Youth Guide - Leadership & wellness for all youth

6 Things You might not think about when choosing a College – But Should

Choosing a college is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your life. When you will be spending at least a couple years, and thousands of dollars, on something, you want to make sure you make sure it’s the perfect fit.

You most likely have some priorities when it comes to choosing your school. Obviously, you want to go to a school that offers a great education in the subject you’ve chosen to study. Extracurricular activities and sports might be important to you, or maybe you’re more interested in the cultural options nearby. Housing and social environment are always important, and of course, the cost. The list goes on, and everyone has different expectations for their college experience.

That being said, there are a few considerations that can potentially make or break the college experience that tend to be overlooked. They might not seem important right now, but are likely to matter over time.

1. Hidden Costs

College are generally upfront about the costs of attendance, including tuition, room and board, and fees, and when you budget for your education, you know to include costs for books, lab fees, and the like. But what about the other costs of college that you might not think about? For example, if you choose a college on the other side of the country, how will you get home for holidays and breaks? Will you need to store your belongings over the summer instead of bringing it all home? The cost of living in different areas can vary as well, which can take a bite out of your budget. These expenses can add up, so think about how you’ll manage them before making your decision.

2. Opportunities After Graduation

The rate of students who are employed or heading to graduate school is likely important to you as you compare schools. You want to know that you will be able to achieve your goals post-graduate, but when you look at those numbers, pay attention to where students are getting jobs or going to school. Consider whether you will be able to get into the best online MBA program or land a great job in your field – where you want to work. There’s a good chance that your school’s career services department will have a great placement record, but many of those jobs will be regional. In other words, if you go to school in Boston, expect to see recruiters and job-listings from Boston-based companies. That’s great if you want to stay in New England after graduation, but if you aren’t interested in sticking around after graduation, expect to do more of the legwork yourself. [Read more…]

Addressing Disability Within The LGBT Community

By Webmaster

One of the nice things about being part of the LGBT community is that it’s incredibly diverse. Yet diversity isn’t just about race, of course. Issues of disability can pop up in the community, leaving room for very awkward pauses. The truth is that we have to do more than just tolerate people with disabilities; we have to embrace them as full-fledged members of this community. People assume that someone with a disability doesn’t have any interest in relationships, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, it makes sense. Say you lose your arm tomorrow. Does this mean that you no longer have a desire to be with your gay partner? Not at all.

It’s a great idea to start looking at disability issues, because it’s up to all of us to be great advocates for each other. The more attention that you give towards handling everyone with respect, the more likely it is that respect will be paid back to you.

Here are three tips to keep in mind if you’re going to be a strong advocate for disabled LGBTs.

1. Let Go of Stereotypes

Hollywood is full of stereotypes with disabled people. Not every disabled person wants to break world records or stand out. They’re regular people living everyday lives, and they want their feelings respected. Assuming that someone lives a wildly radical life simply because they’re disabled is disrespectful. Instead of stereotypes, focus on what they want as individuals. [Read more…]

The Semicolon Project is Awesome – Here’s Why

By Webmaster

A semicolon represents a time where you could finish a sentence, but you choose to just add a little more. It’s become not just a cliché, but an empowering battle cry for people dealing with depression and thoughts of suicide. It’s always unfortunate to hear about someone thinking about such a tragic topic, but it definitely happens more than you might think. In the LGBT community, many teens struggle with body image, fitting in, and trying to be accepted. When you have a stable support circle willing to take care of you, then this is pretty easy. But when you struggle to find people that love and care for you, it can be hard to even get out of bed in the morning. Some people lose their battle with depression, choosing to end their lives in order to stop the pain completely. It’s a permanent solution to a temporary problem, but when that temporary problem is all you can think of, it takes over your life.

The Semicolon Project is about drawing a permanent or temporary semicolon somewhere that you can see it. It’s a reminder to yourself that while you could choose to end your life, it’s so amazing that you choose to keep going. [Read more…]

Your Diet May Not Be As Healthy As You Think

By Webmaster

In your rush to shrink down to a slimmer size and to eliminate your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other health conditions you’ve started making changes to the way you eat. Whether you consider yourself to be actively dieting or not, you’ve started to lose some weight and feel better in the process. Before you start bragging to all of your family and friends about yourself, use these suggestions to double check your diet.

