Ritika

Here's the story: I'm in 8th grade and for the end of the year trip, we're going to Six Flags! My crush is going so I'm really excited to see him there and hopefully he'll chicken out of a roller coaster before I do. The thing is that I've only ever been on one roller coaster! It was the Boardwalk Bullet at Kemah Boardwalk in Texas. It was pretty intense but I really want to do it again. The rides at Six Flags are probably much more intense and I don't want to chicken out, but I also don't want to start crying in the middle of a ride. Any tips? Things to think about while I'm on a coaster I just want to get off of? I'm going to try and go on as many as I can, however are there any coasters or rides I should completely avoid? I'm going to the one in San Antonio, Texas btw. And as for my crush... well I'm not sure how he handles roller coasters either but I'm just hoping he's as big a chicken as I am. HELP PLEASE! Just any rides that I could probably handle and which ones could I definitely not handle? I can do loops, I love them! I'm just not the biggest fan of extreme speeds. Thank you!!!!

I have a formal dance coming up (end of the year 8th grade formal) that I'm really excited about! I finally convinced my mom to let me go, but now I have to get a dress! I'm probably going to go with something short and strapless because that's all I can find, and I'm just going to wear tights under it, but now I need to find the perfect dress. I have no idea what color or style to get.

I'm really short (5"1) and I guess I'm relatively skinny. I need recommendations for what color dress and what style to get, I'm probably going to get it from Forever 21, but I'm open to anything! Preferably not online! Thanks

(Please don't leave hate on my appearance ok?)

If you need a picture, just find me on instagram @ritikamanzoor I'm a private account but I'll let y'all follow me for this

Thank you!

AND ALSO: Any ideas on hair, nails, etc? My friend is a genius with braids, she can do anything, my other friends have any color nail polish I could need, plus shoes, so I'll be covered there, but any ideas on what color/styles?

I have a formal dance coming up (end of the year 8th grade formal) that I'm really excited about! I finally convinced my mom to let me go, but now I have to get a dress! I'm probably going to go with something short and strapless because that's all I can find, and I'm just going to wear tights under it, but now I need to find the perfect dress. I have no idea what color or style to get. Here's a picture of me so you know what I look like and hopefully can recommend colors that would look good: http://instagram.com/p/YEH3ZIvw3u/

http://instagram.com/p/Ut9eCVPw6W/

I'm really short (5"1) and I guess I'm relatively skinny. I need recommendations for what color dress and what style to get, I'm probably going to get it from Forever 21, but I'm open to anything! Preferably not online! Thanks

(Please don't leave hate on my appearance ok?)

So I come from a brown (Bengali) family, but I'm technically American. So my parents never had prom, dances, or anything like that. Going to the end of the year 8th grade formal is something I've been looking forward to for like 5 years! It'll be my very first big dance, and I'm excited. The problem is that my parents won't let me go. I don't know what they think I'm going to do, but I just want to go and have fun with my friends. They haven't let me go to any dances ever except for the first 6th grade one, and after that it's always been "No, we just aren't comfortable with it. It's not in our culture," but this one is so important to me! There will be teachers everywhere, so whatever they may be scared of happening is not going to happen. Did I mention we're also Muslim? Well we are, and I think that has something to do with it... like interacting with boys or something, but I won't get asked to go with anyone or anything like that so it doesn't really matter. So if anyone has any ideas on how to convince them to let me go I will love you forever (:

Also, if I somehow convince them to let me go, they definitely won't let me wear anything sleeveless or short. I can't show any leg whatsoever and no shoulder either :( It's really hard to find any dresses that aren't short AND have sleeves. Any suggestions on how to get my parents to loosen up a bit? I don't want to act like a slut or anything, but I want to have a pretty dress. Thank you so much for any ideas. If you were wondering, I have pretty dark skin. It's like average Indian color, so what colors do you think would look good? Hair ideas? Thank youuuu xx

im muslim but my mother has gotten WAY more religious in the past year. She prays 5 times a day& fasts all the time. My dad doesn't really pray, read the qur'aan or anything. I think its kind of unfair that he doesn't do any of this. The pressure of school, staying up until 3 in the morning just to do homework and getting up again at 5 to study PLUS all the religious stuff is really just hard to keep up with. I don't cover my hair or anything, i wear short sleeved shirts, but even here in Texas in the middle of summer i have to wear dark blue jeans.Every time i say 'why do i have to wear jeans? My friends wear short shorts and walk around!' My mom says something along the lines of 'You are muslim! Are you american or christian!? Fine walk around half-naked, but you're going to be the one going to hell, not me! I've done my part!'. She'll guilt me into wearing jeans. force me really. Also, we can't celebrate anything other than Eid. No Halloween! Halloween used to be my FAVORITE holiday! This year, my ten year old sis and i will be the only ones not dressing up or anything for Halloween. Might i mention, not only do i have my friends from school to think about, but also our Bengali community (these people have been around before i was born! they are like family to me. There is like 10-20 REALLY close families, and like 50 close families, and at least 100 families in all.). They call themselves Muslim, too, but they don't pray, they wear boat loads of makeup, perfume, don't cover, can't pray, don't really even know about Islam. It hurts because while they will all be at a party and trick-or-treating and having fun (not to mention have like a zillion new inside jokes i won't get) i will be sitting quietly at home doing nothing. I can't even go to The House of Torment with my friends (my friends never invite me places anymore, they know i won't be able to go, so this was a big deal for me. They always come back with 20 new inside jokes and its like im not even there during lunch or the few times im with them). I can't go to the house of torment because it has to do with halloween. I can't celebrate my birthday, new years, anything! I'm also a directioner, which my parents really don't know about. I can't even get a poster, because One Direction are guys. My life has become meaningless. It's pretty much just what my parents want it to be. I just have to live it how THEY want it. For me, though, its just meaningless. I can't make ANY choices of my own. I'm 13 and I just feel like why do i even live anymore? It's not like i have a say in anything. I know my parents just want the best for me, and i respect them, but they never listen to me. I can never even bring up the topic of an Islamic rule that i don't understand. There is so much more to it than this, but just some of the basic stuff. What should i do? Here is a basic summary of some problems:

-i don't really have a choice of religion, i have to be muslim

-my Bengali culture also prohibits exposing clothing

-i can't even do any sports that i want

-no holidays besides Eid

-everyone around me isn't muslim, or even if they are, you would never even know it

-i can't just 'sit down and talk to them about how i feel', trust me, my parents would literally disown me

-my religion prohibits dating. I will NEVER have a boyfriend. in my life. ever. Somebody else will find a nice guy, we'll get to know each other, and then if i like him, we'll get married. i can't find anyone on my own, and he will have to be muslim

-my friends haven't been inviting me like anywhere with them. I get invited to their birthday parties, but when they all go over to each other's houses, im not invited. and my circle of friends is practically MADE of inside jokes. every other sentence they say will be an inside joke.

-i'm just unhappy with my life. I feel like even though i pray sometimes and read the qur'aan, its not really sincere. I do it because my mom makes me, not because i want to, or because i feel like i should.

-i can't wear like ANYTHINIG. earlier today, my mom yelled at me because i was wearing a tank top- IN MY HOUSE! i was wearing jeans, and she got mad because my dad might come home anytime. She asked me if i have any shame. i can't even wear yoga pants at home. she only buys me over sized baggy clothes. they are cute sometimes, but theyre like a size too big. she won't let me wear anything thats fitting.

-I can't even talk to them about it. I can't say 'mom, i don't like being muslim.' 'mom i don't have time to pray, i have homework.' 'mom, i'm just unhappy.'. I just have no idea what to do.

If anyone could help, thank you very much!