your knives. There are a variety of ways this can be done, but the most common ways are using a diamond stone or a whetstone, or water stone. Follow up with a honing steel to align the knife. Wet your whetstones, or water stones, by submerging them into water for at least 45 minutes. The surface of the water stone has to be wet while the knife is being sharpened against them.  Keep a bowl of water nearby to moisten the stone as needed. Allow mud to build up on the surface of the water stone. This will benefit the sharpening process by creating an abrasion for the knife’s edge to grind against. Hold the edge and the handle of the knife against the surface of the stone.  Use your free hand to hold the blade of the knife steady. Ensure that both of your hands are at a 15-20 degree angle as you prepare to make the first stroke. The knife should be sharpened against the grain and slid slowly and evenly towards you and the edge of the counter. The knife should be flat against the water stone and at a constant 15-20 degree angle.  At the end of the stroke, the tip of the knife blade should be the last point remaining on the stone. Once the tip of the knife touches the bottom of the water stone, reset the motions, and begin the stroke again.  Repeat the action several times. When one side is thoroughly sharpened, turn over the knife to work the other side against the water stone. Have your knives sharpened at least once a year, depending upon use. To steel a blade, hold the knife flat against a surface and slide it along, gradually raising the back of the blade until it begins to cut into the surface. From there, take your steel in one hand, and hold the back corner of the knife's edge to the end of the steel closest to you.  "Sweep" the blade towards the tip of the steel, making sure that all of the length of the blade comes in contact with the steel. Do this “sweeping” technique against the honing steel ten times for each side of the blade. Access its efficacy, its level of resistance, its precision in making really thin cuts, etc. If it needs to be sharpened more, start the sharpening process over again until you have the slice you like.

Summary: Sharpen Saturate the whetstone. Position the stone so that its shorter side is parallel to the end of the counter. Apply moderate pressure and drag the knife forward. Hone, or steel, your knives after sharpening for alignment. Test the sharpness of your knife by doing some vegetable prep.


Click Connections → Connect to open the Connect window. You can also press Ctrl+S to quickly open the window. This window will allow you to enter in the server information. Alternatively, you can click TeamSpeak links on websites to automatically launch the TeamSpeak client and connect to the server. You will need to enter the channel address, which may be a name or it may be an IP address. Make sure to include the port of the server, denoted by a ":" followed by the port number. If the server requires a password, you will need to enter it into the "Server Password" field. You can choose different profiles for hotkeys and microphone capture, but you probably won't need to change these right now.  The nickname displayed will be your requested nickname. If that name is already taken by someone in the server, your name will be altered. You can usually find the TeamSpeak server information on your group's website or forum. Ask another member if you can't find it. TeamSpeak will attempt to connect to the server, and you will see the main window start to fill with information. You can check the status of the connection in the status frame at the bottom of the window. On the left side of the window, you will see a list of channels on the server. Channels can be password protected, and you may need to be granted access by an admin. A list of users will be displayed beneath each channel.  Most larger gaming groups will have the server broken into channels for different games that the group plays, along with an Senior-only section if the group is particularly large. Server setups will vary wildly from group to group. Double-click on a channel to join it. You will only be able to talk with users in the same channel as you. Besides being able to voice chat, there is a basic text chat for each channel. This can be accessed by clicking on the tab at the bottom of the window. Avoid putting important, time-sensitive information or commands in the text chat, as many players will not see it in-game. If you plan on connecting to the server you are using on a frequent basis, you can make connecting much easier by bookmarking it. This will allow you to connect in the future with a single click. If you are currently connected to a server, click Bookmarks → Add to Bookmarks to add the current server to your bookmark list. If you want to add a server that you are not currently connected to, click Bookmarks → Manage Bookmarks to add a server manually.

Summary: Open the Connect window. Enter in the required information. Click the Connect button. Navigate the server. Text chat with other users. Bookmark frequent servers.


Although utility knives efficiently cut rigid foam insulation, table saws offer a cleaner, smoother incision. Buy or rent a table saw if you need the rigid foam insulation to fit exact measurements.  Table saws are, however, a pricier option—their cost can range anywhere from $150-400+ USD. Although most table saws work well for cutting foam, you can purchase a specialized foam cutting saw online or at many home improvement stores. Safety goggles, glasses, or a face shield can protect your eyes from flyaway foam. To protect your lungs from foam dust, wear a dust mask or respirator while you work.  Avoid wearing long sleeves, ties, jewelry, or loose-fitting clothes while using the saw. Never wear gloves while operating a table saw. Gloves do not offer enough protection from a saw's blade and the fabric can get caught in the machinery. If you're using a handheld saw, hold it steadily in your hands as you guide the blade through the line. For table saws, do not clamp the foam and push it through the blade instead.  Always keep your hands at least 6 inches (15 cm) away from the blade at all times. Read your electric saw's instructions before using the saw to make sure you use it safely. If the insulation still seems too large or if the cut looks uneven, make another cut with your electric saw. If not, brush off any residual foam dust and use the cut insulation foam in the project you need it for.

Summary: Use an electric saw instead of a knife if you need a precise cut. Put on protective gear before handling the saw. Run the saw's blade through the marked line. Check your rigid insulation cut for errors.


Forget about the classic 'listen to your teacher, do your work, work consistently' strategy. Instead, think long term. Relax, enjoy and have fun throughout the year. There is really no need to work your butt off for the internal examinations or try to impress your teachers because, in the IGCSEs, "only the boards matter!". When you do homework, you can test what you know on each subject, and you can look back at it for revision.  Every weekend, just read through the text. One chapter of each subject; whichever one you prefer, but, try not to repeat the same ones every time. A steady, ongoing state of learning will have you more than ready by exam time, rather than trying to cram at the last minute. Those breaks during the year provide a more relaxing, yet still work-focused, time to keep preparing consistently. If you use these times to keep learning, you won't stress anywhere near as much as those leaving it all until the last minute. This deeper learning and revision must begin well before the boards, so plan out a timetable and give up on about 90% of the fun you have been having at this point. It's serious study time! It may seem a long-term but it short in the bigger scheme of things and yet has such long-term impact, so dedicate yourself to the long-term outcome for the best.
Summary: Throw out previous thinking. Do your homework consistently during the year. Keep it in your mind that you need to get grades from A-star to C, because a D or lower is a fail. Read voraciously. Use your holidays and vacation as a time to study. Prepare in earnest from about six months, then really knuckle down at three months to go.