The benefits of social apps are overshadowed by addiction-related challenges. Mobile devices are particularly addictive because of their easy accessibility and portability. Dr John Gabriel, specialized in digital addiction, warns that “convenience is the mother of addiction” and highlights the need for a “digital diet.” Fixation with digital platforms can be as detrimental as physical addiction, like dependence on alcohol and drugs. Dr Avinash Desousa in our cover story speaks of the rational use of the digital media and the need for digital detoxification. He also gives eight practical tips to use the social media intelligently and profitably.

As digital technology advances in pervasiveness, digital addiction will take a heavy toll on public health. Mushrooming user-friendly digital technologies may significantly pull towards digital obsession. Hence it is important to be mindful of the dynamic interplay between technological innovation and human vulnerability. In spite of the possible dangers of addiction, if we use digital media judiciously it will help us grow and move forward.

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There is a change of guard at THE TEENAGER TODAY. Fr Alfonso Elengikal, will succeed me as the new editor. I was appointed the editor of THE TEENAGER TODAY in August 2015, and now it is time for me to move on. I thank all of you, readers, friends and patrons, who have helped me in various ways in carrying out this responsibility over the past three years.

Fr Alfonso was the editor of the magazine earlier for two terms, and he has to his credit the distinction of being the longest-serving editor of THE TEENAGER TODAY, an office he held for over 17 years. It was he who initiated the well-known teen pageant TEEN OF THE YEAR twenty years ago. I warmly welcome him to the ‘Hot Seat’ and wish him all the best, as he takes over the responsibility of the magazine with effect from the next issue.

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Brian Acton was an American computer programmer and internet entrepreneur, whom no one wanted to hire in the mid-2009. Despite a dozen years of experience at Yahoo and Apple Computer, he got turned down by two of the internet’s most upcoming companies at that time, namely, Twitter and Facebook. When he could not find any company that would hire him, he teamed up with Jan Koum, and built the application WhatsApp that has dominated cloud-based messaging and is the most virally used social media in the world. Eventually Whatsapp was acquired by Facebook in 2014 for about $19 billion in cash and stock, making Acton’s net worth around $3.8 billion.

Like Brian Acton, you too can bounce back if you have met with failures in life. Some of you might make the mistake of thinking that you cannot succeed to do something, simply because you failed at it once before. The fact is that failures are part of life and learning. As the proverb tells us “Failures are the stepping stones to success.” Hence never give up when you have to deal with hard struggles in life. Dr Navniit Gandhi in the cover story of this issue explains in six simple steps, how to break the shackles of exam phobia. She suggests several success mantras to help you stay better motivated, focused and appear for your exams with greater confidence. Follow the tips she has given which will definitely help you keep cool and perform better in your exams. Remember also that it is very important to write legibly and highlight the important points, the headings and the sub-headings while writing the exams.

“Just as food eaten without appetite is a tedious nourishment, so does study without zeal damage the memory by not assimilating what it absorbs”, said Leonardo da Vinci. Do not study because you have to. But study because knowledge will empower you, study because no one can take away the knowledge from you, study because it is your asset in life. Above all, study because it will give you confidence and help you snap your fetters and succeed in life.

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Maninder Singh Bajwa from Chandigarh is a first-generation entrepreneur, building IT products and services in the education sector. At the age of 23 he floated his EdTech company, Espranza Innovations, which developed a self-learning platform for bringing digital education for children in urban and rural schools of India. With an initial investment of Rs 50,000/- Bajwa started his tech education company from a room in his house. Espranza’s iScuela K-12, the self-learning platform, has more than one hundred thousand users across India today. iScuela was recognized first at the World Education Congress in Mumbai in 2013 and won the United Nation’s World Summit Youth Awards for addressing the “Education for all”. The Project was designed to bring digital education to rural government schools. Espranza aims to scale this up to 1,000 schools.

