As August slowly creeps up on us, we know what this means. Back to school. But this year is going to be different.
Why? It’s because you're reading this article from a rising senior in high school that’s going to teach you the secrets to having the best high school experience, the juicy details and how to ultimately be “That Girl”. But before I explain to you how to be “That Girl”, let's briefly overview the meaning of the term.
"That Girl"
You may or may not have heard of the term "That Girl" so I will give a quick refresher of what it is. The original definition of “That Girl” is the girl in school that everybody aspires to be. She’s organized and has everything together .
She’s the one with the perfect grades, heavily involved in school and everybody wants to be her friend. But let’s be realistic. The achievement of that girl is quite impossible and doesn’t even exist.I tried every year to be “That Girl”. I wanted everything to be perfect. But in reality, this can’t happen. The idea of that girl is flawed, so I’m going to change the definition. “That Girl” now means being the best girl you can be. It means reaching the goals you have set for yourself, even if there are some bumps on the way. “That Girl” is you and she is going to kill this school year, whether it is making the varsity team, getting an officer position in a club or simply making a new friend.
As someone who’s gone through the ins and outs of high school, I’m here to help guide you to be “That Girl”. So keep reading to find out how “That Girl” can be you.
Tip 1: Ignore the Haters
You know who ignored the haters? Elle Woods from Legally Blonde, and she is “That Girl”. She didn’t let what anyone thought of her stop her.
She continued to persevere and achieve her dream of being a lawyer, no matter the hate she encountered. Us teens must be like Elle Woods as well. My personal experience with this was how my friends would talk to me. Many of my friends often believed I was dumb. They would often say it to me to my face or hint it in a way. This would hurt me. I constantly felt like I wasn’t smart enough to my peers. I never understood this, as I often had higher grades and better scores than the people who were saying this. I felt that there was something wrong with me , which lowered my self-esteem and confidence. Let me tell you, these are the complete opposite traits of being “That Girl”. People are always going to hate and be jealous of you . You just have to learn to ignore them and keep doing you. The more hate you are getting for your successes, the more it reveals who your true friends are. "That Girl" wants people who support her in her life, not put her down or envy her accomplishments.
Tip 2: Erase the Idea of Perfectionism
In order to be “That Girl, you must erase the idea of perfectionism. You can’t achieve something that doesn’t exist. Looking back, one thing I wish I didn’t do in my years of high school was always trying to be perfect.
I used to think that if I didn’t get an A, I wasn’t good enough. If I didn’t get the time I wanted for track, I was a failure. This isn’t true. I needed to realize that nobody is perfect. The more that we try to achieve perfection, the more disappointment we will feel. Recognizing that it’s okay to make mistakes is one of the first steps to being “That Girl”. Perfection is this flawed idea that is shown to young girls that makes them believe they must look, act, or be a certain way to fit within society. This is far from the truth. I want you to do you. Stop thinking about being perfect. Be true to yourself instead.
Tip 3: Stop comparing yourself to others
Being “that girl” means loving who you are.“That girl” isn’t paying attention to what other people think of her because she is so focused on reaching her goals. Comparing yourself to others is damaging mentally. In my earlier years of high school I would compare my intelligence, my looks, my athletic abilities to other people all the time.
I didn’t realize how much this way of thinking was hurting me. I spent so much time looking at others, that I didn’t focus on myself to improve my talents. I finally realized that everybody is good at different things, which is what makes each and everyone of us special. I had to love myself. So instead of looking at the person next to me, I must look in the mirror, and work on improving myself. Spending hours comparing myself to another girl is so easy to do, which is what makes tip three so hard. But we must remember, comparing yourself to others does no good and is far from being “That Girl”.
tip 4: Write your Goals Down
You may have heard this tip a million times, but it’s said repeatedly for a reason. “That Girl” has a mission and things that she wants to accomplish. What ultimately makes someone “That Girl” is that they are able to achieve so many things that many people find difficult or even impossible. The word impossible doesn’t exist for “That Girl”.
In order to achieve these goals, they must be put down in writing. Once your goals are written down, you have the opportunity to read them every day and make it your top priority. Not writing it down can cause you to forget about it and not take accountability for taking the necessary steps to achieve it. So grab your favorite colored gel pen and write that goal down!
Tip 5: Ask for Help
Although that girl is advertised as an independent girl who can get everything done on her own. This is a myth. Everybody needs help and it’s nearly impossible to do everything on your own.
With the right amount of guidance to help lead you on the correct path, it can be life-changing. This can start within the classroom. If you don’t understand a concept, don’t shy away and not say anything because you’re afraid your teacher will think that you’re “stupid”. The consequences of not asking for help are far worse. Don’t let the fear of what others think of you hold you back. Maybe you want to have more playing time on the soccer team. Go up to the coach and ask him/her for advice. It can’t hurt! Hearing different perspectives expands your knowledge and helps you be the best person you can be, which is what being “That Girl" is all about.
In conclusion, believe this school year is going to be amazing for you. You’re going to be “that girl" and be an inspiration for many people. You’ll even surprise yourself with all that you can accomplish. Good luck!
From,
A rising senior
