How to be Smarter: Do good and improve your vocabulary. www.freerice.com

How to be Smarter: Today, for every half hour you spend watching reality TV, reading gossip magazines, looking at Perez Hilton’s, etc., spend an equal amount of time doing something (reading a book, looking at a news website, writing) that enriches your mind. Be amazed by the amount of time activies that do not make you smarter take up in your everyday.

How to be Prettier: Silver nail polish is perfect for New Year’s Eve.

How to be less Awkward: Your belt must be appopriapely sized, or have an extra loop, so it doesn’t stick straight out at the end.

How to be Smarter: The ideal amount of time experts say you need to sleep to improve brain function is 8.2 to 8.4 hours a night. Start tonight. 

How to be Smarter: Work on becoming more ambidextrous (ability to use both left and right hands with equal skill). Start by brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand every night. This gives your brain a workout by creating a new pathway for a daily task. 

How to be Smarter: When negotiating, know what constitutes a win before you go into it. If you enter any sort of chat with a boss/parent/professor without knowing what YOU want the outcome to be, you will never see it achieved. 

How to be Smarter: To go along with yesterday’s post about the importance of sleep, power nap smarter. It takes 20 minutes for coffee to kick into your system, so the best way to take advanage of a power nap is to drink a cup of coffee, set your alarm for 20 minutes, and when you wake up you will have the benefit of both the power nap sleep and the caffeine.

How to be Smarter: Everyone is talking about the recession. You must have a base knowledge of it. Start with these two sites: 

How to be Smarter: Travel. It doesn’t matter if you can’t afford a European vacation for two months–just traveling to a different part of town is good for your mind. Traveling clears your head and gives you different ways of life to consider. If you are a student, join studentuniverse.com for good flight deals. 

How to be Smarter: People that are considered intelligent tend to not only have mastered one subject (creative writing, the history of the Roman empire) in depth but also have a broad range of knowledge on many other topics. Sign up for Wikipedia’s Daily Article mailing list
(https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l). Daily you will receive one article summary written on any topic–extremely valuable and free way to expand knowledge base without investing much time.

How to be Prettier: Turquoise/teal is one color that almost universally flatters everyone, because it is the opposite of pink (the undertone in skin) on the color wheel. It plays up a flush in the skin and can be worn all four seasons. Invest in teal today.

How to be less Awkward: When you arrive at a holiday party, go directly to the bar. This will immediately give you a) something to do while you scoop out the scene and figure out who you know; b) someone to talk to you (the bartender) when you first arrive (building your confidence); and c) a drink to hold while you circle the room so your hands are not hanging like rags at your side.

How to be Smarter: Studies show people that use simple language concisely are perceived as smarter then those that use long words and write for length. Furthermore, using easy to read fonts also makes you appear smarter then using fancy lettering types.

How to be Prettier: Hot water dries skin out fast, making it crack. Try to use cool water when washing hands and warm water when showering.

How to be less Awkward: Don’t steal someone else’s table setting at a nice dinner. Remember the words “spoon,” “knife” and “drink” all have five letters, just like the word “right.” Therefore, spoons, knives and drink glasses on the right side of your entrée plate are yours. The word “left” has four letters, as do “fork” and “food.” So all forks and plates with food on the left side of the entrée plate are yours.

How to be Smarter: http://www.webmd.com/balance/brain-food-quiz. What you eats changes how your mind functions and how it will age. Start different eating habits today.

How to be Prettier: Only line the outer rims of your eyes. If you line the inner corners too your eyes will appear smaller and more beady then necessary, as well as you will have an increased risk of eye infection. 

How to be less Awkward: You will fall on others less when standing on public transportation (bus, subway, train) if you put your feet in a t-shape, with one foot heading in the direction of travel, and the other foot perpendicular to it.

How to be Smarter: Being able to do correct mental arithmetic, including percentages, is a key success driver in almost every industry/college major. Practice yours on any number of online sites, including here: http://www.netagency.co.uk/keyedin2/mental.html

How to be Prettier: Run your toothbrush over your lips in little circular motions to exfoliate them. This will make your lips appear smooth and redder.

How to be less Awkward: Saying hi to the person you sit next to in class only once does not make you more social. You must say good morning to them everyday; you must talk with your roommates every night at dinner; you must call a family member everyday. Then, these social routines will become a habit, increasing your comfort level, allowing you to branch out further both within your relationship with that person and other people. 

How to be Smarter: Never leave home without a notebook. You must record lists of errands, subjects, possible novel ideas, new items of clothes to wear, subjects to study, new words. Write everything down.

How to be Prettier: Today, shave your legs at the end of the shower, not when you first get in. The hot water will soften skin and you will get a closer shave.

How to be less Awkward: If you want to be perceived as less awkward, always be the first in social situations. Be the first in class to present a project, be the first person to volunteer to start a new line at the grocery store, be the first person to stick out your hand and say hello. Humans perceive this quality as adventurous and aggressive, not awkward. 

How to be Smarter: You will never be the smartest at something you dislike. Only get involved in projects you feel motivated about.

How to be Prettier: If your skin feels dry, drink tea instead of coffee for a few days. Always makes my skin feel much healthier.

How to be less Awkward: If you have to chose between being overdressed or underdressed, be overdressed. You will feel awkward if everyone looks nicer then you.

How to be Smarter: Go to the bookstore today and read one of the following Malcolm Gladwell’s books: Blink, The Tipping Point, or Outliers.

How to be Prettier: Wear gloves and a scarf when you go outside in the winter. Cold air dries out your fingers and skin. Have as little exposed skin as possible.

How to be less Awkward: The moment when you are walking straight at someone and they are walking straight at you and you don’t know which way to move can be avoided if you preemptively exaggerate your stare in the direction you are going to walk to get around them.

How to be Smarter: You must learn the capitals of the ten 
most-populated states today, for reference and to make news reading 
easier. 
California–Sacramento
Texas-Austin
New York-Albany
Florida-Tallahassee
Illinois–Springfield
Pennsylvania–Harrisburg
Ohio–Columbus
Michigan–Lansing
Georgia–Atlanta
North Carolina–Raleigh

How to be Prettier: Go buy satin pillowcases. They are less harmful to your hair and skin, keeping your hair smoother and less dry and your face more wrinkle-free. 

How to be Smarter: Ask your superior (professor or boss) two questions about a process or concept you don’t understand before 4pm today. E-mail is an acceptable way to ask.