Knowing why you want to drop out can help you decide whether it is really the best path and can help you decide what to do.  Some common reasons for dropping out are:  A lack of intellectual stimulation.  If you find high school to be too easy and you are bored, you may be tempted to drop out and start college or vocational training early. Feeling unprepared and behind.  If you feel as though high school is too difficult, you have missed too much content to ever catch up, or no one will support you, you may be tempted to leave high school and give up on your education. Having other responsibilities. If you are unexpectedly becoming a parent, have an ailing family member, or have to work to support your family, you may feel that dropping out of high school is your only option so that you have time to work. See your guidance counselor or a teacher that you trust and tell them your situation.  There may be a solution to your complaint that does not involve dropping out:  If you are experiencing a lack of intellectual stimulation, you may be able to take more challenging classes.  Some schools that do not offer advanced-level courses on-site may have relationships with colleges or with online-based institutions.  You may even be able to dual-enroll and complete an Associate's Degree and your high school diploma at the same time. If you are feeling unprepared and behind, you might have to work really hard to catch up if you are behind. The good news is that there are likely educators at your school that will work with you and help you, particularly if they know that you are considering dropping out.  Ask about credit recovery, offer classroom labor (like cleaning or organizing) in exchange for tutoring, and find out what work can be made up. If you have other responsibilities, talk to your guidance counselor about them.  You may be able to do a work program that earns both money and school credit.  Your counselor may also know of financial resources that could help you financially while keeping you in school.  Remember that a high school graduate's lifetime income is 50%-100% higher than someone who drops out, so dropping out may not be the best long-term solution for your family. If someone else—a parent, a friend, or a significant other—is pressuring you to drop out, tell them to stop.  This is a decision that only you can make.  This decision could have a long-ranging impact on your life, so you need to feel confident in your convictions.

Summary: Assess the reason you want to drop out. Ask about other options first. Do not drop out for someone else.


Gardeners should keep in mind that most conifer species, with the exception of yew, cannot survive a severe pruning. Although the green foliage can be trimmed, the brown areas of old growth should be left alone because these places will not regenerate if cut. Some conifers have an area in the center where no foliage grows, but this is normal and not indicative of any problems.  In trees where this is the case, gardeners should avoid pruning into this area because doing so will result in a lopsided tree. The plants will not grow back to cover up the hole.  Therefore, tree trimmers should check the foliage areas before making decisions about which branches to lop off Although wanting to remove the lower branches of a tree is understandable, gardeners who do so may end up with an unsightly specimen when the tree gets taller. Therefore, tree trimmers should exercise restraint and only remove the bottom branches when it becomes absolutely necessary. Evergreens should not be topped, or cut off at a certain height, because this will produce trees that are anything but attractive. Trees that are topped are also at a greater risk for disease and other ailments. Conifers should not be pruned later in the summer or in the fall. Late season pruning can result in new, lush growth that will not have a chance to mature before the cold, damaging winter weather.

Summary: Be aware that most conifer species will not survive a severe pruning. Refrain from pruning into the empty, central area of the tree. Only remove the bottom branches of trees when absolutely necessary. Avoid topping evergreen trees. Do not prune conifer trees too late in the year.


For regular verbs ending in -er, you form the past participle by removing the -er ending and instead using an é. For example, the past participle of parler (to speak) is parlé. For regular verbs ending in -ir, you don't have to remove the entire ending. Just remove the r so that the verb ends with an i. For example, the past participle of the verb choisir (to choose) is choisi. If you have a regular French verb ending in -re, you simply remove the -re ending and replace it with a u to form the past participle. For example, the past participle of vendre (to sell) is vendu. Just as in English, French has a number of irregular verbs that may have endings similar to regular verbs, but are conjugated differently. Their past participles tend to be irregular as well, so you just have to memorize them as you come across them.  In some cases you can find patterns. For example, most irregular verbs that end in -oir have a past participle that ends in u. The past participle of "voir" (to see) is "vu;" the past participle of "vouloir" (to want or to wish) is "voulu." Most irregular verbs that end in -re have a past participle that ends in -is. For example, the past participle of "comprendre" (to understand) is "compris;" the past participle of "apprendre" (to learn) is "appris."
Summary: Replace -er with é. Remove the r from -ir verbs. Exchange a -re ending with a u. Memorize irregular verbs.