Unfortunately, it might be hard for us to help you much because everyone experiences bipolar differently. Me, I've never had a manic or mixed episode (I'm bipolar II), and although I've been hypomanic a few times, I spend most of my life battling severe depression.

For me, hypomania means I have lots of energy, lofty goals, and I like musikcrazy said, I feel like I'm the life of the party. I spend lots of money (buy cars, etc), take trips, and get myself involved in multiple commitments and activities that I just can't keep up when I come back down.

Mania is more severe, and the main difference is that it interferes with functioning in a way that hypomania does not. I can still get my schoolwork and such done when I'm hypomanic, but a manic person would find it difficult or impossible to focus his energies on something so mundane. Mania can also look completely crazy and be very difficult to differentiate from schizophrenia. Some people experience hallucinations and paranoia when they become manic, but I've never had that.

By definition, a mixed episode is high energy with a depressed mood. It generally manifests as severe agitation and anger.

I hope I've been of some help.