If Bajwa could be an agent of creativity and growth, you too can! To achieve anything, be sure of what you want to accomplish in life. Believe that you possess the skills to accomplish your goals. Be passionate about your dreams and you are likely to set powerful goals and be committed to it. Learn from wherever you get to learn. Knowledge attained never goes wasted. Passion, hard work and perseverance will clear your paths even in the most difficult terrains.

Here are some suggestions to help you better focus in reaching your target. First: get organised – an organised approach starts from planning everything and will help you concentrate better and focus more. Second: make a list of realistic goals in your mind, arrange them in the order of priority and set dates to achieve them. Third: define the steps you will take to carry out each of the priorities. Fourth: identify the possible hurdles and find ways to tackle them. Fifth: focus on the goals and visualise them as being fulfilled – it will help you stay better motivated. Sixth: get connected to the sources that will help you materialize your goals. And finally execute your plans one by one which will enable you to give wings to your dreams.

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You can fly without ‘wings’, proves Jessica Cox, who became the first pilot with no arms. Jessica suffered a rare birth defect and was born without arms, though prenatal tests showed there was nothing wrong with her. Though she was born with this rare congenital disease, she had a great spirit. She has succeeded in becoming a psychology graduate, and can write, drive a car, brush her hair, talk on her phone, and type 25 words a minute, all only using her feet! Jessica, from Arizona, USA, is also a former dancer and double black belt in Taekwondo, and has a no-restrictions driving license. She took three years instead of the usual six months to complete her lightweight aircraft license, and practised 89 hours of flying, becoming the first pilot with no arms.

We have several personalities in history who accomplished great feats in life in spite of their physical limitations and unfavourable social and economic conditions. Whenever you find yourself doubting how far you can go, recall the battles you have won and fears overcome. Your march towards achieving your destiny will require willpower, sacrifice and dedication. It might even hurt you while you make persistent progress in achieving your goal, but you will find it worth the trouble. Helen Keller has rightly said, “The struggle of life is one of our greatest blessings. It makes us patient, sensitive, and Godlike. It teaches us that although the world is full of sufferings, it is also full of overcoming it”.

Everyone faces problems and challenges in life; they are not stop signs, but guidelines. What matters is how you learn to overcome them and use them to your advantage. Associate with people who will inspire you, people who will challenge you to rise higher, people who will empower you. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think and loved more than you are aware; so be confident, whatever your New Year resolution you can achieve it.

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The second grain, on the other hand, reflected, “I’m afraid. If I put down my roots into the ground, I don’t know what they will face there. If I grow tender stems, they may be damaged by wind. If I grow flowers, they may be plucked up. So I’d rather wait for a safer time.” Thus the second grain was waiting, until the chicken that passed by pecked it. The first seed was sure of itself, was full of hope, and was self-confident while the second was just the opposite.

Self-confidence is the self-awareness of one’s abilities, self-assurance, determination and hope to achieve what one wants in life. Self-confident persons determine the goals and act resolutely to achieve them. George Kannanthanam, in the cover story of this issue, presents Youth As Ambassadors Of Vision. He narrates how the blindfolded were provided physical self-confidence as they were led by the truly blind. It was only symbolic of the self-confidence they achieved from this experience that emboldened them to donate their eyes and become ambassadors of vision, thus bringing about this social revolution in India. This is bringing hope to the millions of visually challenged persons who are waiting to see the world.

Self-confidence is extremely important in almost every aspect of our lives, and so many people struggle to find it. One of the things that hold us back from pursuing our dreams is the fear of failure and the lack of self-confidence to overcome fear. This fear can be overcome by boosting our self-confidence and self-esteem. Dalai Lama articulates, “With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world”.

Here are some tips which may help you build your self-confidence: have the courage to do what you believe to be right, even if others mock you or criticize you for it, be willing to take risks and go the extra mile to achieve the goals you have set and be daring to admit your mistakes and learn from them. To be realistic, make a list of your goals and prioritize them, and identify the possible obstacles and setbacks to be overcome in achieving your goals. Exploring various ways and means to achieve them and your willingness to make the necessary sacrifice will take you a step closer to building your self-confidence.

