1. First, computer fonts. Times New Roman or Helvetica are preferred. Documents should always be double-spaced, especially professional and academic documents.
2. Always attempt to use proper grammar. This includes such arcane topics as pronoun-antecedent agreement and proper use of punctuation; violations of the above indicate you are not properly educated.
3. Spelling should always be perfect unless you are attempting to mock someone else, and even then proper spelling should be encouraged. You will appear to be an ignorant simpleton if you do not conform to proper spelling, with the possible exception of abbreviations such as "LOL" and "LMAO." Even if you are using such media as Snapchat or Instagram, which should be avoided anyway, proper spelling demonstrates to your friends how refined and sophisticated you are.
4. Furthermore, do not hesitate to correct your friends' spelling or grammar; if they are good friends, they will appreciate your helpful feedback. Otherwise, it would be wise to find some new friends.
5. Relating to the topic of social media, all forms of social media should be avoided, with no exception. Social media is the vanguard of the sinister movement to destroy proper, moral society as we know it, and thus you should not use it. Assume that anyone who uses social media is not as smart as you are, and thus should be avoided.
6. One cause of excessive social media usage, particularly among teenagers, is the proliferation of mobile phones. A mobile phone or cell phone, whichever is your preferred term, should only be used for calling people for the sake of convenience; it is not to be used to mindlessly browse Snapchat or Reddit, or play games which contribute to the moral degradation of our society. I do concede that such games can be a good form of leisurely activity, but this behavior should not be taken to excess. If you find yourself desperately needing to contact your friends, there is no reason not to talk to them in person, as most people would do.
7. Clothing, especially in a school setting, should be relatively conservative and nice. Although there is no reason to wear dresses or suits to school unless you want to flaunt your fashionable status, there is nothing wrong with polo shirts, button-down shirts, or similar items. Avoid logos on shirts, and wear normal sweaters instead of hoodies. As for pants, jeans or slacks are generally a good choice; shorts and skirts should be reserved for hot weather, and regardless of gender should not be too short. Never wear ripped clothing; it implies you are naturally unkempt and do not care about your appearance.
8. Footwear, especially at school, should be chosen based on comfort and convenience, not appearance. However, this is a topic where people often have their own preferences, but remember to conform to the aforementioned rule of being relatively conservative and nice. There is nothing wrong with sneakers, but slippers imply you were too lazy to change into actual shoes.
9. A person's vocabulary reflects their education and intelligence; do not hesitate to use more complex vocabulary to appear more erudite. However, do not use words unless you know what they mean; it can already be perceived as embarrassing to use sophisticated vocabulary, but it is unfathomable to accidentally confuse words such as repository and suppository, or immigrate and emigrate.
10. In an academic setting, the primary focus should always be on learning; do not engage in behaviors which would prevent this. Take notes if necessary in a class, and always do homework, even if it is challenging. Never cheat or use tools such as Sparknotes, which are practically the equivalent; if you are having trouble understanding material, talk to the teacher or your classmates for assistance.
11. Read frequently to improve your mind. For fiction books, focus on classics, while for non-fiction, read books which interest you. Avoid "pop science" books unless they are extremely well written; you will not achieve true depth of knowledge by blindly reading lists of over-sensationalized facts. Do not be afraid of long, boring books; if you don't understand them, it is not due to them being too sophisticated, you are simply not thinking hard enough.
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General FictionA misguidedly idealistic high school student founds a club to teach his classmates philosophy; when it becomes a cult, he must change course before the whole school drinks the Kool-Aid. Frank can think of no better way to prove his classmates have n...
