http://www.troom.com It's all you ever needed to know (but didn't really want to) about puberty and tampons. Tampax Tampbrands has introduced a new web site. It opens with a detailed graphic of Tina's Room (Troom for short); messy, cluttered and complete with a pink cordless phone and lipstick kiss on the mirror. One click on any image will take you to another page to discover the fascinating topics of makeup, how to beat the new school blues, puberty and feminine hygiene.
The graphics for this site are the most colourful and detailed I've seen yet. The anatomical diagrams are well done, visually interesting and most importantly appear to be accurate. Troom's interactive options also heighten its appeal. Visitors can involve themselves in music reviews, question and answer, a trivia quiz, and a pen pal link-up. They can also learn how to chart and predict their own menstrual cycle.
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homepage)Truthfully, the accessiblilty of Troom is its most redeeming quality. Girls can access the information from the privacy of their own homes. Keep this site in mind for that next health project on menstruation or puberty. The ability to print diagrams and pre-made quizzes off the internet is a handy one, I'm sure you'll agree.
Sadly, the new site isn't perfect. (Are we surprised?) Because the graphics are so detailed, you'll be drumming your fingers and staring at the screen for hours while the images download. Equally unimpressive is the use of a tampon wrapper as a tool bar and the stereotypical use of the colour pink.
The 'Laugh Out Loud' cartoon entitled, "Super Uses for a Tampon Applicator" is clearly a case of adults trying to imitate adolescent humour. I was not amused.
Troom is, in theory, a web site teen girls can visit to learn about the female body. In reality, Troom is a not-so-veiled attempt to market to young girls and includes offers of free samples as well as a product guide. While freebies aren't necessarily a bad thing, product images inundate the site and detract from the content.
Adolescence is a challenging and life altering age. As teens, we want to know the facts, including any gory details. We want the truth without the sugar-coating but most of all, we want to hear from other teens, to commiserate with and compare notes on this new phase of life. When it comes to fighting the unknown with knowledge, do yourself a favour, girls, and find your weapon elsewhere.
For more teen web sites try:
The Teen's Hangout/Teen Chat
Teen Home Page
For health oriented sites try:
Tampax
Atlanta Reproductive Health Centre