“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” the old saying goes. Unluckily, as a teenager, that is often exactly what you do to yourself. Dark thoughts about your physical appearance can hang over you all the time like a rain cloud. Do I look fat in these jeans? Do others think I am too short? These thoughts can have a negative(消极的) influence on people of any shape or size, both male and female, and it is important to guard against the causes behind them.

Standards of beauty in the media can have a big influence on what you think of your physical appearance. Teens who try to copy the looks of their favourite stars are fighting a losing battle—these standards are simply impossible for most of the population to live up to. They will only end up feeling worse about themselves.

Your friends also influence the way you view your physical appearance. If you have friends who are good-looking or have a great fashion sense, it can feel like you are living in their shadow. For children of digital age, social media makes this problem even worse. Your friends may post a “never ending” series of photos online to show off their beautiful dresses or strong bodies, and it becomes easier for you to compare yourself to them. This has proved to have a negative effect on what you think of your physical appearance.

These external influences are always present, but there are certainly ways to deal with them. First of all, be careful not to follow popular beauty standards blindly. They are out of reach for 99% of us, so it is better to just forget about them.

Another tip is to remind yourself that you are unique(独一无二的). Keep in mind that your family and friends love you just the way you are. Talk about your feelings with someone you trust. Focusing on your strength also helps you build your confidence. Everyone has their own talents—you may be good at painting or playing the piano, so take pride in things you do well instead of worrying about things you cannot change.

You may often judge yourself by what is on the outside, not on the inside. However, like a book, your contents are much more important than your cover. If you can learn to see the good things about yourself—your individuality, your value to others, your achievements—you will soon begin to love yourself just the way you are.

Never judge a book by its cover

Recently, many Chinese teachers depend heavily on apps to give homework. The kids have to do their homework looking at a phone screen. In a video posted on Weibo, a father criticized the teacher for grading homework in a parent-teacher WeChat group, and people discussed the topic heatedly.

Many parents support the father. They worry that looking at their mobile phones for a longtime may make students’ eyesight fall. Liu Yong, a 12-year-old son’s father, complained, “Teenagers will have more chances to use their mobile phones to watch something unrelated(无关的) to homework so they may get distracted(分心的). Besides; they have to hand in their homework on WeChat, it also takes too much time.”

However, Mrs. Bai, a mother, has different opinions. She said, “Parents can understand their kids’ learning situation and supervise(监督) them to finish the homework.” Zhang Si, a father of two children, agrees with the mother. “The use of WeChat or QQ to give homework is convenient,” Zhang said. “It’s unwise not to take advantage of technology.”

Smartphone apps certainly make our lives easier though sometimes they can also cause problems. It’s not necessary to refuse the apps, but we should use them carefully. In a word, apps are good , but they should not steal the show(喧宾夺主).