| How to Become an Excellent Student Posted: 03 Sep 2019 05:00 PM PDT Being an excellent student has more benefits than just getting good grades. In the short term, it will make you a more appealing college candidate and you may even qualify for some hefty scholarships. In the long term, the skills you learn at school will stick with you for the rest of your life, helping you tackle any problem that comes your way. [Edit]Being Organized - Pack your backpack with all your supplies before going to bed. Be prepared for each day by making sure you have everything you need with you. This means you'll need to take books, folders, pens, pencils, homework, review sheets, highlighters, sticky notes, bookmarks and anything else that helps you stay organized.
- Packing up before going to bed means you won't feel rushed in the morning and accidentally forget something.
- Paste a copy of your class schedule somewhere in your house where you'll see it everyday. Write reminders to bring certain items certain days. That way, you'll know exactly what class you have and what materials you'll need.
- Keep a folder for each subject so you can easily pack and find things. Staying organized in school is extremely important because if you are organized, you are one step ahead in being successful. A good way to start off is to keep a folder for each subject.[1]
- This means putting your math papers in your math folder, your Language Arts papers in your Language Arts folder, your science papers in your science folder, and so on.
- Use color coding or label your folders and place them into either your desk or backpack neatly. This way, you will have an easier time searching for your folders and will have more time to review what you have learned yesterday.
- If you like, you can also place bookmarks in all of your folders to make them easier to be found when you take your folders home.
- Use a weekly planner to write assignments and due dates. Use a weekly planner or calendar to write down important dates regarding assignments, quizzes, tests, and extracurricular activities. This will help you manage your time better. And checking off each completed task will give you a feeling of accomplishment.
- Write down any other reminders (birthdays, special materials for classes, study group dates/times) in the "notes" section of your planner.
- Dedicate a certain area of your room or home for supplies. Keeping all of your writing utensils, folders, paper, and other necessities in one area will make it easier to locate them. If you don't have a desk, get one and have a drawer for each group of items.
- For example, one drawer can be dedicated to writing utensils, another can hold hole punchers and staplers, and a third can store extra printer paper, journals, and folders.
- If you don't have a desk with drawers, use table-top paper racks, pencil holders, shoe boxes, and/or storage bins to keep like items together.
[Edit]Being Attentive in Class - Take notes and ask questions to stay engaged in class. Paying attention in class will help you learn better and may also boost your grade. When a teacher is giving a lesson, take notes, and if you don't understand something, raise your hand and ask questions. Try to take notes in your own words and add your own annotations instead of writing what the teacher says word-for-word.[2]
- For example, if the teacher says the definition of "ransack" is "to search through in a way that causes disorder," you might write: "ransack: to pillage—like a pirate!"
- The more questions you ask, the more you'll know about a certain topic.
- Teachers expect you to ask questions and form an impression of you based on how willing you are to do so. In some cases, class participation also counts toward your overall grade.
- Concentrate on staying focused. Keep your eyes on the teacher, keep your ears open, and keep taking notes. Sit in the front row if you're prone to distractions.
- Avoid distractions in class. Do not distract others and don't be distracted by them. Note the things that cause you to get distracted and try to avoid them. For instance, if you know you're more likely to daydream in class when you're hungry, eat a small snack beforehand.
- If you see your friends passing notes, don't engage. Whatever you have to say can wait until after class.
- If friends constantly try to distract you, don't be mean! Just tell them you are working and say you will talk later during recess or lunch. They'll understand and may even feel the same way themselves.
- Review your notes when you have free time. Read over your notes whenever you get the chance to help you remember what you've written. Rewriting your notes can also be helpful if you're taking exceptionally hard classes, such as legal studies, economics, engineering, sciences, and more.[3]
- If you have a test coming up, review your notes right before you go to bed and then go through them again first thing in the morning. The more you look at them, the more you'll remember the information.
- Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep. Sleep deprivation can negatively impact your ability to focus and make you less enthusiastic about learning. Aim to get 7 to 8 hours per night. If you are short on sleep, try to take 20-minute power naps between classes (if your schedule allows).
- Avoid looking at your phone or watching television for an hour or two before bedtime. Do something relaxing like reading a book, taking a warm bath, or drawing.
- Avoid relying on caffeine to perk you up from a sleepless night. You may feel more energized after lots of coffee or an energy drink, but you won't be able to focus nearly as well due to underlying sleep deprivation.[4]
- Eat well to feed your body and mind. Make sure to eat a variety of foods from each group (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats). Snack on whole foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, or nuts to keep you energized between meals.
- Fats containing omega 3 fatty acids are especially helpful for cognitive functioning.[5] Good sources include fatty fish, walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, spinach, and basil.
