How to Socialize, Be Funny and Make Friends

Making friends is not always easy. It depends on how outgoing you are. If you're shy, then you need to build up your confidence to actually be popular. This guide might help you but what you really need is socializing skills and of course a cheerful smile.

1. Just be yourself. Don't be afraid to express your opinions. If someone insults you, just ignore them.
2. Be optimistic. Even if you are feeling really down, remember that there's always something out there to smile about. A positive outlook will make people want to be around you a lot more.
3. Crack a joke. (Having a sense of humor is important, but don't get too carried away, there are some things you have to be serious about.If you joke about your friend in a rude way it could damage your relationship with them.)
4. Smile as much as you can! Signs of encouragement let people know you care about what they are saying.
5. Share interesting/silly ideas. Your thoughts can open up many doors that can lead to friendship.
6. Listen more than you talk. Instead of nodding and smiling and occasionally wiping the drool off your face, try to take what the person says and run with it. Add your own thoughts into the mix - but don't hijack the conversation.
7. Start by doing little things if you are very reserved. For example, every time you go to school, work, or wherever, say hello to one person and have a one-on-one conversation with them.
8. Say "hello" to those that don't talk much. (Share something about yourself, such as where you're going or why you're there. Avoid talking about the weather - as Tom Waits says, "Strangers talk about the weather." Try to compliment them.
9. Don't expect perfection out of anyone, especially yourself. For example, if you forget your own name while introducing yourself, just make fun of the situation.
10. Be Patient. If you are still among strangers, the apprehension of a conversation may cause a delay in comments. Don't worry, that will go away in short order.
11. Talk to older people, maybe even your own folks. They will be less likely to ridicule you, therefore making it easier to learn to talk well.
12. Place importance on making social contacts. The people who are considered popular may not be the sharpest tacks in the box, but they are acquainted with important people who may contribute to their future careers. It is never too late to feel that being popular is important. If your work environment allows for it, host a party, organize a sports game, etc.
13. Love yourself. It is difficult to like others when you do not appreciate yourself for who you are. Try exercise to improve your self-esteem. Start your journey to "self-discovery."
14. Be loyal. Little things count. If you make an appointment, be on time. If you're in a group, show up early, and stay late (even if you don't have anything to say at the moment).
15. Be nice to others. Always give compliments, but don't try too hard. If you are shy, take a deep breath and risk it - you never know what might happen. Again, if you are shy on the outside but a little crazy on the inside, let it out once in a while. Wear your hair up high and spin around or dance. Others will laugh and find you funny and fun to be with.
16. Stand up for yourself/your rights. When someone is being too hard on you or perhaps showing signs of prejudice, speak up! Let it out in the open: "Why is it you're so prejudiced?"
17. Be honest. Lying will make people not want to be your friend any more.
18. Respect everyone, no matter what they think or say. They are a person and deserve to be treated with respect. If you treat people well they will treat you the same.

