Girls, don’t give up your dreams for him

I don’t understand the way some teenagers think these days. Why are beautiful and strong girls so down on themselves? Why are some teenage boys preoccupied with only one thing? The other day I walked into the locker room to find one of my friends crying. When I asked her why, she told me that her boyfriend had broken up with her because she would not have sex with him.

I wanted to scream at her, but instead I consoled her. Why was she crying over a boy who so obviously wanted her for only one thing? He does not deserve her. When I asked her if she would go back and have sex with him so he would stay, she said “yes” without hesitation. Here was my beautiful, intelligent, articulate, and funny friend crying because her boyfriend didn’t realize just how much she is worth. In reality he was not worth one tear, let alone the dozens she cried in the locker room over him.
I don’t understand why she was so down about a boy she meant nothing to.  If he could break up with her because she would not have sex with him, then that was all he wanted her for. She is better than that; all girls are. Girls, stop priding yourself on your looks and your sex appeal. You have so much more to offer. Boys, stop trying to “get it in.” You have other things to worry about. Focus on something more constructive. Join a team or a club, get your grades up, something, anything. You are a teenager, so act like one; you are too young to be having sex.
Girls, realize this: you are not a walking reproductive organ. Value yourselves more. How can you expect a boy to find you worthy and lovable if you yourself don’t think you are either? What happened to courtship? I know chivalry is dead, but casual sex is a disgrace.
On that note, stop obsessing about looks. Pride yourself on that straight A report card, instead of how much weight you lost this week, or how cute you think you look. I know you’ve heard this before, but in 10 years how you looked will not matter. What will matter in 10 years are the consequences of having sex. There are so many dangers that can affect you for the rest of your life. You can catch an STD, something that may not be curable. You do not want your life cut short because of a reckless decision you make now. You can get pregnant, or you could get a girl pregnant. No matter how mature you are, no teenager is prepared to bring a child into this world.

Have you seen the statistics? “Teen mothers are less likely to graduate from high school. Children of teen mothers are more likely to be born at a low birth weight, to have health and developmental problems, and to be abused and/or neglected,” according to WomensIssues.com. You may struggle for the rest of your life.

You do not want to give up your dreams and future for a moment of pleasure. Wait. Save yourself, value yourself as a person. You are beautiful, smart, funny and worthwhile, so why not wait? There is so much time to be an adult in the future. Just be a teenager.