How to Be a Good Friend

Sometimes life can really suck. Nothing can seem to being going right and all you really want is someone to turn to. Sure you have your parents, sibling, and significant others, but probably the first person you think of when you need to talk about something or want to feel better is your best friend. They're the one person that you keep coming back to so you can feel better. Chances are that your friend does the same to you. They want to tell you everything going on in their life, good or bad, just like you do. They want your help and advice. But are you treating your best friend how you would want to be treated? Are you giving the same attention you would want in their situation? In order to make sure that you're really being the good friend you think you are, check to see if you're doing the following key points, and if not try to change that and use them as your guidelines.

1. Listen! Communication is a two-way street. One person has to listen while the other talks. You can't expect someone to listen to your problems when you don't respect them when addressing theirs. When a friend talks to you about something, important or not, really listen to what they're saying and try not to interrupt unless it's relevant and doesn't change the focus.

2. Respect! Friends are equals, not superiors or inferiors, but someone who is on your level and you can relate to in almost every way. Don't treat them like dirt or even follow them around like a puppy. Respect their space, possessions, and opinions. Also, above everything else, respect their commitments. If you wanted to go to the movies with said friend but they already made plans with someone else, respect that and don't be irritated by it. The same thing applies if your friend has a prior commitment like a sports game, family affair, or anything they had planned. Give them space to breathe, just like you would want.

3. Honesty! A good friend is someone you can go to when you want to hear the truth. Whether it's something as simple as "do I look good in this outfit" or as complicated as "I love him, but everything's different now...what do I do", it's important to always be honest and explain your answer. If your friend wanted to be lied to, then they wouldn't have come to you and asked you for your "honest opinion". Tell them the truth, and if it's painful be sensitive about it, but don't let them believe the lies that others will tell them.

4. Trust! Let your friend trust you, and trust them in return. If they ask you to keep something confidential, do it. The worst feeling in the world is finding out that you can't trust your own best friend, so don't do that to them. Make sure you have your friend's best interests at heart and remind them that you're on their side and want to help.

5. Concern! Care about your friends. They should mean the world to you and you should be willing to be for them at any second of any day. If you got a phone call from someone at 3am who really needed you to be at the hospital with them right then, would you go? Would you care that much to drop everything and help someone you really care about or go just to make sure that they're okay? That's what a best friend should do. Even something as small as asking what's wrong when you seem out of it is enough to show you care. Take notice of your friends' moods and watch out for them.

So next time your friend comes to you, just keep those five easy (but remarkable) guidelines in mind. They can make all the difference between an acquaintance and the best kind of friendship. I know that I have the best friends in the world (CKKL I LOVE YOU ALL) and I would be anywhere they needed me to be in a heartbeat, if not faster. All of them know that these five things make a friendship strong and amazing. So I hope that all of you reading this out there can have the same friendship I have and if you listen to those five little words, you will.

How to Be Happy

Today's society is getting more and more frustrating. With the rise of the bad economy and more stress in everyone's lives, it's hard to be truly happy. So what can one do to feel content? How can one change their life for the better? Although no one can say just one way is the sure-fire way to being happy, there are some guidelines that everyone can follow to be cheerful.

1. Laugh. Did you know that laughing is good for the soul and has been proven to improve your mood drastically? It's also a great ab workout. But laughing at life in moderation is a great way to be happy. It keeps your attitude light and cheery. Besides, when you're older and start to have wrinkles you can tell people they're laugh lines and you have so many of them because you have truly been happy in your life.

2. Take Chances. Do something that you never thought you could, whether it's talking to a cute guy/girl or bungee jumping. You get a thrill from trying new things, just make sure they won't cause you any serious harm. Taking chances keeps you open-minded and makes life interesting. When life is interesting and you're not sitting around being bored, you're more likely to have fun and therefore be happy.

