Girls’ Life – July 2019

60 GL AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2019

BY LAURA GREENBACK

R

eady to make this year

totally amazing? We have

19 ways to do just that: Cut

’em out, paste ’em to your

locker, tape ’em to your

mirror, shellac ’em to your desk. We

tapped teachers, experts, celebs and

even your fellow GL readers for secrets

*every* girl should know. Brush up and

head back to school with confidence.

Yep, you’re welcome.

1

FIND YOUR PASSION—AND

FOCUS “You don’t have to

play every single sport and

join every single club. Find a niche

you really like and dive in. That’s how

you’re going to succeed. If you try to

be everything, you’ll just get burned

out.” —Heather Tasker, high school

English and cinema teacher in Sussex

County, N.J.

2

REMEMBER, GROWTH IS

A GOOD THING “Don’t be

scared of it. Swallow your

fears and go for that class election

or debate team spot, and don’t

worry about what people will think.

If someone doesn’t want you to grow,

she’s not your real friend.” —Haley

Kilpatrick, founder of the Girl Talk

mentoring program

3

BE YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND

“You need to have your own

back. That’s true self-accept-

ance. Think of what your best friend

would say to you, and say that to

yourself. She would tell you, ‘Your hair

looks great today!’ or ‘Don’t worry

about that test. You tried your best.’”

—Leslie Grubb, happiness coach who

runs self-esteem workshops for teens

4

MAP OUT HOMEWORK

“Make a schedule of every-

thing you need to do, and

order it by how hard it is and how

long each thing will take. Do the hard

stuff in the beginning, and work your

way down to the easiest assignment.

That’s how I got through sophomore

year!” —Maria G., 17, a high school

senior in Denver

5

BUILD SOLID SOCIAL KARMA

“Avoid drama by showing

you’re empathetic. Say, ‘You

must have felt so bad when you heard

that rumor,’ but don’t take sides, as in

‘She did that to you?! I won’t talk to

her at lunch!’ Focus on sympathy, and

you’ll stay free of social payback.”

—Michelle Icard, teen leadership coach

6

FIND YOUR TRUE FRIENDS

“Some friends are givers,

some are takers. Takers drain

you and eventually you’ll be empty.

If you are hanging out with some-

one and you feel lower about

yourself after you leave, they’re

probably not your real friend.

Friends should lift you up.”

—Jaclyn Vocell, life coach

7

BE A JOINER

“When you join

a group or club,

you’ll meet people you

wouldn’t have known

otherwise. They might

be from another grade

or school, but you’ll

have an instant con-

nection because you

share a passion.” —Erin

K., 17, a high school senior

in Wilmington, Del.

19 secrets

every smart girl should know