You want to learn every aspect of a language over time, but you don’t have time for that right now. Don’t worry about becoming fluent overnight, because you won’t be able to. Instead, focusing your learning will help you demonstrate mastery of the concepts that will earn you a good grade.  A few examples of vocabulary sets are kitchen and dining, transportation, and animals. Some examples of grammatical units are irregular verbs, past tense, or adjective endings. Write the English word on one side, and the other language on the flip side. Cutting your index cards in half is a good way to conserve them. After all, you only need a little space to squeeze in a word or phrase. A way to make this even easier for your brain to associate a concept with its word in a foreign language is with drawings. For example, if you’re trying to learn die Gabel, German for fork, drawing a fork on one side rather than the English word fork may help you connect the concept to the German word. As tedious as this is, it is the best way to learn grammar. Write a sentence for each tense and/or word ending. Afterwards, you can choose to write more sentences, or to read over the ones you already wrote, partially memorizing them. Grammar is an essential part of languages, so you should spend time on it. If you are no longer in entry level courses, your test may involve a speaking component. Luckily, this is pretty easy to do if you are already studying. When you are using flash cards, say the word before you flip it over. Similarly, say the sentences you are writing out loud. This will get you in the habit of saying the words that you will need for the test tomorrow.  Make sure you are pronouncing the word correctly. Some languages are easier for beginners to learn the intonations than others, but your teacher will respect that you have done your best for your skill level. Speaking out loud in the language will also help you with circumlocution. This is the ability to find ways to describe what you want to say if you can’t remember the word. For example, if you can’t remember the word fork, saying something like “this is a small kitchen tool that is not a spoon or a knife, that you use to eat chicken.” Your teacher may not give you full credit, but may be impressed with your ability to use the language to describe what you mean.

Summary: Write down the lessons you need to know. Use flashcards for vocabulary. Write sentences to practice grammar. Practice speaking out loud.


You won’t get anywhere if you don’t have faith in yourself. Stand tall. Let your crush see the things that make you interesting and unique. You should prepare to approach him or her with the attitude that you’ll love and respect yourself no matter the outcome. Confidence is contagious—your crush will pick up on your self-assured manner and know that you’re someone worth being around.  Sometimes you just have to fake it until you make it. If you’re having trouble mustering the gumption to walk up and say hello, tell yourself that you’ve done this kind of thing a thousand times. It may just make you a little cooler under pressure.  There’s a difference between being confident and being arrogant. Stick with the former. Try not to boast or act like you’ve got an over-inflated opinion of yourself. This can be just as off-putting as being shy, if not more so. Don’t forget to smile, even if you’re a nervous wreck. Smiling can help put you at ease and make you more comfortable, and a friendly face will make you more approachable to others. Keep in mind that your crush may be just as apprehensive about talking to you as you are about talking to them, so greeting them with a smile will break the tension right away. Smiling can be tricky when you’re especially nervous. Try a light smirk with your eyes open slightly wider than normal to signal enthusiasm, and grin bigger to show a little bit of teeth if your crush does something cute or amusing. Aside from your demeanor, you appearance will also be one of the first things your crush notices. For this reason, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re presentable before making your move. Bad breath, unkempt hair and messy clothes can all be deal-breakers if you want to make a good impression. Give yourself a look over in the mirror before you enter your crush’s personal space. Tick off a short mental checklist to make sure that your teeth are brushed, you’re wearing deodorant and your clothes and hair are clean and well-groomed. The most important thing to remember about approaching your crush is that it’s the effort that counts most, not the result. Rejection is a fact of a life, something that everybody has to deal with at one time or another. The excitement and satisfaction of finally talking to that special someone should be bigger than the fear of being turned down.  It’s not the end of the world if the guy or girl you’ve got your eye on doesn’t return your interest. It may sting a little at first, but don’t let yourself become discouraged. Even if you get turned away while trying to strike up a conversation with your crush, you may still reach a breakthrough in building the confidence you need to try again next time.

Summary: Be confident. Smile. Freshen up. Keep a positive attitude.


A doctor will be able to tell if you have fissures or if your symptoms are caused by other underlying issues. These could include abscesses, infections, or internal trauma. Make sure you share all of your symptoms with your doctor – they need to know everything to give you a proper diagnosis. A sitz bath is just a bath in warm, but not hot, water. The warm water can help your anal muscles relax, which in turn allows the fissures to heal. Take a warm bath 2 to 3 times a day for about 20 minutes to allow your muscles to relax and the fissures to heal. Relax your muscles every 5 minutes while you’re in the tub. First contract the muscle that you would contract to stop a bowel movement. Then focus on relaxing it as much as possible. Just like a warm bath can help relax your muscles, so can a heating pad. A heating pad is also a good portable option for relief—for example, you might bring it to work with you for use during the day. Set the heat to the middle setting – you don’t want it to be too hot. You can sit on the heating pad for up to 20 minutes at a time. Your doctor might prescribe a topical ointment that will soak into your anal muscles and relax them. Without the spasms that accompany fissures, the fissures may have time to heal. Your doctor will give you exact directions for applying the ointment, but you’ll probably apply it twice a day for 6 weeks. If your pain is severe, your doctor might prescribe a numbing cream like lidocaine. It can be prescribed in addition to or instead of a topical ointment. If you notice any burning or irritation, tell your doctor right away. If your stools are very hard and causing a lot of pain, your doctor might prescribe a laxative. A laxative will allow you to pass soft stools very easily, giving your fissures a chance to heal.
Summary: See a doctor to discuss treatment options. Try a sitz bath to soothe pain and relax your muscles. Sit on a heating pad when you can’t take a bath. Apply a topical ointment to relax your muscles. Use a numbing agent to soothe pain. Ask your doctor about a laxative to make passing stools easier.