Physical Basics

Growing up is hard to do, unless you are a teenage boy. If you are a teenager, then it is your biggest nightmare. So let's talk about growing up.

Height

You are going to get taller. This is going to cause a lot of problems and sooner more likely than later. The first issue is that you are a lot more expensive to clothe, and not just because you want designer clothes. If your school forces you to wear uniforms, you parents are likely to dislike you now. A lot. You are also able to reach places you couldn't previously, and your parents are likely to notice it; you have a lot of new chores to learn how to do. You also no longer have the “too short” excuse when it comes to defending yourself. So expect a lot more fights, but at least your basketball scores should go up.

Weight

Most kids will lose baby fat as they hit the teen years. This is a good thing. Exult in it and endeavor to lose more. By the same token, you will most likely be hungry all of the time; this just means you need to keep an eye on your weight. However, this does not mean you should worry about your weight, and that your weight is usually fine. Be aware that boys have started to suffer from eating disorders in an attempt to look whatever they see as normal or sexy; as long as you are not ridiculously fat or ludicrously thin, you are fine. Don't worry about your weight unless you have actually talked to a doctor about it.

Physical Exercise

Go to gym class. Enjoy it. It's easy to feel self-conscious; there's a reason pubescent boys are called “coltish”; their legs are longer than they should be, they are thin as rails, and there is usually little meat on them. Because of growth, they are also a lot clumsy; there is a reason they don't want to dance with girls --- they may step on them. Gym class will help with a lot of that. You will become surer with your body, you will grow out of that clumsy stage, and you will be fine.

So, yeah. You are not the paragon of grace right now. But eventually you will grow into your body. It'll change again, and you'll grow into again. So be it. Do not let it get you down!