How to Be a Good Friend

1. Be real. Are you trying to be friends with someone to be accepted into a certain clique, or because you'd like to get to know someone else that he or she knows? That's not friendship, it's opportunism. Every new person you meet has the right to be accepted (or not) on his or her own merits, it's better to just be yourself than let anyone else influence you into being someone you are not.
2. Be honest. A dishonest person has no chance of having true friends. Keep your promises, do what you say you are going to do, and most importantly, don't lie! Lying leads to more lies, and people will eventually figure you out. If you found yourself lying about something, be honest - go up to them, tell them the truth and how you felt, as well as how you may think they would've felt (explain that you were second-guessing rather than trusting your friendship). Don't be a coward; if you know you were at fault for the whole dilemma, own up. Simply talk about it, hope your friend will forgive you. They'd most likely appreciate it in the future, to look back and say, 'wow!' I have/had an amazing friend by my side.
3. Be loyal. If your friend tells you something in confidence, don't blab about it to anyone else. Don't talk about your friend behind his/her back. Nobody likes a backstabber. Never say anything about your friend that you would not want to repeat face to face. Don't let others say bad things about your friend until you've had a chance to hear your friend's side of the story. If someone says something that shocks you and doesn't seem like a thing your friend would do or say, tell them, "I know him/her, and that just doesn't sound right. Let me talk to him/her, find out his/her perspective on this. If it turns out to be true, I'll let you know. Otherwise, I would appreciate it if you didn't spread that around, because it might not be." You can't play both sides of the fence.
4. Be respectful. Know the boundaries. Things you and your friend discuss should be treated with care - your friend is not sharing this information with just anyone, and may not want to. She shared it with you - and only you, as far as you know. Example: If your friend doesn't want to name her crush, don't push her into it. If she has named her crush, don't tell anyone else. This is just common courtesy anyone and everyone deserves the expectation that you will keep confidences.
5. Watch out for your friend. If you sense that s/he is getting drunk at a party, help him or her to get away from the alcohol. Don't allow your friend to drive drunk - take his or her keys and/or drive your friend home personally. If your friend begins talking about running away or committing suicide, tell someone about it. This rule overrides the "respect privacy" step, because even if your friend begs you not to tell anyone, you should do it anyway. Suggest a help line or professional to your friend. Talk to your and your friend's parents or spouse first (unless they are the ones causing the problems) before involving anyone else.
6. Pitch in for friends during times of crisis. If your friend has to go to the hospital, you could help pack his or her bags; if her/his dog runs away, help to find it, if he/she needs someone to pick him/her up, be there. Take notes for your friend in school and give them their homework assignments when they're absent and sick at home. Send cards and care packages. If there is a death in his/her family, you might want to attend the funeral or cook dinner for them. Care about your friend enough to help him or her open up and let tears roll. Give them a tissue and listen. You don't have to say anything, just be with them.
7. If your friend is going through a crisis, don't tell them everything is going to be all right if it's not going to be. This goes right along with keeping it real. It's hard not to say this sometimes, but false reassurance can often be worse than none, and it may undermine your friend's ability to get through the crisis as well as they might. Instead, tell your friend that whatever they need, you are there for them. If they need to talk, talk; if they need to sit quietly, sit with them; if they need to get their mind off things, take them to a movie or concert. Give them a hug. You are friends, not strangers, after all. Just stay honest, but upbeat and positive. Even a stranger would most probably appreciate it.
8. Give advice, add perspective. Don't judge your friend, but do advise to stay out of situations where they may harm themselves or others. Tell him/her how you perceive his/her situation, and what you might do in the same circumstances. Don't be offended if they listen to your advice and then decide to ignore it. Your friend must make his or her own decisions. Avoid saying "You should...".
9. Give your friend space. Understand if he/she wants to be alone or hang out with other people. Allow it to happen. There's no need to become clingy or needy. Friendship doesn't require that you always have to be paired together. Allowing one another the time to hang with other friends gives you much-needed breathing room, and allows you to come together fresh and appreciating each other even more.
10. Never make a promise you know you can't keep. Good friendship is based on trust - if you break a friend's trust, the friendship may be very hard to salvage. Of course, if you have made a promise and planned to keep it, but circumstances beyond your control conspire to prevent it, let your friend know as soon as you find out. Don't wait until 15 minutes after you were supposed to arrive to call and say, "gee, I'm sorry." Instead, a quick call to say, "Hey, I know I promised to help you with whatever it is, but my mom is telling me we are going to my aunt's for the weekend, and leaving tomorrow just after school - that means I won't be able to make it. I'm so sorry. Can we reschedule?" That's just honoring the fact that your friend is counting on you, and respecting the fact that, given a little notice, your friend might just be able to get someone else to help with whatever it was - or not, whatever. But at least you won't be hanging your friend out to twist in the wind.
11. Listen to them. you don't have to agree with them - just listen to what they have to say. Make sure they are talking too and you are not just running your mouth. Some people don't really find it interesting listening to someone talk about their feelings 24/7. If you're monopolizing every conversation with your feelings, they aren't getting anything out of the friendship. Invite them to share their hearts with you as often as you share yours with them.
12. Don't be selfish. Grabbing, stealing and begging are big NOs in the rules of friendship. The friend will soon get tired of this and eventually more towards more selfless people who are willing to give what they get.
13. Learn to share. As before, if you have a selfless friend, they will expect something back, even if they don't make it obvious. This does not necessarily mean giving them large expensive presents. This can just mean being there for them when they need you.
14. Don't abuse their generosity or "wear out your welcome" If your friend does something nice for you, then reciprocate. Money doesn't have to be an issue. Don't use your friends! Don't let them pay every time you go out, even if they offer. Don't help yourself to things at their house without asking, unless you are willing and they do the same at your house. No one wants to be friends with a moocher or feel used. If you borrow something from a friend, take good care of it and then return it without being asked. Also, if you end the friendship then you should return any gifts they bought for you, especially if they gave you any gifts under false pretences. It's proper etiquette.
15. Live by the golden rule. Always treat a friend as you would want to be treated. If you don't there will be repercussions. Don't do or say anything to them that you wouldn't want done to you. Be there for them through thick and thin as long as they are a TRUE friend to you. Also learn to forgive, and apologize. Don't be a brat!

