girlhood
Take this as your guide to growing up. It’s not scientific but its real, dispelling all those weird rumours about the gooey bits of girlhood. You will never meet anyone else quite like you. So embrace it, be you and have fun. Stay out late and experience everything you can cause you only have one chance to make memories.
sonic youth The inevitable age of puberty.
It’s like one day, out of nowhere, lumps and bumps appear. Your body begins to develop into something unfamiliar and alien, as it enters the inevitable unknown world of puberty. Tufts of hair start to grow, spots intrude and emotions become complex as you attempt to leave your childhood behind.
Your once infantile chest contains substance and maturity as you begin get to grips with your new adolescent self. Full of awkward kisses and first times, the period in which you are a girl slash woman, is not one that will be forgotten.
For years you have stood in front of the mirror, but never have you ever felt so aware and conscious of every little inch of your body.
Relationships change, and people begin to act differently. Your mum relates everything to ‘her’ own teen experiences, whilst your
dad avoids eye contact with you in situations involving bodies, boys and periods. You become excruciatingly aware of others and their opinions, judging people based upon first impressions and appearance. You start to categorise yourself according to your favorite band and waist size, forgetting you are an individual. It may be a bit of a world wind adventure at the moment, full of funny smells, unusual stains and tears, but you will power through and become comfortable within your own skin.
Awkward kisses
&
first times
pucker
up First kiss.
Oh God, he’s coming towards me. I want to, but I can’t. I don’t know how to. No. Stop. He’s looking at me, should I lean towards him? I’m leaning, this is actually happening. Hang on, do I close my eyes? Has he closed his eyes? Yes. Okay, I’ll close my eyes. How do I know where his head is and which way he has tilted it? That’s even if you have to tilt your head. I’ll have a look. Okay he’s gone right. Breathe. This is going to be okay. My lips are dry, I’ll quickly lick them to prepare. Okay, I’m ready. Any minute now. Am I too early? Oh god. That’s it our lips are touching. What do I do? What’s next? Please don’t open your mouth, please don’t open your mouth. He’s opened it. Right, I’ll just move my lips up and down a bit. Should I bite? No! That’s weird don’t bite him. Why did you even think that would be a good idea? Maybe we should stop now, this is more than enough. Why are his eyes still shut, are we still kissing? What more is there to do? All I can taste is spit. Is it mine or his? Ah, what is that! Ew. No. No. No. Is this French kissing? I don’t want his tongue touching mine anymore. Why is he poking me with it? I feel like I’m chasing him round my mouth. My lips are now officially inside his mouth. They’ve disappeared. How is this supposed to be enjoyable? No, I accidently sucked his tongue, why did I do that? Gross. Ahh our teeth smacked together. That hurt. Okay, I’m out. I’ve made it. It’s over. Finally. I don’t want to open my eyes. Why do I have so much saliva around my mouth? Wipe it off. That was weird but it felt good. Like a weird good.
belgrave girls What is love?
girls
Love Love is something we can’t function without. When it comes to it, it’s the feeling that trumps all. It’s the devotion to a person, place or thing that causes an extremely pleasant form of insanity, chemically charging our bodies with substances that are intoxicating. It’s the intangible attachment we have to our family in which we are born into. Like an invisible umbilical cord pulling us back to reality no matter how far we travel. Without it we feel limp and without them we feel alone. We are encouraged to grow up, move out
and reproduce our own families using the foundations were brought up on. It’s exhilarating, unconditional and raw as they have the ability to forgive without question and love without reason. Friends are essential. As we pick each and everyone, they begin to guide us in a way that can damage our up bringing. Unpredictable and uncontrollable, they are influential to our actions and the decisions we choose to make. It is the happiness and peace we find in them that we share with the people we choose to surround
ourselves with. They are part of our puzzle and as every piece comes together, we become glued to one another for the rest of our lives. We become drunk on love, as it blurs our judgment and moulds us to into someone new. We grow to be less selfish and narcissistic, as we truly believe we have found the one. Increased levels of Dopamine in our brain act like a neurotransmitter relaying information between our emotions and actions. An explosion of adrenaline runs through our bodies as Prozac is released causing us to experience butterflies, as low levels of Serotonin make us become transfixed by the person on our mind. It has the ability to make us feel good, content and fulfilled all at the same time as it strengthens our ability to connect. It’s a concoction of feelings, states and attitudes, which range from interpersonal affection to pleasurable experiences. It’s an attraction and an attachment. Something that has so many different meanings and forms yet has the ability to change people’s lives. Whether found in family, friends, objects or experiences it’s an intimate journey that is completely personal to each and every one of us.