There are some pieces of debris that may be lodged in the skin that did not come out with rinsing, especially with scrapes. Once the bleeding has stopped, look at the wound for extra debris in the skin. If you see any debris, use tweezers to gently remove any excessive particles from the wound. If the debris will not come out, see your doctor to have it removed.  Do not dig the tweezers into the wound. You don't want to injure yourself further. If there is no debris, you can move on to the next step. Once the bleeding has stopped, you need to run warm water over your wound again to rinse away the blood. Next, pour an antiseptic wash over the wound such as alcohol, peroxide, or providone-Iodine solution. You can also soak gauze in the solution and rub it over the wound gently to clean it out. This may sting, so brace yourself for the possible pain. Pat dry the wound with sterile gauze or a clean towel. This process may disrupt the clot on your wound and it may ooze or begin bleeding again. This is normal and does not indicate a more serious wound since you were able to stop it at one point. Even if you think you have removed all of the dirt and debris, there is still a chance that your wound could become infected. Because of this, applying some antibiotic cream to the wound is always a good idea. This ointment will also keep your scrape moist so it won’t crack and get worse when you move around. A thin layer of ointment, or antibiotic powder, covering the area of the wound should be enough.  Neosporin, Polysporin and Bacitracin are the three of the most common products used. You can use hydrogen peroxide to initially clean the wound but it should not be used in the long run because it can do damage to the tissue in and around your wound. Once you have added ointment, you need to bandage your wound. Take gauze or large bandage and cover your wound. Take medical tape and cover each of the edges. This will help keep out debris, germs, and other particulates. If your scrape isn't too large, you may be able to use a large band-aid instead of gauze.  These supplies can be found in most drug stores and pharmacies. If the wound is over a flexible joint, rolled gauze may be more easily managed. You can make it more easily secured with this kind of gauze on the wound and it will be less likely to fall off. Redress your wound two to three times a day. Taking the bandage off allows the wound to be cleaned and give fresh bandages, and it allows you to take a look at the wound and check to see if any infection is occurring. Do not leave a dressing on for more than 24 hours. You should change the bandages any time they get wet or dirty, as dirty bandages can lead to your scrape becoming infected. Despite your efforts to keep the scrape clean, you may still get an infection. This will depend on the size of the scrape as well as other factors such as your age, overall health, and any conditions such as diabetes and obesity. These can also affect your healing time as well. Signs of infection to look for are redness around the wound or on the edges,  especially if expands in area from one day to the next. It may also start draining or ooze pus from the wound. If you notice that you develop a fever as well, you may also have an infection.
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One-sentence summary -- Remove stuck in debris. Clean the wound with antiseptic. Apply antibiotic cream to the scrape. Bandage the wound. Change the dressing. Watch for signs of infection.


Many students think that it isn't important to start doing your best until your first year in high school, but this is far from the truth. If you want to start off your freshman year with Honors classes, you have to make As (or high Bs) in your 8th grade year; otherwise you likely won't get accepted into these competitive, impressive, and highly sought after Honors classes. Every school is a bit different. Some schools require tests to be admitted to Honors classes, some take students based on teacher recommendation, while others will put you in whatever classes you feel like taking. To make sure you can start out high school ahead of the curve, it's best to be impressive during your years in junior high, too. If you want to excel in extracurriculars in high school – which is a great way to get scholarships, attract attention to colleges in general, and show you're well-rounded – you need to start now. There will be some really good athletes and performers in your high school, so keep up with them by starting early.  Experiment with a few activities while you're still young enough to drop them if you don't like them and pick another. And don't just stick to one area – if you're big into sports, branch out to dancing or a musical instrument. If you're more artistic, find something athletic to give a try. You could be great at it! Read the class descriptions and talk to other students who have taken the classes you're interested in. Taking a class just because a friend is taking it too won't help you and, what's more, your friend will probably just be a distraction. Instead, look for classes with students and material that is slightly above your level as the best motivator is competition.  If you're looking to be valedictorian, one of the ways to cinch that is to take loads of Honors classes (provided you can still get As). Straight As in Honors classes are even more impressive than straight As in regular classes, so take as many difficult classes as you can handle – without compromising your GPA, of course. A great GPA in normal classes is better than a poor GPA in Honors. Keep in mind the subjects necessary to pursue your intended career. If you're considering becoming a psychologist, for example, take psychology and sociology over Metal Shop and Ceramics. If you can, look at the textbooks for the various classes. Oftentimes the rigor of the textbook will reflect that of the class. Ask your teacher or office staff if you can get the textbooks during the summer – most schools have last year's textbooks in a closet somewhere just waiting to be read. Unless the books are new and they're being shipped, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to get yours to read for the summer.  Ask your teachers, older students or consult the Internet to find the best sources for supplemental readings. Use several reference books that will augment your understanding of the material. This way you'll be able to truly wrap your brain around any concept your teacher presents you. Don't be afraid of seemingly difficult material. Think of it as a challenge and face it head on. It may be confusing now, but when your class is covering it, it will all click into place and you'll be that much further ahead.
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One-sentence summary --
Make the best grades you possibly can in your 7th and 8th grade years. Start your extracurriculars now. Pick the classes you enroll in carefully. Obtain the textbooks early, and supplemental ones, too.