"Betty Cornell says that I should wash my face with hot water to open my pores and then scrub it with soap, applying it in upward strokes... Then, I rinse with cold water. Twice a week I'm supposed to use ice cubes to fully close my pores." - Maya (95)

"You are categorized by where you spend your time and wit and whom you do, and do not, associate. I fall into the Social Outcast group, the lowest level of people at school who aren't paid to be there." - Maya (8)

"But in spite of the ridicule, I have lost weight. My clothes fit me better, and all in all, I feel good about what I've accomplished. Still there's so much left to do. I know, Betty, chin up, weight down." -Maya (42)

"One of the most important things for any teen to realize is that she is always on display" - Betty Cornell (67)

"If I keep following in her footsteps, maybe someday I'll become so popular that everyone, sober or not, will have to stop and state. but for now, I'm moving on to bigger and Betty-er things!" - Maya (67)

"You never see a model slouch, you never see a model with her canny poked out of her chin resting her breastbone. A model knows that good posture is basic to a good figure, and that a good carriage goes hand in hand with good posture." -Betty Cornell (70)

"To walk gracefully one must move the leg in one piece... In that way, the leg moves forward in one sweeping movement, instead of propelling itself by a series of awkward disjointed jerks." - Betty Cornell (71)

"Several basic skirts in neutral shades. Long and short sleeved sweaters in classic colors. 1 or 2 jumpers-a good dress-up-dress-down item. 2 or 3 pairs of nylon stockings. 2 pairs of white cotton gloves-for dress-up. 1 simple string of small pearls." -Betty Cornell (113-114)

"I am firmly of the opinion that every teen needs a girdle-not a whalebone ironclad trap, but some sort of lightweight affair to control the curves... Don't turn up your nose at the idea of wearing these modern aids to figure beauty" -Betty Cornell (141)

During March, Maya's primary focus revolved around finding ways to earn money and securing a job. At the start of the month, she set a personal goal of making $50. With this target in mind, she decides to explore babysitting as a potential job, and despite Betty's caution that it can be unpredictable. Feeling somewhat limited in her options, Maya proceeds with creating posters advertising her babysitting services, which she places at her church and local park. Despite initially receiving no response, she eventually gets a call about a week later from a family of two mothers and three children. They asked Maya for help in babysitting two of their children—a girl and a boy—on the thirteenth of March. Maya completes her job and earns $20 for her work over a slow and tiring night, and to reach her $50 goal, Maya dedicates the remainder of the month to helping out with chores at their home, making this month a success for her.

"Babysitting can be a steady job or a hit-and-miss affair, depending on the way you want to go about it. If you want to work at it regularly there is nothing to prevent you from making up a list of clients and keeping constant touch with them." - Betty Cornell (154)

"If you want to be a human being, and a popular human being, then you have to stop being an oyster and come out of your shell." -Betty Cornell (174)

"You see, good looks are not enough, In order to be a success in the world, you have to be pretty as well as look pretty. How do you get to be pretty? By having a pleasant personality. Sounds simple, but it isn't. For a pleasant personality means that you must be affable, considerate, generous, open hearted and polite, adjectives, that add up to good manners." -Betty Cornell (175-176)

"If the prospect of lunch without a sweet dessert is too gruesome for you to imagine, there's no hope for you, You have allowed your sweet tooth to overrule your wisdom tooth.... As for taunts from your friends - and they will taunt you - keep your chin up and your weight down." -Betty Cornell (25)