a very few things i know for sure

• one should never, under any circumstances, with anyone, discuss israel. it will only raise ire and be unproductive (at best).
  

• the students who are most worried about their grades are always the ones with the least reason to be so, and vice versa
  

• very seldom do cost and quality correspond with each other, but they always correspond in the case of bras and in the case of scotch. with bras and scotch, you actually do get what you pay for (relatedly, a bra that fits can improve your life as much as 8% OVERALL)

• advice is the most inflated of human activities

• the Problem of Other Minds is so prevalent that it's always safe to assume that however someone addresses you has about 95% to do with them and only about 5% to do with any actualities in your own circumstances. this assumption will ease your interactions and allow you to be more productive. (the one exception here is, hopefully, those with whom you are most intimate.)