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High school girl’s response to ‘Ugly Girls’ poll inspires positive reaction

This brave high school student stood up to her school’s cyberbullies.

12th grade, high school, ugly poll, judgmental
Lynelle Cantwell/Facebook.

Lynelle Cantwell had a response on her own Facebook page.

Lynelle Cantwell is in 12th grade at Holy Trinity High School in Torbay, Newfoundland and Labrador (that's Canada).

On Monday, she found out that she had been featured on another student's anonymous online poll entitled "Ugly Girls in Grade 12," along with several other classmates.

Cantwell responded via Facebook with her own message, which has already been shared more than 2,000 times and counting.

cyber bullying, bullies, kindness

The unkind poll.

Lynelle Cantwell/Facebook.

Take a look:

bullying, brave response, community support

“Just because we don’t look perfect on the outside does not mean we are ugly.” - Lynelle Cantwell.

Lynelle Cantwell/Facebook.

Since posting her brave response on Facebook, more people have come out to show support than people who voted in the first place.

Check out some of the responses:

appreciation, confidence, self esteem, love and support

Some responses to her post.

Lynelle Cantwell/Facebook.

The School District of Newfoundland and Labrador has announced that it will be looking into the incident further. For Cantwell, the positive outpouring of love and support vastly outweighs the initial cyberbullying and is raising her confidence in new ways.


This article originally appeared on 08.20.17

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Enter this giveaway for a free, fun date! 🌊 💗

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Our love for the ocean runs deep. Does yours? Enter here!

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Here’s how to enter:

  • Go to ocean.org/date and complete the quick form for a chance to win - it’s as easy as that.
  • P.s. If you follow @oceanwise or donate after entering, you’ll get extra entries!

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Popular

The laughably worst haircuts that have perfectly defined 6 different generations

History is great. But sometimes hairstyles tell us everything.

Photo by Michael DeMoya on Unsplash

Each generation has a top and bottom cut. Let's see 'em.

When actress Sash Striga (@sashstriga on TikTok) went in for a "cool girl chic" tweak to a haircut she had gotten five days earlier, things did not go as planned. "Very flirty, very flowy," she told the stylist as they discussed making her already short hair a bit "shorter in the back" and "less wide on the sides."

"I can do that," he confidently answered. But after a long while of snipping (and then clipping!), Sash took to TikTok to describe the moment she saw him turn ghostly pale, possibly realizing he'd made a few mistakes.

In her video, she recounts the story while wearing a grey beanie. When she finally removes it, she reveals what can only be described as a Manic Pixie Dream Girl Manic Pixie Dream Girl gone horribly wrong. But her pure joy in the awfulness of it all is delightful to watch, and a good reminder that it will always grow back.

@sashstriga

I’m more mad at myself than anything tbh 🫠 #badhairday #badhaircut #toronto #torontolife #fyp #hairstyle #hair #badhaircutcheck

While all of these unfortunate trends have or will be recycled through different generations, take a look at what might arguably be the worst hair trends since the '40s!


The Silent Generation: The Bouffant

marge simpson pulling atbouffant her hairfrustrated marge simpson GIFGiphy

If you were born in the later part of this generation (say, 1943), you'd be just the right age to wear this wacky hairdo to a high school dance. There couldn’t possibly be enough hairspray or teasing combs for this up-do to reach the heavens. And yet, that never stopped anyone from trying.


Baby Boomers: The Shag

woman with shag haircutGIF by SliceGiphy

A Baby Boomer born smack-dab in the middle of their generation might have started caring about their hairstyle around 1970. This was the BEST time for hair and the Shag had it all: the bouncy middle part, the sexy curtain bangs—everything. Even the edgier cuts like The Shag were kinda hot. But even hot haircuts can turn cold with the wrong scissors.


