It's important to chill the pastry so it doesn't shrink as much when you bake it. Ensure that the shell chills for about 30 minutes. If you're using a frozen, store-bought pie shell, you can probably just leave it in the freezer until the oven is fully preheated. Carefully take the pastry shell out of the oven and lift away the parchment with the pie weights, rice, or beans. Return the pastry shell to the oven and cook it until it's just starting to become brown. Then remove the pie shell and let it cool a little while you make the filling. Keep the oven turned on to 350 °F (177 °C) so you can bake your quiche once you've assembled it.

Summary: Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and freeze the pie shell. Remove the weights and bake the shell for 10 to 15 minutes.


The WAIS is an appropriate IQ assessment for individuals over the age of 16. This is the primary assessment used to measure cognitive ability by professionals. Currently, the test involves IQ measurement on four scales: verbal comprehension, perpetual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed.  The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) is available for children ages 6-16, and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) is an accurate IQ assessment for children ages 2-7.  The WAIS is not considered an accurate IQ measurement for extremely high or low IQs (above 160 or below 40). Although the Stanford-Binet test can be used for adults, this IQ assessment was initially developed for children. The age-determined questions are best suited for young children, adolescents, and young adults. It is not uncommon for preschoolers to receive a low score on the Stanford-Binet assessment, not because of their intelligence but their unwillingness to cooperate. Mensa International offers membership to their community for those with high IQs as recorded on their own or other authorized IQ tests. The Mensa admissions test is one of the most widely-available IQ measurements as well as the most affordable. The test is administered at set times during the year and costs $40 USD. Generally, the Mensa assessment takes around two hours. Besides the WAIS, Stanford-Binet, and Mensa admissions tests, other authentic IQ tests exist. For the most trusted tests, go to a licensed psychologist who can either proctor the test for you or direct you to an official testing center. Official IQ tests, like the WAIS or the Stanford-Binet scale, are scientific measurements of intelligence. Unauthorized tests online are usually free and cheaper, but they are highly inaccurate. Most will give you an inflated or randomized and thus meaningless score.

Summary: Take the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) to test your verbal and performance-based IQ. Take the Stanford–Binet Intelligence Scale if you are a child or adolescent. Take the Mensa admissions test if you're on a budget. Make sure you take an accredited IQ test. Take online tests for a fun but unreliable score.


Choose a note in the lower register. Play it on your trumpet for 30 seconds at first. Keep practicing until you can work up to 2 minutes or more at a single time. If you are worried about playing the right note, use a keyboard or piano and try to match it. Play 3 notes up, 5 notes up, and then go back down. Keep moving up and down the notes. Try to push a little bit higher each time. It’s okay if you can’t hold the high notes for as long. This is mainly about improving your ability to move between notes. ” Try to go from the middle of your range to the bottom, to the top, and then to the middle. If you can do this without breaks, it is a great breathing work-out. Get out your trumpet mouthpiece and buzz your lips against it. Do this every day for 15 minutes. Continue this for 4 to 8 weeks. After the 8 weeks is up, you can reduce this time to 1 to 2 minutes each day. Another lip exercise is to place a pencil in between your lips and hold it out in front of you. Do this daily and try to keep it in position for 3 to 4 minutes. Hitting the C note is the entry-point into the higher range. Start by playing on the low F# then do a lip slur for 5 notes. Count them out, like 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1-2-3-4-5. Then, repeat this process as you move up the scale. The goal here is to be consistent in hitting and moving between notes using only the power of your lips. A lip slur is an exercise, often used by brass players, that involves creating and changing notes by using your lips alone. These exercises are often played in descending order and by notes with the same fingering. For example; G-C-G, F sharp-B-F sharp, F-B flat-F, and so on... Pull a deep breath into your lungs over the course of 4 beats. Release the air out of your mouth over the course of 4 beats. Then, inhale for 3 beats and exhale for 4. Then, inhale for 2 beats and exhale for 4. The goal here is to make the same amount of air last longer, which is what you’ll need to reach a high note. You can also do the bottom-middle-top exercise where you breath from your gut first, then your chest, then your throat, and breath out. You go can change the speed and how long you hold to adjust to your needs. For example, you could breath in for 12 out for 12 if you want to practice a piano dynamic. You could also do in for 4 out for 4 for mezzo-forte. You can also get a stopwatch and time how long it takes for you to release 2 beats worth of air. See if you can extend this time with practice. If you try to practice each day for hours you’ll wear out your tongue, lips, and throat. However, it’s a good idea to spend at least 15 minutes each day either exercising your lips or actually playing. This will gradually build up your endurance for playing the trumpet.

Summary: Work on holding a single note in tune. Move up and down a scale. Play a “siren. Exercise your lips. Do a five-note exercise. Do breathing exercises. Practice every day for at least 15 minutes.


Distractions from classmates sitting in front of you can make it very difficult to pay attention in class and keep up with lessons. Choose a seat at the front of the classroom, where you can listen attentively to everything that your teacher says. Being up front will also put you on your teacher’s radar, which will allow them to see you engaging with the lesson and may help you  win you extra points with them.  Being in front will also remove the temptation to pull out your phone, read something that isn’t pertinent to the class, or zone out. If you can't move to the front of the class, ask your classmates to let you focus and to not talk to you during class. Absorb the most that you can during each lesson by taking notes in class. Instead of writing down every word your teacher says, listen attentively to pick up on the important details, such as names, dates, and places. Write short, simple sentences that include important keywords from the lesson. For instance, "Franz Ferdinand (archduke of Austria) was assassinated on June 28, 1914." Speaking up in class is an excellent way to show that you are keeping up with the course work and thinking about the material thoughtfully. Bring up points and questions that relate directly to the specific lesson or module your class is covering that week. Mention other students’ ideas in a respectful way, either to agree or disagree, to show that you are fully engaged in the conversation.  For example, say something like, "I agree with Andrea's point about global warming, and I think even more effort can be put into making a change." Try to think of questions that will spark further discussion. For instance, "How do you think Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet might have been different if he had written the play in the age of social media?"
Summary: Sit at the front of the class. Take detailed notes. Take part in class discussions.