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	We caught up with Mandy to find out how she deals with life, fame, and simply being one of the most in-demand teens around. How to Deal... with School Q: What drew you to playing Halley in How to Deal? Mandy: I felt compelled to do the film because of the characters. Halley and I have absolutely nothing in common. The gist of it is she doesn't believe in love, since there are no concrete examples of it around her. Her parents are getting divorced, her best friend is falling in love without telling her, and her sister is getting married to this guy who's a bonehead. All the while she's still at school having to deal with this, and then finds this guy (Trent Ford) whom she doesn't really like, but still kind of does. It turns into love, goes sour, but then she finds out it really is love. I think it's a pretty accurate portrayal of high school with the snooty girls, the running late to class, the not wanting to be there. Q: Where did you attend high school? Mandy: I went for my first half to Bishop Moore High School (Orlando, FL). Then I did an extended studies program to finish out high school with a tutor. Q: You once said you aspired to attend New York University to major in journalism. What's the latest? Mandy: I still have that dream, but I've been spending so much time on the West Coast and I love it out there. Even though I still dream about going to NYU, I don't think I could deal with the brutal winters, but I still want to go to college. I think the beauty of school is you can go whenever you want. There are so many things that interest me out there that I'd like to learn more about. For me, going to college would be furthering my education and having fun and maybe studying musical theater, journalism, or American history. Q: How do you feel about the SAT? Do you think it's a fair test? Mandy: There are cases in which people are extremely intelligent but aren't great at taking standardized tests. I was never a fan of the test, so I feel like maybe we shouldn't base [things] so much on just an SAT score. Then again, who am I to speak about it?! Q: You did some MTV Spring Break shows. How was it hanging out with college students? Mandy: I've been doing MTV Spring Break since I was 15, but it was different this year. We filmed in Miami, FL, and a couple of my friends who attend the University of Miami wanted to come and be in the audience. It hit home for me that if I were in school, this is probably where I'd be. But the more I thought about it, I said to them 'Listen, I'll level with you... I'm not a big partier, night-owl, going-out-and-clubbing type of person, so Spring Break's not really my bag.' When I go down there I do my job and have fun, but as soon as that's over, I'm on the next flight home. Q: How are you staying "brain smart" since you graduated? Mandy: Honestly, one of my New Year's resolutions was to pick up a book more often. You get so caught up in doing other things, and now that I'm finished with school, I feel like my brain has turned to mush. I have to find something that keeps it fine-tuned. After a year of freedom, no homework, and no essays, I have to find that discipline again. My boyfriend was laughing at me just the other day because I said I wanted to go to the bookstore and get one of those little vocabulary workbooks. How to Deal... with Stardom Q: What's your biggest pet peeve now that you've been in the industry awhile? Mandy: People who don't take others into consideration. We were at a restaurant once and heard this guy screaming at the waitress that his toast wasn't toasted enough. I don't like [people who] are intolerant--whether it be of race or religion or sexual preference. It really gets me going. Q: How are your parents reacting to all your success? Mandy: They're actually very supportive of what I want to do professionally and personally. They're always around and [have] a big hand in all of my decisions. How to Deal... Mandy's Advice for You! Q: What advice do you have for teens? Mandy: Don't stress yourself out too much about school or figuring out what you want to do at 17 or 18 years old. (I asked my 17-year-old brother if he knew what he wanted to do, and he hadn't decided!) Don't set limitations for yourself, you have the rest of your life to do whatever you want. You don't have to do one thing your whole life. Chill out and relax and enjoy this time--it's the most fun, so take it for what it is.