The Teenager

2010-02-23T10:00:00.001+05:30

“One life on this earth is all that we get, whether it is enough or not enough, and the obvious conclusion would seem to be that at the very least we are fools if we do not live it as fully and bravely and beautifully as we can.”

Frederick Buechner
American Author and Lecturer

Minute Motivator

2010-02-20T10:34:00.002+05:30

Listen and learn

Have you ever tried to talk with a friend who just wouldn’t be quiet? Every time you tried to put your “nickel’s worth” in, he or she just kept talking, and rambling, and going on, and on, and on. If you’ve ever felt that way about a friend, look into your own life. Do you ramble? Are you a good listener?

In a day of cell phones, Palm Pilots, and e-mail, there’s just too much output. Sometimes you need a little input. Sometimes you simply need to be quiet and listen. Listen to your friends. Listen to a family member. Listen to yourself. Listen to God. Remember to unplug and just listen.

Listening is step one in learning. You learn by listening to others. Their life experiences can really help you. Why not learn from their triumphs and tragedies? Why make their mistakes? Listen for the advice that will help you avoid some pain. All you need is an open mind and a closed mouth.

Quiet! Learning in progress.

2010-02-17T10:18:00.001+05:30

“Once you say you’re going to settle for second,

that’s what happens to you in life.”
~ John F. Kennedy

2010-02-13T09:08:00.000+05:30

Newton's 21st century law

Every book continues to be in a state of rest or covered with dust until and unless external or internal exams appear.

Corporal Violet

2010-02-10T12:16:00.000+05:30

Throughout her entire life, Napoleon Bonaparte’s wife Josephine’s favourite flower had been the violet and she always surrounded herself with the delicate little buds and wore their scent as perfume. She wore violets at their wedding. On each anniversary, Napoleon presented her with a bouquet of violets. His followers even chose the violet as their emblem and nicknamed Napoleon ‘Corporal Violet’.

In 1814, France was invaded and Napoleon exiled to Elba on May 4. Josephine died a few weeks later. After escaping from Elba, Napoleon returned to mainland France where he ruled for another 100 days before being defeated in 1815. He was exiled to the island of St Helena but before he left visited the grave of his beloved Josephine.

After spending 5½ years in exile, Napoleon died on May 5, 1821. When a locket he was wearing around his neck at the time of his death was opened, it was found to contain a lock of Josephine’s hair and dried violet petals he had picked from her gravesite in 1815.

[Napoleon Bonaparte (August 15, 1769-May 5, 1821) was a charismatic general and political leader of France and Emperor of the French as Napoleon I, famed for his military successes.]

2010-02-06T12:11:00.000+05:30

“Modern technology owes ecology an apology.”

~ Alan M. Eddison

2010-02-03T08:45:00.000+05:30

THE NEW MIRROR VIEW

I am sure you’ve all had a great start to the year 2010! As you work hard to stay focused on your New Year resolutions (both the new and the old!), take time off to cherish certain moments, enjoy certain special occasions as well, before the close of the current academic year. The month of February offers you two such occasions. Apart from the famous ‘Valentine’s Day’, February is also the send-off month, a rare chance to interact with your seniors before they move out. Keeping that in mind, this issue of shares with you some handy send-off tips. Make the most of the opportunity!

One of your major concerns, I understand, as you prepare yourselves for such special occasions, is the experience of sudden changes in your body — changes that often make you feel terribly uncomfortable and completely out of sync. The consolation is, you are not alone in this experience. Teens across the globe all go through these changes in varying degrees. As studies reveal, a lot of teens base their self-esteem on how their bodies feel and perform.

However, the fact remains that the sooner you adjust to these changes, the better will it be for your self-image. If you truly value, appreciate and accept yourself with all your God-given features, you are perfectly on the right track. And so, if you think I am being too philosophical, don’t switch off — just hang on! Our lead story will take you through some very practical steps to handling such changes in your body, leaving you feeling better and giving you a new mirror view of yourself — a healthy and positive body image!

~ Joby Mathew

2010-01-29T11:55:00.000+05:30

I remember a little plaque hanging on a wall in my childhood home. It had a worn out picture of a sparrow and a robin and as I peered at it I could decipher words, which went like this:

Said the robin to the sparrow,
“I should really like to know,
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.”
Said the sparrow to the robin,
“Friend I think that it must be,
That they have no God above,
Such as cares for you and me!

Is that the truth? Is that what the birds think when they look at us with those disgusted eyes from the tops of trees and lampposts, wondering why we don’t just connect to Someone above who is just waiting for his children to connect with him. You owe it to yourself this New Year to ‘BE STILL’ and let the Divine catch up with you!

