| How to Prepare for Each School Day Posted: 09 Aug 2021 05:00 PM PDT Being ready to take on each school day really boils down to a good routine. A lot of the stuff you need to do to get ready for school can be done the night before when you have more time. If you don't have a lot of time in the evening after school, prepare what you can on the weekend so it's ready to go for each day. Then, in the morning, all you need to concern yourself with is getting ready and heading out the door. [Edit]Prep for each week on the weekend. - Use your weekends to set yourself up for success. On Sunday, get your clothes together for each day of the week and hang them in a special place in your closet so they're ready to go. If you take your lunch to school, you can also prep your lunches for the week and keep them in the fridge.[1]
- Go over your schedule for the week and take note of any special activities that might require a little extra prep work. Is there anything you can do in advance? Go ahead and get it ready so you don't have to worry about it during the week.
[Edit]Time your morning routine. - See how long it takes you to get ready for school. This will help you decide when you need to set your alarm so you aren't rushing in the morning. One weekend or another day you don't have school, go through the motions as though you are getting ready for school—check the time when you're done and you'll know how much time you need each morning.[2]
- For example, you might find that it takes you 30 minutes to do everything you need to do in the morning at a normal pace. Add 15 minutes to this time (just in case anything goes wrong) and set your alarm for 45 minutes before you need to leave.
- Don't forget to add in time to wake up as well. If it usually takes a couple of minutes for the alarm to wake you up, set it a couple of minutes earlier than you need to get up to account for that.
[Edit]Finish your homework as soon as possible. - Attack your homework before you do anything else. If you do your homework first, you won't have it hanging over your head. Once it's done, you'll know you have the rest of the evening to do whatever you want to do before bed.[3]
- Getting your homework done first also means you know it's done so you won't have to stress about it in the morning.
- Set up a particular spot to do your homework every day. When you get home, go directly to that spot and start working.
[Edit]Share any school news with your parents. - Handle permission slips or other school reports in the evening. If you have anything you brought home that your parents need to sign, show it to them around dinnertime. This gives them time to look over it and discuss it with you if they need to.[4]
- If you need permission for a school event or outing, put it on your family calendar. Set reminders if you need to do anything specific to prepare.
[Edit]Pack your bag according to your schedule. - Include the books and supplies you'll need for the next school day. Check your schedule and put the books, supplies, and other materials you'll need for the next day in your bag. Take out anything you won't need and leave it at home.[5]
- If you'll need a change of clothes for PE or another activity, make sure they're clean and ready to go along with your other school things.
- You might want to check the weather as well. For example, if it's supposed to rain tomorrow, you'll want to make sure you have a raincoat or umbrella ready.
[Edit]Prepare your lunch. - If you take your lunch to school with you, pack it in the evening. This gives you less to worry about in the morning. You can always put it in the fridge for the next day to keep anything from spoiling.[6]
- If you're eating lunch at school, you might want to look at the lunch menu schedule so you know what your options are for the next day. If you have a choice, figure out what you want the night before so you won't have to make a decision on the spot tomorrow.
[Edit]Take a bath or shower. - A warm bath or shower can help you relax and get ready for bed. You likely want to take a bath or shower at night anyway, especially if you were active during the day. Taking it 1-2 hours before you go to bed will help you get to sleep faster and have better quality sleep.[7]
- A bubble bath or shower gel with a calming scent, such as lavender, also helps relax you and improve your sleep quality.[8]
[Edit]Do something relaxing before bed. - A quiet activity, such as reading a book, helps your mind calm down for sleep. For an hour or so before you go to bed, turn down the lights and do something calm and relaxing. This will get your mind and body to slow down and get ready for sleep more naturally. This works best if everybody else in your family is also engaged in relatively quiet activities so they don't disturb or distract you.[9]
- If the sun is still out when you're transitioning toward bedtime, close the blinds or curtains so the natural light won't come into your room.
- Avoid stimulating activities, such as exercise or watching an exciting television show, right before bed. When you stimulate your mind, you'll have a harder time falling asleep and won't sleep as deeply when you finally do.[10]
[Edit]Get a good night's sleep. - Establish a bedtime routine and go to bed at the same time every night. Studies show that grade-school-age children need between 9 and 11 hours of sleep each night, while teenagers need 8 to 10 hours. Count backward from the time you need to wake up for school every morning to establish your bedtime.[11]
- For example, if you're 16 years old and you need to get up at 6 a.m., that means you need to go to bed sometime between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. If 8 p.m. sounds way too early for you to go to bed, start with a 10 p.m. bedtime. You can always adjust it if you consistently feel tired in the morning.
