ATTRACTION
It's often the case that, when you meet someone, the first thing that takes place is a physical attraction. People react to such an attraction in different ways - some find themselves grinning from ear to ear for no apparent reason, while others actually turn all shy when the object of their attraction is in the same room. As much as this reaction is different with each person, what each individual finds attractive varies too. While some are attracted to Mark Wahlberg's rippling muscles or Brad Pitt's smirk, others aren't affected by this, but instead feel a tingle at the mere sight of Tom Cruise or Keanu Reeves. Just remember that looks aren't everything and - at the end of the day - it's an attraction to each other's personality that makes a realtionship more meaningful and last longer.
BREASTS
Once girls hit puberty, many of them worry themselves silly about the size of their breasts. But, what ARE breasts? Well, they're actually made up of fat, tissue and milk glands. At the tip of your breasts lie your nipples, which - like your breasts - vary in size too. Nipples contain very small ducts for milk to pass through during breasts feeding. They are also a sensitive area of the breasts and become erect when stimulated. In some cases, girls have inverted nipples, which is actually a harmless condition and can be treated by a doctor. However, a nipple that suddenly becomes inverted may be a sign of breast cancer, so do consult a doctor if this happens. Your breasts are sensitive to hormonal changes and can be either extremely tender or slightly lumpy just before your period. Breast cancer is an increasing problem among women these days, so please make it a habit to check your breasts on a regular basis - at least once a month, the best time being just after your period has ended. How do you carry out this check? Use the flat of your hand and gently press all over each breast in turn, and make sure that you check right into the armpit. Look out for any new lumps or bumps on both breasts, or a lump on one side and not the other. Also, check your breasts carefully in the mirror and make sure your nipples are not distorted and that you haven't developed any dimples on your breasts.
CONTRACEPTION
Even if you're not in a sexual relationship, it's important that you know about contraception. The best thing is to talk to your parents or a trusted adult - a sibling, teacher or family friend - about it. However, if you feel shy discussing sich a topic with them, ask your doctor or go to a family planning centre. Contraception is the responsibility of both parties, so don't ever take a guy's excuse that "It's not my problem." If he says that to you, he isn't worth your time. Also always remember that the best form of contraception is not to have sex at all.
DECIDE
The decision is to whether or not you want to take a relationship any further lies with you, so don't ever be afraid to speak your mind. And, if you decide to go ahead with it, do get the advice of an older person beforehand and be careful about the whole thing.
ERECTION
When a male gets excited, the most obvious way of knowing this is by his erect penis. Why and how does this happen? When a guy is sexually aroused, blood fills his penis, causing it to become hard and erect. This technically means that he's ready for the act of sex and, when further stimulated, he will ejaculate, after which the blood flows back to where it came from and the penis goes back to its limp state. In the event that he's not stimulated further, the erection will gradually subside.
FOREPLAY
Many people consider this the most important part when it comes to the act of sex, as it prepares you for what's to happen next. The act of foreplay varies in different cases, but usually involves kissing and caressing - which is also known as petting. Not only does this prepare you physically for the act of sex, it also gives you the time to learn about each other's bodies and find out what you both like, before making the decision to go any further. There's no particular time limit to how long foreplay should last and it also doesn't necessarily have to lead to sex.
GAY
When you're going puberty, it's common for you to have a liking for someone of the same sex. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that you're gay. A person is referred to as gay - or homosexual - when he or she is sexually attracted to people of the same sex. A homosexual man is called gay, while a homosexual woman is referred to as a lesbian. A bisexual is someone who is attracted to both sexes.
HORMONES
These are in fact responsible for a lot of what your body is going through during puberty - from getting spots to going till moody once a month. As much as we see only the bad side of these chemicals, hormones are acutally responsible for triggering your reproductive system, so you just might be thankful for having them later in your life. To achieve minimal hormonal disturbance during puberty, try living a healthy lifestyle, exercise regularly and don't stress yourself out.
INTERCOURSE
The actual act of sex is properly called "sexual intercourse". This takes place only when a guy inserts his penis into a girl's vagina, and everything else in just secondary to the act. However, there's more to this act than it may seem. Not only must you be physically prepared for this, you must also be mentally ready, as the mental consequences can sometimes outweigh the physical reactions.
JADED
Being in love can sometimes make you jaded about love and life in general. Do be warned that this can happen to you too, so make sure you think carefully about everything before you take any step in your relationship.
KISSING
It's referred to by many other names - including smooching or snogging - and can be anything from a friendly peck on cheek to a full on tonsil tickling session. Many teens are worried about how they should do it and whether they're doing it right. But, there's not right or wrong way to kiss someone, so just let your instincts take over and you'll be alright.
LOVE
There's a lot more to being in love with someone than just saying "I Love You". Many times, we may think that we're in love with the boy/girl of our dreams, but unfortunately, this doesn't always work out the way we want to. Being in love with someone can be a tricky situation, as it takes a lot more than just being physically attracted to a person. There's always the issue of mutual understanding, communication and feeling totally comfortable with the other. If you think you're in love with someone but it doesn't quite work out, remember that it's not the end of the world and that you're still young. Yes, believe it or not, there really are lots of fish in the sea. The first step to being in love with someone is loving and respecting yourself.
