97 Things to Do Before You Finish High School Read online

  First published in 2007 by Zest Books

  35 Stillman Street, Suite 121, San Francisco, CA 94107

  www.zestbooks.net

  Created and produced by Zest Books, San Francisco, CA

  © 2007, 2011 by Zest Books

  Illustrations © 2007 by Azadeh Houshyar

  Text set in Sabon; title text set in Bureau Agency and Triplex

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2007928299

  ISBN-13: 978-0-9790173-0-8

  ISBN-10: 0-9790173-0-0

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means — graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval systems — without the written permission of the publisher.

  CREDITS

  EDITORIAL DIRECTOR/BOOK EDITOR: Karen Macklin

  CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Hallie Warshaw

  ILLUSTRATOR: Azadeh Houshyar

  GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Tanya Napier and Cari McLaughlin

  PRODUCTION ARTIST: Cari McLaughlin

  TEEN ADVISORY BOARD: Carolyn Hou, Diana Kozlova, Maxfield J. Peterson, Joe Pinsker, Hannah Shr

  Manufactured in China

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  LEO 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  Every effort has been made to ensure that the information presented is accurate. The publisher disclaims any liability for injuries, losses, untoward results, or any other damages that may result from the use of the information in this book.

  This is the best time of your life — or so people keep telling you. But then, those same people tell you to clean your room, be home before 10, work on the weekends, and hand in 20-page research papers. Uh, OK.

  Whether or not you think this is the best time of your life (and the truth is, for most people, it keeps getting better), it is a unique time. As a teenager, you have the capacity to learn anything you want at a speed much faster than people who are only five years older, and your curiosity and insightfulness are at an all-time high.

  So, what to do? Well, you can't stop doing the things you have to do. School, home, family: These are all aspects of basic life maintenance. But how you spend your free time — well, that's a different story. This book is about all of the things they don't teach you at home or in class, like the right way to throw a party, how to take a killer road trip, the best ways to get your bod in shape, and how to protect the environment (better than your parents did). 97 Things also includes great stuff to do that is off the beaten path, like DJing, writing your own manifesto, and even understanding the stock market.

  There is a lot in here, and clearly you don't have to do it all. Pick and choose what speaks to you. Go chronologically or flip through. Read the book alone and set goals, or page through it with friends and make plans to do stuff together. Most important, use it to get ideas about how you want to spend your time and who you want to be. Because you're only young once … and it happens to be now.

