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" Where did you grow up? Van Nuys, California. Were you a good student? I loved being a student more than being in school. I was kind of the nerd type; I was more into my career and my studies than the dances and being popular. Did you have an after-school job? I was doing Sister, Sister! So, it was very exciting. What was the worst popular trend when you were going to school? There was a time when plaid hats were in style. I look back on all my pictures and I scream in horror, thinking, Why in the heck did I wear that? Do you have a quote in your high school yearbook? It was always &amp;quot;God bless!&amp;quot; What did you want to be when you grew up? I was already blessed to be doing what I have always wanted at 17 \u2014 I was an actress. What is the craziest thing you ever did to get a guy to notice you? I was such a nerd I didn&amp;#039;t even know the slightest thing about how to get a guy. I kind of was just myself. I always thought being yourself was the greatest thing to do. Find out how Tamera&amp;#039;s life has changed from then to now on the --&amp;amp;gt;.  What was your style when you were 17? What is it like now? Very comfortable: always Nike jumpsuits. I still like to be comfortable, but I have more of a classic, sleek, bohemian-chic vibe going on. What kind of clique were you in back then? Now? It was just my twin and me back in the day. Now I love being around people who love to learn. I love individuals who care about what&amp;#039;s going on the world and how we can help make it a better place. I&amp;#039;m also like a sponge, so being around people I can learn from is always stimulating. So, my clique now is news reporters, counselors, and producers. What were your hobbies back then? Now? My hobbies were dancing, acting, singing, Rollerblading, ice hockey, horseback riding. Now I enjoy dancing, Pilates, acting, and traveling. What rumors were people spreading about you then? Now? Because I had a television show then, people thought I was [fake]. But all I wanted was for people to see how genuine I was. The rumors now? Umm ... that I had a baby because I gained weight.  What nicknames did you have back then? Now? People used to call me &amp;quot;T&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;Poo poo ni ni.&amp;quot; Now they call me &amp;quot;Tam Tam.&amp;quot;  Who was your best friend? Are they still your best friend now? My sister was by best friend. As we&amp;#039;ve gotten older, we&amp;#039;ve kind of met new people and found our own identities. My best friend now is Andrea Regalado. We met in college and have been friends since. What did you do for fun? Now? I would hang out with all of my friends. Go to the movies, mall, etc. Now I travel with my friends or have dinner dates. I love salsa dancing and going to the movies with my family. What advice did your parents give you when you were 17? Now? My parents have always taught me to set goals, put God first, and always remain true to God, others, and myself. What did you worry about back then? Now? I used to worry about how others perceived me and if they liked me or my show. Also, what college I was going to go to and if that guy liked me. Now: Who am I going to marry? How many kids am I going to have? Where would we live? Is my career going to sustain itself? Am I getting fat? (LOL.) Bills, bills, bills.  What was your high school boyfriend like? Describe the guy you&amp;#039;d want to date now. I didn&amp;#039;t have one. But I always liked bad boys. My boyfriend now is amazing. He&amp;#039;s totally the opposite. Through trial and error I had to learn to appreciate the GOOD guy. Who was your idol back then? Now? My idol was my mother. My mother is such an amazing person. She is strong and she&amp;#039;s always been there for her children. She tended to put our needs before hers, and for that I am grateful. I would not be here today it weren&amp;#039;t for my mother. Even today she&amp;#039;s a mom, manager, and friend, all in one. Who were your celebrity crushes? Now? I have always loved Leonardo DiCaprio. Now it&amp;#039;s Clive Owen. He&amp;#039;s sooooooo sexy. Head to the --&amp;amp;gt; to read Tamera&amp;#039;s letter to her 17-year-old self! Dear 17-year-old self, Dear Tamera, Don&amp;#039;t worry so much about the small stuff, because when you get older the bigger stuff replaces it. Usually problems work themselves out. Dating the most popular guy in school isn&amp;#039;t always the best thing. It&amp;#039;s the cute, smart guy in the corner who turns out to be the hottest hunk later. xo, Tamera "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.seventeen.com/celebrity/interviews/a1129/tamera-wiw17-1207/>