Why is that everyone has a preconception about me?

When I was about 14 or 15 (i'm almost 18 now) I was kinda know as a bit of a *********. My old best friend and I were loud and kind of took the role as being 'leaders' in our group.

I got in with a few wrong friends and went a bit 'bad' for a couple of months, but now i'm fine and i'm better behaved than I was before.

But still people see me as being a 's l u t' even though i'm a virgin. Say i go out and get drunk every weekend, I don't drink. Say I do drugs, I've never touched them before. Say I wagged school, i've never done that. And say i smoke, which i don't.

I know i shouldn't care what people think of me, but it really frustrates me that people actually say this to my face. For example the other week we were doing a first aid corse and at my venturers group and the first aid instructor asked if anyone smoked. Everyone said my name!!

What can i do? I'm trying so hard to have a good reputation and recover the bad one without doing anything!

Unfortunatly it only takes one wrong step to ruin your reputation and it can take years to fix it. Your true friends won't care what others say about you and will most likely defend you. Anyone who choses to spread rumors and talk **** is usually immature and trying to make themselves feel better because they are all the things they are acussing you of being. I wouldn't let it bother you because you have your whole life ahead of you and there will always be someone trying to tear you down. So just move on with your life and let them be immature idiots.

Get involved with a club at school, such as a community service club, or just anything you're interested in. In addition to getting to know different people, you will be doing activities that others see as good and you will lose your "bad girl" image. I'm starting a new teen advice site if you would like to check it out. http://www.geocities.com/teenadviceonlin...