[Edit]Wake up with your alarm. - Get up at the same time every morning. Even though you've done most of your prep work the night before, you still don't want to be rushing around in the morning. Leave yourself plenty of time to get cleaned up, get dressed, and get your things together before you have to leave.[12]
- For example, if you have to catch your bus at 7:30, you might want to wake up at 6:30. This gives you an hour to get dressed, eat breakfast, wash your face, brush your teeth, and make sure you have everything you'll need for school.
- You might find that you don't need as much time in the morning, but be careful not to cut it too close. Ideally, you'll have time to do everything you need to do and still be calm, friendly, and social with your family before heading out.
- Since you went to sleep at the appropriate hour, you should feel well-rested in the morning. If you feel tired, bump your bedtime up a half-hour and see if that helps. You might have to play around with it a little until you find the right time.[13]
[Edit]Eat a good breakfast before you leave. - A balanced breakfast typically includes protein, fruit, and a vegetable.[14] Scrambled eggs only take a few minutes to make—add spinach to get your vegetable in. If you don't have time in the morning, make them in advance. Put your eggs between 2 slices of bread, an English muffin, or a bagel, then wrap it up and put it in the fridge. All you have to do is heat it in the microwave for about 10 seconds and it'll be good to go.
- Stay away from sugary cereals and toaster pastries—the sugar will cause you to crash later and won't give you the focused energy you need.
- If your school serves breakfast, it's fine to wait until you get there to eat something. Just make sure you're starting your day with something healthy that will give you the energy you need.
[Edit]Get dressed and ready. - Wash your face, brush your teeth, and comb your hair. Since you took a bath or shower last night, this should be all you need to do to look your best in the morning—and it probably won't take you more than 10 or 15 minutes. Start by putting on the clothes that you laid out last night. If you have longer hair, you might want to pull it back so it's out of your way at school or more manageable during activities.[15]
- Give yourself a little extra time if you wear makeup to school or if you have other accessories you want to put on.
- Glance in the mirror one last time and smile—you're ready to go!
[Edit]Check your materials in your bag. - Double-check to make sure you have everything you need. This helps you remember anything that you might have forgotten the night before. Go over your schedule and make sure you have everything you need for each of your classes that day.[16]
- You might consider putting up a copy of your schedule next to the door so you can do a quick double-check right before you head out.
- A checklist with your evening and morning routines will help you remember everything until it all becomes habitual.[17]
- If you're finding that it's taking you too long to wake up in the morning, try setting your alarm across your room. That way, you'll need to walk over to it in order to turn it off. Doing this may help you wake up.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Harvest Cilantro Posted: 09 Aug 2021 09:00 AM PDT Cilantro is often used to add fresh flavor to Latin American and Southeast Asian dishes. If you're a fan, it's relatively easy to grow your own! As a bonus, once the plant dies and goes to seed, you can gather those seeds (called "coriander seeds") and grind them up as a spice.[1] Here, we've gathered answers to some of your most common questions about how to grow and harvest this delicious herb. [Edit]How do you know when cilantro is ready to pick? - Cilantro is ready when the plant is about tall. You can start to harvest cilantro leaves pretty early before the plant is full-grown. Leaves are typically ready between 45 and 70 days after seeding.[2]
- You can pluck individual leaves even before then if you want without damaging the plant. Regular picking means more leaves, so pick as often as you like![3]
[Edit]How do you pick cilantro? - Pick leaves one by one or cut stems long. If you want to leave the plant to continue to grow, cut exterior leaves and use them as you need them. Your cilantro will continue to grow for at least a few weeks, producing more leaves.[4]
- If you're harvesting individual leaves, pick them from the top of the plant. That will keep the cilantro looking thick and full as it grows, rather than tall and lanky.[5]
- To harvest the whole plant, cut with a small sickle-type knife just above the soil. Form a bunch of leaves and wrap a rubber band around the stems to secure the bunch together.[6]
[Edit]How often should you harvest cilantro? - You can harvest cilantro as often as possible until the plant bolts. The nice thing about cilantro is that once you pick the leaves, it'll immediately start growing new ones. As long as the plant hasn't started flowering, it'll just keep growing leaves and you can just keep picking them.[7]
- While most cilantro plants only live a few months, this should still guarantee you at least 2 or 3 harvests from the same plant if you've timed your seeding right.
