How to Do It
Make a deal with your parents: If they spring for the paint and supplies, you'll provide the labor. Then measure the square footage of your room and make a run to the paint store with the checklist on the following page.
paint: 1 gallon is enough for approximately one coat of 250 square feet; flat paint, or the type with eggshell finish, is best for the ceiling and walls, while shinier semigloss paint in an identical or similar color — or white — is ideal for trim
spackle: to plug up holes and cracks in the wall before you paint
primer: necessary if you are covering up a dark color with a light color
rollers: you'll need short ones for the walls and long ones for the ceiling
paint trays: to dip your rollers in
paintbrushes: get a variety of sizes — bigger, flat-tipped ones for walls and smaller, angle-tipped ones for trim
plastic drop cloths: better to buy too many than too few; they can rip, and if you don't have reinforcements that's the end of your floor
wide blue painter's tape: use this to secure drop cloths and to tape around windows, ceiling fixtures, and wall outlets
Also have on hand some rags, sponges, ladders, and small plastic containers to pour paint into so you don't have to dip brushes directly into the can. Once you have all the materials, throw a painting party with your friends! The entire job should take two days tops.
56 Learn to Play an Instrument
Has the complexity of sheet music kept you from taking music lessons? Clefs, da capos, and mezzos may sound daunting — or at least more like types of lattes than anything related to music — but try not to let the terms deter you. Though it takes a lot of time and effort to learn an instrument, it's actually much easier to pick up basic note-reading and advanced techniques when you're young. And the lifetime rewards of knowing how to toot a trumpet or wail on a harmonica far outweigh the frustrations of your first few lessons.
How to Do It
Decide what instrument you want to learn based on your personality and interests. For example, a trumpet would be great for a deep-breathing yogi. And the guitar is especially useful for songwriters. One-on-one sessions with a virtuoso is one way to go. Check with local music schools and community centers for teachers who prefer to work with beginners. If lessons from the local pros are too pricey, try getting instruction from a college student majoring in music or, even better, from the hottie band member who lives down the street; students will give you cheaper rates than pros and may even be more fun to learn from. Start with one lesson per week, and commit to more training time if your schedule and budget allow. It's best to set specific goals: Do you want to simply learn how to play classic Metallica songs, or are you striving to one day be a professional musician? Regardless, don't get discouraged — even if your early attempts at playing a Mozart concerto or a bluesy White Stripes number make the neighborhood dogs howl.
Instruments to Investigate
If you think the violin and the piano are too mainstream, check out one of these:
sousaphone: a seriously heavy, giant horn that circles around the player's upper body and ends in a big bell that extends above the player's head. It's originally from the US and is mostly played in marching bands.
timpani: an Italian-born copper or brass bowl with calfskin or plastic stretched across its surface. When beaten, it makes a dramatic sound that builds to a big musical climax.
zither: a shallow, armless guitar from Europe that has about 40 strings and is plucked with a pick worn around the thumb. There are lots of different zithers, including the folky dulcimer, which was popularly played in Joan Baez recordings back in the ’60s.
57 Take a Dance Class
Sure, you think you're all that when you're alone in your bedroom, blasting Beyoncé or bumping to Lady GaGa. But are you willing to shake what your mama gave you in public? The best way to feel foot-loose and fancy-free next time you step out on the dance floor — whether it be at a party or at the prom — is to take a dance class. They're offered in all sorts of styles, from hip-hop to modern to jazz. Seasoned pros at local dance studios, gyms, or community centers can show you how to shimmy, hustle, bump, grind, and who knows what else. Dancing is a fun way to express yourself and get in touch with your body; it's also great exercise and will make you look and feel like more of a stud than you ever thought possible.
Swing Is the Thing
Hipsters went nuts in the 1930s and 1940s, jitterbugging to big-band tunes, throwing their partners high in the air, and coming up with crazy choreography that still hasn't gone out of style. To bone up on your jump and jive, catch the dance numbers in the movie Swing Kids (1993) or see the Marx Brothers flick A Day at the Races (1937), which has one of the most influential Lindy Hop sequences ever filmed. Also, check out some classic Cab Calloway or Benny Goodman tunes.
How to Do It
Studios and community centers offer classes for all levels of expertise, from beginner to advanced. Scan the schedule and chat with an instructor to determine which class is right for you. And don't be wary if you're an amateur — in a beginner class, everyone is pretty much on the same page. Plus, a good teacher will be able to teach you what to do with your extra left foot. To prep for class, make sure you wear comfy clothes. Different types of dance require different types of shoes — or no shoes at all — so lace up or lace down accordingly. If practicing in public isn't the thing for you, drop 15 bucks on an instructional DVD. Famous choreographers who have worked with the world's greatest pop stars have released DVDs that break down showstopping moves for the rest of us. With practice, patience, and loosened-up hips, you'll be putting Shakira to shame in no time.
