Q: In middle school, you're usually feeling a rush of all kinds of emotions. Your hormones are going wild, and you're likely noticing members of the opposite, or the same sex, for the first time. But dating in middle school should not be your priority. Focus on things like friendships, school, and developing your own unique personality more than you focus on finding someone to date.  If you want to date, talk to your parents about it and seek their guidance. Make sure you're allowed to date before you move forward. If you don't want to date, that's perfectly fine. Most middle school relationships exist largely online and in the imagination, anyway, which means you should take what other people are saying with a big grain of salt. Don't date if you don't want to. Who are you crushing on lately? Who seems like they would be nice to be around, more than a regular type of friend? Who are you attracted to? Try to find someone you think would make for a fun date, someone you can imagine hanging out with, maybe a lot. Someone you wouldn't mind kissing.  Make sure they don't have a date already, and aren't going with anyone. It can be awkward to ask someone who is already going out with someone. Make sure that you already talk to this person during the week, so asking them out won't be as awkward, and the relationship will work out better, since you already know a decent amount about the person. While it's always fine to ask something as simple as, "Will you go out with me?" it's sometimes even better to have a specific reason in mind, so you can have an excuse to talk.  Is a dance coming up? Asking someone to a dance is one of the most common ways of asking someone out on a date. If it goes well, you can sometimes stay a couple afterward. If not, you'll have fun anyway. What about a homecoming game? Or another sports game? Ask if you can go together? Maybe a new movie is coming out soon that everyone's talking about. Ask someone to go with you to the movie. If you're going to put yourself out there, you want to make sure you're looking your best. Make sure your clothes are clean and nice, so you can look good and feel confident enough to ask someone out. Shower that morning and do your hair, paying attention to it a little more than normal. You don't have to look like a movie star, so you don't want to overdo it, but take some time to look your best. Try to find a minute that you two can be together to ask. Sometimes, passing period can be a good chance for this, or right after school. If you can't seem to find a time when the person is alone, just ask, "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?"  Try to do it in person, if you can, instead of over the phone. For a lot of people, asking someone out via text or chatting will be a bad idea, while it can work for others. If you chat regularly with someone, it might be fine. There's always a chance that you get shot down. If this happens in front of a bunch of people, it'll be worse than if it happens in private. If you've been attracted to someone who doesn't know who you are, they'll likely say "no" if you just walk up and ask them to go out. The best first idea is probably to introduce yourself briefly, and let them know what your connection is. Hey, I'm ____. I´m in your history class. I was wondering..." When you've got an opportunity, just cut to the chase and ask. You don't need to give it a lot of thought or try to be clever. Just be kind, complimentary, and clear. No lines.  Say something like: "I've noticed you for a long time, and you seem like a really sweet, cool person. I like you a lot. Will you like to go to the dance with me?" Don't wait to be asked, or assume that someone will ask you out, whether you're a boy or a girl. It's perfectly fine for girls to ask boys in middle school, or at any age. Since you're underage, it's still important to get your parents' permission about things like dating, as well as the parents of the person you're asking out. Just ask, and then follow their wishes.  This is especially important if you're going to ask someone to go out in public with you. It needs to be ok with all of your parents, especially if you're going to be getting a ride. You can always spend time at school together with someone, regardless of how your parents feel about it. It's better to have permission, of course, but Romeo and Juliet were middle-school aged, after all.
A: Be sure that you want to date. Find someone that you like. Find the right time to ask. Make sure you're looking good. Wait until you have a private moment. Introduce yourself, if necessary. Ask for a date, out of the blue. Make sure its ok with all of your parents.

Q: Once you've purchased your options contracts, you're essentially playing a waiting game. Watch the stock to see if it moves in the direction you predicted it would when you bought your options. Most brokers allow you to set alerts that will send you a notification when a stock falls below a certain level. You can use these alerts to more easily manage your options. You can exercise your option at any time before the expiration date. When you buy a put option, the seller of that option is obligated to buy the stock at the strike price any time (before the expiration date) you present that option to them.  If the stock declines below your strike price, you are "in the money" if you have a put option. You can put your options to the seller and the seller will have to buy the stock at your strike price, even though it's currently trading for less. For example, suppose you have 5 contracts (representing 500 shares of stock) with a strike price of $100. The underlying stock of those contracts drops to $80. When you put those options to the seller, the seller is obligated to pay you $50,000. Since the underlying stock is only worth $40,000, you've realized a $10,000 profit. Options have both intrinsic value and time value. You may want to sell the options if the stock has declined as you predicted, but is trending back upward.  For example, suppose you have 5 contracts (representing 500 shares of stock) with a strike price of $100. The stock dropped to $80, then rebounded to $85 and is trending upward. If you sell the contracts at the strike price, you will make $7,500. When you sell an option, you then become obligated to purchase the stock at the strike price. To continue the example, suppose the stock continues to rise to $125. If obligated to buy the stock, you would make an additional profit because, after buying the stock for $100, you could turn around and sell it for $125. If your prediction didn't pan out and the stock increased in value or stayed the same, you're "out the money." Since there's no obligation to exercise an option as the buyer, you can simply let it expire. When you let an option expire, you'll be out the premiums and fees you paid for the option, but that would be all you would lose.
A:
Keep your eye on the stock. Put the stock to the seller if the stock declines. Sell the contracts themselves if the stock declines before expiration. Let the option expire if the stock doesn't decline.