How to Get a Better Deal on a Home Loan

1. Wait. The easiest way to get a lower rate is to wait until the interest rates on loans across the board are at low levels. Interest rates fluctuate a great deal, sometimes even during the same day, but there are times when they are simply far lower than at other times. Keep in mind, however, that (all other things being equal) periods of low interest rates often see increased home prices.
2. Improve your credit. Make loan and other payments on time, especially over the months leading up to the loan application. Every delinquency will result in a lower credit score The better your score, the better your deal. Keep in mind, however, that it typically takes at least a couple years to significantly improve your credit. Don't close accounts when you pay them off - credit capacity is an important part of credit scoring. Unused open accounts do not help credit scores, however - higher scores come from current use of credit. Use it - pay it off - repeat.
3. Get the mortgage first if multiple financial obligations are going to pop up in the near future. Numerous credit inquiries, such as new applications for credit cards, can hurt a borrower's score, especially if they're filed in the months prior to the home loan review process. In addition, if you add new debt expenses shortly before applying for a mortgage, the loan underwriter may question whether you'll be able to make all your payments, so avoid making large purchases in the months before you apply.
4. Save as much money as possible for your down payment. A major determinant of your interest rate will be the loan-to-value ratio. These days you can sometimes get a mortgage for up to 97% of the value of the home (100% if you are a Veteran)(as of Fall 2008), but if you can reduce the loan amount to 80% of the value, you'll get a better rate. The larger your down payment, the more equity you will have in the home from the start. With more equity, the loan is a lower risk for the lender, and you'll be rewarded with a lower interest rate. A lease option may also help you build equity if you're not in a position to make a large down payment.
5. Reduce upfront expenses. Points--1 point equals 1% of the loan amount--and other upfront fees can drive the cost of your loan through the roof. Always take these into account when shopping for a mortgage. "Points" are a way of obtaining a lower interest rate, and may be necessary to make the payment make sense relative to your income.
6. Think small. Don't shop for that 6-bedroom house right off the bat. Lenders consider "payment shock" when approving loans. If you go from a relatively low monthly housing payment to a huge one, you'll either end up covering too big a loan with too little money, or you won't qualify at all.
7. Shop around. Mortgage rates for the same person can differ widely from lender to lender, so explore your options. If you belong to a credit union or if you've been with a bank for a long time, you'll often find your best rates there, though it's still a good idea to check around. A mortgage broker, who sifts through many lenders, may be able to find you the best rate. On the other hand, a Lender (not a broker)like a credit union does not have to cover the overhead of a broker - you may find lower rates, or lower costs.
8. Get pre-qualified, or "pre-approved". The difference is a pre-qualification is based on information voluntarily submitted by you to a lender, who then provides an 'estimate' of the maximum mortgage amount you can afford. A pre-approval means the borrower, has had the lender perform credit checks, income verification, and various other underwriting tasks and has been approved for a specific mortgage amount. A pre-approval is a much stronger tool, obviously.
9. Lock in a low rate. Simply being approved for a loan amount doesn't mean you'll get the interest rate you've been quoted. You'll need to lock in the rate.

