Summarize the following:
These words can come from a textbook, the internet, or a handout you got from a teacher. Either way, it's best to have the words right in front of you so you can memorize them more easily. You can also write the words out by hand on a piece of paper, which will help you memorize them even more. Drawing a picture that describes each word will help you remember it better. Make sure to maintain the original meaning of each word as best as you can.  Nouns might be easiest, as you’ll just have to draw the person, place, or thing. Adjectives will be somewhat easy. Words like “big” and “beautiful” will be relatively easy to draw. Verbs might be more difficult. For a word like “associate” try to draw its meaning (the connection between things). Word association webs will help you remember words by associating them with other words. This is a great visual way of memorizing words quickly and will complement other visual approaches to memorization.  Write the word you want to remember on the center of a sheet of paper. Draw lines outward from the center connecting the center word to other words that you associate with it. For example, if the word is “winter” draw a line outward connecting it to “snow” and another line on the other side connecting it to “freezing” and another line on the side connecting it to “ice.” Repeat this process outward until you’re confident you will remember it. This should not take more than 3-5 minutes per word. Creating a picture story is similar to creating a word or sentence story, but instead of writing it out, you’ll be drawing your story. This method works great for very visual and artistic learners who might be overwhelmed with writing out vocabulary words.  Take your list of words and quickly draw a picture for each word. Try to maintain the original meaning of the word, if you can. Organize the pictures so they make a story you can remember. This will work great when paired with word association and mnemonic devices. The more time you spend looking at and thinking about your visual aids, the better prepared you’ll be and the better you’ll remember your word list. Spread this out over a couple days if possible. Review your visual aids when you have time. Consider:  Reviewing them while eating. Looking at them when you have downtime in between other tasks and projects. Spending a couple minutes looking at them and thinking about them when you wake up and before you go to sleep.

summary: Have the list of words you need to memorize printed out in front of you. Draw a picture for each word. Create a word association web. Create a picture story. Spend time reviewing your picture, your web, and your story.


Summarize the following:
Start small. You can make an effort to make eye contact during conversations. You can also do something that you've never done before (eg. changing your hairstyle). This will make you feel and become bolder over a period of time, although it may seem strange and frightening at first. If you're having trouble coming up with a conversation starter, think of compliments you could give or questions you could ask. These will quickly get the other person talking. Enroll in a class to learn a new skill or join a group with similar interests. These are great opportunities to have regular interactions with strangers that could become friends.  Expect it to be awkward at first, but stick with it. Practice talking with people in the group every week. It will get easier and easier. One great organization for overcoming shyness and gaining confidence as a public speaker is toastmasters. If you find yourself struggling to come up with things to say, share what's going on in your life. Allow yourself to be the interesting person that you are and don't be afraid to let others know what's been happening with you.  Showing mutual interest in another person's life will also help spur a conversation on. With enough practice, a natural conversation will easily develop. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable in a conversation can be hard at first, but it will help you to create bonds with other people and it is a natural part of conversation. Learn breathing techniques or exercise to release anxiety. Close your eyes and take deep breaths to clear your mind. Try to learn tips that will help you in social settings. For example, you could learn visualization techniques. Close your eyes and imagine being happy and confident in an imaged scenario. This can actually make you more confident, or at least relieve some of your fear. Don't wait for the perfect situation to present itself. If you want to go from shy to confident, you first need to put yourself out there in order to meet people. Put yourself in social situations and practice speaking. Accept feeling awkward. Remember that becoming confident will take practice. Don't give up after one attempt at being bold. Repeated attempts will make it easier and easier to interact. Instead of focusing completely on your shyness and anxieties, distract yourself by considering other people. Take some time to help someone you know who needs it. You don't have to do something epic.  Just spending time with a relative that's lonely or sharing dinner with a friend who needs help can empower you and make others feel better. You can also show an interest in other people and ask them open ended questions to help take the pressure off of you during conversations. People usually love to talk about themselves, so this is a good conversation strategy and it will make them feel good about themselves. Talking slowly can also help to calm you down when you are feeling nervous. Practice on your own by reading something out loud slowly and then extend this into your conversations with other people and any public speaking that you have to do. If you catch yourself speaking rapidly, then stop and take a deep breath before you continue. Shyness is a common problem for many people, but in some cases it may begin to interfere with your daily life. If this happens, then you may need to seek the help of a therapist. For example, if you avoid social events due to shyness, cannot effectively perform at school or work, or if you feel extremely anxious as a result of your shyness, then you may want to see a therapist for help.

summary: Have a game plan. Join a class or group. Don't be afraid to talk about yourself. Practice relaxation techniques. Spend more time around people. Do something for others. Practice slow talk. Seek help from a therapist if shyness is interfering with your life.


Summarize the following:
Most prescriptions have a generic option. These cost much less than name brand medicines, but are essentially the same medication. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if any of your prescriptions can be switched to generic version. Insurance plans often cover more on these as well. There are mail-order pharmacies that you can send your prescriptions to in order to cut costs. These pharmacies take medicines for which you have a long-standing prescriptions and send you a three month supply for the price of one. If you are taking expensive medications for chronic conditions, this can save you a lot of money since you will only pay for four months worth of medication per twelve months. There are certain organizations, such as AARP and AAA, that can offer discounts on prescriptions. There are even certain people who might qualify for free prescription cards through Medicare or other plans. When using a discount card, make sure you find the cheapest price you can on the prescriptions before you use the discount card. Some pharmacies offer lower prices on medications than others. This way, your out of pocket cost is as low as possible. If there are conditions or illnesses that you suffer from that you can use over-the-counter medication for, use those medications instead. Conditions such as chronic allergies or head colds can easily be helped with over the counter medicine instead of expensive prescriptions. If your condition doesn't get any better, see your doctor to make sure nothing serious is wrong.
summary: Switch to generic medications. Get your prescriptions through the mail. Get a discount prescription card. Use over-the-counter medications when possible.