People often assume what they see is someone's personality, not a temporary reaction. If you see someone shouting, that is often the result of a bad day, not anger management issues. Psychologists call this the "fundamental attribution error" or "correspondence bias." People tend to think events are more about themselves than they actually are. If someone is acting stiff or rude, it's often because he's thinking of something else, not trying to offend you. If someone doesn't mention your new haircut, it's usually because he hasn't noticed, not because he wants to make you unhappy. Find something good you can say about the other person, and repeat it to yourself or out loud when you start complaining. If you don't know about any positive actions this person has done, compliment her on her clothing or her car. If she talks frequently about a topic, even if it's not one you are interested in, tell her you're impressed by her depth of knowledge on that topic. Get to know the other person by asking questions. Stay away from personal topics if you don't know him well, but follow up threads in the conversation by asking more about a person, place, or event that he mentions. Some people behave very differently in large groups or energetic environments than they do in one-on-one conversations or in quiet situations. If you would like to give someone another chance, try meeting them in a different context than you normally would. Invite them to a gathering with a different group of friends, or talk to a coworker over lunch in a cafe. If there's no hope for a friendship at this point, or at least a cordial acquaintanceship, move on to the next section.
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One-sentence summary -- Don't turn one interaction into someone's personality. Question whether someone's behavior is directed at you. Look for positive attributes. Ask questions. Meet in other contexts.


This unconventional trick can work surprisingly well, making it a favorite of many amateur cleaners on the internet. To start, find an old rag and dampen it with hydrogen peroxide. Lay your scorched item flat on your work surface and cover the scorch with the damp rag.  Hydrogen peroxide, a cleaning solution with mild bleaching properties, is usually available at grocery stores and pharmacies for quite cheap. If you have ammonia handy, you may also want to splash a few drops directly onto the scorch mark itself. Though ammonia and hydrogen peroxide are safe to use with each other (unlike ammonia and bleach), this isn't a mixture you'll want to ingest or rub into your face, so be sure to wash your hands when you're done. Next, put a clean, dry rag on top of the hydrogen peroxide-soaked rag. To be perfectly clear, you want to have three things stacked on your work surface: on the bottom, your scorched item, in the middle, your peroxide rag, and on top, your dry rag. Let your iron heat up  to a fairly hot (but not extremely high) temperature. Start gently rubbing the top cloth. The heat will gradually permeate through the layers and into your scorched item, where it will help the hydrogen peroxide work into the scorch mark and start to remove it. Be patient — this process can take some time. Check on your scorch mark frequently as you iron the top cloth. For mild to moderate scorch marks, you should notice steady, gradual improvement. If, at any point, you notice that the middle cloth is starting to dry out, remove it and give it another application of hydrogen peroxide. Similarly, if you initially sprinkled your scorched item with ammonia and you notice that it has dried out, give it a few more drops. Doing this keeps the cleaning process as quick and effective as possible. You'll also want to remove the top cloth and replace it with another if it ever becomes soaked with hydrogen peroxide from the middle cloth. This prevents rust stains on the iron.
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One-sentence summary -- Cover the stain with a hydrogen peroxide-soaked cloth. Cover this with a dry cloth. Iron on medium-high heat. Replace liquids as they dry out.


If you are used to going to bed at midnight, you will certainly have trouble suddenly going to bed at 8 o’clock. Instead, try going to sleep at 11 o’clock, then 10 o’clock, and so on. It can take days or weeks to change your body’s natural rhythm. It’s  important to begin adjusting your body a couple weeks before school starts. Give your body and mind plenty of time to adjust. Don’t start trying to adjust your sleep schedule two nights before school starts. You didn’t become a night owl overnight, so don’t expect to become a morning person overnight either! It takes time to reset your internal clock, so start a couple of weeks before the first day of school. Different age groups have different sleep requirements. Children from 6 to 13 should be getting 9-11 hours of sleep nightly, while teenagers ages 14-17 need about 8-10 hours. Younger adults age 18-25 are recommended to receive about 7-9 hours. Exercising regularly is a great way to expend energy and ensure you sleep soundly at night. It can also help you fall asleep more quickly. Studies have shown that people who exercise at least 150 minutes a week also feel more alert and energized during their waking hours. Exercising late at night can energize you right before you need to be in bed. Try to work out in the mornings or early afternoons, and relax with more calming hobbies in the evening, such as reading. Not only can caffeine make it harder for you to fall asleep, but it can also make your sleep disruptive and uneasy. By avoiding caffeine completely, you can get the deep, restorative sleep that will set you up for a successful day. If you don’t want to cut out caffeine  completely, at least try to avoid it up to six hours before bedtime. This means everything- phones, tablets, televisions, etc. These devices shine light into your eyes, which has been scientifically proven to promote wakefulness. Just as the sunset signals the end of the day, your electronics should go lights out too. A dark bedroom tells your brain that it is time to sleep. There are also free apps on smartphones that can provide white noise- just make sure the bright screen is off! Your brain craves stimulation, and it can be hard to turn that desire off at night. A white noise machine provides that stimulation, in a gentle and calming way. It also masks any bothersome noises from outside your bedroom that can keep you awake. You can play around with different white noise options such as thunderstorm, campfire, rain forest, and more. It is not easy to sleep if you are tossing and turning in a hot bedroom. As your body temperature lowers, your brain is told that it’s time to sleep. The best temperature for snoozing is anywhere from 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit.  If you aren’t in control of the thermostat, a ceiling fan or a portable fan can do the trick. A fan can also provide calming white noise.
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One-sentence summary --
Scale your bedtime back gradually. Determine how much sleep you need. Exercise daily. Avoid caffeine as you begin your new sleeping schedule. Keep electronics out of your bedroom. Invest in a white noise machine. Lower the thermostat.