My sophomore year in high school, my mom said she didn’t want me to be with my boyfriend all the time. And I would tell her to leave me alone. But now, I realize she was looking out for me.
In 10th grade, my boyfriend and I were almost inseparable. At first, it was nice spending all that time together. But over time, he became controlling. Without noticing it I started changing my behavior to get his approval.
These changes didn’t go unnoticed. Every week, my mom would ask if I was okay or if I was going to hang out with my friends on the weekend. My mom, my grandma, and my friends were encouraging me to remember that I was my own person. But it still wasn’t easy.
Eventually, I recognized my relationship was unhealthy and my boyfriend and I broke up. I was lucky. I had so many friends and family members pushing me to be strong.
There’s so much pressure in high school to please boys. We get it from all sides, even from other girls. I’m glad I realized that the most important person who needs to be pleased is me.