Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Gimme a Call: Advice for LiLa from LiLa

Have you guys been following #gimmeacall on Twitter? It's awesome. Go check it out if you haven't already and definitely order Sarah Mylanowski's book by the same name.

Here's what we'd have to say if we got a call from our high school selves:
  • Wait until college to find a boyfriend. "Dating" in highschool consists of being the designated driver after watching your "boyfriend" shotgun beers.
  • ROCK that bikini. You look hot and being self conscious is SO last season.
  • Make-out with lots of boys. Seriously. Kissing is fun!
  • When your lab partner passes you a note professing his love, be nice. In 10 years he'll come out of the closet.
  • What are you so afraid of? People laughing at you? Here's a tip: Laugh first.
  • Pay more attention in history. It's actually kind of cool.
  • Take care of your sisters. They'll always be your best friends.
  • Mixing gin and Diet Coke is a terrible idea.
  • Just say no to purple hair dye. The prom pictures will haunt you.
  • Up-do's are almost never a good idea.
  • Outdoor parties are always the most fun.
  • Save your mix tapes. They rock.
  • Why are you so afraid to dance? Just break it down. No one's really watching you anyways
  • Eat whatever you want. It will be years before it catches up to you.
  • Be nicer to Mom and Dad. They only seem to suck because they love you.
  • If you don't agree with someone, say it. Don't be so afraid to speak up.
  • Be confident. And if you're not, fake it.
  • Make eye contact. No one gets anywhere staring at the ceiling.
  • Spend as much time as possible with your girlfriends. Some of them will be in your wedding.
  • Actually apply for those scholarships Mom won't shut up about. Student loans blow.
  • Learn how to play golf.
  • It's okay to be a nerd. Seriously. Own it. Embrace it. Being cool is boring.
  • Challenge people in the summers to move up the tennis ladder. It will make Dad happy.
  • Get your eyebrows waxed--you cannot be trusted with a pair of tweezers.
  • Don't cut all of your hair off on a dare. You'll thank me later.
  • Pay attention. Some day you'll be writing about this stuff.
So...what advice would you have for your high school self? Advise away in the comments.

58 comments:

Matthew MacNish said...

Cool Nerd is the new black.

Oh and don't rebel SO much that it ends up hurting you.

Amie McCracken said...

You've already hit most of it...make out lots, stand out in the crowd cuz no one's watching you anyways, be confident...oh wait, I could say that to my current self. (Well, except for the making out part. I don't think my husband would like me making out with other boys.)

Candyland said...

-Stay away from Zach. He'll ruin you forever.
-Lose Rian. She's not worth it.
-Believe in yourself. You're actually kind of cool.

Loretta Nyhan said...

1. Sun-In doesn't work so well on dark brown hair.
2. Stop trying so hard to be different. You ARE different.
3. Tanning and alcohol don't mix.
4. Neither do drinking and driving.
5. Don't let your mom talk you into that shiny teal dress for junior prom.
6. Don't cry over that guy who ditched you at sophomore dance; you won't even remember what he looks like in 5 years. In 20 you won't even remember his name.
7. Hanging out in parking lots after Grateful Dead shows? Not such a good idea.
8. Relax. Be happy. Stop worrying so much.

Unknown said...

1. Don't let mum choose my career, seriously.
2. Tell off the popular jerks who always thought they were better in drama class.
3. It's okay to take chances... life is supposed to be fun.

TerryLynnJohnson said...

That is a great list guys!
Mine would be - stop worrying about your hair being perfect. Think before you follow the crowd.

Bish Denham said...

Great post!

Don't be too sarcastic, it's won't win you any friends.

storyqueen said...

I would tell my teenage self-

Kid, you're gonna be okay.

Unknown said...

The rocker guys you want to date will never be anything... DON'T GO OUT WITH THEM... they aren't that cute!!!

Amy said...

I caught up with that this morning, and it's awesome.

Mine--

Try trusting a few people. It's not so bad, really.

That thing you're doing with your hair. Yeah. That. Stop it.

This is the best body you'll ever have, right now. Quit hiding in big baggy clothes.

Unknown said...

Electric blue mascara that matches your electric blue eyeliner AND your electric blue eyeshadow is a tad too electric!

Love this list!

Natasha A. said...

It really doesn't matter what any of these people think of you, you won't see them again after graduation.

Stop trying to be something your not - you don't have to fit in.

Love yourself.

Elisa Dane said...

I did see those posts on Twitter yesterday. Too cool!

Hmm...what I would tell my high school self...Okay, got it!

1. Teal eyeliner and gold eyeshadow is NEVER a good idea.

2. Quit worrying about your hair. Appearances aren't everything.

3. Don't worry about your so-called friends not talking to you anymore. Your mom was right, they weren't your real friends anyway.

4. Quit stressing over the "d" you got in trig. You're never gonna use math in your day to day life anyway.

Bethany Elizabeth said...

Um... Drama Club - go out for it sooner, you're missing out on a lot of friends.
Oh, and it's not advice, but High School self, you know when you stood up to your english teacher because she was wrong about grammar and persuasive essays? Way to go!
:D

Talli Roland said...