[Edit]Studying and Learning Efficiently - Read as much as you can to expand your vocabulary. Reading books that challenge you can expand your vocabulary and comprehension skills, which is useful when a teacher assigns linguistically arduous texts. If you are not already an avid reader, start at your level and work your way up.[6]
- Read something you like to get you into it. If you have a friend who likes to read, ask them for recommendations.
- Go to your school or local library and ask the librarian for recommendations based on your likes and dislikes in other mediums. For instance, you might say, "I really love superhero and mystery movies, do you have any books that have those kinds of themes?"
- Create mind maps of topics to help you learn new things. Mind-maps help you make connections between old and new information, giving new facts some context so you remember them better. This practice is especially useful when you need to brainstorm ideas for big projects. To create a mind map, write the topic in the center, add lines that point in different directions, and write your ideas on top of the lines.[7]
- Try to come up with as many ideas as you can. If you are stuck, do some research for more information.
- Think of this exercise as a form of word or idea association.
- Choose a quiet place to study without distractions. The more time you spend studying, the more you'll learn and the better grades you'll earn. But the quality of your study time needs to be efficient, so remove all distractions (cell phones, television, loud/fast-paced music, and talkative friends/family members), to ensure a calm, focused environment.[8]
- If you can't find a quiet place to study, wear noise cancellation headphones (but don't play any music).
- Find time to study when most of your peers are doing something else. For instance, if you finish lunch early, head to the library or any other quiet place that won't be too crowded.
- Avoid procrastinating and stay positive. It's tempting to say, "I'll do it later," but often, later never happens. Make a point to study right when you get home or right when the last class lets out. If you have trouble with a particular subject, study that one first and stay positive![9]
- If you are still procrastinating, ask a friend or family member to keep you accountable. You could say something like, "Could you check on me in an hour to make sure I'm still studying?"
- Repeat positive affirmations to yourself if you feel like you're struggling to understand something. For example, you might tell yourself: "I can master these equations!" and/or "I am going to ace this test!"
- Take short breaks from studying. Your brain needs time to rest and digest information, so plan to take a 10-minute break after each hour. If you get stuck on a certain topic, that's a good time to take a little break so you can come back refreshed. Set a timer on your phone so a short 10-minute breather doesn't turn into 30 minutes of procrastination.[10]
- Do some light stretches on your break to re-energize yourself. For instance, stretch out your back, legs, and arms or do some light floor aerobics like lunges, jumping jacks, or squats (especially if you've been sitting for a long period of time).
- Read ahead and prepare questions for each class. Find out which chapter your teacher is covering tomorrow and read it before going to class. That way you become familiar with the material and can ask questions to clarify things you don't understand.[11]
- Use a highlighter to draw attention to important information or write your questions on sticky notes.
- Do extra credit to further your understanding of a topic. If your teacher offers extra credit for doing extra assignments or readings, do them! Even if your grade in a class is 98%, you can still improve your grade and understand the material better.
- If you're struggling to raise a low grade, ask your teacher if there's anything you can do for extra credit. They'll be impressed by your dedication!
- Study for quizzes and tests early. If you have a big test coming up, start studying a few days to a week before the test. Make a study schedule, breaking up your time into sections, and stick to it. Don't wait until the night before because cramming doesn't allow your brain time to fully absorb information.[12]
- If you play sports or do any extracurricular activities, let your coach or teacher know that you might need to leave early or arrive a little late to make time for your studies. If your attendance is mandatory (like for theatre performances or championship sports games), plan your study time around the event.
- Don't forget to pencil in small breaks to allow your brain some resting time!
- Write small tests and quizzes for yourself. Take some time to write some problems up, or you could ask someone to write them for you. Just remember, the more you encounter and think about the information, the more likely it is to stick.
- For instance, if you're studying for algebra, have a friend write out some equations for you to solve. Time yourself if you struggle with time management during test-taking.
- For Language Arts courses, practicing writing paragraphs using relevant vocabulary words and varied sentence structures. Make it fun by writing a review of your favorite movie or jotting down your opinions on something you're interested in.
[Edit]Doing Your Homework - Do your homework as soon as possible. Homework may seem like a drag, but it helps you review what you've learned that day and prepare for upcoming quizzes and tests. Try to start doing it at school so you can ask the teacher just in case you need help.[13]
- If your homework involves hand-written answers, write as legibly as possible using your teacher's preferred tool (black/blue ink pen or pencil).
- Don't rush it and check over your work when you're finished.
- Turn in your assignments on time. Turning in your work before or by the due date is essential for getting good grades. Make a note of due dates on your study schedule so you won't forget. You can even use colored sticky notes to remind yourself which assignments need to get done first.