Fatigue and Insomnia

If you still find yourself waking up, feeling tired and fatigued, chances are you are either staying up and partying too late the night before or your evening and bedtime habits need some tweaking. If you are not much of a partier, then the latter is probably more accurate to assume. To improve the quality and amount of sleep you get at night, you need to establish a routine. You need to start the winding down process at least two hours before you plan to go to sleep. Avoid exercising, eating heavy meals, and drinking large amounts of liquids.

Try not to consume any alcohol or smoke either. If you must exercise, try to do so no more than five to six hours before you hit the sheets. The closer it gets to bedtime, soothe your mind by listening to some relaxing music or by relaxing in the tub.

Greasy Complexion and Digestion Issues

If you notice that your skin is starting to look greasy and you have blemishes appearing all over no matter what you use to keep a clear complexion, you may want to take a look at your digestive system. Everything you consume can affect your outward appearance. If you are eating foods that are hard for your body to digest or are maintaining a diet that is high in certain nutrients and void of others, you’ll need to work on improving your digestive system’s health to improve nutrient absorption to help clear up your skin. Drink lots of water to help your kidneys to flush toxins from your body and make sure you are getting enough fiber and probiotics to help your digestive system to process foods and nutrients properly and to prevent constipation. [Read more…]

How to Attract Your first Same-Sex Relationship

By Webmaster

Why is this article titled with “relationship” rather than partner? Because it’s more than just the person. When you decide that you want to enter a relationship with a member of the same sex, you’re stepping onto a battlefield. We wish that it weren’t that way, but take it from us — it is a battlefield, with plenty of opponents. There will be a lot of eyes on you, whether you like it or not. And you can get sucked into a national movement going on without really wanting to be involved. We know that you’d rather just enjoy the peace that straight couples get, but that won’t be happening for a long time. People are very worried about the LGBT scene and feel that it contributes to a “moral decay” of their society.

Boring. The truth is that people are sticking their noses where they shouldn’t, and it hinders your ability to have a fulfilling relationship. But “hinders” doesn’t mean “not possible at all”, it just means that there are some obvious challenges to your first “real” relationship.

Fight From Where You Are

If you’re going to pursue this, you need to fight from where you are right now, rather than where you think you want to be. So if you’re dreaming about a relationship coming into fruition once you have a job or a house or a nice car…keep dreaming. Love doesn’t work that way at all. You need to think more about how you’re going to take care of yourself, take care of someone else, and work together with them to create a great life. That might mean living in a cramped apartment but being able to curl up and watch your favorite television shows at any time you want. It also might mean living out in a more isolated area but being able to watch the stars come out every night. There are so many little sacrifices that we don’t think about when we’re in love and happy, because we’re committed to making it work.

So fight from where you are instead of dreaming big right from the start. You’ll have plenty of time to dream together with someone great.

It’s the same concept behind going out and finding someone to be with at your current weight instead of dreaming about being smaller or more muscular. If one person doesn’t find you attractive, you can bet that other people are going to find you attractive. You just have to make sure that you’re pushing through all of your options and not giving up for a single instant.

Setting Yourself Up for Success

Go where the people are. If you have LGBT meetups, that’s even better. Getting to know someone in a space that’s safe is always the best way forward. Don’t settle for the first person that says hello! Not everyone in our community wants the same things, and you may be pressured into doing things that you don’t want to do. It is never a crime to say no and back away. Don’t even let anyone make you feel like you have to “put out” or “give it up” in order to earn their affection. Those are the type of people that will leave you high and dry when things get rough.

You have to set yourself up for success and push forward to a better day, on every level. Cultivating more positive energy will make you much more appealing to potential partners. Everyone likes the person that always has a joke or something witty to say. If you aren’t that person right now, don’t worry. The more you dig into the current trends of the day, news, and even literature, the more interesting you’ll sound. Dig into the history of a region, the food of a culture, and the way people live their lives. Get interested in the world around you, because the last thing any of us need are more entitled people. Volunteer and give your time to causes that you stand for.

Make Moves That Work

The fun part of socializing is that you get to make people feel good, but the downside is that sometimes you feel like youíre playing to an empty house. You’re trying to find someone that resonates with you, and that’s far from an overnight thing. You just need to think about your options in terms of what’s going to work well for you and what isn’t. In other words, if you don’t say anything, how will anyone know anything about you?

Don’t get lost in the details. Go out, have fun, and then go from there. Let someone dazzle you with their personality as much as you dazzle them. Even though you’re looking for a same sex partner, you still deserve to expect the same romantic treatment as straight couples experience. Hold out for someone that truly thinks you’re special, and you’ll be a thousand times happier than someone that settled because the other person was “just there”. Trust us, we know these things!