Being 13: Surviving "the pit of doom"

From 13-year-old Emily of Maryland, who is about to turn 14:

“When I turned 13, it was considered, by me, to be the entrance into *the pit of doom* (a.k.a. the ‘journey’ that is involved in being a teenager). I found myself in a place where I most desperately wanted to be taken seriously, but no one would. … There's definitely good stuff about it, too! It felt almost as though, while I could still be a kid at those special moments when I really needed it, I could also be more independent. The key to surviving this age, I think, is to be persistent! In order to get people to take you seriously, you have to let them get to know you.

“I find that New Moon has a very, very good grip on what it feels like to be a teenager (or kid). I think that probably has a lot to do with the fact that they work so well with the kids who are regular contributors to the magazine. Kids aren’t afraid to send stuff and to contribute.

“I love ‘Draw Luna’ simply because when you look at the drawings there, you can see so clearly how girls picture themselves and the world around them. … The only thing I’d like to see more of in New Moon is political discussion. Instead of just showing people who are doing peace protests, show them, and give a little about the other side.”