- Sometimes teachers will deduct points for late assignments, and some won't accept late work at all! Look at your syllabus to find out the penalty for late work.
- Set homework goals and reward yourself for completing them. Set realistic goals to finish certain tasks by specific deadlines. Giving yourself an incentive to finish your homework will help motivate you and keep you on task. For instance, tell yourself: "If I finish this packet now I can go play the guitar for 20 minutes before dinner."
- Make sure your goals are reasonable and achievable. For instance, a reasonable goal would be: "I will read the first 20 pages of the text before taking a break and finishing the last 20 pages." An example of an unrealistic goal is: "I'm going to finish the entire book tonight before I can do anything else.
- Ask a friend or family member to check your work. Ask someone else to check your homework for clarity and readability. Cheating isn't okay, so make sure to choose a friend who won't copy off of your work! And make sure your parent or sibling doesn't try to redo the work for you. Instead, ask them for specific ways that you can improve. Some things you might ask them to look for are:
- Grammatical errors
- Legible handwriting
- Relevance (i.e., you've addressed the questions/topic/prompt)
- Depth of understanding (i.e., your work displays that you understand the concepts at hand)
- Different people concentrate better at different times of the day. Try to find the time you concentrate better, even if it means having occasional breaks to refresh your memory.
- While studying, don't keep yourself at home the whole day. Instead, take a break 5-15 minute break outside. This will help you focus better when you get back to your studies.
[Edit]Warnings - Stay on top of your grades. If your school has online grades, check them once a week or after big assignments. That way you aren't surprised when you get your progress report, and will know if you forgot to turn something in, if you need to work extra hard to pass the course, or if the grade has been entered incorrectly.
- Don't freak out if you get a bad grade on a paper. Everyone gets bad grades once in a while; even the high-level students don't achieve good marks for everything. It's not the end of the world, just move on and try your best.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
| How to Get White Clothes White Again Posted: 03 Sep 2019 09:00 AM PDT Even with the most intensive laundering routines, keeping white clothes white can be difficult. Luckily, there are multiple ways you can soak your whites to pre-treat them and deal with stains, like using baking soda or a stain-fighting spray. When you wash your white clothes, always separate them from colored clothes. Use a little bit of vinegar along with your normal detergent for the best results. [Edit]Using a Pre-Soak to Keep Whites Bright - Dissolve baking soda in warm water for a whitening, deodorizing treatment. Use 1 cup (180 grams) of baking soda and mix it with of warm water. Use a plastic tub, washbasin, or something similar that is large enough to hold your clothes. Soak your white clothes in the baking soda mixture for about 8 hours before washing them as you normally would.[1]
- Set an alarm on your phone so you don't forget about the clothes for too long. of water. Use an old toothbrush or something similar to scrub the paste into the stained areas and let it sit for about 1 hour.}}
- Utilize lemon juice for a completely natural pre-soak option. Slice 2 whole lemons and add them to a large pot of water. Boil the lemons for about 5 minutes, and then remove the pot from the burner. Add your white clothes to the pot and let them sit for 1 hour.[2]
- The lemon not only whitens your clothes, but it'll also make your kitchen smell great.
- Be careful when adding the clothes to the pot that you don't accidentally burn yourself. Use a wooden spoon or something similar to push the clothes to the bottom of the pot so they get completely saturated.
- Choose laundry detergent for a simple way to soak whites. Simply mix about of laundry detergent or powder into a sink filled with warm water. Add your white clothes to the sink and let them soak for about 2 hours.[3]
- Knowing how to use laundry detergent as a pre-soak is a great option for when you don't have other options on hand.
- Soak cotton clothes with bleach diluted in water to make them brighter. Always wear rubber gloves when working with bleach, and be careful to not get it near your eyes. Pour of bleach into a washtub or basin along with of water. Add your clothes to the tub, and let them soak for 5-10 minutes. After the time has passed, drain away the water and wash your white clothes like you normally would.[4]
- Set a timer so you don't leave your clothes in the bleach mixture for too long. It will actually start to break down the fabric and could ruin your clothes.
- Treat stains with a mix of borax and liquid laundry detergent. Borax is also called sodium borate. Use it on stains by mixing about 4 tablespoons (18 grams) of borax with of water in a small bowl. Use a toothbrush to scrub the paste into stains and let them sit for about 1 hour before you wash your whites.[5]
- This method works great for coffee stains or stains that tend to be more brown or yellow in color.
