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204 The Teen Survival Guide to Dating and Relating
to be jealous of her. See if you and your sister can talk to each other about your feelings. You
might start the conversation by saying, “I have a problem, and I was wondering if you could
help me with it. I feel annoyed every time a guy I like falls for you. It’s not your fault that guys
are attracted to you, but I’d like to figure out a way to not feel so much in competition with
you.” If you come to her asking for help, she may want to work with you to solve this prob-
lem. Good luck!In friendship,
TerraI’m just not as great as my brother
Hey Terra,My older brother just graduated at the top of his class. He’s also good looking and a great ath-
lete, and he has a terrific personality. So what’s my problem? Well, I recently started going to
the same school he just graduated from, and everyone there expects me to be like him. I’m
interested in sports, but I’m not a jock or anything. And when it comes to girls, I’m kind of
shy. I feel like I have to live up to my brother’s reputation, and I hate that kind of pressure.Living in ShadowDear Living in Shadow,
You’re an individual with your own unique qualities and gifts. I understand that your brother
is a tough act to follow, but he’s not in the school anymore and people have short memories.
You don’t have to compete with him—that’s all in your head. If you let this idea control you,
you might miss out on all of the opportunities your new school has to offer. And people at
the school are going to miss finding out about all the special qualities youhave to offer.
Because your brother is a terrific person, you’re lucky to have him in your life. And I’ll bet
he thinks he’s pretty lucky to have you. In fact, if you asked him, he’d probably be glad to give
you some tips on how to be more confident with girls. That’s the kind of thing older brothers
are for! I hope this helps!In friendship,
Terra