From Be Still by Robert Clements (THE TEENAGER, January 2010)

2010-01-26T12:00:00.000+05:30

DEFT DEFINITIONS

NURSE: A person who wakes you up to give you a sleeping pill.

EDUCATION: Putting abstract ideas into concrete heads.

SMILE: A curve that can set a lot of things straight.

COMPROMISE: The art of dividing a cake in such a way that everybody believes he got the biggest piece.

CLASSIC: A book which people praise but do not read.

CONFERENCE: The confusion of one man multiplied by the number present.

ATOM BOMB: An invention to end all inventions.

DOCTOR: A person who kills your ills with his pills and kills you with his bills.

FATHER: A banker provided by nature.

POLITICIAN: A person who promises to build bridges even if there are no rivers.

OFFICE: A place where you can relax after your strenuous home life.

2010-01-25T15:41:00.002+05:30

“It is high time for all who care for humanity, to promote spirituality of values among the people, especially the younger generation. Teachers, social activists and religious leaders need to adopt a new paradigm: a paradigm which replaces indifference with sensitivity and altruism! Youth is the most powerful force which can realize this new paradigm shift in the mindset of the nation. The youth with their commitment to 'be the change they want to see in the world' have the potential to realize the 'India 2020' dream of Dr A P J Abdul Kalam. An enlightened and visionary youth is the ultimate answer to a socially awakened India.”
From Do You Have A Social Conscience? by Varghese Alengaden (THE TEENAGER, January 2010)

“I missed!”

2010-01-23T11:33:00.001+05:30

ALEXANDRE DUMAS was once involved in a duel with a young politician. As both were crack shots, they agreed to draw lots: the loser would simply shoot himself. Dumas lost. Pistol in hand, the author withdrew in silent dignity to an adjacent room, closing the door behind him. The rest of the company waited in gloomy suspense for the sound of the shot which would signal Dumas' demise. When it came at last, they ran to the door, opened it — and were surprised to discover Dumas alive and well, his smoking revolver still in hand. “Gentlemen, a most regrettable thing has happened,” he declared with feigned astonishment. “I missed!”

[Alexandre Dumas (July 24, 1802-December 5, 1870), French playwright and novelist noted for such works as The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, The Man in the Iron Mask and The Black Tulip.]

2010-01-20T11:31:00.000+05:30

“For famous men

have the whole earth

as their memorial.”

~ PERICLES

2010-01-18T14:30:00.003+05:30

“It is a great tragedy that most of our beaches are dirtied by oil, garbage and other man-caused problems. If there are enough of you, why don't you try to clean up a small part of the beach? It would be a great way to keep fit, and a great way of showing you love your country. Just imagine how clean our beaches would become if thousands of youngsters took it upon themselves to keep them clear of garbage.”

From The Seashore by Bittu Sahgal (THE TEENAGER, December 2009)

2010-01-15T11:00:00.008+05:30

A New Day, Every Day

Write it on your heart
that every day is the best day in the year.

He is rich who owns the day,
and no one owns the day
who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety.

Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt, crept in.
Forget them as soon as you can,

Tomorrow is a new day;
begin it well and serenely,
with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense.

This new day is too dear, with its hopes and invitations,
to waste a moment on the yesterdays…

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

2010-01-09T09:54:00.000+05:30

5 ways to overcome shyness

1. Start small with people you know. Practise social behaviours like eye contact, confident body language, introductions, small talk, asking questions and invitations with the people you feel most comfortable around. Smile. Build your confidence this way. Then branch out to do this with new friends, too.

2. Think of conversation starters. Often, the hardest part of talking to someone new is getting started. Try introducing yourself, "Hi, we're in the same Biology class", giving a compliment, "That outfit looks great on you", or asking a question, "Do you know when our assignment is due?".

3. Rehearse what to say. When you're ready to try something you've been avoiding because of shyness write down what you want to say beforehand. Rehearse it out loud. Then just do it. Don't worry if it's not exactly like you practised. Be proud that you gave it a go. Next time, it'll be even better because it will be easier.

4. Give yourself a chance. Shy people often worry about failing or how others will judge them. Don't let that keep you from trying. You might feel awkward asking your crush for a first date. That's perfectly natural. Whether your crush says yes — or no — is out of your control. But not asking at all means you'll never get that date. So go for it anyway! Encourage yourself instead of expecting to fail.