  ONE: For Your Personal Development

  1. Redo Your Bedroom

  2. Start a Collection

  3. Create a Journal

  4. Assemble a Photo Album

  5. Listen to New Music

  6. Give Technology a Break

  7. Look Closely at a Work of Art

  8. Attend a Theater Performance

  9. Connect With a Role Model

  10. Develop the Art of Conversation

  11. Make a Public Speech

  12. Interpret a Dream

  13. Join a Club

  TWO: With/For Friends

  14. Host a Film Festival

  15. Throw a House Party

  16. Read One Another's Palms

  17. End an Argument

  18. Correspond With a Pen Pal in Another Country

  19. Make a Gift

  20. Start a Book Club

  21. Sing Karaoke

  22. Dine High-End on a Low Budget

  23. Take a Road Trip

  THREE: With/For Family

  24. Research Your Family Tree

  25. Reach Out to a Long-Lost Relative

  26. Record an Oral History

  27. Spend Quality Time With Your Grandparents

  28. Make Peace With a Sibling

  29. Plan a (Cool) Family Outing

  30. Cook a Three-Course Dinner

  31. Prepare a Presentation for a Special Event

  FOUR: For Your Body

  32. Learn a Martial Art

  33. Establish an Exercise Routine

  34. Enter a Sports Competition

  35. Determine Your Blood Type

  36. Study Food Labels

  37. Detox Your Body

  38. Plant an Herb Garden

  39. Know Your Silhouette and Colors

  40. Learn About Safe Sex

  FIVE: To Get to Know the World Around You

  41. Get a Passport

  42. Visit a Foreign Country

  43. Learn a Foreign Language

  44. Participate in a New Cultural Tradition

  45. Visit Your State Capital

  46. Take a Camping Trip

  47. Hike to a Mountaintop

  48. Learn the Constellations

  SIX: To Express Yourself

  49. Make a Podcast

  50. Keep a Scrapbook

  51. Make a Video

  52. Learn to Match Beats

  53. Create a Comic Strip

  54. Take an Art Class

  55. Paint Your Room

  56. Learn to Play an Instrument

  57. Take a Dance Class

  58. Participate in a Performance

  59. Write Your Manifesto

  60. Make Your Own Halloween Costume

  61. Design a T-Shirt

  62. Write a Real Letter

  63. Write a Letter to Your Future Self

  64. Create a Tasty Dessert

  SEVEN: To Benefit Your Community and Environment

  65. Volunteer for a Nonprofit Organization

  66. Go Green

  67. Contribute to Community Beautification

  68. Visit Your Local Officials

  69. Join a Political Campaign

  70. Feed the Needy

  71. Understand How a Farm Works

  72. Write an Op-Ed

  73. Donate to a Homeless Shelter

  74. Raise Money for a Charity

  EIGHT: Because You Should

  75. Get a Job

  76. Write a Résumé

  77. Make and Follow a Budget

  78. Open a Savings Account

  79. Understand the Stock Market

  80. Take Care of a Pet

  81. Take Care of a Houseplant

  82. Get a Driver's License

  83. Learn Basic Car Maintenance

  84. Assemble a Toolbox

  85. Learn Basic Clothes Maintenance

  86. Learn CPR

  87. Be Prepared for an Emergency

  NINE: Because You're Only Young Once

  88. Try a New Hairstyle

  89. Confess a Crush

  90. Tell Someone Your Darkest Secret

  91. Go Skinny-Dipping

  92. Get an Astrology Reading

  93. Ride a Horse

  94. Build a Bonfire

  95. Watch the Sunrise

  96. Spend a Day in Silence

  97. Bury a Time Capsule

  ONE: For Your Personal Development

  1 Redo Your Bedroom

  Face it — your bedroom is the only place you can call your own. It should reflect your ideology, personality, and charm. But who chose the furniture, wallpaper, and paint? Were these stylistic atrocities forced on you by clueless decorators whose id
eas of cool were ballerina figurines and tiger-striped throw pillows? Reclaim this precious space by redecorating. All it takes to transform your bedroom is some ingenuity and a little (very little) cash. Even if a complete overhaul isn't possible right now, you can style your space with personal touches to make it unmistakably yours.

  How to Do It

  1. First, clean up. It's a drag, but that's the only way to get a good look at the space. To redesign, you need some room to experiment. Free up space by moving out things you no longer want or need. (Keep your “out pile” around until you are totally finished because you may re-use that stuff for other purposes.)

  2. Once you have a partially blank slate, start putting your stamp on your stomping grounds. Think about who you are, and make your design reflect that person. If you're a sports nut, pick out memorabilia from your favorite team. Music lovers can frame old record albums and create a grid of classic covers. Maps of the world and a cool collection of international postcards work for travel lovers and adventure seekers.

  3. After redecorating, revisit the stuff you took out. Can you do something to wake up that old bookshelf or nightstand? Try throwing colorful fabrics on chipped tabletops, or sanding and staining old furniture to make it look new.

  4. When you're done, responsibly throw away, donate, sell, or recycle whatever you can't use.

  Now, your room is your own personal creative space and the refuge from the outside world that it is supposed to be!

  An Exercise in Compromise

  If you share a room with a brother or sister, one option is to join forces and come up with a decorating plan that both of you can live with. But if compromise is impossible (you're all about death metal and your sib's got a thing for pink, or vice versa), just concentrate on making your half of the room a space you can truly call your own.

  2 Start a Collection

  Does the term “collector” bring to mind that weird old lady down the street whose house is overflowing with old phonebooks, vintage cat toys, and dustballs galore? Her collections may be an overgrown mess, but don't let that deter you from starting your own. Collections can actually be cool — if they are artful and well-maintained. It's really just a way to surround yourself with the things you love. And, if those things increase in value as time goes by, they can turn into an excellent investment. Original Natas skateboard decks from the ’80s now sell for thousands of dollars, and classic Barbie dolls pull in hundreds. Whether you're into lunch boxes, snow globes, or random things with penguins on them, building a collection will send you on a rewarding quest that can never be completed. Of course, completion is not the point. The fun is in the endless search for those last three Buffy the Vampire Slayer action figures missing from the lineup on your desk.

  How to Do It

  Begin by surveying your possessions — if you have three or more of a certain type of object, you already have the makings of a collection. Do some investigating. What about a drawer filled with classic Hello Kitty stationery or that box full of original Hellboy comic books? Make sure you go with something you love that's both accessible and affordable. Mint-condition LPs from legendary indie labels like Rawkus Records or Sub Pop will feed your music fix and look great framed and hung on the wall. Old-school video game accessories and vintage jeans make for both quirky and functional collections, as do items from nature such as abalone shells (which can double as jewelry holders). When starting any collection, consider space — you don't want to gather a ton of musical instruments and then realize you have no room to store them. And be selective. If that Mavericks cap isn't in pristine condition, hold out for one that is. Keeping high standards will keep your collections streamlined — which will keep you from ending up like that lady down the street.

  Online Buying

  If you haven't yet been sucked into eBay, check it out for items to add to your collection. But keep in mind:

  Before buying, check the seller's feedback to ensure they have a track record of delivering the goods (don't deal with anyone who has racked up negative comments from buyers).

  When paying, never use a personal check. PayPal is best because it can provide buyer protection if a product never arrives or arrives busted.

  Always check the shipping rates to be sure you're not being charged too much.