MASTURBATION
This is the act of stimulating one's own sexual organs to produce pleasurable feelings. Believe it or not, this is a natural activity that's practised - in private - by nine out of 10 people, so don't feel ashamed if you have the urge to do it.
NO
Girls, there's absolutely nothing wrong with saying "No" to someone, so don't ever be ashamed to say it. No matter how much you like a guy or how attracted you are to him or what he says to convince you, always remember that you are the one that makes the decision at the end of the day, so say no if you really don't want to get into it. Being forced to do something you don't want to do will only end up making you feel miserable and guilty, so don't ever be scared to use the word. If he refuses to take no for an answer, he isn't worth your time.
ORAL SEX
This is when you stimulate your partner's genital area with your mouth. While many guys will encourage girls to perform oral sex on them, you should never be in the situation where you're forced to do it. Do remember that, if you have a cut or wound in or around your mouth, you could be at a risk of a HIV infection, so be careful and use a condom.
PERIODS
Menstruation is more commonly referreed to as your period, or the "time of the month". The most significant aspect of getting your first period is that it's a sign that you're becoming a woman. It's possible to have sex during this time of the month but do remember that you can still get pregnant without proper protection. It's also important to note that, even if you haven't started having your period, you're still at risk of getting pregnant because your ovaries may have already started shedding eggs, without your knowledge.
QUESTIONS
As a teen, you seem to have more questions than answers - on anything and everything about life. Make sure you have an adult that you can consult about such matters, whether sexual related or not. Also, questions are an important aspect when you first get to know someone. Always make sure you know everything you want - and need - to know about a guy before you get seriously involved with him. Do not take the relationship any further if you're not comfortable with him. Don't ever be afraid to ask questions, whether to your boyfriend, parents or anyone else.
RELATIONSHIPS
Before you decide to embark on a sexual relationship with someone, always make sure that your relationship per se is healthy and balanced. Communicate with your partner and don't ever get into the situation where you're forced to do something you don't want to do. At this age, remember that relationships in general - be it with friends or someone special - come and go and, even if it may not seem like it at that point in time, the end of every relationship acutally makes you a stronger person in the long run.
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES (STDs)
Sexually transmitted disease is the general name given to various infections that are passed on during sex, the most common being the HIV virus. While some can be identified - and treated - easily, all STDs are highly infectious. The only protection from these conditions is using a condom during intercourse. If you think you might have an STD, please pay a visit to the doctor.
TENSION
It's common for there to be tension between the parties involved in a relationship. After all, it's not always rosy when you're going out with someone and there are definitely going to be "downs" as much as there are "ups". Whatever the case, don't let the issue of sex get in the way of your relationship.
UNDERSTANDING
When you're in a relationship with someone, understanding your partner is very important. When there's mutual understanding in a relationship, only then can you consider a relationship to be healthy and stable. If you can't at all figure out what's going on in your partner's mind half the time, perhaps it's time to get to know him/her better.
VAGINA
This is the female sexual organ and is approximately 10cm long. It's made of very elastic tissue, just so it can expand and extend during the acts of both sexual intercourse and childbirth. The clitoris is the bit just above the vaginal opening and this is the most sensitive bit, which when stimulated, can lead to an orgasm. On the other hand, the hymen is a thin layer of skin that partially covers the entrance to the vagina. It's when the hymen is torn through sexual intercourse that a girl is considered to have lost her virginity. As strange as it may sound, not all girls have a hymen and this can also be broken by exercise or using a tampon. However, this doesn't mean that you have lost your virginity. The vagina keeps itself clean by producing a mucus which turns white when exposed to the air or yellowish when it dries on your underpants. When you are ovulating, the discharge tends to be thin and transparent. However, if your dischange looks or smells funny, please see a doctor about it.
WET DREAMS
A boy has a wet dream when he ejaculates in his sleep. How does this happen? Well, when a guy starts to produce sperm, sperm collects itself in the seminal vesicles and the pressure in these tubes builds up so much that the body needs to expel this sperm, which is done through the process of ejaculation. Most guys have wet dreams most often in puberty.
X-PECTATIONS
When you're in a relationship with someone, it's common to have expectations about him or her and about where the relationship is heading.While this is only normal, do make sure that you;re not having too high expectations of your partner, as this could lead to heartbreak in the end. Be realistic with what you want from the other person and talk about it if you're not happy about the way it's heading.
YOU
It's often the case when we're involved in a relationship that we tend to lose ourselves in the other person and lose our identity too, in the process. As hard as it may seem, don't let this happen to you. Remember that YOU are the one that makes all the decisions about your life and nobody - no matter how much they mean to you - has the right to decide on anything to do with your life but you. You are also the person that decides if you'd like to get involved in a sexual relationship, so don't let any guy tell you otherwise.
ZERO
If you end up getting much too involved with someone who isn't going to return you the same amount of attention, what you'll end up with at the end of the day is a big, fat zero. So do remember to think wisely in a relationship and don't give away any part of yourself you don't want to - especially your virginity.
