Oh, I forgot to answer the additional questions. I became cool because I worked in a really cool jeans store when I was 14. Everyone else was 16+. All my peers were wearing Jordache and other desinger jeans and the store always had cool music playing and trendy fashions. In turn, I had a good wardrobe, and was fairly pretty I guess, good body, and so in school I was cool from what I understand from other people. I didn’t feel super cool at the time, but I guess I was. The way I saw it was the “cool” kids, popular kids, were not really associated with me anymore. I had stopped hanging out with them as they became cheerleaders and started partying on weekends. They never ostracized me, but I kind of drifted. From what I understand they thought I was the wild one,ajd so did the parents, especially in high school, because I often wore high heels and had a late curfew, makes me laugh.
Actually, I think a big part of being cool is having confidence, and having some sort of charisma or presence.
In college I was one of the better dressed, and I had a northeast, cityish thing about me people found interesting I guess. I went to school in the midwest. I had travelled more than a lot of the people I knew at school (but not that much really) I was Jewish, and there were not many Jews at my school, I don’t know what else. But, one of my close girlfriends from college once told me when she saw me on campus and though I was cool, and then she realized I lived a few dorm doors away.
Now I think I am fairly average. I still definitely get more attention when I am at a weight I like and dressed well, make-up. So much of it is superficial really, but you have to have the confidence thing also.
Oh, and a good sense of humor helps a lot.