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Lack of willpower is not the only reason you might fail to reach your goals. Willpower researchers describe three necessary components for achieving goals: The first, you need to have the motivation for change and set a clear goal. The second, you need to monitor your behaviour towards that goal. The third component is willpower. Whether your goal is to kick a bad habit, study more or spend less time on social media, willpower is an indispensable element in achieving that target.

Arabian horses go through rigorous training in the deserts of the Middle East. The trainer demands absolute discipline from the horses. The final test is almost beyond endurance. The trainer forces the horses to go without water for many days. Then he leaves them loose and they run towards the water, but just as they get to the edge, ready to drink, the trainer blows his whistle. The horses that have been fully trained and have perfect control stop. They turn around and come pacing back to the trainer. They stand quivering, wanting water, but they wait in tremendous control. When the trainer is sure that they are in perfect control, he gives them a signal to go back to drink. If an animal can be trained to such an extent how much more we humans can train ourselves – not by force but by choice!

Here are some tips to strengthen your willpower and become a stronger person: Do not let your mind drift with every emotion. Keep it focused at all times. This is not easy but your mind will soon understand that you hold its reins and not vice versa. Your will is like a muscle. You must first exercise to make it stronger. This necessarily involves short-term pain but your character will grow in a positive direction. When you are working over a difficult task and your mind is prompting you to pick up the latest magazine for a break or to get up and go talk to a friend, curb the impulse. Soon you will be able to sit for hours in a flawless state of concentration.

You can also build your willpower by practising restraint in your conduct with others. Restrain the urge to gossip or to condemn someone who you feel has wronged you or made a mistake. In your darkest hours it is your willpower that can strengthen you. Lack of willpower has caused more failures than any other reason. Your will can direct your thoughts to be constructive and lead you to success. Willpower is the proven shortcut to success; hence the need to enhance your willpower.

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Some of you may have been born with a silver spoon in your mouth while some of you may have numerous problems, difficulties and miseries in your life. Yet it is you who scripts your destiny. In this issue we have the story of Jillian Haslam who built her life on solid rock in spite of deprivations and miseries in her early life. She had a dark childhood, grew up in extreme poverty and fear, yet she soared to the heights in the Indian and British corporate banking sector and later became the motivational speaker, author and philanthropist you see today.

You can’t build a skyscraper on a weak foundation. You must lay a solid foundation if you want to build a strong superstructure. This applies also to our life. If you cultivate positive and rock-solid convictions, beliefs and put in persistent hard work you can build a stable life. Your consistent and committed efforts will give you a strong foundation for your life — be it in your academics, discipline, social life or personal grooming. The mistake that you might make is the compromise you make in life and give in to procrastination.

Some of the recipes to build a strong foundation for your life could be: right thoughts, right words, specific goal setting, responsibility for your actions and attitudes, right choice of friends, a never-give-up spirit, etc. These fortified with love, compassion, sharing and forgiveness will make your life dynamic, productive and successful. Some people or situations in life may push your button to be passive or aggressive which will bring you to defeat. But one should never give up fighting. Every step and every risk you take, and every drop of sweat you shed to acquire the above recipes, with creativity and vigour will help you build your house on rock.

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What we learn from teachers in our formative years remains throughout our life. Years ago, a professor gave a unique assignment to his graduate students. They were asked to go to the slums; meet up with 200 boys, between the ages of 12 and 16, and study their background and environment, and predict their chances for the future. The students, after consulting social statistics, talking to the boys, and compiling much data, concluded that 90 per cent of the boys would spend some time in jail.

Twenty-five years later another group of graduate students was given the task of verifying the prediction. They went back to the same area. Some of the boys, now grownups, were still there; a few had died, some had moved away, but they did manage to get in touch with 180 of the original 200. They found that only four of them had been to jail. The researchers wanted to know why these men, who had lived in a place that bred crime, had such a surprisingly good record. And the answer was, well, there was a teacher.