Gen X: The Mullet

a man with a mullet fist pumping Happy Seann William Scott GIFGiphy

This "business in the front, party in the back" hairstyle is nothing new. In fact, it has been stated by historian Suetonius that "the Roman emperor Tiberius 'wore his hair rather long at the back, so much so as even to cover the nape of his neck,' and that this was a tradition of his family, the Claudians."

Technically, Boomers also bear responsibility for the mullet, but it was the Xers who really made it sing.

The '80s had so many outrageous hair choices that this category gets two entries:


Also Gen X: The Rattail

gif of men with rattails square pegs 80s GIF by absurdnoiseGiphy

Something strange emerged in the '80s. Well, a lot of strange things came about, but somewhere, some hairdresser woke up and said, "Yes, we will leave a piece of hair hanging, and sometimes, we might even braid it."


Millennials: The Bowl Cut

man shaking out his bowl cutHappy Haircut GIF by Australian Ninja WarriorGiphy

We saw the odd The Three Stooges"Moe" cut on Sash, who is technically a young millennial, just missing the cusp of a Gen Z-er by two years. At least it was a nice update to the traditionally awful "bowl cut." But it was the millennials who brought this unfortunate look back in the early '90s.


Gen Z: The Broccoli Cut (aka the Zoomer Perm)

The Broccoli Cut is..,something Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Imagine thinking this is a good idea: "We'll cut the sides real short, and leave it long on top. Sure, that works. But wait! Then we'll PERM the top and let it just sit there." For some reason, in the UK, this was renamed the "Meet me at McDonald's haircut," and it's so disturbing that some schools have even banned it. Many Zoomers disagree, though, and it's still quite a popular look on TikTok.

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Joy

Couples share why Valentine's Day for them is February 15th

These couples might be onto something.

Photo credit: Canva

Many couples are celebrating Valentine's Day the day after or later.

Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate your love with a special dining night out, lavish gifts, chocolate, and all-out memorable experiences. That is, if you live in the movies. For many people, February 14th is a special day with your special someone, but for a growing number of couples it’s just another day in the week. Don’t get it twisted, it’s not that they don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. It’s just that they celebrate it on February 15th or later.

Folks on Reddit are praising this method. “Got into the packed steakhouse last night where there was practically nobody there,” said one poster. “Flowers and candy were more than half off. Get your partner to accept celebrating Valentine’s on the 15th.”

Other posters have co-signed this philosophy, with one stating the obvious:

“We stopped celebrating on the 14th years ago. Things always cost more. Restaurants are packed. Service and food quality are mediocre, since they're packed. Ubers are surge priced. There's just no good reason—other than the symbolism—to force a celebration the day of. We typically go out the weekend before or after.”

Valentine’s Day is big business in the United States. In spite of Americans scaling back on spending on the holiday last year, the National Retail Federation is projecting $27.5 billion in spending on Valentine’s Day in 2025. That’s a lot of overpriced stuffed bears with hearts and marked up chocolate! It’s gotten to the point that according to the New York Times, marketers and businesses are creating anti-Valentine’s Day products, sales, and movements to ensure they aren’t missing potential customers that revolt against the holiday.

As pointed out by those couples, celebrating the day after or even the weekend after the official Valentine’s Day date can offer deep discounts on chocolate, wine, stuffed animals, and many other products for you and your partner to indulge in. There might even be restaurants in your area that would still serve the Valentine’s Day specials at a lower price in order to sell off the extra lobster, beef, shrimp, etc. that they bulked up on for the busier holiday.

But the discounts and frugality of celebrating Valentine’s Day on February 15th or any other date isn’t the only reason to consider it. Some couples love doing it because they feel like they’re being “discount bandits” like a Bonny and Clyde for deals, loving the fact they’re enjoying each other and their “haul” feeling like they’ve gotten away with something. Or they feel like making Valentine’s Day even more exclusive and special by making it on March 1st or September 8th or whenever they feel like it. Or they just would rather do small loving things each day and have “little” Valentine’s Day every day.

