The James Logan Courier

By Julie Mendoza, Courier Staff Writer

Do you often feel lonely? Do you often feel lonely in a school that's populated with 4000 students your age? It's okay, you're not alone. Believe it or not, the outcasts, loners, and introverted students outnumber the overachievers, and "cool kids" by a landslide.

Being lonely is heart-wrenching, but common among teenagers. It's often a time of self-discovery. Feeling isolated or apart from everyone else is an opportunity to find what makes you happiest, instead of wasting time on people and activities that don't. The young are capable of more than they realize. Being lonely is a state of mind, not a condition with a cure. You can't avoid your feelings, as painful as they may be. Acknowledging your unhappy emotions is the first step toward changing them. Being in denial about what you feel can be more tragic than allowing yourself to feel alone or unhappy.