58 Participate in a Performance
Performing in a play can be totally terrifying at first, but there's nothing quite like the thrill of seeing the curtain rise before you and stepping up to center stage for your first big scene. It's an amazing feeling when you slip into character and become someone else for a couple of hours. And don't feel like your only option for drama is the annual school play. High school productions — which tend to feature the same picture-perfect child prodigies or too-polished sopranos year after year — are not the only outlets for budding thespians. Wherever you live, you can find community theaters hungry for a few good teens to take on supporting parts or even juicy lead roles. It's fun to act among adults who know the ropes and how to throw sick cast parties. Whatever role you play — Elphaba in Wicked, Hugo in Bye Bye Birdie, or Mimi Marquez in Rent — you'll discover why they say the neon lights are bright on Broadway.
How to Do It
Attend a few performances at a local theater to familiarize yourself with the venue and recurring cast members. Then sign up to audition for a play. Small theaters are always in search of good actors to fill teen roles (and younger, if you can pass), so there's bound to be a part that's just right for you in at least one of the season's productions. Despite being pulled together without the budget and experience of professionals on the Great White Way (one of Broadway's many nicknames), community theater productions are often polished and provocative. If you get cast, you'll get to experience the rehearsal process firsthand and learn all about drama — on and off the stage.
Behind the Scenes
If you're into theater but don't fancy yourself the next Laurence Olivier or Vanessa Redgrave, get involved behind the scenes. As a volunteer crew member, you can paint scenery, rig the lights, or do costumes or makeup.
59 Write Your Manifesto
If you had to sum up your view on the meaning of life in a five-paragraph essay, what would you write? Never attempted to crystallize your opinions on life, love, work, art, and the mysteries of human behavior in a concise format — a single page that absolutely nails your unique perspective on this crazy, mixed-up world? Now is the perfect time to do it. A manifesto is a statement of belief that can be motivational, caustic, brutally honest, or hilariously satiric. Whatever your approach, a manifesto shines
with solid concepts, clever wordplay, and, above all, the writer's intent to sway readers' opinions.
How to Do It
What do you feel strongly about? Are you all pissed off over the cancellation of your favorite sitcom? Explain why in a manifesto aimed at insulting shortsighted TV executives. Or maybe you want to spearhead an “Abolish-Phys Ed” movement, or glorify Lil' Kim's rhyming and wardrobe style. How about a powerful statement on the importance of forming a gay-straight alliance in your community?Pick your topic, shape your opinion and outrage into a tight five-paragraph essay, and distribute the resulting manifesto to anyone willing to read it. You can hand out your diatribe anywhere, but it's best to ask for permission before, say, dropping thousands of copies all over school from an overhead helicopter. Of course, if permission is denied, you can write another manifesto about how much authority figures suck.
Don't Let You Be Misunderstood
As clear and convincing as your manifesto seems to you, some readers are bound to miss your point or even feel insulted by your views. Use these opportunities to create a dialogue around the issue, and keep an open mind as your detractors have their say. Maybe Katy Perry's not making such a badass fashion statement after all.
60 Make Your Own Halloween Costume
Look at you, working the vintage Levi's, plaid shirt, studded belt, and beat-up Converse outfit. And that miniskirt with fitted blazer and imitation pearl-drop earrings ensemble? Style points galore. As if you didn't already play dress-up pretty much every day of the year, Halloween is the perfect excuse to fly your fashion freak flag in a daring costume. Instead of shopping for a cheesy getup at the usual Halloween supply store — where your options are limited to “pirate with shoulder parrot,” an Incredibles family member, or one of Snow White's dwarves — celebrate the year's spookiest evening by making your own costume. Throwing a white sheet over your head and going as a ghost is scary in all the wrong ways.
How to Do It
Raid thrift stores or your parents' closet for funky cast-offs that will transform you into a disco king, a ’50s debutante, or the late great Marie Antoinette. If you're going for a more artsy costume idea, break out the crafting supplies — remnant fabric, body makeup, paints, masks, and props — to turn yourself into anything from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to a slice of pizza. Or come up with a conceptual costume, like a rolling blackout (an all-black outfit and a pair of skates) or a deviled egg (a round oval white costume paired with devil ears and a pitchfork). Challenge yourself to assemble all the costume elements without resorting to premade costume pieces at the mall.
Growing Up Without Ho-ing Up
Somehow, once the trick-or-treating years are gone, big group outings on Halloween turn into big “pimp and ho” fests. You know: underwear as outerwear, fishnet stockings, and faux-chin-chilla coats. These costumes show about as much originality as the plastic bunny ones from Wal-Mart. Instead, pick an unusual theme and go partying en masse as a bunch of Hobbits, Simpsons characters, or, if you must get your tramp on, a few Desperate Housewives (at least it shows some creativity).
