Thanks for your advice anita;) i find that when i am overwhelmed with my thoughts, i turn on the music and i dance and i laugh and feel better. sometimes i wait for a week and write down the things i know about the topic and leave it there for a while and later i tackle it and i find that it is easier and i understand it better. i might not understand it perfectly, but i understand the topic enough to make connections to my own life, that’s what i love about science. i think in our teen years, we are still struggling between child and adult not sure of our place in the world. that is why i find myself easily given in to peer pressure. yey, i know what i believe inside and what i want, but sometimes its hard. my inner bully has been telling me “why are you trying so hard? you’ve got nothing to prove.” i’ve been fighting it by having a strong will and saying “i have everything to prove and i will do my best with whatever it takes.” being in ap classes and also being a decent athlete has put me into much competition with some of my peers. some think i can’t be an athlete and do well in school. some of the athletes are very condescending toward me b/c they think “i am wasting my time in knowledge being a geek.” they think i should spend all my time in sports.