They pressed further, and found that in 75 per cent of the cases it was the influence of the same woman. The researchers went to this teacher, now living in a home for the retired teachers, and asked how she exerted this remarkable influence over those children. Could she cite any reason why these boys should have remembered her? “No,” she said, “no, I really can’t.” And then, thinking back over the years, she said, reminiscing, more to herself than to her questioners: “I loved those boys!”

In the cover story of the September 2017 issue, Professor Sherene Aftab explains in a simple style how teachers love and care for their students and spells out how the students can express their gratitude to their gurus and make their teachers proud. What your teachers want from you is that you become successful and empowered to mentor others, by sharing your knowledge and being a positive influence. When you share your knowledge and experience with others you turn out to be a beacon light. The purpose of education is not only to acquire knowledge but also to be an agent of productive and dynamic change in the society — to be a beacon light!

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Your growth will depend on your willingness and ability to move on from your failures and negativity to a motivated, zealous and committed living. It is an act of celebrating your uniqueness with great enthusiasm and conviction without hesitation and boundaries.

Being positive is the first trait in the process of growing. It builds up your self-confidence and boosts your dynamism. Positive thinking will help you overcome the toughest challenges and grab the productive opportunities that come your way. The second important element for growth is handling your emotions with care. Do not let your emotions take control of your situations but learn to get a grip on them. This will help you stay focused and calm during challenging situations. The next essential quality to be developed is your communication skills. You communicate both through your words and through expressing your feelings. Maintain clarity in your communication and you’ll see people respond to you better, and often favourably. Yet another vital ingredient for growth is to be very passionate about your dreams. The best way to get any work done is by being passionate about it. Let your passion drive your efforts and you’ll be able to achieve excellence in life.

In this issue, Sanchari Banerjee writes about Malala Yousafzai, an inspiring model who daringly spoke and campaigned for girls’ right to education and women’s overall development. “Even if I am a girl, even if people think I can’t do it, I should not lose hope”, says Malala. She proved by her life that though the Taliban may take away her pens and books, they can’t stop her mind from thinking. Today she is a model who champions the cause of girls’ education and their growth.

When you dare to grow your courage will become stronger than your fear and help you develop a stress-free and healthier life, better decision-making ability, enhanced confidence level and make your life worthwhile. As Malala exhorts, “Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow’s reality.”

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One needs to begin this academic year with new hopes and a positive mindset to make it a memorable period in one’s school life. A new academic year gives one a chance to begin the coming year afresh with many opportunities to be discovered. It is another year to look ahead and work harder to make a brighter future. A fresh beginning will present us with a great deal of possibilities if we are alert, focused, optimistic and committed.

The following success sutras may help us pursue a new successful academic year: One – the secret of success in life is to do everything passionately. When study and other academic activities become just a routine, we tend to procrastinate which will kill our passion. Second – when we experience failures and feel like quitting we must ask ourselves, why we started at all. Late Muhammad Ali, American heavyweight boxing champion and civil rights activist, has said, “I hated every minute of training, but I said, I won’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion”. Third – it is not about being better than someone else; it is about being better than what one was yesterday. It doesn’t matter what others think about us, it matters what we are doing. Fourth – always find time to do the things that empower us and make us feel happy. Determination, persistence and hard work are the ingredients of a successful and fulfilled life. And finally we must remember that we will never have this day again, hence the need to make it worthwhile.

Aiming high in one’s life is very important; Michelangelo says, “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high that we can’t reach it, but that it is too low and we reach it”. Challenges, problems and difficulties are part of our journey through life. Facing them and overcoming them will help us reach our goals; Helen Keller, though deaf and blind, defied her limitations to become a famous author and political activist. She travelled across the world challenging and inspiring people everywhere.

Education is the most powerful tool which will help you realize your dreams and build up your future. Your education does not end with school or college education. So keep learning from books, teachers, parents, friends and various events in life. Meanwhile be focussed in the pursuit of your learning which should set your soul on fire to take you to the heights of glory.

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