How to Buy a House Using a Lease Option

1. Determine if a lease option is a good option for you. Lease options can be useful home-buying tools, but they're not for everybody. In fact, some of lease options do not end with the lessee (the renter or prospective buyer) purchasing the home, and while that's sometimes for a good reason, ask yourself a few questions before you decide to pursue a lease option in general or before you sign one on a particular house..
   
   
   • Can you afford the option money? The option money or option fee is required for a lease option contract to be valid. This upfront payment may be quite small (equal to one or two month's rent, for example), or it may be 3-5% of the purchase price. All of this money should go toward the purchase price or down payment on the home if you decide to buy the house at the end of the lease term, but unlike a security deposit, you don't get the option money back at the end of the lease if you can't purchase the house or decide not to.
   • Do you plan to stay in the area? You should be fairly certain that you want to buy the house at the end of the term. If you don't, you lose your option money that you've paid in your monthly payments.
   • Will you be able to secure financing at the end of the lease term? Most of the time, the buyer will need to find his or her own financing by applying for a loan. A lease option can help you get a more favorable loan than you otherwise would be able to, but it's no guarantee, so you'll want to be reasonably sure that you'll be able to qualify for a loan at the end of the term.
   • Can you afford the monthly payments on the lease. Typically (but not always) the monthly payments on a lease will include the fair rental value plus option money that will go toward the purchase of the home. Thus, the monthly payments under a lease option will usually be more than you would pay if you were renting the same house.
2. Find a house you want to buy. Keeping the above considerations in mind, look for a house that you like and that you can afford. There are some companies that specialize in lease options, and in some places government programs will buy a house for you and then offer you a lease option. More typically, however, you can just find a house for sale and see if the owner will consider a lease option.
3. Negotiate the terms of the lease option. The purchase price, term of the lease (usually anywhere from 6-24 months, but can sometimes be as long as 10-years), the amount of initial option money, and the amount of the monthly payments that will go toward the purchase price will all be negotiable.
4. Make monthly payments. You will make monthly payments just as you would make rent payments. In many cases, however, a portion of the monthly payment will be designated as option money. This money will go toward the purchase of the home if you decide to exercise your option to buy. It may be a small percentage of the monthly payment.
5. Make improvements on the home, it is probably in your best interest to try to take care of these things. By increasing the value of the home with improvements during the lease term, you earn equity (so-called "sweat equity") in the home because the agreed-upon purchase price stays the same. This increased equity may help you get a more favorable loan if you exercise your option to buy. In essence, by increasing the value of the home you are increasing your down payment.
6. Apply for a loan. Don't wait until the last minute to apply for a loan. You should begin your application process no less than 45 days in advance of the end of the lease, and to be safe you should probably start a full two months or more before you need to buy the house. A lease option will qualify you for a refinance loan with some lenders, and these are usually cheaper and quicker to process than new purchase mortgages, but in any case it's essential to have a mortgage ready to close on the home by the date specified in the lease option contract.
   
