Improving and Maintaining Good Grades By: MechanicGodCreation and Katrina There comes a time in every teenager's life when their grades begin to slip below what they would like. This is completely normal, so try not to let it be too discouraging when it happens to you! The cliché of school in general is that grades do slip as one hits puberty and could be a result of several different things. Becoming a teenager can be confusing and definitely stressful; the teenage years are when all the...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 1 (July 2009). Remembering McMahon, Jackson and Fawcett By Katrina and Gidig Many people believe that events—in this case sad events—happen in threes. This past week, the death of celebrities certainly did; Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcet, and Ed McMahon, three of the most admired celebrities of our time, passed away. Ed McMahon

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 1 (July 2009). Sweet Summer Showstoppers By Katrina and Gidig The summer of '09 is one of quick romances, hot days and sunburns. It's a summer of digging our toes into the sand, of cruises, of huge clouds, and of relaxing in general. Even more, the summer of '09 is one of sweet summer showstoppers, and the meaning behind these magnificent melodies! "Second Chance" by Shinedown

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 1 (July 2009). Summer Flicks By Nat (Strider) Summer is finally here! You’ve been outside all day biking, swimming, walking, and getting wicked sun burns, but what can you do when you just want to relax and chill out? This is a list of upcoming must sees, both at your cinema, and in the comfort of your living room. What’s on the big screen?

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 3, Issue 1 (July 2009). A Sea of Green: Violence in Iran By Jessie A mix of democratic ideals and Islamic theocracy, the structure of the Iranian government is a complex and atypical network of elected and unelected bodies. The most powerful of political offices in the Islamic Republic of Iran is that of the Supreme Leader of Iran. Second to the Supreme Leader, as defined by the Constitution, is the President of Iran. Before a candidate may run,...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 2, Issue 12 (June 2009). Thyroid and Mood Disorders By Gidig (Maria) You go and talk to your doctor about depression, and they do a blood test to check your thyroid function. This may sound off the wall, but evidence and research is beginning to show that your thyroid and mood may be linked. Many people who have a mood disorder, such as manic depression especially, seem to have thyroid dysfunction. Thyroid dysfunction could be caused by your...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 2, Issue 12 (June 2009). Anime North 2009 By Nat (Strider) It’s not every day you see Super Obama, blood-sucking vampires, and teenagers wielding ten foot long weapons roaming the streets, but it happens for a weekend every year in Toronto, Ontario at one of North America’s biggest anime conventions. Hosting over ten thousand people, Anime North stretches over two hotels and the Toronto Congress Center, no individual building able to support the...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 2, Issue 12 (June 2009). Reexamining Swine Flu By sushi_error A few weeks ago, I woke up with a sore throat and runny nose. I found myself sneezing (yes, not snoozing) through all of my classes, going through tissue after tissue until I looked like Rudolph, and suddenly half of my hand sanitizer was gone. I had the works of a cold – sneezing, runny nose, itchy throat. It was awful. The next day, I was talking to a friend and mentioned I wasn’t...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 2, Issue 12 (June 2009). Communicating With Your Doctor By drowningangel The following article contains tips and answers on:

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 2, Issue 11 (May 2009). Bullying: a silent epidemic by sushi_error April 20th, 2009, current and former students and residents of Columbine, Colorado marked the tenth anniversary of the Columbine High School shootings. For many in this small town, the Columbine massacre etched bloody wounds that may never heal. At the same time, many question the motive of both shooters, seniors Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. Both boys had completely different...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 2, Issue 11 (May 2009). Friends and Family of Those Suffering From a Mental Illness by LaFin Having a family member or friend living with mental illness can be hard at times, but there are some ways to make things easier and improve communication. It’s hard to know what someone else is going through, especially in respect to mental illness, but you can try to educate yourself on the subject, be caring and understanding and at the same time help them...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 2, Issue 11 (May 2009). The Pros and Cons of Understanding your Mental Disorder By Gidig About 9.5% of all adults in the United States have a diagnosable mood disorder. Mental disorders include major depressive disorder, bipolar depressive disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorder, eating disorders, ADHD, and others. Psychiatrists, doctors, and other health professionals can give you information on these disorders but thanks to the Internet we are now...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 5 (Sept. 2007). Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) by drowningangel Several times a week, the TeenHelp staff gets questions regarding sexually transmitted diseases and infections: what they are, how to prevent them, and the symptoms you may have if you do contract one. This month, we are addressing what is becoming a commonplace issue for teenagers around the world - STDs and STIs. ...

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 4 (September 2007). What To Do If You Are Feeling Suicidal by Xamed (Jas) If you are feeling suicidal right now, I want you to first ask yourself the following questions: Have you thought about how you would do it? Do you have what you need to carry out your plan?

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 1, Issue 4 (September 2007). How suicide can affect survivors by Mel and Xamed (Jas) Suicide has a heart wrenching effect on its survivors. A survivor of suicide is defined as one who has lost a loved one to suicide. That said, the effect a suicide has can reach far beyond survivors and extend to an entire community. When a person commits suicide, their community is left to survive in the wake of a death - a chosen death. They are usually unable...