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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.
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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.
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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.