Man kissing woman on the beachFor some couples, Valentine's Day could be a random beach day in the summer.Photo credit: Canva

No matter how or when you spend Valentine’s Day, everyone seems to agree that it’s best when you and your partner make it your own way that works for you both. After all, when you come down to it, it’s all supposed to be about you as a couple. Now pass the discount Reese’s peanut butter cup hearts!

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Single woman shares the hilarious 'deal breaker' she uses when she doesn't want a second date

Jo Brundza has mastered the art of painlessly getting out of a second date by making them reject her.

via JBrundz/TikTok and Frank Cone/Pexels

How Jo Brundza gets out of a date.

It's uncomfortable for people to tell someone they met for a first date that they aren’t interested in a second one because nobody enjoys hurting another person’s feelings. TikToker Jo Brundza has mastered the art of painlessly getting out of a second date by making them reject her.

How does she do it? Once she realizes she doesn’t want to see them again, she rants about the moon.

“From that realization and on, I spend the rest of the date trying to convince the other person that I don’t think the moon is real,” she says. Now, many folks out there incorrectly believe that the moon landing was faked, but she goes a step further by saying the massive celestial object doesn’t exist at all.

“They’re typically too stunned to argue back,” she says.

@jbrundz

They’re typically too stunned to argue back #fyp #dating #funny #bits

In a follow-up video, Brundza outlines the three arguments she uses to prove that the moon isn’t real:

1. If you know, you know

"I just think it's ridiculous that all these billionaires are going up into space. I mean, when they get up there, what do they expect to be there, or not be up there?"

2. False evidence

"Look, I'm just saying that if you look at the science of how light refraction works when it enters the atmosphere, it would bend it in a way that to the naked eye would look like solid mass, but it's not. Also, at the end of the day, do you know anyone who has actually been to the moon?"

3. Blame Greenland

"Eighty percent of the island is covered in ice and uninhabitable. You're really gonna tell me that's not where the projectors are? Actually, now that I think about it, do you personally know anyone who's ever been to Greenland?"

@jbrundz

Replying to @TySpice Bonus points if you can somehow work in that the sun is fake too #fyp #funny #bits

Works like a charm.


This article originally appeared two years ago.

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Typical everyday 'video-gaming' kid makes elderly dogs' (and their owners') lives better

Senior dogs get their "best days ever" - and it's a high school kid making it all happen.

Photo by Parker Johnson on Unsplash
yellow Labrador retriever


Alex, a self-described video game-playing, Philadelphia Eagles-loving sophomore in high school, wanted to give back. So, instead of just making a TikTok video, he started a nonprofit charity to help raise money for senior dogs and their owners.

The inspiration came to him after he saw a video online of a soldier returning home from Afghanistan to his joyful elderly canine, who had been diagnosed with cancer. Alex shares, "The soldier couldn't afford to take his dog one last time to a place the dog used to love going." He further explains on his website, theirbestdayever.org, "They both loved the ocean, but he didn't have the physical or financial means to take his best friend for one last trip. It bothered me that this was even a challenge to do things I do every week with my own dogs."

Alex decided to do something about it. The idea was simple: "The mission of Their Best Day Ever is to provide small grants and physical assistance in order to give senior or ailing dogs a special day with their caretaker." With the help of his mom and some wonderful volunteers, the plan came to life.

brown and white long coated dog lying on floor Photo by Linoleum Creative Collective on Unsplash

How? It started with small fundraisers and served people and dogs in Alex's local Philadelphia area—car washes and dog walks, mostly. But over time, they started receiving private donations, and from there, it really took off. "We started getting calls from all over the country. People send in their dog requests, and we help them out with money. They take it from there!"

The charity then posts pictures and videos of the dogs they've helped (and other adorable pooches) on their @theirbestdayever Instagram. Alex explains, "The whole cycle repeats" in terms of getting more donations. People see the happy dogs and are inspired to help.

