Five Pieces of Advice Every Girl Should Hear

Thanks, mom!

by GRACE MCCORMICK ★ NOVEMBER 4, 2019

Whether I am 12 or 20 years old, I will always call my mom for advice. She has helped me through over-dramatic fights with an ex-best friend, guided me through midterm season, and showed me how to  into the person I want to be. So, here is the best advice my mom has given me over the years. 

Act in a way so that no one will believe bad things about you. 

My mom would always say this when someone was spreading rumors. Her advice, put simply, was to keep my mouth shut. She was trying to tell a 12-year-old middle schooler to not make the situation worse by being dramatic. Let’s just say I didn't always listen to this advice. 

In all seriousness, now that I’m a little older and (maybe) a little wiser, I have realized how great this advice is for two reasons. First, you don't risk saying something awful about the other person in the argument. You can't say anything mean if you don't say anything at all. 

Secondly, you are automatically the bigger person and people will see that! Whoever you are fighting with will realize that you aren't mean or selfish or whatever else that person is spreading around. Without you even having to tell them, they will believe you. They will see it in your actions. 

Do all of the things!

This was the advice I heard on move-in day my freshman year. My mom has always encouraged me since then to get involved and explore everything Syracuse University and life have to offer. 

Her main point is to TRY things! You never know what new hobbies you could pick up or skill you will learn. You don’t have to stay with every single club you join, but you should at least try them out. At the end of the day, you may not love ultimate frisbee, but you have made some new friends that can make a giant campus feel a little smaller. 

Just keep swimming!

Okay, she may have stolen this one from Finding Nemo, but the sentiment still reigns true. No matter how hard life gets and how much you think you can’t do something, if you keep chipping away at it you will eventually end up on the other side. 

The first time I had midterms in college, I called my mom in full on panic mode and I was convinced that there was no way I was going to get through the week. I had to finish two papers and three exams all in the span of seven days.

The only advice my mom gave me was in a cheerful sing song voice from 100 miles away,“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming!” 

As stressed out and upset as I was, I couldn’t help but laugh at the Dori impression. It made me remember that that week would be over soon; I just had to get through it first! 

Forget about it and move on. 

There are just certain situations in life you can't do anything about. An F on a test, or a missed flight, or falling on the promenade in front of about 50 other people. Sometimes the only thing you can do is forget about the crappy thing that happened and move on with your life.

It’s hard to shake off that embarrassment, but in all reality, what are you going to do about it? What are you going to do about the fact that you failed the exam? Most professors are going to tell you to study more. Obsessing over it is not going to change the past and, unfortunately, all you can do is forget about it and move on and try a new approach next time. 

You’ll never regret being kind.

This is nothing profound but I think it can be easy to forget. You can easily make someone's day just by just sending them an encouraging text on their way to a hard exam. Sometimes we get so caught up in our own lives we forget how easy it is to make someone else feel loved and appreciated. 

If you see a stranger on the bus looking amazing one morning, tell them. If you remember you haven't talked to your grandparents in a while, call them on your way to class. If your roommate has a big test today, text them good luck. These are simple things that might mean the world to these people. 

So, I may not have appreciated this advice at first, but since then I find myself thinking about these pieces of advice every day. I have even preached this advice to my friends when they need some motherly advice. In the end, the saying is true: a mother always knows best.