The first step toward understanding is knowledge. There are many resources, like the Trevor Project, that will aid in becoming familiar with sexual orientation and the general concerns of queer communities. Understanding that everyone is different and admitting that you don’t know or understand a gay teen’s experience is a key place to start and begin to move forward.  Keep in mind that it is perfectly acceptable, and often common, to have differing beliefs and experiences from others. Learning about gay teens and sexual orientation is not about agreeing with their beliefs but about learning new information. You may feel that through your own research you need to reexamine your own beliefs on sexual identity. Use this as an opportunity to be empathetic by communicating your concerns with others. Try and keep an open mind when learning new information about sexual orientation, when asking questions, and when engaging in conversation. Keeping an open mind will help suspend judgement, stereotypes, and harmful generalizations that can often obstruct understanding and be the cause of unwanted conflict.  Ask yourself questions, like “what would it be like to tell someone something I have never told anyone?” “What would expect from this other person?” “How would I like to be treated in this situation?”  Stay calm and practice listening instead of immediately responding to feelings of conflict or contradiction. There are many national organizations, like PFLAG, that aim to bring queer teens and their allies together in order to advocate for their well-being and to educate others about the issues important to the queer community. Many community organizations similar to PFLAG also offer educational courses centered around supporting and communicating with gay teens. Reading self-help and support books written for gay teens will expose you to a number of relevant questions and concerns many gay teens have. Although every teen is different, reading books meant for gay teens will give a broad and more general understanding of their interests and concerns.
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One-sentence summary -- Educate yourself on sexual orientation. Keep an open mind. Seek out community centers for queer teens and allies. Read a book meant for gay teens.


It’s easy to get wrapped up in daily life at school. Since you won’t see your guy everyday, make sure to schedule time for each other after school or on weekends. Work out your other commitments so that you get to see him at least once a week, if not more. Having a plan to see each other will give you something to look forward to and make the relationship exciting.  Try setting aside a specific time to see each other. For example you can plan to meet up on Saturday afternoons. If this doesn’t work for your busy schedule, you can make fun plans as time allows. If your relationship is  long distance, consider booking bus or plane tickets far in advance. Ideally, you will see each other as often as possible, but that can be challenging if your schools are many miles apart. Reserve seats in advance to lower the cost of transportation. Make your dates special. Since you might not see each other often, do something special. Bring a him a present or dress up for date night. If his school is close to yours, try meeting him on a day you are both free after school. Text him to see if he is available (or surprise him!), and meet for an after school snack. Consider meeting up after school regularly. You could take turns going to see each other a couple of times per week. You probably don’t need to bring him with you for a normal day of class, but find out if he can attend a school event. Dances, fairs, and shows are great opportunities for you to get to know each other’s friends and school environment. If you live in the same area, join a club or take a class together. Not only will you learn something new, you'll be spending time with him. This is a good way to explore common interests and develop a stronger relationship.  Find a new hobby. You don’t have to join an organized group. Try going on hikes or playing a game of tennis. Volunteer. Volunteering is  nice way to give back while spending time together. Check out a local animal shelter or community garden. Learn about his family, friends, and school life. Cultivate genuine interest in what he does when you are not together. Remember to volunteer information of your own as well. Allow him to get to know you by introducing him to important people in your life.  Attend important events together. Invite him to family gatherings and birthday parties. Ask each other interesting questions that let you learn more about the other person. For example, “What is the scariest thing you’ve ever done?” As long as you don’t get distracted, studying together is a nice way to get schoolwork done and spend time together. Go to the library during final exams or try having homework sessions during the week. You might be able to help each other with homework if you take the same subjects.
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One-sentence summary -- Schedule your dates in advance. Have impromptu meet-ups. Go to his school and vice versa. Do an activity outside of school together. Be involved in each others lives. Study together.


Get comfortable in a chair with your feet flat on the floor, then lean your chest slightly forward. Bend your arms and place your elbows on top of your knees. Then, release any tension that you’re holding in your neck or shoulders. Stay in this position until your breathing returns to normal. You should start to feel better in 2-3 minutes. Warm fluids naturally relax your airways and thin out any mucus that you may have. Sip on warm fluids when you're feeling like it's hard to breathe. This may help you breathe better. For instance, you might drink warm tea or sip on warm water. Stand with your back to the wall and your feet about hip-width apart. Lean slightly forward and place your hands on your thighs. Relax your shoulders and arms, then focus on your breathing. Stay in this position until your breathing returns to normal. You should breathe easier in 2-3 minutes. Pursed lip breathing can help you ease shortness of breath caused by strenuous activity or anxiety. Start by closing your mouth and slowly inhaling through your nose for a 2 count. Pucker your lips like you’re about to whistle, then slowly blow out the air to a count of 4. Repeat until your breathing returns to normal.  You should feel better after 2-3 minutes of pursed lip breathing. If you don’t, you may need to try a different breathing exercise or you might need medical care. Incorporate pursed lip breathing into your daily routine to help control chronic breathing issues. Do it 4-5 times a day for 1-2 minutes to help you breathe better. You might experience shortness of breath while you’re sleeping, especially if you’re sick or snore. To help yourself breathe better, turn onto your side to sleep. Place pillows under your head to prop up your upper body and put a pillow between your legs to align your spine. If you have a tendency to roll into a different position, use blankets or pillows to prevent you from rolling over.
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One-sentence summary -- Sit down and lean forward, resting your elbows on your knees. Drink warm fluids to relax your airways. Lean your hips against the wall, lean slightly forward, and relax. Do pursed lip breathing if you’ve been active or anxious. Sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees.


The easiest way to get rid of an annoying friend's posts in your News Feed is to go to their profile and "unfollow" them; this feature is similar to "muting" an account on Twitter. If you aren't logged in, you'll first need to enter your Facebook email and password. This is at the top of Facebook's page. If they have a recent post in your News Feed, you can also click on their name there; doing so will take you to their account page. This should be to the right of their name. On mobile, this will be below their name and profile picture. This will remove their posts from your News Feed; however, you will remain friends on Facebook! You may have to refresh your News Feed for their posts to disappear.
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One-sentence summary --
Open your Facebook page. Type your friend's name into the search bar. Click the "Following" option at the top of their page. Click or tap the "Unfollow" option in the resulting menu.