LIFE LESSONS

As a Pink Girl, independence is a must. If you are looking to be a strong, independent lady, this section is full of great advice for you.

- Develop and know your own opinions, share them with other people and don't be afraid to speak your mind (even if some people don't like it). However, make sure you can listen to others' opinions and make informed decisions. Don't argue for the sake of arguing, but stand up for what you believe in when the time calls for it.

Don't throw your opinion around or pretend that your way is the right way and everyone has to think the way you do. It's tactless. You'll lose friends that way.

- Use your brain to help you get through tasks. Make your own decisions. Always listen in class and try your hardest when it comes to exams. Academics are important. This isn't necessarily straight A's - this is about trying your best and reaching goals that are realistic to you.

- Know you don't need loads of friends. When you get older you will find that you have 2 or 3 close friends if you stay independent. Having loads of friends is something you only see on TV. Remember - it is the quality of the friend, not the quantity.

- Know that if you want to wear makeup, wear makeup, but if you don't, don't wear it. Femininity does not equal weak, and 'tomboy' does not necessarily equal strong. You can be a strong young woman and have any kind of appearance and any kind of body. Though it may not be practical to wear heavy makeup during a workout, it is important to remember your image is yours, and you can be one tough girl, with lipstick or without it. Your comfort and confidence in your appearance are what is most important here.

- Don't get too hung up on having a boyfriend. It's not worth it if it is making you unhappy. Don't chase boys. The boys are supposed to chase you. You are the prize.

Relationships are hard, especially your first. It's honestly unlikely that you'll end up marrying the person you date in middle school or high school. Having a boyfriend doesn't make you cooler. Unless you find someone you are really compatible with, take this time to focus on yourself. Pink Girls are classy ladies. No boy chasers.

- Enjoy your childhood. Do not be in a rush to become an adult.

These years are precious and you'll never get them back. So many adults look back with regrets, wishing they had enjoyed it more. So be a kid. Even if you're seventeen, make a blanket fort in your room and break out the coloring books. Splash in the mud, get grass stains, play. One day, you'll find that the days of water balloon fights during summer vacation are gone.

- Study hard to get into college.

A good college education is important for a good career. No matter what the financial situation is, you do not have to let that hinder you. Sit down and figure out what you want to do for a living. Do you want to be a chef, a lawyer, a forensic phycologist? What is your career goal?

Next, find a school that offers that major. Find out how much it costs annually to see if it's achievable. For example, the University of Alabama costs $26,950 annually. That means the cost is $2,245 monthly without a scholarship. To earn a full scholarship, you will need to have SAT scores of at least 1480 or ACT scores of at least 33, a 3.5 GPA or higher, and a rigorous academic course load. You need to decide if this is the best for the future you want.

- Ignore those who criticize you.

There will always be people who will try to bring you down. Don't let them. You are a beautiful, brave, powerful young lady with the heart of a lion. Those who try to bring you down are nothing but cowardly sheep. Lions do not give in to sheep.

- Take your classes seriously, even if you find it boring.

It will give you this wide foundation of knowledge that use can use for future conversations. There are few things in this world more precious than a well-educated woman. They are powerful and hard to intimidate. Brains and beauty are a killer combination.