LIFE

You're a normal girl with a normal group of close buds, but this year, you're ready to broaden your horizons. Your ticket to success? A dose of insta-popularity. While it might not come overnight, exactly, we've got some secrets that'll have you making more friends than you can count on your fingers 'n' toes.

Be yourself

Yeah, yeah, we've said it before, and it's just as true this year as it was last year and the year before. You might be able to nab a few popular pals by pretending to be a babe you're not...but that's not really the point. You want friends you can happily flit between, not ones you have to put on a front for.  Own your quirks, your likes and your dislikes. No really--when someone laughs at your obsession with good ol' HP, playfully fight back with a quip, like, "Oh, come on, I know you had a major crush on Cho!" They'll appreciate your candor, even if your interests don't quite match up with theirs. 

Remember the little things

Everyone knows the football quarterback is the team's star, but not that he's also a budding guitarist or a die-hard rock climbing junkie. Tuck those pieces away, and when everyone else is complimenting him on the touchdown pass he threw Friday night, hand over a flyer you found for a new gym or an indie band playing downtown.

Volunteer to help out

A helping hand where it's needed--think the Homecoming committees nobody else wants to be on, or a club that's still in it's infancy--will help ya gain some major appreciation. And spending all those hours with the folks who need ya? Yep, talk about major bonding time. Volunteering gives you something in common to talk about, a link to keep in touch and a reciprocal friendship. Shweet! 

Be brave

Summon up every last drop of courage you possess and branch out in a big way: by saying "see ya later" to your M-F lunch crew and asking if you can grab a seat at a new table. Pick people you're interested in getting to know for who they are, not for their social status or the crazy parties they throw on the weekends.  

And make a fool out of yourself...just a little bit

The class clown might be a little annoying when he pulls the fire alarm during a test you studied for, but everyone still thinks he's a great guy. That can be you, too...but on a smaller scale. Pick one thing and go all out, like the Halloween homeroom door decorating contest or Spirit Week. Get peppy, plaster on the face paint and be the girl everyone remembers...in a good way. 

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