Being clean will help you look and feel your best in front of the camera. Shampoo and condition your hair and create a lather with your soap or body wash. Go over your whole body with the soap from top to bottom. It’s best if you take a shower either the night before or the morning of picture day.  It’s best for your skin to keep your shower short (5-10 minutes) and the water lukewarm or cooler. Pat yourself dry with a towel and moisturize your body with body lotion afterward. At the very least, comb out any tangles so it looks neat and nice and give yourself a straight part. If you want, straighten, curl, or scrunch your hair to make it look a little more special. Clean your face every night, and if you have a foolproof method that prevents acne for you, follow it. This will improve your chances of having a clean, clear, beautiful face on picture day.  Use a gel-based or foamy cleanser if you have normal to oily skin. Use a creamy moisturizing cleanser if you have dry skin. Make sure to floss and brush your teeth every day in the morning and at night. Doing this will remove bacteria from your teeth which will keep them whiter, help prevent gum disease, and keep your teeth from decaying. Make sure to brush for about 2 minutes every time to make your smile look bright. Before taking your picture, you may have some ketchup on your cheek from lunch or some stray hairs sticking up. Pack a comb and hand-held mirror in your backpack the night before so you can give your appearance one last check and touch up before getting in front of the camera. A fresh trim will look great in your school pictures. For a clean-cut, put-together look, get a haircut just a few days or a week before picture day. Make sure you’re drinking enough water and getting enough sleep in the days leading up to picture day. Keeping yourself hydrated and well-rested will give you an energized smile and healthy-looking skin.

Summary: Take a shower regularly. Comb and brush your hair. Take care of your face. Take care of your teeth. Bring a comb and mirror to school. Get a haircut a couple days to a couple weeks in advance. Stay healthy before picture day.


Look around your community for any chances to volunteer.  Volunteering is a great way to help those in your community who might need it.  Spread the feeling of magic to those around you by trying out some of the following volunteering ideas:  Check with your local dog and cat shelter for any volunteering opportunities. If you have a local homeless shelter or outreach program, try volunteering there. Public libraries can be another great place to volunteer. You can help make someones day a little more magical by picking up their bill for them.  If you find yourself in line for coffee or a small meal, you can ask your server to pick up the next persons bill, or at least put some money towards it. If you have money to spare you might want to consider donating it to a charity of your choice.  There are many reputable charities to choose from, each with a different purpose.  Look over the following examples to get an idea of some of the charities you can donate to:  Breast Cancer Research Foundation uses donations to work towards a cure for breast cancer. National Alliance to End Homelessness aims to put an end to homelessness in the united states. Futures for Children is a charity that helps American Indian students with leadership development, mentoring and community service.

Summary: Volunteer in your community. Pick up someone's bill. Donate to your favorite charity.


You can purchase capos at music stores or online. There are three conventional capos that you can get for the first four frets of the banjo. These include the elastic, clamp, and screw capos. Compare the three different kinds of capos online and choose one that meets your needs and fits in your budget.  Elastic capos are often the cheapest but least exact kind of capo. Clamp capos use a spring to create tension. Screw capos allow you to adjust the tension of the capo and are the most popular for banjos. A Shubb sliding capo is made specifically for banjos and can slide up and down the neck past the fourth fret. Shubb capos should be professionally installed by a luthier or banjo professional because they have to be screwed into the neck of the banjo. Railroad spikes are placed in holes that are punched into the frets under the fifth string and can be used as a capo for your fifth string. Take your banjo to a luthier or professional that works on musical string instruments so they can install it for you. Typically railroad spikes are installed between the seventh and tenth frets.

Summary: Get a traditional capo for the first four frets. Use a sliding capo for the fifth string. Get railroad spikes installed past the fourth fret.


The extend to which you extend it will depend on how dramatic you want your sad pout to look. Be aware that it will come off looking fake (and not as attractive) if you overdo it.  You should feel your chin wrinkle slightly as you do this. Your mouth should be closed for a sad pout, unlike for a seductive pout. If you're able to, you may want to quiver your lower lip, which will make you look like you're about to cry. This shows that you are feeling vulnerable or submissive. Make eye contact with the person you are talking to, but don't raise your head. Your eyes should be peering up at him. The more eye contact you make, the more flirtatious you will appear, so be cautious is you want to look genuinely sad. If you're trying to be sad in a flirtatious or playful way, you can bat your eyelashes. Don't do this if you want to look genuinely sad. When you are sad, you can see the emotion in your whole body, not just your face. Try slouching your shoulders a little and loosely crossing your arms in front of you. This will let the other person know that you are hurt and trying to protect yourself. You may also consider fidgeting or nervously moving your hands. To sound sad, try talking in very quiet voice and a monotonous tone. Keep your sentences short and to the point. To take your sad voice a step further, try to make your voice tremble, as if you're fighting back tears.
Summary: Stick your bottom lip out. Drop your head slightly. Get the eyes right. Use your whole body. Master a sad voice.