Love these! Especially the one about sun-in... oh, that brought back so many memories.

Here are a few of mine:
Baby oil + sun = NOT GOOD!
Spiral perms and crimping may be cool at the time but they're just wrong.
Mesh tops aren't great on anyone (can you tell I was a child of the 80s?).

Jill Wheeler said...

HS Self: DTMFA!

Carolina M. Valdez Schneider said...

I hadn't seen this on Twitter, but I'll definitely check it out. I don't think I'd say much to my high school self, actually. I know myself too well. I'm sure I'd flip myself off and tell me to bugger off.

But your list rocks. I might have listened to you guys. Especially the waxing bit. Okay, I'll say that I'd like to think I would have listened to you guys. I didn't listen to pretty much anything back then that wasn't put to music. Would you sing this list and maybe vlog it? Then I'll know for sure.

Sherrie Petersen said...

Defy your father and go out with James. Even if it's just the one date, it will be worth it.

JEM said...

1) Don't be so angry all the time
2) For reals: write. Sing. Act. When you have the time and don't have the bills to pay.

Awesome idea! Not that my teenage self would have listened.

Courtney Barr - The Southern Princess said...

Don't worry so much. Life is just beginning.

Great post!

Visit My Kingdom Anytime

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

Great post! You really hit a lot of great points. I'd tell myself to:
1. Don't marry to young. Give yourself a chance to be a whole person before you are half of a couple.
2. Enjoy being skinny....

Marsha Sigman said...

1)You will never live down that purple eyeshadow...stop it. Pat Benatar is not a god.

2)Listen to your dad more. He is not nearly as crazy as you think.

3)Get over Tommy already! In twenty years he will be married to your sister's best friend, living in a trailer park with a dozen kids. He is not your soul mate.

4)Quit skipping Home Ec. Some day you will have to cook for yourself.

I dodged the sun-in disaster. That is the beauty of having older sisters, sometimes you DO learn from their mistakes.lol

Patti said...

Wonderful list. I think I would agree with the no dating until after highschool, because being boy crazy will wreck your marks.

Steena Holmes said...

I have so many ... LOL

-have fun with boys but don't get so caught up with them.
-remember your friends, don't leave them behind
-keep writing, don't give it up
-perming your hair in grade 9 wasn't that great of an idea ... now in grade 11 it worked for you

Tara McClendon said...

What a great post. I'd have to go with be nicer--it won't kill you; and listen to Rach's motto--it is easier to appologize than to ask permission.

Unknown said...

I would tell myself to stop worrying about what everyone else thinks of me. And to practice more.

Lindsay said...

Great post.
1)Don't worry so much about what other people think. Because the people who really matter love you for you.
2)Wrapping a jumper/shirt around your butt DOES NOT make it look smaller.

Sara B. Larson said...

I love it! Oh boy, what would I tell myself in highschool? Soooo many things.
-Don't destroy your naturally curly hair trying to straighten it to look like everyone else. Or at least wait until you can afford a nice straightener that actually works.
-Don't let what other people say make you feel like you are unworthy, unliked, or ugly. They are stupid. And wrong.
-You made money working in the summer, go buy yourself some cute pants that actually fit. You are tall. You have to buy more expensive pants if you want an inseam that's long enough. Sorry. YOu might as well get used to it now.

Christina Lee said...

Darn it, you totally stole my blog post idea (and I would have stolen it from Sarah). :-0 I loved reading and writing all of those entries on Twitter. Her book sounds so GREAT too!!

Heidi Willis said...

I had so much fun following this last night! You had great suggestions!

I tend to think my 14 year old self would not have listened or believed my grown up self. :)

I'd love to have told myself to not choose a college degree I knew I could get a job with instead of majoring in what I really loved and figuring out how to make money with it. But then I wouldn't have moved across the country for that job and met my husband....

It might have been nice to know that I was going to eventually find the man of my dreams and get published. That might have given me a little bit of confidence.

CHRISTIE said...

Wow! I wish I had this list when I was a teen :) I love it!

I’d add stay away from tanning beds! Pale is cool!

Oh and spiral perms are EVIL!

Lori W. said...

*Love* this list and the comments. My mother always told me, "Everybody is too busy thinking about what other people think of them to be thinking so much about you, so lighten up." That sunk in a little, but I'd tell myself not to be such a people pleaser, to speak up and to be unafraid to disagree.

Shannon O'Donnell said...

You are MUCH skinnier than you think you are - relax!

It's better to be smart than popular. :-)

Lydia Kang said...

I love this post! If only we could speak to ourselves. But then again, we'd be like, "uh, who's this old lady talking to me? ha ha.

Dara said...

I shared some of it in my tweets yesterday.

There are more important things in the world than having a boyfriend. Most boys that age are too immature anyway.

Remember, it's only 4 years. Not an eternity, although it might feel like it.

Not sure I agree with you on the "making out lots" one. Would be fine if there were boys I was willing to swap saliva with :P As it was, the thought of making out with most of the boys in HS makes me gag.

Tana said...

I was loving that on twitter! And yes, to my HS self, I have to agree PLEASE rock the bikini while you can.

Carolyn V. said...

