Page 64 - Girl's Life (August - September 2019)

19 secrets

every smart girl should know

BY LAURA GREENBACK

eady to make this year MAP OUT HOMEWORK
totally amazing? We have 4 “Make a schedule of every-
19 ways to do just that: Cut thing you need to do, and
’em out, paste ’em to your order it by how hard it is and how
Rlocker, tape ’em to your long each thing will take. Do the hard
mirror, shellac ’em to your desk. We stuff in the beginning, and work your
tapped teachers, experts, celebs and way down to the easiest assignment.
even your fellow GL readers for secrets That’s how I got through sophomore
*every* girl should know. Brush up and year!” —Maria G., 17, a high school
head back to school with confidence. senior in Denver
Yep, you’re welcome.
5 BUILD SOLID SOCIAL KARMA
“Avoid drama by showing
you’re empathetic. Say, ‘You
1 FIND YOUR PASSION—AND must have felt so bad when you heard
FOCUS “You don’t have to
play every single sport and that rumor,’ but don’t take sides, as in
join every single club. Find a niche ‘She did that to you?! I won’t talk to
you really like and dive in. That’s how her at lunch!’ Focus on sympathy, and
you’re going to succeed. If you try to you’ll stay free of social payback.”
be everything, you’ll just get burned —Michelle Icard, teen leadership coach
out.” —Heather Tasker, high school
English and cinema teacher in Sussex FIND YOUR TRUE FRIENDS
County, N.J. 6 “Some friends are givers,
some are takers. Takers drain
2 REMEMBER, GROWTH IS you and eventually you’ll be empty.
If you are hanging out with some-
A GOOD THING “Don’t be
scared of it. Swallow your one and you feel lower about
fears and go for that class election yourself after you leave, they’re
or debate team spot, and don’t probably not your real friend.
worry about what people will think. Friends should lift you up.”
If someone doesn’t want you to grow, —Jaclyn Vocell, life coach
she’s not your real friend.” —Haley
Kilpatrick, founder of the Girl Talk BE A JOINER
mentoring program 7 “When you join
a group or club,
3 BE YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND you’ll meet people you
“You need to have your own
wouldn’t have known
back. That’s true self-accept- otherwise. They might
ance. Think of what your best friend be from another grade
would say to you, and say that to or school, but you’ll
yourself. She would tell you, ‘Your hair have an instant con-
looks great today!’ or ‘Don’t worry nection because you
about that test. You tried your best.’” share a passion.” —Erin
—Leslie Grubb, happiness coach who K., 17, a high school senior
runs self-esteem workshops for teens in Wilmington, Del.

60 GL AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2019