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It's all too easy to get yourself into a lot of trouble. Getting yourself out of trouble is a lot tougher though. As a teen myself, I've gotten in a lot of trouble, but with some really basic and simple steps, I've never gotten suspended or grounded.

First and foremost, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. If you are able to refrain yourself from getting into mischief, then there's no way you can get in trouble. Use common sense; even if someone triple dog dares you to light all the posters in the hall on fire, this could result in some serious consequences. That may sound silly, but I actually knew someone from a different school that did that. Needless to say, there was no way she could avoid expulsion. In scenarios like that, you need to put your foot down and refuse to do the dare. If you dig yourself into a hole that is too deep, no amount of talking will get you out of trouble.

As a quick side tip, truth or dare in general is a bad idea at school; the majority of dares can (and will) get you in some serious trouble, and the truths will circle around the school quicker than you would imagine. I've been in quite a few truth or dare games during lunch, and I almost always regret it afterwards. Take it from me; try not to initiate truth or dare in any way at school. Afterschool however is a much better time, and if you play off your school grounds, then you're more than likely not going to get into any trouble. Still, as mentioned above, exercise common sense when taking dares.

But let's say you did do something stupid. Everyone does sooner or later. The next step would seem like a no brainer, but so many people don't follow it. Tell the truth. If you're upfront about your mistakes, and if you're honest and sincere, the odds are that you're punishment will be a lot less severe. Some teachers, especially in junior high and elementary, will even reward honesty with a small treat. One time I broke a graduated cylinder in science. I told the teacher, he smiled and thanked me for being honest, and not only did I not have to pay for the cylinder, but I also got a positive referral and a piece of candy.

Don't let others take the punishment for what you did. If you do shift the blame on someone, it will hurt your social life, and you could potentially lose a friend. If you claim your mistakes, and be honest, not only will those in authority respect you, but so will your peers.

While telling the truth won't always get you out of trouble, it does retain

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