- Use a commercial stain-treating spray for a simple, quick stain remover. Commercial products are great because you don't have to mix or measure anything. Use a "for whites" spray for the best results, and always check out the instructions on the back of the bottle before you use it. Generally, you'll need to saturate the stain with the spray and let it sit for 15-20 minutes before you wash the item.[6]
- Some sprays can't be used on certain kinds of fabrics, so check the restrictions on the bottle so that you don't accidentally ruin any clothes.
[Edit]Washing Clothes with White Vinegar - Separate your white clothes from your colored clothes. When laundry day rolls around, take 5 minutes to sort through all your dirty clothes. Put the colored items into one basket, and put all your white items into another one. Don't forget about socks, underwear, towels, and undershirts.[7]
- Washing white-striped clothes can be a little confusing because they're often both dark and light. Luckily, you can throw them in with either batch as long as you pay attention to a few caveats: don't wash them with your whites if you're using bleach; don't wash them with your coloreds if there are dark indigo jeans, black sweatshirts, or red clothes.
- Pour of white vinegar into the fabric softener space. Most washing machines have a special compartment for fabric softener, but this can also be used for white vinegar. Use a measuring cup to make sure you're getting the right amount into the laundry machine.[8]
- Don't worry—vinegar won't make your clothes smell weird!
- Don't jump straight to bleach when washing your whites. Overusing bleach can actually cause your whites to turn more yellow. Plus, bleach is recommended for white clothes only made of cotton
- Add laundry detergent to the washing machine. Use your normal brand and the regular amount for the size of the load you're going to wash. Depending on how you like to do things, you could turn on the water and add the detergent before adding the clothes to the machine; or, you could add the clothes and then turn on the water and add the detergent.[9]
- For the best results, use a detergent that has optical brighteners in it. These make your clothes look lighter and brighter.
- Use hot water and run the load of laundry like you normally would. Once you have the washing machine set up with the white vinegar, laundry detergent, and clothes, you can proceed as you normally would. Hot water will work better at removing stains in your white clothes.[10]
- You use cold water for colored clothes because hot water could make them get too light over time. So it makes sense that you'd opt for hot water for whites.
- Check the clothes for stains before transferring them to the dryer. If you put still-stained clothes into the dryer, the heat will set the stain into the fabric, making it that much harder to remove. Check for remaining stains and repeat the stain-treatment method of your choice. Wash and check the clothes again before drying them.[11]
- Some heavily stained items will need to be treated and washed 2-3 times, especially for stains like grass, wine, or coffee.
- Use low heat or line-dry your whites to keep them in the best condition. If you use a dryer, opt for the lowest heat-setting. If you can, line-dry your clothes, either outside or on a drying rack. This is the least damaging way to get your clothes dry, as it is the gentlest option and won't stretch the fibers as much as the dryer would.[12]
- It may seem like extra work, but before you know it, it'll be a habit to wash your white clothes differently from your colored ones. And your clothes will look much better in the long run!
- To keep your whites from getting discolored in the first place, avoid washing them with colored clothes.[13]
- If you can, line dry your whites so that the sun can bleach them back to their original whiteness.[14]
- If you're going to use bleach, only use it on clothes made of cotton. Avoid using it on poly-blends.[15]
[Edit]Warnings - Never combine vinegar and bleach. They react and create harmful fumes.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Using a Pre-Soak to Keep Whites Bright - Pre-soak method of your choice
- Washbasin or tub
[Edit]Washing Clothes with White Vinegar - White vinegar
- Laundry detergent
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Make a Clay Magnet Posted: 03 Sep 2019 01:00 AM PDT Magnets are a fun way to spice up your fridge or whiteboard. Why not make your own out of clay? You can let your creativity flourish with this fun and simple art project. Just model your clay into the shape you want, bake it, paint it, and add a magnet. This is a great project for kids and adults alike. Keep your magnets for yourself, or give them as handmade gifts. [Edit]Modeling Your Clay - Lay wax paper on your work surface and wash your hands. Wax paper will protect your table or counter from clay residue. It will also protect your clay from any debris on your work surface. Washing and drying your hands will prevent you from leaving streaks of dirt on your artwork.[1]
- Squish a chunk of modeling clay in your hands until it's soft. Modeling clay will come out of the package stiff, especially if it has been sitting in a cool storage place. You'll need to soften it with the motion and warmth of your hands before you can mold it into the shape you want.
- You can use a polymer clay, which needs to be baked in the oven, or an air-dry clay.[2]
- Use colored clay for a colorful magnet, or choose plain clay and paint it later.