  3 Create a Journal

  Documenting your daily ups and downs is a great outlet for frustration, confusion, and secret crushes. In the midst of all the drama, take time each day to reflect on the highs and lows of your ever-changing life. Granted, there's plenty going on these days that you'd rather forget than remember, but years from now you'll be glad you recorded high school-era high points and horrors for posterity. Was Ms. Whoever a complete troll today? Did you bomb tryouts for the team? Is your sister possibly the most annoying person on the planet? Write it all down. All of this will seem funny one day. Really.

  How to Do It

  Fill the pages of a diary with anything and everything you're thinking and feeling. There are no rules to follow — you can write long entries covering every detail of your day, or just make lists of things that drive you crazy. Write poems or confess first (or second or third) loves, record your little (and not so little) white lies. The journal is for your eyes only, so ensure privacy by keeping it locked or in a hiding place. If you're fortunate enough to have your own computer, consider keeping an online journal that mixes your textual expression with photos, illustrations, and video clips. Protect your private thoughts and images with a password. (And it doesn't hurt to have a biometric fingerprint reader enabled for extra security.)

  Blog About It

  If you don't already have your own blog (and, no, MySpace doesn't count), it's really easy to start one. Go to www.blogger.com or www.wordpress.com and follow the straightforward tutorials to create an account, name your blog, and set up a template. Creating posts is unbelievably simple (no HTML knowledge needed). Now your triumphs, tragedies, and innermost desires will be made public for the whole world to follow!

  Of course, there is a downfall: Privacy is pretty much out the window. Learn how to use different settings or services (like Vox) for controlling who can and cannot have access to your blog. And never post personal identification information — people can and will lift your home address, phone number, and email address to stalk you, commit identity theft, or try other creepy stuff.

  4 Assemble a Photo Album

  Documenting dysfunctional family trips, out-of-control birthday parties, and your younger sister's sorry attempt to cut bangs is tons of fun, but what good are photos if no one ever sees them? It's time to do something with the thousands of pictures you've taken over the years. Even if every photo you've ever taken is saved on your hard drive, not a single one is accessible to the public for viewing. Real, physical, holdable photo albums are great because you can carry them with you and tell stories while people are looking at them — instead of staring at a screen. Before taking even one more snapshot, take some time to organize your Kodak (or Sony or Nikon) moments in a book.

  How to Do It

  To release your photos from the confines of your hard drive and share them with family and friends, log in to a site like Shutterfly, Snapfish, or Webshots and upload your photos. Choose pics that cover a time frame (summer ’07), event (prom), or group of friends (your renegade fixed-gear bike crew). Order the most flattering prints — they should cost 10 to 15 cents each and arrive in the mail a few days later. Buy a classic photo album and insert your photos. The easiest ones are those with photo slots in plastic sleeves because you just pop the shots in. You can also get the kind with blank pages and insert photos into those little black corner adhesives — this style is better for adding captions. Spending time with photos not only helps you get them in order but also makes for a great way to revisit the events you are chronicling and reflect on the good ’ol times.

  Last-Minute Prezzie

  Forgot to get a gift in time for Mother's Day, your good friend's birthday, or your co
usin's quinceañera? Give a card letting the guest of honor know their gift is being custom made. Then, photograph the event and assemble the photo album the following day. You can quickly create an album online through most photo sites and have it shipped directly to the recipient as a complete book. When taking pictures, be sure to shoot more than just the people — details like that bikini-clad supermodel cake, over-the-top flower arrangements, or the dog's unexpected splash into the pool will help capture the feeling of the entire event and make your album an irreplaceable gift.

  5 Listen to New Music

  When it comes to music, you have your faves. Maybe you're a sucker for trip-hop or reggaeton, or a die-hard fan of country blues or hard rock. But as the adage goes, you don't know what you're missing till you try it. Next time you're looking for tunes, venture outside your auditory box. Download a few R&B classics, or some Latin jazz or dub-heavy reggae. New musical genres are often stylized variations of older ones. The roots of house music are steeped in disco, and the beginnings of rock emerged from gospel, so by going outside your usual genres, you're likely to find similar rhythms and styles that surprisingly rock your world.

  How to Do It

  Start with the type of music you love and trace its roots. If you're a hip-hop fanatic, seek out the songs Nas is sampling from — maybe classic R&B hits. If balladeers like P!nk and Christina Aguilera fill your iTunes, check out old soul or bluegrass singers. Chances are, the same chords, notes, and progressions that you dig in your modern collection will be just as prevalent in related genres. Or raid your parents' music collection and find out what was so hot about Jimi Hendrix (rock), The Cure (pop/rock), Leonard Cohen (folk), LL Cool J (rap), and Billie Holiday (jazz). You can also check out your friends' social networking pages and visit artist websites to download free MP3s of songs and styles you've never heard. If you feel like you have “discovered” a new genre, share it with a friend; rockabilly's always more fun to sing aloud to with someone else.