LOL! I love some of you comments to yourself. My thoughts to me...
- When you go for the dance try outs, remind your teacher you really are a junior and not a sophomore (junior were picked first).
- That cute boy at work...ignore him, he turns out all wrong! Ew.
- Please get your toenails painted and wear those cute pair of sandals. You'll thank me later.

Unknown said...

Best advice I wish I'd gotten as a teen: Start writing your stories down, and never stop.

Kelsey (Dominique) Ridge said...

-Yes, your gut instinct is worth listening too.

-Meeting someone for half an hour that one time at that place doesn't count as really knowing them.

-Those people insulting your body can go stuff it. You look great.

Krispy said...

Fun idea. I'll have to check out the tweets.

-Go to more school events. They're actually kind of fun.

-Speak up. No need to be afraid.

-Apply to more of those hard-to-get-into colleges. So you don't wonder later if you could've made it in.

-Hair parted down the middle is not such a great look.

-Remember to wear your retainer. No, seriously.

Katie Anderson said...

I mean are these the best or WHAT?! What a great post! Thanks y'all :)

Lisa_Gibson said...

Don't take it all so seriously. There's great stuff that comes after highschool.

Unknown said...

You forgot the firm handshake...and you guys challenging the tennis ladder was ALL I really wanted!

Love, Dad

MAP said...

I would definitely tell myself that life doesn't begin until AFTER high school. It would have saved a lot of anxiety over not 'living' enough. LOL Great post!

Little Ms J said...

The cosmetics industry has not yet perfected self tanner. Explaining that you're part Greek and part German and tan unevenly when you point to your orange legs and white arms isn't selling.

Southpaw said...

"What are you so afraid of? People laughing at you? Here's a tip: Laugh first"

Best advice ever!

Stina said...

Oh sure! Give me the advice now. Where were you when I was a teen, huh?

Jemi Fraser said...

Love the premise of this book! I'd tell myself to talk more, worry less, take more risks and just relax!!

Anonymous said...

1. The Hour of Power (with beer shots) is a bad idea.

2. Don't try the grain punch, especially if your date for the party is Krista. (She shouldn't have the punch either, fyi.)

3. Jenna will not like your poetry, because her roommate is a better poet than you, and she doesn't like you like that anyway.

4. Perhaps don't jump off roofs on dares--your knees will thank you later.

5. Yes, you're good at math and science, but you'll never be as good at anything as you are at writing, so screw the engineering degree and go for Creative Writing.

April (BooksandWine) said...

Things I would tell my teenage self, a scant 3 years earlier:

Go for a damn jog. You will love the feel of pounding the treadmill, plus you'll make your ex jealous.

Speaking of your on-again/off-again boyfriend - it's okay to kiss him and have fun with him, but when he breaks up with you, it is NOT the end of the world. You will meet someone who showers you in Tiffany&Co, iPhone, eReader (btw in the future you will be able to read books on a device that is pink), and most importantly love.

Dance like a rockstar, because you are one.

When your "friends" make fun of you for having your nose in a book, don't take it so hard. One will get knocked up. The other will be in community college for 5 years. You, meanwhile, will go on to be successful and have health insurance. Stick with the books, kid.

Stop being so self-conscious. You are beautiful. Plenty of people love your quirky sense of humor, and will be your friend because you are funny. Yes, that's right, you are a funny person and can make people laugh.

P.S. Stop trying to be cool. Cool people suck and will eventually wind up working for the nerds.

Susan Fields said...

Definitely save the mix tapes, what I wouldn't give to have those back.

Don't sweat high school - it's just a warm up for real life.

Gail said...

Let's see.... I'd tell my HS self to quit smoking right then because the family history of heart disease would catch up to me later. (And not smoking might have postponed or prevented that.)

I'd tell myself not to worry about having a big nose...in your 30s you'll break it and end up with a newer one that's slightly smaller!

Don't be so self conscious about dancing.... in your 20s you'll take up ballroom dancing and even win a trophy for your cha-cha!!!

I'd tell myself not to obsess about getting married; life is fine and joyful even if you're still single later in life!

And I'd tell myself not to hate writing so much because later in life you will love it and want to get your books published!!!

lexcade said...

i'd tell my high school self that eventually, life gets better. not easier, but better. you're strong. you'll make it through all the BS.

Kirsten Lesko said...

Excellent advice for kids of any age - People laughing at you? Here's a tip: Laugh first.

And I love the one about the mix tapes. Who knew they'd be so awesome 15 years later?

Kim said...

Have you seen Hot Tub Time Machine? If not, you need to. It's pretty stupid. Over-the-top dirty humor. BUT...it has a bit of this message. There's even a scene where one of the characters calls his wife (who is only 9 years old b/c of the time warp) and he bitches her out for cheating. Hysterical.

Vanessa said...

Just wanted to let you know that I mentioned this post on my blog.

Great advice!

http://ultimatebookhound.blogspot.com/2010/04/cream-of-crop-8.html

California Keys said...

I wish I was accepted for being a nerd back in the day.... And the advice about liking our parents.... Spot on.... lol

sanjeet said...

That is a great list guys!
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