How to be Smarter: Once an assignment is out of your hands, instead of worrying about its outcome, turn your attention to the project after it. Thinking ahead is always more productive than hand-wringing.

How to be Prettier: You can wear whatever you have the confidence to wear; if you want to make your closet bigger without spending money, expand your  idea of what you can pull off. Hint: You can pull off more than you currently do.

How to be (less) Awkward: If your boss asks you for coffee or lunch, only talk about business if he or she brings it up first. However, if you are the one to initiate the out-of-the-office meeting, you can bring up business first if that’s what’s on your mind.

How to be Smarter: When you take a test, teachers always tell you to fill out what you do know first, and then go back for the rest. Right now, depending on the stage of life you are in, you don’t have to know exactly what to get a degree in, exactly where to study abroad, exactly what types of jobs to interview for, exactly where to live out of college, exactly what type of pet to get, exactly who to marry, exactly how many kids to have, or even exactly who to invite to Prom. Fill in the blanks you do know now (you want a degree in medicine! you want to live in California after graduation! golden retrievers rock!), read the sentence of your life again, and the other blanks might become easier to fill in (San Diego has good med schools with enough parks for dogs!).

How to be Prettier: I own a pair of these; warmest socks ever to wear under tall boots.

How to be (less) Awkward: Ready-made playlists to listen to while you work. I especially like “Finding  Joy.”

How to be Smarter: If you get up everyday, do something you feel is meaningful, and try your best at being your best, your part of the world will get better. And if we all do that, the whole world gets better.

How to be Prettier: Darker tights lengthen the leg more than paler colors, so white tights are best worn with heels.

How to be (less) Awkward: Start each day like this.