NEXT UP! 1 100 Q&A Sometimes in life, we face problems that are difficult to handle. They can even be difficult to talk about. Luckily there are experts out there who know some of the challenges teenagers face. Here are some common questions, and our expert's answer to them. Dear expert, I am in a new class and have a hard time making friends. The other girls all seem to know someone. I don’t feel like I fit in anywhere. What can I do to make friends? Celine, 13 Dear Celine, I know it’s not easy to be the new student in class. It may take some time to make new friends, but here’s some advice. It is often easier to get to know someone when you have common interests. So maybe you could join some after-school activities that others in your class go to? Or maybe you could ask your parents about inviting some of the girls to your house? You can also suggest to someone to meet to work on school projects together. Don’t be scared. Just go for it! Dear expert, My older brother is always telling me not to worry about what other people think about me. But I do. I want to wear the same clothes as the others and I do actually like a lot of the same music and films. Is it really wrong to want to be like everyone else? Adam, 14 Dear Adam, There is nothing wrong with wanting to be like everyone else. It becomes a problem only if we start doing things we really don’t want to, just because others are doing it. That is what we call peer pressure. The important thing is to find friends who will stand by your side no matter what. And when it comes to making important decisions, you should follow your conscience, not the crowd. Before reading Scan the text quickly and try to decide what “Q&A” stands for. to fit in – passa inn common – sameiginlegt to join – vera með to suggest – leggja til to go for it – láta vaða a decision – ákvörðun conscience – samviska
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