5. Develop your assertiveness. Because shy people can be overly concerned with other people’s reactions, they don't want to rock the boat. That doesn't mean they're wimpy or cowardly, just less likely to be assertive. Being assertive means speaking up for yourself when you should, asking for what you want or need or telling other people when they're stepping on your toes.

Beethoven's Ninth Symphony

2010-01-07T10:27:00.001+05:30

BEETHOVEN’S Ninth Symphony had its first performance on May 7, 1824, at Vienna’s Karntnertorm Theatre. It was greatly acclaimed by the audience who gave it an unprecedented five standing ovations! But Beethoven was totally deaf by that time. Standing near the conductor, with his back to the audience, Beethoven didn’t hear their reaction.

Finally the soprano Karolina Unger approached the composer and turned him towards the audience to acknowledge their admiration for the symphony he could only hear in his head.

[Ludwig van Beethoven (December 16, 1770-March 26, 1827), German composer and pianist, was noted for his extraordinary compositions that included among many others, Moonlight Sonata and Ninth Symphony (Ode to Joy) and is widely considered one of the greatest composers ever.]

2010-01-05T10:18:00.003+05:30

From J. Maurus with love...

Dear Teenagers,

I love you. I love youth. I cherish your youthfulness, your vitality, your energy and enthusiasm. These want life and transmit life. You are the beloved of family, the hope and the treasure of the country.

Believe in your Motherland where you enjoy freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, where you are free to choose your government, to speak your mind.

India is great not by its fruitful acres and factories, but by the youthful men and women who work in them and are faithful to laws.

You may complain about how the country is run, but don't forget that it is your responsibility to run it.

Celebrate with joy the 47th birthday of THE TEENAGER by reading it, by writing and communicating your ideals through it, by making it known. It is your magazine that guides your formation and your growth in age and maturity.
Your permanent vocation is to grow. One grows:
by motivating one's life with realistic goals;
by changing with the changes of the society;
by growing within relations of trust and friendship;
by living wisely your own story;
by accepting your limits;
by sharing your talents with and service for others;
by integrating your behaviour in patience and wisdom;
by dancing your life and by listening to the music of your heart, even if you have to walk on burning coal.

Love your unique magazine. It inspires you to keep yourself young in spirit. Your attitude is everything. Aging biologically is inevitable; to stay young psychologically is possible.

The science of aging carries on research on what can be done to stay young and offers some practical points on the matter.

Surround yourself with what you love and keeps you cheerful, whether it is your family, your friends, pets, music, hobbies.

Search for the path to a life that is worthwhile.

Be attracted to truth, justice, freedom peace, beauty and goodness.

Keep learning. Never let your brain idle. If you don't use it, you lose it.

Cherish your health. If it is good, preserve it, if it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what can be improved, get help.

Long Live THE TEENAGERS!

J. Maurus is one of the founding fathers of THE TEENAGER along with the late Aloysius G. Rego. An internationally renowned author, he has more than 100 books to his credit. Though born in Italy, he worked in India for more than 35 years as writer, editor and publisher.

2010-01-01T10:25:00.009+05:30

MEDIA POWER

First things first! Here’s to an exciting New Year 2010! Why exciting? Because in this year (of course, as always!) THE TEENAGER is all set to give you ever cooler ideas and more interesting information – ideas that work and information that will make the year smooth-sailing and memorable for you. So stay tuned!

Irrespective of how great or miserable you might have felt in the year just gone by, be prepared for new surprises, both in your personal life and from your favourite magazine.

The media rules today! It's the truth. Tony Schwartz, the guru of the electronic age, got it quite right when he titled one of his books, Media The Second God. He truly understood the power of the media and what it would do in the lives of young people. Today, more than ever before, it is the media that defines our lives and activities, career and relationships.

Be it business, relationship, study, career, you name it, social media has captured every aspect of our life. In this gamut of the media, online media (social media) has taken centre-stage. ‘Networking’ is the new buzz-word. Studies abroad have shown that teenagers and young adults spend on an average some 50-60 hours a week on online media. That is about one-third of the entire week. The situation in India is not very different. We are fast catching up with the West in our online media behaviour.

As we begin a fresh, new year together, I am sure, you and I have a lot of online work to do and much to accomplish. And so it is that we thought it fitting to share with you some interesting information concerning online media. Our lead story, ABC of Social Media, outlines the pros and cons of social media which will help you make your personal and social life safer, richer and truly purposeful.

In the meantime, do not forget to mail us your feedback even as you participate in our various contests and games in which you could win exciting prizes and gift vouchers.

Come on! Let’s make 2010 rock!

~ Joby Mathew