Problem: Article: If someone has repeatedly asked you out and you have repeatedly declined, say something like, "I've already told you I'm not interested in going out. It makes me uncomfortable that you keep asking me." Chances are this will stop the person from asking you out againperhaps they didn't realize their advances were making you uncomfortable to begin with. If someone tries to argue with you or convince you that you should go out with them after you've already expressed you do not want to, it is okay to say something like, "I'm just not interested," and walk away or stop responding to emails or texts. You could even say something like, "I'm not interested in going out with you, and I feel like you aren't listening to me when I say so. Please don't contact me again." If you feel like you owe someone a date because they are nice or did something for you, keep in mind that you get to decide who you spend time with. If your gut is telling you it's not a good fit, listen to that. Trust your instincts and remember that you don't need to give anyone an excuse for why you don't want to go on a date with them if you don't want tosimply not feeling it is reason enough. If you're in a conversation with somebody who is making you feel uncomfortable and isn't taking your cues that you don't want to go out with them, it may be time to make up that fake significant other. Say something like, "I'm actually involved with someone else." You could also say something like, "I'm traveling a lot for work lately and don't have the time or energy to date anyone right now." While it isn't ideal to lie, if you feel like someone isn't going to take you at your word that you're not interested, it may be the quickest way to end a conversation. If someone won't take "no" for an answer and persistently asks you out after you've expressed that they're making you uncomfortable, tell somebody and consider filing an official complaint with the police. The police may not be able to do anything, but if you make a record and the person continues to harass you, you could end up being able to get a restraining order against them. If anything, making the report will hopefully communicate to that person that their actions are inappropriate. If you're a teen, make sure to tell your parents or a trusted adult about the harassment. They may be able to intervene on your behalf or help you make an official report with the police department. If someone is harassing you online or via text, take screenshots of those messages so you can use them as evidence of the harassment.
Summary: Use direct language with someone who won't take "no" for an answer. End the conversation with someone who tries to argue with you. Remember that you are not obligated to spend time with anybody. Give a fake excuse if you feel uncomfortable. Report harassment to the officials.

Problem: Article: Feeling left out is usually the result of being excluded or rejected by a group of people that you want to like and accept you. You may feel left out because you have been excluded and/or rejected by a group of friends or coworkers. It is normal to feel pain when you are excluded or rejected because we are all in need of social belonging. We are social beings and when our needs are not met, we experience pain and sadness. But just because it's normal to feel pain when you are rejected doesn't make it hurt any less, so it is important to develop strategies for coping with rejection. Recent research has found that your brain processes pain from rejection the same way it would process physical pain, such as having a broken arm. Social rejection can bring on feelings of anger, anxiety, depression, sadness, and jealousy. Researchers have even found that is painful to be rejected by groups we don't like! Everyone feels left out from time to time. Unless you've fallen out with, or upset your loved ones somehow, being left out is unlikely to be a regular occurrence. You may take comfort in knowing that the rejection you have just experienced is temporary and that you will not have to feel rejected all of the time. Sometimes we may feel left out when we don't have a good reason to feel this way. In order to determine if you should feel left out, it is important to be realistic about the situation. Being realistic means looking at the situation from all angles. Consider all aspects of the situation including yourself, others involved, and even the environment. To help you be more realistic about the situation, it is helpful to do the following: Look for evidence that you've been left out. Does the evidence support your feelings? Ask yourself if there may have been another reason someone acted in a way that made you feel left out? Maybe they had something else on their mind, or had to get somewhere in a hurry. Is my perception of this situation based on my emotions or on what actually happened? Ask an unbiased person if your estimation of the situation is accurate. Assume the best intentions of others until you have evidence otherwise.
Summary: Understand why being left out hurts. Remind yourself that rejection is a small part of life. Be realistic.

Problem: Article: Your teacher should clearly outline their policy for using laptops at the beginning of the course. Be sure to pay careful attention to these rules and follow them closely. For instance, you may not be allowed to have your laptop open during lectures, or you may only be permitted to access specific programs or websites. You may also only be allowed to bring your laptop on certain days. In some cases, these policies may be set by the school, rather than by an individual teacher. When you're listening to a lecture in class, try not to just type out exactly what your teacher or professor is saying word-for-word. Instead, listen carefully to what they're saying, and jot down important words and concepts in your notes. Don't worry about writing in full sentences, and make note of any supplemental reading or additional materials that your teacher references during their lecture. You can also include questions that you might have. Then, when you're studying, you can try to find the answer to those questions in your notes or textbook. While your laptop can be a powerful tool for learning, it also contains a lot of opportunities to become distracted during class. Before class starts, turn off any messaging apps, games, social media notifications, and so on. Also, avoid opening any websites or apps that aren't related to what's going on in class. Even if it only takes a second to close a notification, it could cause you to miss something important that your teacher says. You can also use airplane mode to disable your internet completely while you're in class. If you have trouble using self-control, or if you aren't sure how to turn off notifications without uninstalling an app, try looking for an extension or an app that you can customize to block certain websites or apps. There are a number of different types of productivity software available that you can tailor to your exact needs. For instance, you might install an extension on your web browser that blocks you from going to certain websites during school hours or while you're studying, or that limits how many hours you can use those sites during the day. Your laptop can do more than just distract you during classit can also make it harder for the people around you to concentrate. During class, don't listen to music, watch videos, play games, or look at any images that might be distracting or offensive. Consider sitting toward the back of the class if laptops aren't commonly used by the students in your course. That way, anyone who might be distracted by it is free to sit ahead of you where they can't see the screen. If you've tried a few things to boost your productivity but you still find yourself getting distracted by your laptop in classor you realize you're just not as fast or efficient as you are without ityou might just need to leave it at home. That way, you won't even be tempted to use it to check your Insta during class. This will also help protect your laptop from being damaged in your backpack or during class.
Summary:
Follow the guidelines set by your teacher or school. Type up your notes in your own words. Close or uninstall programs that might distract you. Use productivity software to help you stay disciplined during class. Be considerate of your classmates. Consider leaving your laptop at home if it's not required for class.