Annie (AKA Hey Terra!) has been around long enough to have experienced a lot of what Life can dish out. But, it hasn’t been so long that she's forgotten what it's like to be your age. Check out some of the thousands of email questions teens from around the world have sent to Terra. You may learn something useful from her answers:
Wish I had one:
“How do I not say something boring or stupid?”
Hey Terra,
I get really nervous when I talk to this girl I like. I don't want to sound boring or stupid to her. I want to sound like cool, if you know what I mean. How can I feel the same way when I talk to her as I do when I talk to everyone else? Should I just imagine that she was just another girl and try and talk to her about the stuff that I talk to other girls about??Un-loved
Dear Un-loved,
That would be a good place to start. Whatever it is inside yourself that is YOU, let that shine out to this girl. In this way you will let your true self be known to her. You know how to do this already. You do this when you talk in a natural and relaxed way to anyone you know. Let this girl have the pleasure (and honor) of knowing the real you.
If you need to calm your mind before you talk to her, then take some slow deep breaths... Then open you heart and open your mouth and talk.
It might also help if you give yourself permission not to sound "cool." If cool means "This is not really me but some pose I'm trying on so that you will like me more." Then you definitely should not try to sound cool. In fact, don't 'try' to do anything special. Just be yourself. That's the best you have to offer.
How's that sound?
In friendship,
Terra
Need some advice? Write to Terra.
She'll give you a straight answer you can trust without any lectures.
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