I can’t say there was an exact moment that caused this metamorphosis. I wouldn’t even go as far as saying there was a series of unfortunate events. Let’s call it a series of realizations…
I realized. I am a young, independent woman, and I better start acting like one! I’ve always been the outgoing, bubbly, percolator of the group who downed more shots and slapped more wine bags than my petite body could handle. I wanted to get a reaction from my friends and keep my image as the fun friend of the group. Then, I realized strolling into class or work late, feeling too lazy to hit the gym, and not being on my “A” game was most definitely not fun.
So, I ditched my overused morning-hangover look for a head held high, neatly combed hair, a well put together outfit, and a skinny iced latte … and I’ll never regret it!
Why? Because people began to respect me and not just my ability to wear Jeffery Campbell’s four nights a week while dancing with a drink in my hand. Instead of being the joke, I told the jokes! I took control of my image, how people view me, and how I view myself. AND you’ll still find me at the bar having real fun.
Trust me ladies, you want to be known as the girl who can walk into a room and be respected by the way she carries herself, not because she either looked “hot” or like a “hot-mess,” but because she presented herself with pride, class, and elegant grace! Present yourself the way you want people to see you. Keep your chin up, make direct eye contact, and be sure of who you are. You’re a classy, yet humble, young lady. Carry yourself with the perfect pixie-dust-pinch of humility, and keep your struggles in your back pocket as a reminder of how far you’ve come and your ambitions in the front to remind you where you want to go.
It’s a lot sexier to talk about how well you did at work or on a class assignment that you’ve worked super hard on than it is to talk about how drunk you were at the bar last night. Remember you are not just a fun party chick, you are a respectable, young lady and you want others to view and treat you as such.
Keep your nightlife and your day life separate. No one is going to take you seriously if you stroll into the office or classroom with messy hair, the stamp that you got at the bar still smudged on your hand, and rambling stories of “how wild last night was.”
Be definitive. Be Bold. Be Heard.
When you’re hungover it’s hard to even take yourself seriously. Take control of that! Don’t be wishy-washy. If you have something to say, say it. You are intelligent, and people want to hear what you have to say. When you speak up, mean what you say, be sure of it and don’t ask it in the form of a question. If you want to do something, do it. If you don’t want to do something, then don’t. Take chances, say and do things you normally wouldn’t, even if it is against whatever you or what society tailors as “cool.” Do the unexpected, be extraordinary. I promise you people will respect you and credit you a lot more if you act this way.
All in all, get your ducks in a row girl. I am most definitely not encouraging staying in while your friends are out having fun at the bar. Just respect yourself, and remain classy. Know how to have the right kind of fun, and the right amount.