Mean girls feed on reactions. When they say or do something mean and you yell at them, start crying, or run away, they feel successful. Even if you feel a little hurt, try to keep yourself composed by reminding yourself that you’re strong enough to refuse to respond to and engage in negative behavior. If you’re composed, the mean girl won’t think she got to you.  Remind yourself that the goal of a bully is to get a reaction. If you don't react, then she loses. Try not to take the comments personally because they're not really about you. Bullies put others down because they feel bad about themselves. She wants you to feel bad so that she can feel better about herself. When the mean girl is mean to you, you might quickly feel a wave of negative emotions such as anger and sadness. Remove yourself from the situation for 5-10 minutes and go for a short walk or visit the restroom so that you can calm down. This will help keep you from being mean back to the girl or reacting in a way that’ll let her know you’re upset.  Deep breathing exercises can lower your blood pressure and help you de-stress. If you’re feeling upset, try inhaling through your nose for four seconds and exhaling through your nose for four more seconds. Repeat this until you feel more relaxed.  Come up with a mantra to tell yourself during difficult times. Try saying something like, “I am strong,” or “No one defines me but me,” repeatedly in your head until you’re more calm. If you act like the mean girl isn’t even there, you’ll remove her power completely. It takes strength and confidence to let hurtful words roll right off your back instead of internalizing them. Whenever the mean girl says or does hurtful things, don’t look at her or speak to her, and instead just continue with whatever you were doing before. If the mean girl is actually someone who you associate with and spend time with, it might be best to take a step away from the friendship. Make yourself a little less available and spend more time doing activities you love with true friends who are more kind to you. If you’ve tried to avoid the situation but she’s still being mean to you, it might be time to ask an adult for their help. Bring the problem up with any adult(s) you’re comfortable talking to, whether that’s your guidance counselor, parent(s), teacher(s), coach(es), or administrator(s). They may be able to give you advice and/or diffuse future situations.  If you’re physically harmed by the mean girl, tell an adult immediately.  If you’re worried that the mean girl may find out you that you told on her and harass you for it, ask the adult to keep it a secret. Don't ignore the issue if it's really bothering you. If you need help with taking steps toward addressing the situation, visit Stop Bullying at https://www.stopbullying.gov/.

Summary: Don’t react to her meanness. Separate yourself to calm down. Pretend that the mean girl is invisible. Distance yourself from a mean girl friend. Talk to an adult if the meanness doesn’t subside.


It's a good idea to have a plan for what you want to say to your family before you start the conversation. This will help ensure that you remember to say all of the important things that are on your mind.  You may want to write some notes down and bring them with you when you have the conversation with your family. You may get more emotional than you had expected, and the notes will help keep you on track. If you're worried about getting emotional and accidentally saying something hurtful to your family, try writing out a script and rehearsing ahead of time. Your conversation with your family will go much better if they realize that you are planning to do something about your gambling addiction. Before you talk to your family, develop a clear plan for how you will stop gambling.  You may choose to go to an addiction treatment center or see a therapist. There are also many support groups available to help gambling addicts. Many people with gambling addictions also suffer from mood disorders or other mental health issues, so medications like mood stabilizers or antidepressants may help you combat your addiction. If you have children or other young relatives in your family, you should tell them what is going on, but only in as much detail as they can understand. Teenagers are fully capable of understanding a gambling addiction and may feel insulted if you try to leave them in the dark, whereas young children may lack the maturity to understand the nuances of addiction.  Younger children may not understand what a gambling addiction is, and that is okay. Making them understand that you have a problem that you are working to solve is good enough. Older children may blame themselves for your addiction, so be sure to let them know that it is not their fault. It may be easier to tell one family member about your addiction before everyone else. This person can help support you through the stress of telling everyone else about it, particularly if you are concerned that some members of your family will react badly.  Choose someone who is likely to be supportive and understanding, not judgmental. This person can also help you come up with a plan for your recovery. If you are not sure what kind of treatment you should pursue, ask this person for help so that you can present a solid plan when you talk to the rest of your family.

Summary: Decide what you will say. Have a plan for recovery. Adjust your explanation for children's ages and maturity levels. Consider telling one person first.


Smiling does wonders for your outward appearance and your inner happiness. When you smile, you are automatically seen as a kinder, sweeter, happier individual. Smiling often leads to laughter and results in you actually feeling better. When you project this kind of positivity, people are naturally drawn to you. In addition to smiling, keep your face soft and sweet. Keeping a pleasant, relaxed look on your face will result in you looking sweeter. Your forehead and eyes should be relaxed, and your jaw should remain unclenched. This will help your face to look more relaxed. Sweet people come off as kind and approachable. Keep your body language calm and relaxed so that you appear to be more approachable. Although you should avoid carrying tension in your body, you should still hold your head high and maintain good posture. Don't close yourself off from people. To do this, avoid any type of body language that closes you off from others, such as crossing your arms. Being nice is the most important quality of a sweet person. When you're kind to others, people enjoy being around you more. If you desire to be viewed as a sweet person, it's important that you act like a sweet person. Being kind will also make you and those around you happier. The happier you are, the sweeter you become. Nobody enjoys being around people who are constantly complaining or being mean. We tend to be attracted to positive people because they make us happier. When you project a positive attitude, people are more likely to view you as a kind, sweet person. Being positive creates a better environment for everyone around you.

Summary: Smile often. Keep a pleasant look on your face. Carry yourself with open body language. Be kind to others. Focus on the positive.


You must have a license. The SE exam makes sure that you are able to practice structural engineering safely and competently.  Different states, countries, or positions may require different licenses or requirements to obtain a license, so it is important that you do your research before applying for an exam or position. To get insight on what is expected of you, talk to engineers that have their license. They can share what they struggled with or their experiences. Like other standardized tests, there are materials out there to practice license tests. Look on the test websites for additional information on where to find these materials; often testing institutions will publish guides that are very similar to the actual tests. Make sure you are prepared with all the information you need in order to do well on the test. Make sure you know: the days of the test, the length of the test, what identification documents you need, etc.
Summary: Know state or country requirements. Talk to already licensed engineers. Take practice tests. Know all the details about the test.