Go and sleep for a little bit. If you're wired and can't sleep, try to relax. Either way, make sure your alarm is set for 20-60 minutes so you don't lose track of time. Taking a short nap or spending time relaxing will refresh you. If you're high on marijuana, it will help you shake off some of the grogginess associated with your high. If you're amped up and wired from something else, trying to relax will help you focus. Your mind will become crisper and you’ll be able to think clearer.  Find a place that is cool and dark. Use some white noise, if it helps you. If you can't sleep, try to eliminate distractions while you rest and focus your thoughts. By calming your mind, you'll put yourself in a better place to study later. Set your alarm clock or phone alarm so you don’t wind up sleeping all day and night. Another great way to sober up so you can study is to do some light exercise. Exercising will help get your juices pumping, and combined with eating well and hydrating, should give you a burst of energy and make you more alert. Consider:  Exercising might make your high more intense (in the short term, about 15 minutes). Exercising will help you focus your mind better. If you're amped up on something, exercise will give you a positive outlet for your extra energy. Going for a short jog, perhaps about 10 minutes long. Doing some jumping jacks or pushups. Taking a shower is a great way to help you get into the right mind frame for studying if you’re high. This is because showers freshen us, wake us up, and recharge us. In a way, taking a shower is a way of starting your day anew. Consider:  Taking a cold shower if you need to “shock” yourself into waking up. If you're wired, taking a shower will relax you and help you focus. Don’t spend too long in the shower. The key is not to relax, but to freshen yourself up a bit. Try to spend just 3-5 minutes in the shower, then get to work.

Summary: Take a short nap or relax. Do some light exercise. Take a shower.


Take part in school and community productions. You'll learn how to read scripts and take stage directions, and get comfortable performing in front of an audience. You'll also meet other actors of all ages, who can help you learn about what it's like to be an actor. Get familiar with what's in your area. Many schools, churches, and local community theaters put on productions with roles for children. Go to local productions or watch at home, but watch great performances by great actors. You’ll learn your craft, and you’ll become familiar with stories and scripts that you might see at an audition. Check out these movies that feature young actors to get an idea of the many and varied roles for kids. Make (and post on YouTube or Vimeo, if you want) videos of yourself.  Learn how to play to the camera, and get comfortable being the star of the show. Classes may be available through community theaters or local organizations. Summer acting camps are also popular. Taking classes shows a commitment to acting as a profession, and you will likely learn about the industry as well as the craft.

Summary: Act in local theater. Watch the classics. Court the camera. Take acting classes.


You can buy both of these items at your local grocery store. Flour or cornstarch will help to thicken any sauce, and gravy is no exception. As long as you can avoid making lumps this option is the fastest way to thicken your gravy. You should put slightly more water than cornstarch or flour. There are no exact measurements here because it all depends on the amount of gravy that you have. This isn’t an exact science so you’ll have to eyeball it, but you should use approximately two tablespoons of cornstarch per cup of gravy. Make sure that you make this mix in a separate bowl. Stir thoroughly until smooth. Don’t pour it in all at once, make sure you do this very gradually. Pour a little bit, stir, and then pour some more. Continue this process until all of your mixture is in the gravy. Now give the gravy another good stir to get rid of any cornstarch lumps that might still be in there. When the gravy takes on a viscous look it’s probably ready to go. You can also taste it with a spoon to see if it has reached the thickness you wanted. It’s all about your own personal taste. Just don’t let it burn. Now you are ready to serve your gravy!

Summary: Buy flour or cornstarch. Mix cornstarch or flour with a little water. Add the water and flour or cornstarch mixture to the gravy. Remove your mixture from the heat source when the gravy thickens.


Once the stems of flowers have been cut, you have removed their life support system.  Remove the wrapping paper, as paper can bruise the flowers and cellophane can cause them to sweat. When cut flowers have been left out of water for any length of time, cells start to form over the cut ends of the stems, which will prevent the stems taking up water readily. To remove this sealed portion, snip off about 2.5cm (1") from the stem ends and then place in water preferably with preservative added, and allow the flowers to have a long drink before arranging. Warm water should be used as flowers take up warm water more readily than cold.  Flowers only drink through the ends of the stems and not through the sides of the stems, and for this reason buckets should not be filled right up to the top with water, as foliage left on stems below the water line will rot and pollute the water. This will feed bacteria and the flowers will die more quickly. The foliage of Marigolds, Chrysanthemums, Stock and Daisies send off a particularly strong odor when left standing under water over a period of time. Use a sharp pair of secateurs and cut the flower stems on an angle - a slanted cut allows a better intake of water. Remove all foliage from the lower portion of the stems which would stand under the water line. Place the flowers immediately in the water. Allow enough air to circulate between each flower. Too many flowers crowded together in a bucket may cause the petals to become squashed and bruised. Place the bucket in a cool dark place and allow the flowers to have a long drink before being arranged. When picking short-stemmed flowers, use a smaller container. This step is called conditioning. It allows the stems to fill up with water and the flowers will become crisp. These flowers will last twice as long as those that have not been conditioned properly. Flower preservatives  are available in garden centers or supermarkets. Another alternative is to use a cap-full of household bleach in the water. If a preservative is not used, the water needs to be changed and the stems cut on an angle daily. If a preservative is used, the stems do not require re-cutting and water needs changing only about twice a week. Flowers, like Freesias, Spray Carnations and Liliums, have lots of buds. By using a preservative in the water, it helps develop the buds to open.
Summary: Place flowers in warm water as soon as possible. Fill a plastic bucket, one-third to one-half full, with warm water. Take the bucket of water into the garden with you. Avoid overcrowding flowers. Allow flowers to have a good drink for four to five hours, preferably overnight before arranging. Use a flower preservative to destroy bacteria in the water.