3. Take Things Lightly. Never dwell on something that happened in the past. It's over for a reason, so move on. Get out there and take chances and make mistakes. Just don't let one fail keep you from trying again. No one ever does anything perfectly the first or even the second time. So don't be too hard on yourself and remember, everything happens for a reason.

4. Go with the Flow. Don't stress over making plans or the little things in life. It's too short for anxiety, so live your life easily and don't put severe pressure on yourself or others. Accept the changes in your life and look at them as opportunities to try something new. You never know how it could turn out.

5. Be Yourself. Live your own life, and not the life that someone else wants you to have. Make friends that you're comfortable with and never try to be someone you're not or change who you are. You're you for a reason and you're not the only person out there that has the same interests. Be the authentic you.

6. Be Optimistic. Look on the bright side of things and remain positive. You only have one life so live it and don't let the little things get you down. If it's raining on the day you were suppose to go to the beach, stay inside and read a good book. There is more than one view point to everything; all you have to do is find the best option.

Above all, remember that it's your life that you're living, so do what makes you happy. Keep a positive outlook and have fun!

How to Choose the Best College For You

From the beginning of junior year in high school, everyone stresses over college. It's exciting, yet terrifying! Parents put so much pressure on their kids to do the best they can and not mess up this "huge turning point in their life". And it's true: college is a really important part of life. However, all the stress that the parents and counselors and teachers throw on the students shouldn't impact their decision on which college to go to. In the end, it should be the student’s choice and the place that makes them happy.

There are some easy steps that students can follow and guidelines they can abide by if they want to make sure that they're choosing their future college for the right reasons.

1.Is the college in the right location?
If the college is in the city, but you hate noise and constant lights shinning, then you won't be happy there for four years of your life. Think about an alternative place, like the suburbs, mountains, or beach.
Also, if you hate the cold, don't go too far up north where you know you're going to be miserable. It's not worth it to go to school where you hate the weather. Look for colleges more down south or out west, and vice versa.

2. Is it the right size?
There are big schools with as much as 50,000 students, medium schools with approximately 20,000, and small schools with around 5,000. Do you mind if you're just a number and don't receive one on one attention, like at a big school? Or would you prefer a smaller school where you can get as much personal attention and extra help as you want? It all depends on what you're comfortable with and how involved you want to be in your future college.

3. One a side note of 2, would you prefer public or private?
Public schools tend to be bigger and cheaper, so if money's an issue, then public is probably your best option. If you're leaning towards private schools, then you're going to most likely end up in a medium to small school where tuition is quite a bit more than public schools.

4. Do you want to stay in-state or go out of state?
Out of state schools are usually harder to get into, but it can be worth it if you really want some change and independence. In-state schools are great if you want to stay close to home and your ideal school is right where you live. When choosing in-state or out of state, just think of how much you want to visit home and how far away you would be willing to go.

5. Do the schools you're interested in have your desired or intended major?
Never simply pick a schools just because your friends told you it was good or that you think you'd have a lot of fun there. Don't forget, college is the time to prepare yourself for your future career. Make sure that your intended major is offered and that there are potential back-up majors that you can choose from. Many people go into college undecided or change their major after their first year or two. It's important to keep your options open and never close any doors.

6. And finally, can you see yourself there?
There are so many different magazines and scholarly journals now a days that rank colleges. This has now become the basis for determining the quality of schools. For instance, Harvard is obviously a prestigious school with great education. However, what if you're not interested in a northern school? What if you're interested in studying outdoor education or something else that Harvard doesn't offer? Then it's simply not the best college for you. Just because a magazine or a reputation says that one college is the "best", doesn't mean that it's the right choice for you.
If you can't see yourself walking through the campus, visiting friends in the local restaurants, or even relaxing in the student center, then it's not the college that you should focus on.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY! Don't forget: you're the one going to school for at least the next four years wherever you choose, not your parents, teachers, or counselors. Where you go is your choice and should be one that makes you happy. So for once, be selfish and choose the best college for you.