   
7. Close on the home. If you've lined up your financing and decided to exercise your option to buy at the end of the lease, congratulations. You are now a homeo

How to Enjoy Being a Pharmacy Tech

1. Search different pharmacy locations in your area. Find which pharmacies are hiring, and what each is offering for wages.
2. Choose a pharmacy that is usually busy. While busier pharmacies may seem like they'd be more work, they are actually essential to enjoying your job as a tech. If your store is busy there will be more technicians on duty and thus more people for you to talk to and befriend. Also having work to do also makes the time go by faster. However, a slow pharmacy provides an easier transition when training and more time and energy to focus on patients.
3. Learn. There is much to learn in a pharmacy if you make yourself open to absorbing the information. Listen to the pharmacists' counsel to patients and their answers to patient's questions. Think about what kind of medicine you are handling and what it is for, and how it relates to other medications. Get to know the brands vs. generic. Not only can you learn about prescriptions, but about the different conditions they treat and effect. There is also much to read in the pharmacy, you can read the books on pharmaceuticals and diseases. Learning will make your job seem more worthwhile.
4. Make good use of your "down time," if you ever get any. Bring a book, or do homework, or focus on learning more as described in the preceding step.
5. Talk. There isn't much time for recreation behind the pharmacy counter, but there is always time to talk. Talk to customers and you take their scripts and ring them out, and talk to your fellow technicians. The more people you talk to, the more fun you'll have, and the more you'll enjoy your job.
6. Ask. One of the most stressful parts of being a pharmacy tech is not knowing what to do in a given situation. However, the pharmacist on duty usually knows how to solve whatever problem you may have and asking them is a great way to get help. Don't be shy to ask for the same thing more than once. Pharmacists understand that there are many things to learn and that technicians can't always keep track of everything. Remember, in this job it is important to have no mistakes.
7. Resolve. Don't leave any issues unresolved. If your shift is over before a problem is solved, let another technician or pharmacist know so they can continue to work on the problem. Don't be afraid to leave notes either. You don't want to be blamed for a mistake later. wikihow.com
   

How to Become a Pharmacy Technicians

1. Enroll in an accredited career-training school. You need to get a proper educational foundation. Take the first step and enroll in a pharmacy technician course. No time to travel to a classroom? Need to keep your current job? Taking a pharmacy technician online course is the perfect way to prepare for your new career, with the flexibility to focus on your life. Study any time, anywhere with a course that is convenient and self paced.
2. Become certified. Make sure that the pharmacy technician course you choose provides the knowledge you need to prepare for the certification exam. By taking the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) certification exam, you will provide you pharmacy technician career with increased opportunities.
3. Start your pharmacy technician career.- Once you finish your pharmacy technician online course and become certified, you will be prepared to join a pharmacy team anywhere in the nation. Choose to work alongside a licensed pharmacist in a hospital, community pharmacy, outpatient clinic, nursing home or pharmaceutical organization. wikih.com
   

Looking For Affordable Distance Education?

In today's world of economic recession, everybody is looking for affordable distance education. The basis is evident. Many people can't have the funds for the prohibitive fee of conventional schools basically because they can't support it without keeping their existing career. So, it is obligatory for them to be able to amalgamate both together. Another cause why several people are looking for an affordable distance education university is because they can't manage to pay for the related fee of registering with a traditional school. We are talking of fees like accommodation and transportation. With distance education, every one of these fees are removed.

The great news about affordable distance education is that there are several colleges and universities around you presenting one program or the other that you can accomplish from anywhere and anytime you want. Simply make use of your number one search engine and you'll be presented with scores of schools presenting your desired program. Conversely, it is a fact that a number of of them may be pricey but you should not let that dissuade you. If you keep on searching, you're certain to discover ones that you can pay for. Yet, I want you to be really watchful when searching. It isn't advisable for you to compromise class at the expense of affordability. You'll come across majority of educational institution on the information superhighway that will offer you unreasonable low fees for their programs. It is very vital that you check before you leap.

Accreditation is one of the lots of matters you ought to consider when looking for affordable distance education. An accredited schools is where you are convinced to get the most excellent education you want. Moreover, you're confident that you'll be awarded a certificate that employers of labor our there will not have problem with. Therefore, it is really crucial that you check the accreditation status of the educational institution regardless of the cost. Whether it is costly or it is something you can manage to pay for, it is crucial to check if the school is not one of the diploma mills on the net. I advocate you to search online education forums where you will run into with like minded individuals and they will be able to pilot you so that you can avoid all the schools that will not do your career any good.