INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Although it can be very intimidating to make eye contact with someone you don't know, you need to do your best to maintain a calm demeanor.  Nobody likes being looked-at with nervous, intense, or over-anxious eyes.  The person you may wish to make eye contact with may be nervous as well.  If you maintain a calm demeanor, you might be able to make them feel more at ease. Intense or anxious stares may suggest hostility or anger--the opposite of what you are trying to convey. This may sound silly, but if you aren't in the practice of making eye contact with people, then you might not be in the practice of producing a gentle gaze or smile.  You may not actually be "staring" at someone, but the look on your face may suggest otherwise.  This can make people feel very uneasy.  Being stared at makes people feel uncomfortable and will make them want to avoid eye contact.  Be sure to avoid making facial expressions that would suggest you are examining or critiquing a person. Practicing your smile in the mirror will also help you get over any feeling of intimidation of shyness that you may experience when making direct eye contact. Get used to making direct eye contact by practicing on a few portraits.  This may feel awkward at first, but that is the point.  You want to continue to work through any feeling of awkwardness that you may experience while looking people in the eye. You can even do this while flipping through magazines or while browsing the internet. As you watch your favorite television show, practice making direct eye contact with the characters as if they are real people speaking directly to you.  Follow their eyes as they move around the screen. It is a lot easier to make and maintain eye contact with an individual when you are listening instead of speaking. Furthermore, being part of a group may help alleviate any anxiety.  Practice making eye contact with someone delivering a speech or public address. Even when the speaker is not looking at you directly, practice looking at their eyes. Maintaining eye contact for a long period of time can be uncomfortable or difficult, so start with short conversations with the grocery clerk, your neighbor, even a co-worker.  The point is not to engage in a deep or meaningful conversation, but to practice making eye contact with a real person for short periods of time. As you feel more-and-more comfortable, try increasing the length of the discussions. Practice looking your friends or people that you feel comfortable with in the eyes.  Make this a priority when you are speaking to your friends and family. In some cases, it may be easier for you to look at another spot on the person's face.  If you pick a spot close enough to the eye they will not be able to notice that you are not looking at them directly. If making eye contact with a person continues to be a difficult task, you may want to consider taking a preliminary test to see if you may have social anxiety disorder.  Social anxiety disorders can be identified as an extreme and constant fear of being judged, scrutinized, or critiqued.  This could be the cause of your fear of making eye contact.

SUMMARY: Relax. Practice your smile in the mirror. Look at portraits of people. Practice making eye contact with the television. Go see a public speaker. Engage in short conversations with people you don't know. Look your friends in the eye when conversing. Take a test or survey.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Which online database you use will depend on your location. Many are also very clear about what measures they use to protect anonymity.  In the US, websites like condomfinder.org will enable you to find local organizations and businesses that distribute condoms for free.  In England, the National Health Service maintains a searchable database of locations that distribute condoms. You can use it to find a distributor near you. If your department of health is distributing them, help yourself to a bunch so you will always be prepared!  For example, New York City and the District of Columbia have large scale distribution programs. In places where large scale distribution programs are underway, free condoms may be available in local pharmacies, drugstores, or even grocery stores. Some physicians may give out free condoms. If you are a minor concerned about confidentiality, ask your doctor what his or her policy is. You can ask whether the information would be kept confidential from your parents. These organizations often offer condoms free of charge. You can call them ahead of time to ask if they are currently distributing.  Possible sources include health clinics, gynecologists’ offices, and hospitals. Planned Parenthood in the US often offers free condoms. For example, in Oregon you can drop in and receive 12 free condoms. It is confidential, even for minors. Many universities, both public and private, distribute free condoms to students in ways that are anonymous.  The health center website will likely tell you exactly what is available, where you can get it and when it is available. You can also call the health center or drop by and ask. Chances are, you will be able to anonymously get more than enough condoms with no questions asked. High schools increasingly distribute condoms to students.  High schools may make condoms available anonymously through vending machines or freely available in bowls or baskets. In other schools, students may need to obtain them from the school nurse, a counselor, health worker, or other personnel. Some schools have programs with where parents may decide whether these services will be available to their teen. Depending upon where you live, these services may even be available to you as a teen.  Check the websites of organizations like TeenSource.org, LAcondom.com, or CondomUSA.com. Check the expiration date and do not use expired condoms. They are less reliable. As always, check the condom for tears or pinprick holes.

SUMMARY:
Use online databases of free condom distribution points. Check with your local department of health. Ask your doctor. Try health clinics, particularly those that focus on sexual or reproductive health. Check with your university health center. Know what the sexual health resources are at your high school. Order free condoms online and let the condoms come to you.