How to be Smarter: Make Mondays the day of the week you really work on correcting your posture. Every time you glance at the time today, whether on your cell phone in class or on your computer screen at work, reposition your posture and make sure you are sitting up straight. If you do this enough, it will become habit.
How to be Prettier: Cutest baby girl shoes for any little ones in your life.
How to be (less) Awkward: Pretty much the quickest, easiest way to make your closet look neater is to purchase all identical hangers.
Categorized in Smart Pretty and Awkward
How to be Smarter: If someone buys you a drink or a shot at a bar you do not want to drink, feel free to politely decline. If they press you, simply say you are allergic to that type of alcohol. And never accept drinks from people you do not know! Ever.
How to be Prettier: Pajamas don’t have to be sexy to be cute and warm! I love this pair with the light dots on it. So fun and cozy.
How to be (less) Awkward: If somebody asks to share your seat with you on a train or a bus, social rules dictate you pretty much have to say yes. But if you are engrossed in eating food, people are less likely to want to sit down next to you because they don’t want to disturb you.
Categorized in Smart Pretty and Awkward
How to be Smarter: Putting “*” around both sides of what you are typing in gChat bolds it: *hi jeff* becomes bold when you type it in. Other cool gChat symbols.
How to be Prettier: Flowered, zippered minidress: I am going to wear this with tights, heels, and a leather jacket for now, and with bare legs and dainty jewelry this summer.
How to be (less) Awkward: Everybody likes to talk about themselves. Ask a million questions to somebody, and they will like you a million times more then if you answer a million questions that weren’t asked.
Categorized in Smart Pretty and Awkward
How to be Smarter: Dating is one long waiting game. Waiting to meet him, waiting for him to call, waiting to be exclusive, waiting to get married. You can either enjoy the waiting, or spend the whole wishing you were at another step–only to arrive there and wish to go back a step when “things were simplier”. Be where you are, physically and emotionally.
How to be Prettier: Navy is the new black this spring. Navy tights, navy heels, navy dress. So classy, so stylist.
How to be (less) Awkward: Hipster puppies. I died laughing.
Categorized in Smart Pretty and Awkward
How to be Smarter: A silly site with facts about giraffes for those who love the creatures as much as I do.
How to be Prettier: Being healthy is as important to looking pretty as make-up and wardrobe choices. This is a helpful article on diet soda and its effects.
How to be (less) Awkward: When you come onto a work conference call with multiple parties, always state your name and the department or company you represent.
Categorized in Smart Pretty and Awkward
How to be Smarter: Listening to the “Beach Boys” on your iPod while walking in cold weather is one of the quickest ways to warm up.
How to be Prettier: This jewelry site is divided into three categories: Bohemian, Retro, and Romantic. I really like the bracelet sections especially-I think this one is my favorite–it is very February-themed!
How to be (less) Awkward: Lay your silverware in the 3 o’clock position on your plate when you are finished eating to signal to the server to take your plate away.
Categorized in Smart Pretty and Awkward
How to be Smarter: If you are buying a new Dell computer, you can now customize the color with one of 26 OPI shades! OPI is a popular nail polish brand. Just click on “Colors”.
How to be Prettier: Continuing with the nail polish theme, doing one extra coat of polish more than you usually do will help your nails to last another few days, and lower chipping rates.
How to be (less) Awkward: In my experience, the more defensive someone is about something, the more likely they are to be lying to you.
Categorized in Smart Pretty and Awkward
How to be Smarter: Use half-birthdays as a chance to evaluate if your year is going as you planned, and if you have accomplished your goals for your year yet. Only six more months til your next birthday–what do you have left to do during this year of your life?
How to be Prettier: A very cool designer, and her very cool headbands. My favorite are the ones with flowers!
How to be (less) Awkward: Sometimes, if I feel a little sad, I smile and look at myself in the mirror. Somehow seeing my smile tricks my mind into making me think I am happy, and I feel just a little bit better instantly.
Categorized in Smart Pretty and Awkward
How to be Smarter: I highly recommend this book to everyone–knowing about the economy–and terms that are used to describe it–is so important for being a productive citizen. This book is long, but is broken into easy to read short sections–throw it in your bag and read a section or two on the subway each day.
How to be Prettier: Winter coats are on sale now despite there still being two or three more months of cold weather–give yourself a mid-winter boost and pick up a new one on sale today.
How to be (less) Awkward: When you must cancel plans, tell the other party as soon as possible. And don’t commit to things that you think you may have to back out of.
Categorized in Smart Pretty and Awkward
How to be Smarter: Particularly interesting article on women and their labor force participation.
How to be Prettier: This is a precious heart ring, and it is on sale.
How to be (less) Awkward: Be gentle with yourself. You’re trying. That’s all you can ask for. If you don’t get it today, you can try again and get it tomorrow.
Categorized in Smart Pretty and Awkward