[Edit]How long will your cilantro stay fresh after picking? - Your cilantro will stay fresh for as long as 14 days if you keep it cool. As soon as you pick your cilantro, immediately put it in a cooler or another container with ice or stick it in the fridge. Commercial cilantro is kept at temperatures between to maintain peak freshness.[8]
- Keep in mind that a little cilantro goes a long way. You probably don't need to plant several rows of cilantro in your garden to have enough cilantro to last you a while.
[Edit]What's the best way to store fresh-picked cilantro? - For short-term storage, place cilantro in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Cover it with a couple of layers of paper towels to help absorb moisture. This will keep your cilantro fresh for at least 3-5 days.[9]
- If you need to keep your cilantro fresh for a week or longer, place the cilantro stem-down in a container of water, like you would a bouquet of flowers. Loosely cover the leaves with a plastic bag and put the whole thing in the fridge. Change the water every couple of days.
[Edit]Should you let your cilantro flower? - No, once cilantro flowers (bolts), you can no longer harvest the leaves. After your cilantro flowers, the leaves won't have the flavor you want anymore. On top of that, the plant will die (go to seed) within a few days after bolting. So if you want those tasty cilantro leaves, keep it from bolting for as long as possible. If you harvest by cutting the main stem about from the soil, you can postpone the process.[10]
- Planting cilantro in a cooler part of your garden with partial shade can help keep it from bolting early. If you've already planted your cilantro, make a shade to partially cover the plants during the day when the sun's the hottest.[11]
- There are also some "bolt-resistant" cilantro varieties available. These will get you more cilantro from your plants, especially if you live in a warmer climate with hot summers.[12]
[Edit]Will the cilantro plant grow back after harvest? - Yes, you can harvest leaves early and they'll continue to grow. Harvest leaves one by one or cut them only about a third of the way down the plant to ensure they'll keep growing. The plant will continue to produce leaves for a month or two before it dies.[13]
- Cilantro doesn't live for very long (only about 3 months at most), but you can usually get several good harvests out of one plant.
[Edit]Do cilantro plants come back every year? - Yes, if you leave it to flower and don't harvest the seeds. Cilantro is an annual plant, meaning it doesn't "come back" from the same seeds every year. But it does re-seed itself if you let it, which makes your job as a gardener a lot easier! Just wait for it to flower and let it drop the seeds to the ground. Leave those seeds alone and they'll grow into new plants for you next year.[14]
- This only works if you have a dedicated bed for your cilantro (or if you're growing it indoors in a container). If you're growing your cilantro in a larger garden alongside other herbs and vegetables, it's probably better to seed it yourself each year.
- Cilantro is a great companion to plant alongside dill, potatoes, or tomatoes.[15]
- If it's coriander seeds you're after, wait until about 3 months after planting and remove the brown, fruiting part of the plant. Allow it to dry, then collect the seeds and store them in a dry, tightly sealed container.[16]
[Edit]Warnings - Cilantro has a short life. If your plant dies after a couple of months, that doesn't mean you've done anything wrong! It simply isn't around as long as other leafy herbs, such as parsley.[17]
[Edit]References |
| How to Know if a Guy Is Thinking About You Posted: 09 Aug 2021 01:00 AM PDT If there's a special guy in your life, chances are he's on your mind 24/7. So it's perfectly natural for you to wonder whether or not he's thinking of you. Fortunately, you don't have to guess! There are actually plenty of ways you can figure out if a guy is thinking about you. To help you out, we've put together a list of signs and clues you can look for to tell you if he's got you on his mind. [Edit]He texts you good morning and good night. - You're on his mind day and night. If a guy sends you a good morning text, then you were one of the first things he thought about that day (he maybe even dreamt about you). A good night text is a clear message that you were on his mind as he was winding down his day and getting ready to go to sleep. Both messages are huge signs that the guy can't stop thinking about you.[1]
- It could be something simple like, "Good morning!" or something a little more flirty like, "Hey beautiful. Good morning."
- Even if you haven't talked much during the day, if a guy texts you, "Hey, hope you had a great day. Talk to you tomorrow," it means he just couldn't rest until he talked to you.