How To Bake the BEST Cookies in 10 Steps

Desserts are always fun to bake. Although half of the fun is eating the finished product. One of the most common desserts made is cookies. There are chocolate chip cookies, gingersnaps, snicker doodles, peanut butter crisps, oatmeal raisin cookies, and a bunch of others. The hardest part of baking your favorite creation is choosing which cookie to make! So, here's the solution: bake the Everything Cookie.
In one respect, the Everything Cookie is like an oatmeal raisin one, however, it has more ingredients and is form a recipe that is open to changes and substitutions. Here is what you need:

1 cup of softened butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup of broken/chopped pecans
1/2 cup of craisins
1/2 cup of raisins

*The nuts, oats, raisins, and craisins can be exchanged for chocolate chips, peanut butter, etc.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cream the butter and both types of sugar in a medium bowl.
3. Beat in eggs, one at a time and add the vanilla.
4. Mix the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt separately, then add into the butter and sugar.
5. Add nuts, oats, craisins, and raisins.
6. Cover with plastic and chill or let sit for at least thirty minutes.
7. Roll dough into balls and place on greased cookie sheet.
8. Bake for 8 minutes if desired gooey or longer if wanted crisp.
9. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
10. ENJOY!

How To Get A Date for Valentine's Day

It's that time of year again. The stores start selling big heart balloons and extra large teddy bears with baskets full of Hershey's Kisses. Couples walk down the street hand in hand and sit at Starbucks gazing into each other's eyes. Every one's happy.

But what if you're single? What if you don't have a significant other? What if you're that lonely person strolling through the grocery store and staring at the cute teddy bears? Or the lonesome Starbucks customer waiting by them self in line to order coffee for one? Maybe you don't mind being alone on Valentine's Day. If you don't then that's great! You obviously don't need to be reading this. But if this year, you want someone to hold your hand and buy you a dozen red roses, here's what you do...

1. Go out in public as much as you can. Whether it's to your local market or lunch with a friend, it's great to get yourself out there and get noticed.

2. Smile. When you're out and about, smile at strangers or even the friendly waiter/waitress. You never know, one of them might think you're smile's beautiful and want to see if you both hit it off. Besides, smiling makes people seem approachable and friendly so others will be able to start a conversation easily.

3. Don't be desperate. Valentine's Day is about having someone you either love or can just have a good time with. It's not the best day to find someone who will use you and leave you feeling worse about yourself than before. So make sure that when you're looking for a date, you pick out a nice one that you can trust.

4. Make small talk. You're never going to get yourself a date if you ignore everyone around you and have the "I hate the world" attitude. If you're waiting for your coffee, make comment about the amount of customers or your favorite type of drink. No matter who you talk to, be open to them and show a genuine interest in what they're saying. Ask them questions, too. Don't just talk about yourself. Even one short conversation can make a big impact.

5. Be yourself. No matter how people tell you to act or what to say, be yourself. If you're not, you could end up with someone completely the opposite of you and have a miserable date. So forget the cheesy pick-up lines and say whatever you think appropriate.

6. Make small plans. If you're talking to someone and you seem to hit it off, ask them to grab a cup of coffee or something simple. This way, you can see if you want to spend Valentine's Day with them. It's not exactly a date and it's completely casual - so no pressure.

7. Make the move. If you're interested in having a date on Valentine's Day, just ask! It doesn't matter whether you're a guy or a girl: anyone can ask someone else these days. The worst thing that can happen is that they'll say no. And sure, it's not the answer you were going for, but at least they were honest and saved you from wasting time with them on the big day.

8. Stay optimistic. If you get rejected, it's not the end of the world, there are plenty of other great people out there just like you. So try again. If you succeed and end up getting a date, then congratulations! It could turn out to be a great relationship and wind up being more than what you originally thought it.

If all else fails, go buy yourself come chocolate and hang out with your single friends. There's nothing wrong with celebrating with all your buds. Sometimes, it's even better than having a date: you don't have to worry about what you wear and you're surrounded by more than one person that loves you. Either way, it's a win situation.