- Combine different colors of clay for a swirled look. To swirl multiple colors of clay together, stack chunks of different colored clay next to each other, and twist them into a rope between your hands. Coil the rope until it makes a rolled disk.[3]
- Roll the clay into a small sphere and flatten it onto the wax paper. Whether you've just got a chunk of one color, or have swirled multiple colors together, you should now roll the clay into a sphere between the palms of your hands. Press the sphere onto the newspaper in a pancake.[4]
- If you want the clay to be a smooth, even thickness, roll it gently with a rolling pin until it is about ¼ inch thick (.63 cm).[5]
- Cut the clay with a cookie cutter, if you want. Press the cookie onto the clay, and remove the scrap clay from around your shape. You can then squish up the scrap clay, roll it out, and cut it with a cookie cutter again, just like making cookies.[6]
- Use the mouth of a glass to cut perfect circles, or a shot glass to cut tiny circles. Just place the glass upside-down on the clay and press it down until it cuts through the clay.
- Mold your clay into your favorite shape or animal. If you don't have a cookie cutter in your favorite shape, use your hands to mold the clay. Try a heart, a star, a butterfly, an owl or whatever strikes your imagination. Just make sure the shape is pretty flat. If it's too bulky, the magnet won't be strong enough to stick it to the fridge.[7]
- Slice your clay into rectangles to make fridge poetry. If you want, you can make your own fridge poetry, with words you and your friends can rearrange into silly or pretty sentences. Roll your clay with a rolling pin until it is ¼ inch thick (.63 cm), and then slice it into rectangles. [8]
- You can stamp the rectangles with letter stamps to imprint words into them. This looks really cool, but is quite time-consuming.
- For a quicker option, just bake the rectangles, and paint words onto them later.
[Edit]Baking Your Clay - Preheat your oven to the temperature you'll need to bake your clay. Most modeling clay requires an oven temperature of 275 – 300 °F (135 – 149 °C). Check the package of clay to determine what temperature it needs.[9]
- Arrange the clay shapes on a baking sheet, spaced evenly. Make sure none of the clay shapes are touching each other or sitting on top of each other. This will make sure they bake well.[10]
- Place the baking sheet on the center rack of the oven. This will make sure the clay is baked evenly from the top and the bottom. Remember to use hot mitts if you have to pull out the oven rack to place the baking sheet on top.[11]
- Bake the clay according to the manufacturer's directions. Typically this will be at 275°F (135°C) for 15 minutes. Some modeling clay doesn't even need to be baked, it just needs to dry. In that case, let your clay sit on the wax paper for however long is specified on the clay package.[12]
- If you're at a high altitude, above 3,500 feet (1066 m), you'll need to bake your clay at a higher temperature and for more time. Add 5 degrees to the recommended temperature and 10 extra minutes.[13]
- Let the clay cool and harden for about 20 minutes before you decorate it. Depending on how thick you made your clay shape, it may take a little less or more time than 20 minutes. Leave the clay shape on a flat surface while it cools, because while it's still warm, it can bend and break.[14]
[Edit]Decorating and Magnetizing - Paint your clay shape with acrylic paint. If you want to add extra decorations to your clay shape, use a small paintbrush and some acrylic paint. Try curlicues, geometric designs, flowers, or whatever pops into your imagination![15]
- If your magnets are circles, consider painting them with smiley faces and different facial expressions. Kids can use the different magnets to express their mood on a particular day.
- Or, if your clay is in rectangles, paint words on them, so people can rearrange the words into fridge poetry.[16]
- For a unified look, consider decorating all your magnets with the same color paint.[17]
- Let the paint dry for 30 minutes. Most acrylic craft paints take about 30 minutes to dry, but check the paint tube to make sure. If you're living somewhere with a really humid climate, it might take longer than usually to dry.[18]
- You can speed up paint drying by placing your shapes in front of a fan, on low.
- Attach a magnet to the back of your shape. You can buy adhesive magnets, where all you need to do is peel off the magnet's cover and stick the magnet onto your clay shape. Or, you can buy regular magnets, and use hot glue to attach them to your shape.[19]
- If you're a kid, get help from an adult with the hot glue, because it can burn your fingers.
- Display your new magnet on your fridge. Your magnet is complete! Give it a place of honor on the fridge or anywhere else magnetic. Clay magnets also make great gifts to give to teachers, because teachers can put magnets on their whiteboards.[20]
- Make sure to glue the magnet onto the side of your clay shape that you like the least! This side will be invisible once it's stuck to the fridge or wherever else you want to put it.
[Edit]Warnings - Don't use a hot glue gun without adult help.
- Don't use hot glue near flammable objects.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Modeling clay
- Hot glue
- Flat magnets
- Cookie cutter (optional)
- Acrylic paint (optional)
- Small paintbrush (optional)
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
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