Surviving Gym Class

Yep, I totally agree. Having the right gear is key.

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Shortie power!

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Love it!

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That sounds really unfair. Have you tried talking (in private) to the principal or another teacher you really like? She might be able to do something about that bad gym situation!

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Your friends probably don't know that they're hurting your feelings. They're probably just trying to motivate you. Tell them how you really feel. If that doesn't work, have a private talk with your gym teacher.

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LOL I can totally picture that scene!

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Not just lucky - you must have worked hard to earn your spot! Congrats!

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LOL, yep, you'll never know if you might have won if you don't try! BUT, you're right, it's probably not a good idea to go around challenging people. Much more fun to play a game WITH your friends instead of AGAINST them!

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LOL, not a problem for me since I wear my sneakers ALL the time and I wear skirts practically never! But thanks!

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LOL, good tip!

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Um, liking basketball and wanting to be good at it is soooo NOT a bad thing! Everybody gets nervous sometimes, even me, the Great Ave. You should try practicing the things you get nervous about outside of gym class. Like, when Betsy Fitzgerald wanted to join the b-ball team, she practiced free throws every single day. And she got to be awesome at them! You can totally do the same thing.

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Yep, wearing the right gear is majorly important!

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Ugh, that is embarrassing. But hey, at least you had on cute underwear. You should be like Charlotte and just act like it's no big deal. People will forget about it after a while if it's no fun for them to tease you about it.

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Whoa, you're a major multi-tasker! Maybe I can Maeve to like running if I tell her she can get better at singing while she does it. Thanks for the tip!

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Hey Cheetah Girl Fan. Flinching isn't necessarily a bad thing - I mean, you flinch to protect yourself because a speeding ball is aimed at right at you! Next time, though, try holding out your arms to catch or hit the ball (if it's like dodgeball or volleyball or something). Even if you miss, you know that you gave it your best shot. Maybe practice with your friends the next time you guys have a sleepover. (But do your practicing outside - trust me on that one!)

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Cool! Any way you get your bod movin' rocks. What types of dance do you take?

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Sooooo not cool of them to make you guys feel bad about yourselves! But it's awesome that you keep trying hard anyway. If you don't let the gym class warriors know they're getting to you, they'll probably get tired of bugging you and leave you alone. But if things ever seem dangerous AT ALL, you should tell your gym teacher right away. Like they say, it's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt - and that would be NO fun.

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Awesome attitude!

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Hey turtleneck13! It's a good idea if you want to do it. Martial Arts sounds like it would be awesomely fun - but only if you're really into being there. It's totally up to you!

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Boys make me feel uncomfortable sometimes, too. I just keep telling myself that they're really no different from me - and they prob get nervous because GIRLS are there!

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Yeah, I know it's sometimes tough for Maeve to get involved in gym class (she's a dancer too.) But she says sports are sort of like dance because you have to try your best and keep practicing to get better at it.

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And having fun is definitely the most important part!

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Chillax, dudette! The first thing to remember is that everyone else is just as nervous as you are (even if they act like they're not.) Seriously, everyone is going to be thinking so much about themselves that they won't even notice you. So you totally don't have to sweat it. But it might make you feel better to go in with a game plan - like, make sure your gym bag is organized, so you can just grab your clothes and get dressed quickly. There's nothing embarrassing about your bod - I mean, we all have one!

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LOL, just like me!

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Using gym class to deal with social issues = so not cool. Gym is for having fun, not starting fights!

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Yep. But some of my fave sports are the team ones, like soccer and basketball, cause I love to chill with the team afterward!

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I know exactly what you mean! WHY do schools always keep locker rooms at like -3 degrees? I mean, they know people are going to be gettin' down to undies in there!

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Yeah, Megan's mom was scary intense! I got through it by keeping my cool, though.

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LOL, you're just like Katani! Her noggin's full of brains but she's not so skilled in the athletic department. That's cool, though - like my mom says, it takes all kinds!

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Primo advice! I'm like super high energy too, so I def know where you're coming from. It really helps!

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Whoa, you're a hardcore kicker! But you don't want everyone to be SO afraid of you that they won't even come close! It takes two to spar, so maybe ease up on the intimidation factor next time - you'll prob get better practice that way.

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I'm 100% with you on that last one - having fun is primo-important to gym class survival!

Yep, that's what my mom always says about life - there's always someone better than you at something, and there's always someone who's not as good as you. But really, that's a good thing, because you get to learn from the people who are better than you and help the people who aren't as good - and when you help them, you'll prob learn something too!

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