists. Most people don't know that there are a lot of degrees of feminism ranging from the radical to the passive. What pops in your brain when you hear the word "feminist"? Did words like "manhater" or worse automatically go off in your brain? Check out this interesting post on feminism.com about teens and feminism. Once again (surprise, surprise), society doesn't give teens the whole story. Most of us are not educated in any scope about feminism until we are in our college years, long after we have been thrown on the front lines of this battle in some way.The real truth is that most feminists want equality for women in compared to men while embracing our womanhood. One of my identities as a girl is indeed a feminist. When someone yells, "Feminist!" at me in a debate on this topic, I smile and say, "Thanks."


I know that one day it will happen. There will come a time when "throw like a girl" won't be an insult, we will have the milestone of a female president, and each girl can go to school and not worry that the classmate next to her is getting special treatment because he's a he. As we go from being girls in the hall to women on the sidewalks of the world, we will get us there.