| 1. | Don't take your passions lightly. Invest your time in whatever it is that you love. Are you totally into reading mystery novels? Are you happiest on the soccer field? Whatever your thing is, become an expert. You never know when one of your talents could help you start a business, rise to the top, or help you get into college. |
| 2. | Find a mentor. Find a family friend, an old teacher or acquaintance to bounce ideas off of. Get real life advice from someone who is more experienced and can help you make decisions. Ask them your "stupid questions" you wouldn't dare ask anyone else. |
| 3. | Make connections. Get people's emails, phone numbers. When you meet someone, don't just say you'll "keep in touch" , actually do it. People make their mark by knowing everyone they can. The best way to know everyone is to start now; you'll never know where your connections can lead you. |
| 4. | Give the 411. Make others aware of the issue that matter to you. The best place to start is your group of friends, your youth group or your school. Start small conversations about issues at lunch or over coffee. If your friends aren't aware, inform them. Raising awareness about issues starts from the ground level. |
| 5. | Become an expert and write about it. One of the best ways to gain respect among your peers is to become an expert about something so that people come to you for advice. Whether you know every detail of your local sports team's stats, have read every book by J.D. Salinger or know all the dates of American history, make it known. Write for your local school newspaper, publish something on line or in your neighborhood. Being an expert gives you power; this can only be a good thing. |
| 6. | Follow through with commitments. Whether on your science project, on a sports team, or student council, always complete what you've said you would do. People count on you. When you let them down, you damage your relationship and your reputation. |
| 7. | Gain experience without commitment. You don't have to know exactly what you want to do for the rest of your life, but I am sure you have a few ideas. Try them out. Contact your local newspaper, if you are interested in journalism, and spend a day touring the place. Apply for a summer internship in a field of potential interest. Volunteer for a political candidate and take a look at politics from the inside out. You have the opportunity to take risks now and find a passion before you've made a commitment. |
| 8. | Start a club. Whether it's a Spanish cooking club, a local chapter of Amnesty International, or a movie group, starting a club and following through for a few years shows leadership, team spirit and commitment to anyone. Future employers, guidance counselors, and college admissions officers will be impressed by your initiative and consistancy. |
| 9. | Pass the baton. Being a leader is about creating new paths and guiding the way. But, it is also about ensuring that the people who come behind you can make their way too. Handpick an incoming freshman and guide her to become a leader. Just because you are heading off to college or a year abroad doesn't mean your work should end. You wouldn't want your team or club to fizzle just because you're not there to keep it running. |
| 10. | Take matters into your own hands. Have you noticed that the cafeteria food is not up to par? Do you find yourself wishing for bigger lockers and more time between classes? Be a problem solver. Commit to improving the world around you. By writing letters, scheduling meetings with school officials, or rallying a group of concerned friends, you can make a difference. |
| 11. | Stay current and connected. One of the easiest ways to stand out is by knowing what's going on. Read the paper on line (It's free), check out new blogs or listen to public radio to stay up on current events. Being in the know shows that you are in tune with the world and makes you a more interesting person. |
| 12. | Apply yourself. Of course you should give your best effort in everything you do, but we don't mean it the way your mom says it. We're talking about applications: for rewards, scholarships and internships that are just waiting for the girl with the right stuff to come along. How are they going to know about you unless you tell them? You have nothing to lose! |
| 13. | Take notes. Keep a journal of all of your school-related experiences and extra-curricular accomplishments. Jot down a quick description ( where? when?) of your activity or your award along with a few sentences about what it means to you, your community, or your future. Think of it as Cliff Notes to your life. This way, you will have a record of your activities and achievements for future reference, and when the time comes, it will be easy for you to pull together a resume. |
| 14. | Kudos to you. Whenever a teacher, a friend or family member compliments you in writing or over email, print it out or make a copy and save it in a bright folder. If you ever doubt yourself -- hey, we all have down days, --- sneak a peek in the folder. Reading the great things your peers and mentors have noticed about you will make you feel better instantly, and remind you that you really do shine! |
| 15. | Let's hear it for the boys. We encourage you to stand out, but, ahem, not at the expense of others. Girls can and will lead today and tomorrow -- along side of boys. Think of leadership as an all--inclusive club where everyone who puts in the effort has access to a VIP card. |
| 16. | Stop playing charades .... and start speaking up. One of the best ways to make an impression is through your voice and your words. If you keep your mouth shut, you miss out on the opportunity to share your opinions and thoughts. |
| 17. | Keep your distance. We're all heard of mean girls, and perhaps, you of all people have been a bit catty before. Honestly, though, being a mean girl is the pits. So if you know one, or if you've found yourself kicking around the idea of becoming one yourself, forget it. The world has filled its mean girl quota and that is one group you don't want to be a part of. |
| 18. | Embrace originality. Keep things fresh and fun. Challenge yourself to break the mold everyday by changing things up. Whether you order a different Frap from Starbucks, you sport a new pair of earrings, tote the newspaper around with you, or invite a new friend to lunch, -- mixing up your routine makes you more interesting and unique -- and that's what it means to stand out in the crowd. |
| | If you know one. |
