Wow, the student media stuff sounds awesome! I feel you on the not being sure how to transition from the knowing cool people in a context to hanging out with them outside that context. A few strategies I know of are to a) attend or instigate group hang-outs not related to the work you're doing. Cent...

Hi muskratsunshine, I'm sorry to hear that things were rough this morning. However, it sounds like you are trying to reach out to your mom and see if you two can start trying for a different kind of communication. At a certain point, the ball is in her court, and if she won't engage with or answer y...

Hi Najeeb,

I think a good place to start is by reading this article:
Innies & Outies: The Penis, Testes and More

And no, there should not be anything that is painful to you during sex (or for your partner, for that matter). If there is, that's a sign that there may be an issue.

Hi Victoria, You've already touched on one of the more common reasons for painful penetration. That is, a lack of lube. In fact, most people, even people who do get fairly wet when aroused, find that adding lube to the mix makes things better. So, if you don't have any, I suggest buying some to use ...

Hi Helpme, So, one of the side effects of plan B is that it can throw a person's cycle off, causing periods to arrive at odd times, and it can cause irregular or unexplained bleeding. There is no way for us to know what this bleeding was for her. Generally, we advise that someone who had a pregnancy...

Hi thinkmcfly, I hear you mentioning that you've cut your friend group down considerably lately. Have you been doing anything (like joining clubs, or other group activities) that's getting you into contact with new people with whom you have some common interests? If not, that might be a sound thing ...

Hi Fanndis, Full caveat: I am not an evolutionary biologist. But, I suppose part of the answer is that penis size was unlikely to be the primary trait someone was considering when choosing a mate (kind of how it's not the primary trait now), and that (especially way, way back when) pleasure may not ...

About sexuality, communication, and ice cream sundaes.
http://www.scarleteen.com/article/relat ... d_about_it

Hi confused_me, Ultimately, you know your friend better than we do, so you have a sense of how she is likely to react if you tell her your feelings for her. When you're weighing this decision, it can help to think about what you want from this conversation (just for her to know, or for her to recipr...

Hi niayuki, I hope you don't mind my chiming in. One thing that might help with the boundaries conversation is to remind her that you are not setting these boundaries at her. You're creating them for you, so that you can be more comfortable in your daily life. Your setting them is not a commentary o...

Hi Juliet, I'm sorry you've been feeling so low. I'm assuming this was the same dude who you were telling us about awhile back? If so, then I have to agree with your friends that maybe this guy was not as good of a friend to you as he appeared to be (or even if he did genuinely care about you as a f...

Hi Moonstone, I would say that this fits into most definitions of sexual abuse, since he was coercing you into sexual stuff that you clearly did not want. That's really sucky, and I'm sorry this person did this to you. However, more than the definition I can give you, your own feelings around this a...

Hi Es7804, To clarify, do you mean you've gotten your withdrawl bleed (the thing that acts as your period while on the pill)? Or do you mean breakthrough bleeding as in bleeding while not on the placebo pills? Also, was the pill the only type of birth control you used when you had sex? And, if you'r...

We talk a lot about boundaries here at Scarleteen, and about how having a strong sense of them and communicating them is an important thing to do (as is respecting the boundaries of other people). However, I'll be the first to admit that holding boundaries in the face of someone pushing them is not ...

Hi annaanna, The thing is, you know this guy better than any of us do, so you likely a sense of whether or not he's trustworthy (more so than we will). And, at a certain point, you'll likely have to just take him at his word. It does sound like you're feeling some guilt around these pictures (and th...

Hi adipose, Try not to feel bad about somehow lying to your friends about your identity. You were telling them what you felt you were at the time. Learning our sexual orientation can be a process for some people, so your friends will most likely understand when you say "actually, I think this d...

Hi Captaindorito, You're quite right that the average orgasm in the media is shown as this super big giant sensation. And, as your discovering, that does not actually reflect the reality of orgasms for many people (and, for most people, orgasms will vary in strength and intensity). Really, there is ...

Hi Nico, I know this is not what you want to hear, but you yourself already seem aware of the fact that there are three majors issues. First, while she's not a blood relation, dating someone who is related to you is definitely taboo in most places. And, beyond that, she is both in a relationship wit...

Hi esTa, No, leaving them in the sun is unlikely to compromise them, although you may want to check in with a pharmacist about putting them in the hold of the plane with your luggage (any way to just stash them in your carry on?) And, if you're still concerned they may have been compromised, the sou...

Hi Babymanel, Nope, it's not bad at all. People take different amounts of time to end up in relationships, and a lot of it depends on sheer luck (as in, am I near someone I like who also happens to like me so we can date). So, this is nothing to stress about :) And, it can be helpful to remember tha...

Hi Niki, I'm going to give you a few articles to read. The first one pertains to birth control pills and how they work: Combined Oral Contraceptives (The Pill) Three questions about taking the birth control pill (and plenty of answers) As for having safer sex, if you really feel you can't risk pregn...

Hi Sheabuttersweet,

No, nausea alone is not enough to make the pill less effective. So, if you did not throw up, you can assume you still have the full effectiveness.

Hi Moonstone, I will say that it can feel like BDSM has a stigma attached to it, especially if you talk to someone who has very little (or a very twisted) idea of what it looks like. But, in all honesty, it's just one of the many ways that desire can manifest itself. Too, it can help to remember tha...

Hi Dolly,

I'm glad to hear talking with us has been helpful And too, I'm glad that your mom was so supportive when you opened up to her and that the two of you are going to look into some mental health resources. I hope the hunt goes well

Hi Aly O, Your mom is right when she says that, when you're young, period irregularity is not uncommon, so odds are that's what is causing this. And, there's no way to know when it will start to even out a little (bodies are different, and they change and adjust at different speeds) I do want to ask...