Being shy is an emotional obstacle that you can overcome with effort and practice.  If you needed to lose weight, you would create a plan to follow a diet and exercise.  To overcome shyness, you can also create a plan.  Come up with a plan to help yourself overcome your fear of talking to a girl you like. Use the plan to create short term goals that culminate in being comfortable approaching her. The first step in your plan to overcome your shyness should be to practice engaging with people at home.  Get comfortable saying things out loud like introducing yourself or giving a pleasant greeting.  Practice can make giving a greeting or an introduction a matter of muscle memory, so you don’t really have to think about it when meeting with people in person. Practice in front a mirror so you can see what you look like when you interact and make adjustments to present a more confident demeanor. Shyness often comes from a fear of being rejected.  It’s perfectly natural to take rejection personally, but that doesn’t mean that you should.  Instead of thinking of rejection as a personal failure, see it for what it really is: a learning experience.  More often than not, being rejected has less to do with you than it does with the other person.  People have bad days, experience bad moods, or struggle with their own insecurities when it comes to dealing with others. Rejection won’t kill you.  In fact, if you adopt the right perspective, it may not even hurt.  Instead of seeing rejection as a failure, see it as a chance to learn from your experience and develop a better understanding of how to interact with others. A fear of rejection comes from the common practice of trying to predict how events will occur before you experience them.  Humans developed the ability to imagine worst-case scenarios as a survival skill, but this trait can be difficult to overcome in situations where danger isn’t a factor.  Don’t allow yourself to ruminate on all the ways approaching a girl you like could go wrong. If you can’t help but imagine the ways a social interaction may go, try to focus on imagining it going well.  This can increase your confidence and make you come off as a more self-assured person.

Summary: Approach shyness like any other problem. Practice at home. Re-frame your idea of rejection. Stop trying to predict the future.


When you get a regular checkup, the nurse will almost always take your blood pressure before the doctor comes in. Ask for the reading after the nurse takes your blood pressure and discuss the results with your doctor. This is the best way to get an accurate reading and sound medical advice at the same time. If you aren’t having any symptoms of low blood pressure, like dizziness or fatigue, it’s probably fine to just wait for your next physical to get your blood pressure taken. Many local drug stores and pharmacies have machines that you can use for free to check your blood pressure. Simply slide your arm into the opening and press the start button to wait for the machine to take your reading. This is a great way to get a basic idea of where you’re blood pressure is at. If nobody is waiting to use the machine, sit down for 5 minutes or so before taking your blood pressure to get a more accurate reading. These are available from nearly every pharmacy or supermarket, and can cost as little as $20. These devices are a great way to keep track of your blood pressure numbers from the comfort of your own home. Simply wrap the band around your bicep and turn the machine on to take your reading. Sit still and relax for 5 minutes before you take your blood pressure so that physical exertion doesn't affect your reading. Additionally, put your feet flat against your floor while you take the reading and don't cross your legs. When checking your blood pressure, the systolic reading, which is the top number, should be 90-120. The diastolic reading, which is the bottom number, should be around 60-80. If the systolic reading is lower than 90 or your diastolic reading is lower than 60, you have low blood pressure  Systolic blood pressure measures the pressure that is exerted on the arteries by the force of your blood being pushed through by your heart. Think of your body as a pipe. The systolic reading is how hard the water presses on the pipe when it’s flowing. Diastolic blood pressure measures the pressure that exists in your arteries when your heart rests between beats. If it helps, think of it as how hard the water pushes on the pipe when the tap on your sink is off. Keep in mind that everyone's body is different, and you will experience fluctuations over the course of each day. However, blood pressure numbers should be kept as close to these averages as possible.

Summary: See your doctor if you want the most accurate blood pressure reading possible. Check your pressure using the machine at a drug store for a general estimate. Buy a blood pressure monitor if you want to take regular readings at home. Recognize that a reading lower than 90/60 indicates low blood pressure.


You will need three lengths of 1-1/2 inch (3.8 cm) base ribbon and two lengths of 5/8 inch (1.6 cm) accent ribbon.  Use your two main school colors for the ribbons. Alternatively, you could also use colors that match your homecoming dress. The accent ribbon should be made of an opaque material, like satin. The base ribbon can either be opaque or sheer. For instance, organza ribbon is a relatively easy sheer ribbon to work with.  Measure the circumference of the wearer's leg and add 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 cm) to that number. Cut two lengths of base ribbon and another of accent ribbon using this measurement. These pieces of ribbon are for the garter itself. Cut 12 inches (30.5 cm) of base ribbon and accent ribbon for the rosette. To prevent the edges from fraying, use an anti-frying craft gel or sew the edges by hand using a zigzag stitch. Use a running stitch to gather the ribbon and sew up the back with a backstitch.  To make a running stitch, allow the needle to run along the edge of the ribbon from the front to the back, and then to the front again. Repeat this pattern for the length of the ribbon. Instead of pulling the thread all the way through, allow the ribbon to gather on the needle, creating a "bunching" effect. Your stitches should be even and about 3/8 inch (1 cm) long. To make a backstitch, pull the thread taut against the ribbon. Push the needle back through to the back, pulling it taut once more. Repeat until the ends are completely sewn together, making your stitches as close together as possible. Alternatively, you could skip the rosette and decorate your garter with a simple bow made from a small strip of your accent ribbon. Repeat the same method used for sewing the base. Attach the accent to the top of the rosette using fabric glue. Sew the accent using a running stitch to gather the ribbon. Sew the ends together with a backstitch. Use your sewing machine to sew the two ribbons together down the center.  Use a thread color that matches your accent ribbon. Pin the accent ribbon to the exact center of your base ribbon before sewing. Sew a straight line down the exact center of both ribbons, fixing them together. Pin the extra length of base fabric to the back of the garter front. Sew the two together with a sewing machine.  Use thread the same color as your base ribbon. Sew both edges of the base ribbon, leaving 1/8 inch (1/3 cm) seam allowance on both sides. Do not sew the rough ends together. You will need to leave these open for the elastic. Attach the elastic to a safety pin and push the pin through the tube, pulling the elastic through so that there is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of overhang from both ends. The elastic band should be 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) wide. Sew your elastic together by machine using a zigzag stitch to secure it in place. Use a straight stitch to close the open seam of the garter. Before stitching it closed, tuck one end of the garter ribbon into the other to hide the extra elastic and the extra ribbon end. Glue the rosette over the seam. In the center of the rosette, glue a charm or button that personalizes your garter. A good choice for a charm would be a school emblem or school pin. You could also use a sparkly football charm or something that appeals only to your personal interests.
Summary: Measure out and cut your ribbons. Sew the rosette base by hand. Sew the rosette accent by hand. Attach the accent garter ribbon to your base garter ribbon. Sew the back of the garter on. Feed an elastic band through the ribbon tube. Sew the elastic and close up the garter. Add the final touches. Finished.