Q: Keep a low profile for the first few weeks and don’t do anything that might single you out. Older students sometimes give freshmen a hard time for the simple fact that they’re new and are usually too timid to stand up for themselves. When you’re getting started in high school, keep your head down, get a feel for the place and gain some confidence navigating your new surroundings before you start to explore social relationships.  Though it can be hard at first, your best bet for blending is to act like you already know how things around your school work. Try not to walk around staring in wide-eyed wonder; this will make it obvious to upperclassmen that you’re new and overwhelmed. Stick closely with your friends that are carrying over from middle school. They can be a great comfort while you’re all trying to get used to a new school and grade together. Get a sense of your classmates’ character before you attempt to make a new friend. Everybody likes nice people. If you're friendly toward every fresh face you see, they'll feel comfortable being around you and will have no reason to try to belittle you. Smile and introduce yourself to your new classmates, even the older ones. This is a good way to break the ice and get off on the right foot, since being the new kid at school can be a little awkward at first. Make an effort to be nice even when people aren't being nice to you. Returning negative feelings doesn't help anything. If someone is mean to you for no reason, don't bother with them. It's their loss! Pay close attention to where things are and how things are done so you can learn your way around your new school. Chances are, you won’t have to spend a lot of time dodging taunting juniors and seniors if you always know exactly where you’re going and move around with your group of friends. Finding your way around will make you feel more at home in your new school, which will give your confidence a boost.  Take the time to map out the quickest routes between all your classes, your locker, the cafeteria, gym and anywhere else you have to be on a daily basis, and don’t deviate from these routes until you feel comfortable getting around. Some unfriendly upperclassmen will take any opening they can to make fun of you, from the clothes you wear to the people you hang out with. Don't pay any attention to their insults. If you just ignore them, they'll have no reason to continue. Bullying is usually based on insecurity, so if someone is making fun of you, it probably just means they don't think much of themselves.  When ignoring a bully doesn't work, don't be afraid to speak up. You have the right not to be harassed at school. Bullies most often target kids that are younger or too timid to stand up for themselves, so if you stand firm, they will back off. If you stand up to a bully and the situation escalates to aggression, calmly find a faculty member and have them break it up. The bully will be dealt with and will think twice about bothering you in the future. You have more important things to do than deal with spiteful people who are always trying to start a problem with someone else. Some upperclassmen are more mean-spirited and will take any opportunity they can to bully and put down new students. Don’t give them the chance. Whenever you feel that ridicule or confrontation is imminent, quietly but quickly excuse yourself or move to another part of the room. Keep away from these students as much as you can—they’ll only try to make you feel bad about yourself.  If at all possible, choose a desk on the other side of the room from a trouble-making student. If you come across them in the hallway, just keep going. Don’t hang around and give them an invitation to start slinging insults. Arguing with a troublesome student will get you nowhere. Stand up for yourself by all means when you have to, but don’t engage in a back-and-forth verbal debate. This will get you nowhere. Most of the time, a bully’s motivation is simply to provoke and irritate their victims. If you deny them this satisfaction, they’ll have no reason to continue bothering you. Another way that older students might try to have fun at your expense is encourage you to do things you shouldn't be doing that could embarrass you or get you in trouble. If this scenario arises, just smile, say a simple "no thanks" and move on. Giving in to peer pressure might temporarily make you feel more involved, but it's hardly ever done for your own benefit. Know the right way and the wrong way to act, and have the self respect not to let others influence your decisions.  When you have to say "no," do it like you mean it! A classmate attempting to pressure you into doing something likely won't be discouraged if you sound unsure of yourself, so make sure that they get the idea the first time.  Try to avoid situations where you think negative peer pressure might come into play, like house parties where no parents are around. If an instance of bullying or peer pressure ever gets so bad that it becomes detrimental to your studies or your ability to enjoy the social side of high school, let an authority figure know. Your first course of action should always be to ignore taunts and aggressive behavior, or respond with a good-natured dismissal, but if it gets out of hand, you may need a little backup. There’s no shame in getting a teacher, principal or coach to step in on your behalf; sometimes it’s the only way to get an antagonizing student to lay off. Ask a teacher or other faculty member for assistance discreetly so that it doesn’t look like you’re telling on another student. Being too obvious about making a complaint might just get you made fun of more.
A: Don’t draw unnecessary attention to yourself. Be friendly. Know where you’re supposed to be. Don’t let upperclassmen pick on you. Stay away from classmates looking for trouble. Resist peer pressure. Have a teacher intervene if necessary.

Q: Head to your local hardware store for two 6-ft two-by-fours, two 17-by-17-inch squares of plywood, two 14-by-14-inch squares of carpet (or fake grass) and two 3.5-inch pieces of PVC pipe, each with a 4-inch diameter. Cut each two-by-four to 17 inches in length. Create a 17-by-17-inch square by cutting the ends of each of these four two-by-fours at 45-degree angles with a miter saw or box saw. Ensure that they can fit together to form perfect 90-degree angles in order to give the corners of the box a more finished look. Alternatively, cut two pieces of two-by-four to 14 inches (35.6 cm) and another two to 17 inches (43.2 cm). Place the shorter pieces between the longer ones; this will still give you a 17-by-17-inch square without the hassle of making angled cuts.  You may use plywood, OSB, or any type of wood that suits your budget and playing needs.  Be sure to lay the two-by-fours down on their narrow sides, not on the fat sides. Cut PVC pipe into two sections of about 3 ½”. You can also use other type of pipe but PVC is best for durability and budget. Flip the carpet face-down and, using a straight edge, trace two diagonal lines connecting the opposite corners. This will mark the center of the square. Center it according to the X you drew in the previous step and, using a marker, trace both the inside and the outside of the pipe onto the fabric. Using the utility knife, first cut the smaller circle out of the carpet. Try to keep the shape intact and set it aside, as you will need it later. Then, cut the remaining larger circle out of the carpet. Since you will not need this piece later, don’t worry about keeping it intact.
A:
Gather your materials. Cut four pieces of two-by-four to create a square. Create the targets using PVC pipe. Draw an X on the backside of your square of carpet. Trace the PVC pipe onto the center of the backside of the carpet. Cut the traced areas out of the carpet.