Dogs like Tito, who was rescued by George, a dog-shelter volunteer. After falling in love with Tito, George took him home. But because George can no longer drive, his neighbors, having seen the Instagram page, offered to take Tito to the beach—a place he loves. In a video posted online, you can see the 11-year-old mutt frolicking in the water, seemingly without a care in the world.

Or Rufus. This lucky elderly pup got his "best day ever" with the help of Alex and his charity, by spending the day on ski slopes in the Poconos. According to Instagram, Rufus "jumped on any pretty girl he saw—human and four-legged." The volunteer who helped make it happen said Rufus "was a player on the slopes."

The Insta page is filled with hundreds of inspirational posts of dogs living their best lives, many with the help of this nonprofit. One hundred percent of proceeds go directly to the people who apply for them. They merely ask that applicants reach out through their website with five to ten sentences on why and how they could benefit from a little help.

Why elderly dogs in particular? Alex says, "I just felt like there wasn't enough out there for older dogs."

Love Stories

Lovers share 5 ways to invest time instead of money with your partner on Valentine’s Day

Just you and your loved one, no marketing or credit card required.

Photo credit: Canva

Enjoy Valentine's Day without the need of extra cash.

Valentine’s Day is a special day in which we acknowledge and celebrate the loves in our lives. At least that’s what many marketers are counting on. While the holiday itself is nice, many people are bombarded with pressure to make the day special and that usually follows with several companies selling you expensive products, experiences, dinners, and gifts in order to make the day special.

But you don’t need a lot of money, or any money at all, in order to make the day genuine, authentic, special, and loving towards your partner. Many folks on Reddit and social media are sharing how to make the day special without spending a lot of money. Here are some the top suggestions we’ve found:


“Make a special homemade meal together.”

Taking a moment to cook together something special makes it an easy inexpensive gift for yourselves. It allows you to spend time together not just socially, but as a team to create something delicious. Many couples suggest making homemade pasta given how fun it is to make and how fresh it tastes.

That said, you don’t have to be culinary wizards. If you’re both too intimidated to make a whole meal from scratch, just make or bake a dessert together to share instead.

“Have a small bonfire.”

If you have a backyard, check local laws and your HOA if you have one to see if you can have a small private bonfire with your sweetie. Just enjoying roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, having sips of spirits, and cozying up with your partner while enjoying the warmth of the fire can provide a wonderful quiet romantic setting.

“DIY Spa!”

- YouTubeyoutube.com

Valentine's Day should be relaxing as well as romantic. One great way to do that is to give each other the spa treatment at home. Prep up some fresh towels and bedding for the evening and get some relaxing skin lotion or oil. Before the holiday, watch some massage tutorials on YouTube that you and your partner might want to try out on each other. If you want to go all out, search for bath bomb recipes to make at home and enjoy a bath together. During all of this, put together a Spotify or YouTube playlist of relaxing music or your favorite love songs to just vibe out in relaxing care.

“Star gaze.”

Couple star gazingPhoto credit: Canva

The outdoors are free and beautiful. If the weather is nice, grab a blanket and lay out on the ground with some snacks, wine, and/or a hot beverage to just hold one another while looking at the night sky. It’s simple, it’s cheesy, but it’s wonderful.

“Make art together!”

- YouTubeyoutube.com

A great way to relax at the end of the day and connect with your partner can be indulging in creativity together. Paint a picture together with each person contributing to a single art piece. If you’re crafty and already have the supplies, spend the evening making jewelry for one another or a clay sculpture. If you like art but don’t have anything special around the home, just drawing and coloring pictures for one another can be a cute, fun, and relaxing way to show off your love. Remember, none of it has to be “good.” It’s the fun together that matters.

Whether you take any of these suggestions or not, Valentine’s Day is as special as you make it. Whatever you and your partner want to do or not do together is what will make it great for you both.

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