61 Design a T-Shirt
Why drop 30 bucks or more on a trendy, mass-produced T-shirt that will be worn by everyone you know and then go out of style in two months? Resist the Gapification of America by customizing a crewneck of your own. By making and wearing your own T, you'll stand out in a crowd of Abercrombie & Fitch clones and be recognized as a fashionista worthy of Project Runway.
How to Do It
Buy a solid-colored T-shirt; the best deals can be found online or at outlet stores. Just think of the shirt as a blank canvas on which you will create a masterpiece. There are countless techniques for shirt-making. Iron-on decals of retro characters (Smurfs, anyone?) and band logos are fun — center them on the side seam of the shirt to stray from the standard image-across-the-chest look. Or if you're an artist with a message, say it on a shirt with vinyl lettering. You can also embroider the lower corner or shoulder-blade area with a sprawling floral cluster or cut slash marks across the back or sleeves for an ’80s effect. And if you have a signature character or doodle you always draw, stamp it on your shirt using a Gocco, or personal silkscreen machine. Anything goes, really — just remember to use paints and markers that are permanent and specifically designed to be washed. And if you screw up, start over. There are always more plain T-shirts to wreak havoc on.
Fit to a “T”
Have a cool design sketched out but prefer to have someone else do the work? Put “custom T-shirts” into an Internet search engine to find a slew of online sites that will silk-screen your artwork onto shirts and send them to you within a couple of weeks. Also check out www.threadless.com. You can buy affordable, one-of-a-kind shirts designed by hot young artists — or, better yet, submit a design to the site yourself.
62 Write a Real Letter
Today's teens are lauded for they're multitasking skills. You fire off emails while IM-ing, downloading music, writing a paper, and munching on a bowl of cereal. While pen-on-paper letter writing may seem like an archaic waste of time (you have to form real sentences instead of just plugging in various emoticons), it solidifies your focus and improves your communication skills. The act of writing, rather than typing, is also a slower process in which we tend to pause and thoughtfully consider every word. Not convinced? Here are some other pros.
You get to send and receive something in the mail (other than another credit card offer).
You don't have to worry about your message getting hacked into.
You are creating a tangible keepsake that may even make it into the recipient's scrapbook.
And don't worry, you can still use emoticons — just draw them.
How to Do It
Select stationery that sets the tone of your letter and conveys your mode and intention to the recipient. Quirky Japanese stationery is perfect for expressing thanks to a friend, while crisp white paper (possibly monogrammed with your initials) adds an air of sophistication to business-related letters. Your choice of pen says as much as the words themselves. For full-on old-school effect, use a fountain pen dipped in ink — even the inevitable smudges will appear eloquent. Or just use ink colors outside of the black and blue norm. Handwritten letters work for all kinds of friends. Catch up with your long-lost friend from across the country by sharing recent life events and a couple of snapshots to show what you look like these days. Writing to a loving relative or object of your affection? Scent the letter with a small spray of perfume, and seal the envelope with melted wax.
The Write Stuff
Read over your letter before sending it, checking for egregious spelling mistakes and revealing asides. It's great to be candid and forthright with your letter recipient, but don't get carried away and spill your guts to the wrong person.
63 Write a Letter to Your Future Self
Who you are now indicates so much about who you'll be in the future. Yet as the years pass, some of your current interests and perspectives will fade, and you'll develop new quirks, priorities, and outlooks. That's why it's cool to send a note to your future self. Upon receiving this epistolary surprise sometime in the middle of the 21st century, the grown-up version of you will thank your teenage self for taking an hour or so to put down on paper all your hopes and dreams during your high school years. And you'll be able to reflect deeply on how much you've evolved as time has gone by.
Dark and Dramatized
If you are the nostalgic or introspective type, then looking back on your life through the years is something you probably do often. Have a read of Samuel Beckett's one-act play, Krapp's Last Tape. In it, a cynical old man finds diary entries that he had recorded on tape when he was still young. It's a sad but moving play that will definitely lend some inspiration to your own musings.
How to Do It
Using pen and paper, or typing on a computer if you prefer, head your letter “Dear Me” and write down everything you want your adult self to remember about being the age you are right now.
What are your favorite school subjects? Who are your best friends and sworn enemies? What are your hobbies, habits, and pop-culture obsessions? Once you've spilled your guts, seal the letter in an envelope and stash it in a box of memorabilia that you will be sure to keep forever (with your yearbooks, for example). Twenty, even ten years from now, you'll find it one day and remember what your junior self was all about and into as a (not-so-) innocent teen.
64 Create a Tasty Dessert
What does whipping up a pound cake or baking oatmeal raisin cookies have to do with personal expression? Ask Sara Lee and Famous Amos. These household names made their mark and plenty of dough (both kinds) by artfully experimenting in the kitchen and coming up with delicious desserts that appeal to billions of snackers worldwide. Even if your oven-bound concoction doesn't wind up in the dessert aisle of every supermarket, you'll definitely score big points with friends (and maybe make some new ones) by sharing your inventive home-baked goods.
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