[Edit]He sends you random messages all day long. - It could be a sign that he can't get you out of his head. While a message here and there may seem insignificant, it actually means that you were on his mind and he just had to reach out to you. It could be a meme, a short message, or even a link to an article or video, the point is that he wants you to know he was thinking about you.[2]
- If he sends you a meme that is specific to your sense of humor, it means he saw it and immediately thought of you.
- If he sends you a link to an article, it's likely that he read it and wanted to share it with you. That's a pretty clear signal that he's thinking of you!
[Edit]He asks you lots of questions. - It means he wants to get to know more about you. If he wants to know more about you, it's likely that he's been thinking about you.[3] He may also ask you questions or get your opinion about something to see what you think, which is another major clue that you're often on his mind.[4]
- If he says, "I was wondering what you like to do for fun. Do you have any hobbies?" then he was thinking of you and wanted to ask.
- It can be something small, too. If he says, "I love Buffalo wings with blue cheese, and I was wondering if you think they go together, too?" it means he was thinking about you and wanted to know your opinion!
[Edit]He double-texts you. - If he's got you on his mind, he won't care how it looks. Double-texting, a.k.a. sending multiple texts in a row, is usually a no-no that can make you come off as too strong. But if a guy can't stop thinking about you, chances are he won't be self-conscious about messaging you back-to-back.[5]
- If you're into him, don't leave him hanging! Message him back so he doesn't feel like he's putting himself out there for nothing.
[Edit]He likes and comments on your social media posts. - He wants you to know he's checking you out. If he likes a post or a picture you posted, then he's obviously thinking of you because he saw your post. If he takes it a step further and comments on it, he may be trying to initiate a conversation or just send a clear signal that it left an impression on him.[6]
- For instance, if he comments something like "Love this" or if he leaves a bunch of flame or heart emojis, then he definitely likes what he sees.
- If he likes or responds to an older post or picture, then he may have been thinking of you so much that he searched through your profile and couldn't help but react.
[Edit]He messages you when he's with his friends. - He could easily just hang out with them instead. If you get a message from a guy while he's with his buddies, that's a big deal! It means that even while he's spending time with his friends, you're on his mind.[7]
- If he says, "Hey what are you up to?" and you know he's with his friends, try teasing him a bit with, "Not much, aren't you supposed to be with your friends?" He might respond with something like, "Yeah, but I'd rather be with you."
[Edit]He talks about how something reminded him of you. - He can't help but think of you. If he messages you to say that he heard a song, saw a video, read an article, or was doing something that made him think of you, it's not an accident. It means he's been thinking of you and he had to tell you about it.[8]
- For instance, if he says, "I was watching a movie the other day and it reminded me of the time we went to the theaters and I spilled my drink all over the seat!" it means you were on his mind even when he was doing something else.
[Edit]He remembers everything you tell him. - He listens and cares about you.[9] It's easy enough for your friends to remember your birthday or what your favorite sports team is. But if a guy knows exactly how you like your eggs cooked or what books you like to read, it means he's trying hard to know as much about you as possible, and you're on his mind a lot. He also probably really likes you.[10]
- For instance, if you get a message from a guy wishing you good luck on a test that you briefly mentioned to him before, it means he's thinking of you.
[Edit]He surprises you with things you like. - He's paying attention to you and your interests. If you get a gift from a guy that seems tailored to your interests, then he obviously thought of you whenever he saw it. He just had to get it and give it to you![11]
- For example, if you told a guy that your favorite TV show is Dr. Who, and he gets you a stuffed TARDIS as a gift, then he's obviously paying attention to you and thinking about you!
[Edit]He tells you he misses you. - He really likes you and can't stop thinking about you. Think about it: it's a big deal to just come out and tell someone you miss them. If a guy says it to you, he likely means it. He's probably had you on his mind all day long and he just had to tell you about it.[12]
- If he says, "Hey, I miss you. How's your day going?" or "I miss your face," he's definitely been thinking of you.
[Edit]He talks about future plans with you. - He may be thinking about you in the long term. If he talks about a new movie coming out that he wants to go see and he asks you if you'd be interested in going, it means he thinks of you as being present in his life in the future. If he has upcoming plans like a wedding or an office party, and he mentions that he'd like you to go with him, then it means that whenever he thinks about a date, he thinks of you![13]
- It may seem simple or like it's not a big deal, but he's talking about doing things with you weeks, months, or even years down the line, then you're definitely on his mind.[14]
- If you're close to his friends, you could try asking one of them if he talks about you for a sign that you're on his mind.
[Edit]References |
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