Angela Philipps, Contributor

I am writing this especially for all you single young ladies out there who feel torn between chasing after some guy you've liked 'forever' or pursuing an education.

I read an article recently about teenage pregnancies in Jamaica. Regardless of what the numbers are, the fact is frightening. None of these girls should have got themselves into this situation. They ought to be at school, not worrying about nappy and baby food bills, or pending school fees for their children! Golly, they're just kids themselves!

very sweet and innocent

I started liking boys the year I turned 13. It was all very sweet and innocent. I wanted to hold this one's hand, and got butterflies when that one smiled at me. A couple years on, I'd wait with bated breath to be kissed by a local lad. And, before I turned 17, I swore that I was in love with another.

However, all through this time there was a single thought in the back of my mind: I was going to do well in my exams, get into a reputable university, and follow a 'city' career. 'Men' would just have to wait. Sure, I made time for boyfriends, but not at the sacrifice of my studies until I entered tertiary education, when I faltered ever so slightly.

If I can give you lasses out there one piece of advice while you're young, date someone in a similar circumstance as you. In other words, if you're in high school or college, don't go out with someone who is out in the 'working' world. I use the term 'working' very loosely. It includes men who are older than you but are unemployed.

Also, choose someone who has the same work ethic as you. Guys can be charming. They'll tell you what you want to hear. They'll get into your hearts and minds, and lead you away from your essays and assignments. It's not that they mean to hurt you, but the only thing most of them are thinking about is what they can get out of the relationship - SEX. It's unlikely that they see you as their future wife, so they don't really care whether temptations mess up your life or not.

You know, I started off quite well in university, but I was constantly attracted to fellows five to 10 years my senior. Their hours and lives were so different to mine, nine-to-five jobs with every weekend off. I was supposed to be studying in my free time, not heading off on little excursions all the time! And because they weren't feeling guilty about enjoying themselves, neither was I. The only thing I concerned myself with was when I'd be seeing the bloke next. Sometimes I sit and wonder how on earth I managed to pass my finals! Perhaps that single thought in the back of my mind was what saved me.

you have time

The truth is, little ones, you have time. Romance and love can, and will, wait for you. In the 'old days', women got themselves hitched pretty early on in life, and bore sons and daughters soon after that. But that was when humans did not live as long as we do now.

Yes, we have 'biological clocks' to think about, but don't jeopardise your brain's abilities. Those clocks lead to producing offspring. These offspring need money to survive and move on in the world. That money is provided by your earnings. And your earnings will reflect the level of schooling you have received.

Get an education, find a good job, establish who you are and what you are about. Then you can set out to find yourself a perfect match. Young guys will hardly place you first, so why are you putting them at the forefront of your day? Commit this to memory: books before boys.

angelaphilippsja@hotmail.com