Sondra Clark - Snap 2 It!. A Real Girls Guide to Keeping a Positive Outlook

(even when youre having a bad hair day, just got a pimple on your nose and you and your best friend are fighting)

Sondra Clark

Copyright 2007 by Sondra Clark
Cover and internal design 2007 by Sourcebooks, Inc.
Cover photo Allan Clark
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Clark, Sondra.

Snap 2 it! : a real girl's guide to keeping a positive outlook (even when you're having a bad hair day, just got a pimple on your nose, and you and your best friend are fighting) / Sondra Clark.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN-13: 978-1-4022-0750-1 (alk. paper)

ISBN-10: 1-4022-0750-6 (alk. paper)

1. Teenage girls--Conduct of life--Juvenile literature. 2. Success--Juvenile literature. I. Title. II. Title: Snap two it! III. Title: Snap to it!

BJ1681.C53 2006
646.700835'2--dc22

2006019614

Printed and bound in the United States of America

CH 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

This book is dedicated to my Grandma Helga and Grandpa Richard. Ever since I was a baby, theyve been smiling and clapping and cheering for me in whatever I do. My grandma has always made sure to go to garage sales and get me the costumes I need so I can sing Broadway show tunes in style! Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa!

Id like to thank my agent, Janet Kobobel Grant, for taking a risk and representing me even though Im a teenager. Deb Werksman at Sourcebooksthanks for publishing this book. I remember I first met you on my thirteenth birthday in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

T here was an exact moment in fifth grade when I felt I knew everything I needed to know in life. My fashion sense was awesome. We all wore high-waisted jeans, turtlenecks, and sweatshirts with unicorns. I was popular, attending the coolest parties, where we played tag and went swimming in our oh-so-skimpy two-piece bathing suits that accentuated our flat chests. During lunch, I sat at the only coed table in the cafeteria. I was so cool. There was nothing I could do to be a smarter, cuter, better person. Then I started middle school and the truth came out: I wasnt all that cool!

When I entered middle school, I was sure it was going to be just like elementary school. Wrong. Teachers expected us to get from one class to another by ourselves! I had a locker with a tricky padlock instead of a cute cubby with my name on it. The lunchroom seemed gigantic. Why were the eighth graders so tall and mean looking? What if I sat at the wrong table? What if I accidentally sat at the geek table? I dont actually remember who I sat with that first day, but after the first week, the middle school routine became halfway tolerable. We formed cliques, griped about teachers, and established lunchroom hierarchy.

Did that happen to you? Suddenly the world of middle school and becoming a teenager overtook our lives. Everything changed from the secure world of elementary school. Parents and teachers tried to reassure us by saying, Youll do fine. But it didnt feel fine!

Heres the good news: surviving as a teenager is possible. Hey! I made it to sixteen and seem to be catching on to what it means to be a teen. It helps to have a few tips to get through all the new experiences. Thats where I hope this book helps. Read it, try some of the activities, and soon youll be saying, This teenage thing is a breeze!

Y ouve probably seen the movie Legally Blonde. Reese Witherspoon plays Elle Woods, a college student who decides to go to Harvard and study law. This comes as a shock to everyone, since Elle is known for her fashion sense and not her razor-sharp mind. One thing Elle does have is a positive attitude. After making up her mind to become a lawyer, she doesnt let anyone discourage her. Elle uses a SNAP cup to encourage others to be positive. She gets girls in her sorority to write uplifting statements about their friends and drop them in the SNAP cup. With great flourish, Elle reads the statements aloud and has everyone snap their fingers to reinforce the positive message. Her positive attitude and hard work help Elle become a successful lawyerwith her own distinct style! Heres your chance to Snap 2 It! and find ways to be your own unique person while trying to understand what it means to be a teenage girl.

As you read this book, it will be quite obvious that I love Broadway musicals. Along with the singing and dancing, I especially like that the majority of musicals have some positive, uplifting songs. Just try watching Singing in the Rain without wanting to tap dance during the next rainstorm.

Whistle A Happy Tune

One of my favorite games is called Broadway Baby. My parents will say the name of a musical, such as Fiddler on the Roof. Then I instantly have to sing a song from that musical. Lets see how well you know the theater. Can you name four upbeat, inspiring songs from musicals?
1. ____________________________________
2. ____________________________________
3. ____________________________________
4. ____________________________________

On my last trip to New York, I saw the musical Little Women on Broadway. Youve probably read the book or seen the movie. The four March sisters always had a positive outlook, even though they were poor. Jo especially tried to see the best in any situation. In the musical, Jo sings about the need to keep dreaming, even if your dreams dont happen right away. Of course, its easy to feel alls well when youre sitting in the theater, watching professional actors sing and dance on a stage with gorgeous sets. Its harder to be positive when youre having a bad hair day, just got a pimple on your nose, and you and your best friend are fighting.

Just what does it mean to have a positive attitude? Does it mean you jump up and down clapping your hands when you flunk a math test? Should you say, This is fantastic! I feel great! when you get cut from the soccer team? Of course not. Having a positive attitude means seeing the best in people and experiences. It means focusing on what you can do and trying to look for the positive in the situations you face. I know as a teenager its cool to act blas, as if we dont care about anything. Have your parents ever said something like, Sarah, lets talk about our family vacation. What are your ideas? You roll your eyes (very important to do) and casually answer, Whatever. In school you might know kids who sit in the back of class, arms folded, and mumble, This class is so boring. The teacher could be doing an amazing science experiment and some student will still comment on how lame the class is.

Okay, you may not want to visit Aunt Edna on vacation and science may not be your favorite subject. A person with a positive attitude looks for ways to find the good in those types of situations. If your parents ask for ideas about a family vacation, give some feedback. See if a compromise can be worked out between a visit to Aunt Edna and something