Lauryn McNair #20

How To...be around people you don't really care for and pretend to be interested
To start, you need to find someone who really gets on your nerves. Like the way they talk, the way they eat, even the way they breath makes you want to step out of your skin. Someone who annoys you so much it causes you to roll your eyes so hard you see your brain. After you've found this person, and it's probably not that hard to, it's all instinctual. Everything you instinctively feel like doing, do the exact opposite of. For example, if someone is talking about how great Donald Trump is and how his policies on religion and race relations is "telling it like it is", your first instinct is probably to run as far away as you can because you're scared for your life and your freedom. Instead, do the opposite. Stay, breath, give a polite smile, even while on the inside you're screaming and getting 1950's segregation flashbacks. This is easier said than done, and takes a little practice. I recommend that the next time you're in a retail bookstore and you see a display of Bill O'Reily's books, don't immediately take a U-turn out of the section and bathe yourself in holy water. Instead, stay and give a nice nod and smile to the men discussing his genius. If you really want a challenge, visit the section of the store that sells Rush Limbaugh's books. So maybe the person who annoys you isn't this bad, what do you do? Same concept, but on a smaller scale. If there's someone who only talks to you when they need homework, and for some reason they always do, repeat the directions above. Instead of screaming to the high Heavens how tired you are of constantly being harassed for school work and asking why in the world you can never seem to do your at homework at I don't know, home, simply smile, ask for just a second, and give them the homework. Easy as pie. Also, if these people feel the need to engage you in conversation, smile, give the appropriate cues that you're listening (an occasional head nod or a really eager "oh really?" goes a long way), and you'll be golden.