Problem: Article: Many schools have a minimum GPA requirement for homecoming court candidates, and most are reluctant to nominate any students that have a disciplinary record. To make sure that you'll qualify, try your best in your classes, and avoid putting yourself in risky situations where you might break laws or school rules. Committing to and working hard at extracurricular activities is a great way to get to know other students, and to make yourself known to them. Homecoming court members are elected by their peers, so joining multiple activities is a great way to meet potential friends and acquaintances who may vote for you later on. Try to take part in a diverse set of activities that span different social groups. If you are only involved in sports, or if your time is consumed by the math and debate teams, you may not get to know others besides the group of people who enjoy those activities. Branch out and meet new people by trying new things. Make an effort to get to know the other students outside your group of friends. Even if you don’t become close with them, they may remember a good conversation or a considerate compliment when it comes time to vote for the homecoming court. Because of that, they’ll be more likely to cast your vote for you. Being liked and respected by your classmates, even if you don’t know them well, can arise from actions as simple as smiling freely, laughing at their jokes, or cheering them up if they seem down. Many schools have different methods of choosing their homecoming court. At some, the candidate must first be nominated by a friend or a fellow participant in a club or sport. At others, a committee of faculty members might select the nominees. Find out how nomination works at your school, and if needed, ask a friend or teammate to nominate you, just to ensure you’ll be in the running. At larger schools and universities, an application or petition is often required before you can be nominated. If this is the case, find a copy of or link to your application and complete it well before it’s due. Similarly, if a petition is required, fill it out and begin circulating it well in advance of the vote.
Summary: Get good grades and stay out of trouble. Participate in many different extracurricular activities. Be kind and friendly to everyone you encounter. Research the nomination process.

Problem: Article: Your flamethrower does massive damage, but it's very short-ranged, so you must use it carefully. Don't charge at your opponents head-on while blasting your flamethrower.  It's intimidating, but you'll probably be gunned down before you can even singe another player.  Instead, try to sneak up behind a group of enemies, get up as close as you can, and then let your flamethrower rip! As a Pyro, fear is essentially your middle name.  You generally live to cause chaos and confusion in other players.  Apart from an oncoming Heavy, nothing is more intimidating to an enemy than a set of flames that continues to damage him or her after you are out of the way.  As such, you'll find that players tend to scatter and run from you, which helps to keep the enemy team from executing cohesive strategies. As a Pyro, Spies fear you more than any other class.  If you see the brief silhouette of a player flicker before you, immediately let loose with your flamethrower to reveal any cloaked Spies near you. Even spies in disguises can be set on fire by a vigilant pyro, instantly blowing their cover. The Pyro is the only class that can effectively break an ubercharge. You can use the flamethrower's compression blast to separate a medic from his uber-ed companion. If you separate the two by enough distance, the medic will no longer be able to share his uber with his buddy and your teammates will be able to gang up to finish both off. Do this when the uber players don't see you coming, as an uber-ed Heavy will make short work of an oncoming Pyro.
Summary: Take your enemies by surprise. Disrupt the enemy team's coordination. Reveal spies with your flamethrower. Use the compression blast to break ubercharges.

Problem: Article: When you’re working on a high volume workload, you are likely under a lot of pressure. You may feel overwhelmed by the amount of work you have to conquer. Eventually the stress will make you want to quit, resulting in burnout. To prevent it, you need to reduce the stress. Symptoms of stress manifest in your mind, body, emotions, and behaviors. You can spot stress with symptoms like lack of memory, rapid heartbeat, change in eating habits, irritability, a sense of loneliness, and many more. To help prevent burnout, take mini breaks throughout the day. These can be technology breaks, such as stepping away from your desk so that no one can contact you for a brief moment. Breaks can also be switching to a different task for a short time. Breaks are good. Consider taking one every hour. Promising yourself you will take a break at a certain point in a project can help you maintain the motivation you need to finish the job. But you can think bigger than just daily rewards. Plan a vacation or weekend trip to give you something to look forward to. You can also reward yourself by planning to do something creative at the end of the work day, or plan a weekly trip to the gym or out with friends. Try to leave work behind when you go home for the day. Set boundaries with your boss and coworkers so that they do not contact you when you are at home, or get a separate work phone and turn it off once you get to your house.  Practice relaxation techniques on your way home so that by the time you get to the door, you are much more calm. You can try breathing techniques to slow your heart beat, or place aromatherapy in your car if you drive. If you ride public transportation or carpool, try reading or listening to a book or magazine to help you forget about your work day. It can also be stressful to have to think about your physical safety and that of your coworkers while you are working on a high volume work load if your job requires physical labor. Set up safety precautions so that you can remove that stressor from your work environment.  Follow all the safety guidelines that your company recommends and poll your coworkers on a regular basis to make sure that they are also maintaining them. If your company is a bit remiss in safety precautions, institute some yourself.
Summary: Be aware that you are probably stressed. Allow yourself to take breaks. Plan rewards for yourself. Stop thinking about work when you go home. Take safety precautions.

Problem: Article: Despite their appearance, young swimmers and smaller species like Madtom and channel catfish present the most danger to fishing enthusiasts. This is because their hidden spines are smaller in diameter, often having needle-like points. Fortunately, their diminutive size makes them easier to handle, provided you take the proper precautions. There’s little to fear from larger prized catfish, since their spines tend to be thicker and dulled with age. If it’s your first time for catfish, or you’ve had one too many bad experiences in the past, consider investing in a pair of rugged outdoor gloves. The durable material will act as a buffer between the spines and your skin.  If you’re in a pinch, you could also cover your hand with a towel before handling your catch. One disadvantage of wearing gloves is that you won’t have the same kind of delicacy and sensitivity when it comes to handling. Thicker pairs may also make the fish harder to hold onto. Should you or anyone in your expedition happen to be pierced by a spine, get to a hospital right away. A doctor will know the best way to clean and bandage the wound in order to prevent infection. In the meantime, scrub the affected area with warm water and antibacterial soap and keep light pressure on it to slow the bleeding.  Use a pair of tweezers to remove any pieces of the spine that break off inside the wound.  It’s not advisable that you leave a catfish sting untreated, even if it doesn’t seem that severe—this is one scenario where the old outdoorsman’s adage “rub some dirt in it” doesn’t apply!
Summary:
Watch out for smaller catfish. Wear gloves to protect your hands. Seek medical attention for a catfish sting.