Issue 81

Page 11

wearing designer labels... it all boils down to trying to be accepted by the in-crew. You may appear to be self-assured on the outside but the reality is that people who want to be like the crowd are insecure within themselves. “I only try and fit in because my parents put pressure on me to be successful,” says Tanya, 15, from Wood Green. “My friends may be bad but they get me noticed.” Of course, getting noticed for the wrong reason is no way to be successful. Teenagers admire the stars. What we see is the glamour and glitz of what they

Look at Nelson Mandela. He was in prison for 27 years but kept believing in his cause. His dedication helped him persevere through the ordeal of imprisonment and now he is the democratically elected president of a free South Africa. Whatever you want to achieve in life it comes down to self-belief and hard work. Nobody is going to hand you opportunities on a plate. If you want things, only you can make them happen. Sitting in your bedroom dreaming about ‘what ifs’ won’t get you anywhere.

“Missing lessons, taking drugs, even wearing designer labels... it all boils down to trying to be accepted by the in-crew” The learning opportunity you get as a have become. We’re not told about the hard times, the knock backs, and the pain all these people must have gone through to reach the top. Historical figures and famous people didn’t get there though luck or status but through striving to establish their goal.

young person comes only once. Make the most of it. No matter how exciting your life may seem - bunking school, missing lessons, abusing your body with drugs - it won’t last forever. Don’t be a sheep. Respect yourself. Make your own mind up about what you want. It doesn’t take a genius to work that out.

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