One of my favorite quotes is "Friends are God's way for apologizing for your family."

Amusing perhaps, but there are some people (such as friends) that you need in
your life (besides your family of course).

I've realized that whenever I am around kids or my friends I sometimes give some advice
that I think that everyone should take.

Okay, sure -- I'm only a teenager, but this is a piece of my always-growing pie of wisdom. . .

When I first told one of my friends at school that before Burke, I had
no sense of style, she laughed at me.

"Whaaat?!" she exclaimed, chuckling.

But I simply nodded.

Me in 6th grade/year 7.


Yes, it's true.

But when you had been forced to wear a uniform consisting of a blouse, 
tie, and skirt as well as being bullied for the past 5 or so years, I suppose 
that it's natural that style seemed to not matter to me at the time.

Yesterday I wore my pillbox hat from Sur La Tete, along with my vintage black
gloves (belonged to my grandmother), my black flats, and my professional-looking blue
dress from Coldwater Creek. 

. . . Let's just say the elderly enjoyed my look while the middle-age construction
worked along Van-Ness looked at me as if I was the Mad Hatter. . . 

We've all been there.

Whether it be something as simple as asking a question in class to giving a speech on why people should vote for you for the next class rep.

And the tip that you should just imagine everybody in their underwear does not help.

In fact, you just might go red in embarrassment or pale in disgust - neither of which are very helpful when it comes to talking to an audience. 

So here are my tips to help you get over your fear of public speaking!

(And by the way, none of them relate to undergarments - so don't worry.)