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Should I Spend Two Years Dateless?
DR. WALLACE: I'm 17, and the guy that I love is 19 and is in the military service. I love him with all of my heart and soul, and he says that he feels the same way about me. We constantly talk about getting married when he gets discharged in three …Read more.
The High Cost of Prom Dresses
TEENS: It's prom time, and millions of teens are preparing to attend the grandest of all school-sponsored events. As a senior at Emerson High School in Gary, Ind., the only money I needed to have a wonderful experience was about $75. I already owned …Read more.
You Could Be Behind Bars
DR. WALLACE: I'm 18 and so is Lori, my so-called girlfriend. We had been going steady for a year, but we broke up two days before we graduated. Our first nine months were super, but we had lots of problems the last three. The last straw was when she …Read more.
Congratulations on Your Grade-Point Average
DR. WALLACE: I will be graduating from high school in less than a month. I'm a very good student and have been accepted at Yale University. I will be attending Yale in September.
But I feel very disappointed that I was not selected as the …Read more.
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How Can I Improve My Self-Esteem?DR. WALLACE: I'm 13 and have been told that I don't have a positive self-esteem. Does this mean that self-esteem is negative? Please explain. Maybe I don't have any close friends because my self-esteem is low. What can I do to improve my self-esteem? I really want to change it. —Rosa, El Paso, Tex. ROSA: Self-esteem is how you feel about yourself. When someone has a positive self-esteem, this person has self-confidence. This means the person sets goals and is confident that these goals can be successfully accomplished. When a person has low self-esteem, he or she may feel not worthy of being accepted or even loved. For example, this person may feel or say "I'm really dumb," or "Nobody cares for me or likes me." All humans have some degree of weaknesses and some degree of strengths. Spend some time thinking about your strengths. Are you honest, loyal, helpful, kind, considerate, etc.? Think about these positive attributes that apply to you and remember them every day. Keep telling yourself every day that, "I'm intelligent," and "I can do this." Practice in front of a mirror to give yourself an opportunity to see yourself while thinking positive thoughts, and remember to smile! Keep a daily journal, listing events from the day where you exhibited your strengths. If you make a mistake, don't let it hinder your attempt to improve your self-esteem.
Finally, make friends with those who you feel have good self-esteem. These future friends can come from your neighborhood, your church, or your school. Please make improving your self-esteem an important part of your future. Please contact me again and let me know how you are doing. IF HE SAID "NO," I'D BE EMBARRASSED DR. WALLACE: I'm 15 and really like a certain boy, and I know that he likes me, too. He has told this to my best friend, and he even told my brother. The problem is that he is very shy, and I'm sure he won't ask me out. I want to ask him out, but my best friend keeps telling me that "nice" girls don't ask boys to go out with them. I really don't believe that and that's not my problem. If I would ask Carlos out and he would happen to refuse my offer, I'd be so embarrassed. I'd just die. What should I do? —Dawn, Phoenix, Ariz. DAWN: Ask him out. If he refuses (I'll bet that he won't) you surely won't die. You'll just be disappointed, and that will fade away in a week or two. The alternative is that he won't ask you out because he is too shy. By asking him, you have a good chance of getting your wish. Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@galesburg.net. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM 
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