. Even if you prepare a restful room, you might still wake earlier than you would like. In this situation, you need to quickly and easily allow yourself to slip back into sleep without fully rousing, or else you will lie there alert and awake and not be able to fall back asleep. Mindfulness is a meditative practice that can help you calm your mind when you wake up unintentionally.   As you feel your body moving from a state of sleep to gradual wakefulness, keep your body in a comfortable sleeping position and keep your eyes closed. Calmly think about falling back asleep. Think about how comfortable the bed feels around you, how relaxed your mind is, and try to gently guide your mind back to rest. If you were dreaming, you can help your mind move back into a sleep state by re-entering the dream world. Think about where you left off in the dream, and use your imagination to think about what might happen next in the dream. A mantra is a short, simple phrase that you can recite over and over in a form of meditation, as a way of getting control over your mind and body.  A mantra can help you to lull yourself back to sleep. In fact, reciting a mantra can help to lower your blood pressure and heart rate, helping establish a sleepy state.  Your mantra can be as simple as "Rest. Rest. Rest." or "I welcome sleep." A soft lullaby, relaxing prayer, or self affirmation can be a nice way to lull yourself off to sleep. It helps if it is something you have also made a habit of reciting at bedtime, so that it serves as a cue to your mind and body that it is bedtime If you find you wake up and have to use the restroom, try to do so as peacefully and quietly as possible, so that you can return to your bed and get more rest.   Get out of bed and pull your blankets back up to the pillow. If you use the restroom quickly, this will keep your side of the bed warm with your body heat while you're away. Otherwise, you'll return to cold sheets that can make it hard to get cozy again. Don't turn on the lights, open the blinds, or check your phone. If you wear glasses but can navigate safely to the bathroom without them, don't put them on. Each of these things will rouse your mind and can cause you to wake more fully. If you wake up earlier than you wanted to but find that you can't fall back asleep, don't just lay there tossing and turning! If it has been more than fifteen minutes or so since you woke up, get up and make the bed. Then, do something relaxing like gentle yoga or listening to soothing music. If you start to feel drowsy, go back to bed, turn down the covers, and curl up in a ball or your favorite sleeping position. This way your body continues to associate the bed with sleep and the rest of the house with wakefulness. By making the bed and turning down the covers when you go back to bed, you are sending your brain the signal that you are starting over with your sleep. This can help you fall back to sleep easily.

Summary: Practice mindfulness Recite a peaceful mantra. Take care of business quickly. Get out of bed.


Extract material from nose quickly and keep your hand down on your lap. Then, when you are talking to somebody and they have their full attention to your face, flick material into the world.

Summary: Slowly excuse yourself and slowly turn around.


Shipping off to university often means leaving behind the church you were raised in. Since worship is a cornerstone of faith, it’s vital to seek out another spiritual community that will welcome you. Research the various churches on or around campus and find one that suits your values.  If possible, meet with the pastor or congregation leader one-on-one to find out more about the church and decide whether it would be a good fit for you. Once you’ve integrated into a new church community, you can begin attending weekly worship services and strengthening your connection to the Lord. Look into student-led Christian organizations at your school that are accepting new members. This can be a great way to meet like-minded individuals who are serious about their faith. As part of a student group, you’ll read and discuss scripture, participate in community outreach events, and be lifted up by the love and support of your brothers and sisters in Christ. The kinship you feel as part of a group can motivate you to become more active in your faith and your local church community. Through your church or student group, you’ll have a chance to meet other Christians your age and form meaningful friendships. These friendships will serve as the basis of your social network while you’re in school. Together, you can help one another stay the course amidst the chaos and confusion of the world around you.  Older students can make great advisers, as they’ve often experienced the same spiritual hardships that may be troubling you now. Don’t waste time on those who try to ridicule or exclude you for your religious choices. Making friends is hard enough without having the foundations of your faith mocked. No matter how hectic things get, make some time each day to sit in quiet contemplation or scan a few passages. Scripture and prayer are your link to Christ. The more time you devote to His word, the stronger that link will grow.  Take an occasional break from studying math, science, and literature to go over a few choice verses. Invite your friends to take part in Bible study or group prayer alongside you.

Summary: Find a new home church. Join student groups on campus. Become friends with other students who share your beliefs. Pray and read your Bible.


Insert the hook through the first stitch or space to be worked over.  The hook should not be attached to any yarn yet. Note that the right side of the piece should face toward you but the yarn should be at the back. Grab the yarn with your hook. Pull both the yarn and hook through to the front of the piece. You should have one loop on your hook after completing this step. Insert the hook into the stitch or space directly next to the one you first worked in. Yarn over the hook from back to front. In one motion, pull the yarn-over back through to the front of the work while also pulling it through the loop previously on your hook.  If this motion is too difficult for you to master, you can pull the yarn-over through to the front of the work first before pulling it through the loop on your hook. You've essentially just completed one chain stitch over the surface of the original piece, thereby securing the yarn in place. Insert the hook back into the second worked stitch and follow the same procedure to create another chain stitch. Repeat this as many times as needed to build the size dot you desire.  For a moderately sized dot, create three to five of these stitches. Each of these chain stitches must be worked over the same stitch of your original piece. When you're satisfied with the dot size, insert the hook through the stitch or space directly next to the one your chain stitches were worked into. Yarn over the hook from back to front, then pull this yarn-over back through to the front of the work while simultaneously pulling it through the loop already on your hook.  As before, you can pull the yarn-over through to the front of the work before pulling it through the loop if doing so is easier for you. This final chain stitch closes the dot. Cut the yarn, leaving a 4-inch (10-cm) tail. Pull this tail through the loop on your hook to finish and secure the stitch. Pull the loose tail of yarn back through to the back of the work and weave it into the underside of the piece to hide it. This step also provides the dot with further security.
Summary: Insert the hook. Draw up a loop. Insert the hook into the next stitch. Chain one through the stitch. Repeat several times. Insert the hook into the next stitch. Chain one. Fasten off the yarn.