Packing for Vacation

It's the time of the year where everyone has started their countdown, made travel plans and daydreamed of summer. The excess amount of free time is nearly two weeks away and classes are already coming to an end. This weeks life hacks are focused on how to pack efficiently while traveling throughout the hot, sweaty season. 

This hack is great for girls who have to live under the regulation that all carry-ons must not exceed to 3.4 ounces in liquids. Normally I avoid complications by buying things in travel size, but what about those particular brand products that you must have. Use a contact lens case to fill it up with lotion or even concealer. This may even save time and money from buying things in travel size.

This next travel hack minimizes the space needed for clothes in small carry-on bags. Roll the clothes instead of folding them. This keeps the clothes unwrinkled, easy to find, and uses all the little corners on the sides of suitcases that are left abandoned. Packing for a summer vacation has just become more manageable. 

Under the Stress of Testing

It's almost the end of the AP testing weeks and summer is peeping in the door but the pile of stress is overloading. The AP World History exam on Thursday morning rises stress levels amongst freshmen who are taking their exams for the first time. The night before, you're trying to sleep hours earlier than the usual 1:30 am. Getting in bed by 10:30 won't help because you know it will be hours before you're able to fall asleep.

Remember this for all the nights before testing; while on bed, breathe in through your nose for four seconds holding it for another duration of seven seconds. Then, slowly exhale for eight seconds and do this several times until you feel drowsy and eventually fall asleep. This slow breathing excercise slows your heart rate calming the body and allowing the you to fall asleep.

Note: taking and studying skills are usually developed through classes and techniques introduced by teachers. A helpful tip is to find some type of candy (gum, mints, cough drops) and have it when you study. Right before the exam starts, pop one in your mouth. Scientific research has shown that the senses given off by the candy may trigger your memory back to when you were studying during the test. Be sure your proctor isn't strict on the rules who doesn't allow any type of snacks in the room.

A Day in Congestion

Normally I would pick life hacks that are relevant to my audience. However flu season is not even months near but my body has decided to contract the common cold recently this past week. This weeks post are on ways to treat and soothe yourself while enduring a nasty cold.

Waking up in the morning with a surprisingly sore throat is never a pleasant thing on a Monday, especially the week when AP exams start. After discovering a common cold has crept up on me, I scoured across the internet looking for new remedies. One easy way to relieve a congested nose is to use any type of essential oil you prefer and dip a couple of drops on the inside of a tissue box.

I sticked to using old remedies such as gargling warm salt water. However, after conversing with a friend during lunch (Michael Fein), I have been suggested to use Listerine instead. I have to say that Listerine had a bigger effect on treating the sore throat. Both the saltwater and Listerine kills the bacteria inhabiting in the throat but saltwater is a more natural, less harmful way. I now do this everyday before sleeping for it prevents the excessive coughing at night and shortens the painful length of time of trying to fall asleep. Thanks Michael.

Time Efficiency

This weeks life hacks are on being time efficient.This hack is great for when your fighting with your a sibling or when they've  taken something of yours. You run after them on a chase while they closing the door behind you, but a smirk rises from the side of your face because you've placed a rubber band around the doorknob. The rubber band avoids the door from closing, saving you either time or if times like this, the winning factor of retrieving your prized object back. (This is actually true) 

A perfectly new shirt gets thrown in the washer and comes out wrinkly with random folds on all edges. To save time and money, grab a hanger and hang the shirt in the bathroom before taking a shower. (Make sure it's near the shower if it's a big bathroom) The steam and humidity coming from the hot water will cause the shirt to look new as if your mom has spent hours in the laundry room ironing the shirt, occasionally receiving a burn from the iron. 

A School Day

These various life hacks may be used on an average school day. It's 6:30 am and you're on the kitchen counter ransacking the refrigerator for ham, Swiss cheese, and bread. Instead of putting layers of ham and cheese on the center and trying to evenly stack them out so they cover all sides, try cutting the sides of the ham or cheese. The sandwich will be constructed to cover all edges becoming further appetizing. The edges won't consist of only two slices of bread anymore. 

  

During class, you're sitting across the room writing in pen random notes when you realize that the paper will be collected. Quickly avoid any embarrassments by scribbling over the words but the words are still legible. Instead, write random letters in the words to make it illegible. 

Towards the end of the day you feel a sudden snapping noise looking down to realize that your flip flops have broke in the center. Prevent this by putting a bread tag on the sole of the shoes. The center piece will become less likely to snap open.    

Week 2- Slicing Bell Peppers

Although some may oppose, bell peppers are excellent vegetables packed with minerals and vitamins giving off a crunchy, sweet taste. On sunday afternoon, while trying to expertly dice peppers over a friends house, I discovered a new alternative in cutting the vegetables. This alternative retains the various sections of the bell pepper people often waste due to an insufficient way of cutting. If you're a frugal person who enjoys peppers, this process will be proven useful.

Begin with washing the bell pepper with lukewarm water. I normally use Trader Joe's "Fruit and Vegetable Wash" to effectively wash out any wax or harsh remaining pesticides. Many oppose to use cleaning agents on produce but rest assured, these agents are all naturally derived. Cut the top and bottom sides of the pepper horizontally. Then remove the seeds from the center of the vegetable. This enables one to extract the seeds quickly instead of having to go through the gruesome process of removing the seeds from both sides after cutting it in half.

Get the top slice and by using both thumbs, push the green stem out facing the inside of the pepper towards you. (puncturing the sides of the stem may ease the stem out) This crucial process conserves the top part of the pepper that would have normally been thrown in the trash.  

After, cut the pepper either diced or however you want it, this picture shows it cut perpendicularly. 

Be sure to comment below on your own experiences with this life hack and any suggestions for next week.

Week 1- Chargers In Need

During the past three months, I've gone through two ipod and one MacBook chargers. After realizing what a huge problem this was and asking around, I found a new technique perfect for saving Apple chargers. Instead of having a charger bend in 360 degrees, get a small spring from a pen and connect it to the top of the charger. By looping the spring around the charger, it will extend the life span. The pain of watching a battery charger, a crucial object needed for daily life in society turn into something useless that piles in drawers will be gone. Foreheads won't be dripping from sweat anymore. No more rushing in Apple stores, grabbing two chargers from the rack that you've become so familiar with, or waiting in line to see your hard earned money leave a now deflated pocket. 

Another related life hack is using a foldover clip to assort the different types of battery chargers on a desk. The clip should have the two prongs bent back and be clipped onto the table. The prongs will act as a holder for the chargers. 

Try these at home and let me know what happens. Share your experiences on these life hacks and comment below any suggestions for the next post. 

Introduction

What's Expected

There are many ways to execute things in life. One can go from waking up to brushing their teeth with multiple different steps. There never really is one correct way to implement tasks. This blog is solely based on how to get around the little things in life and doing it the "smart way." The weekly posts will introduce a new life hack that I have discovered or found useful for daily life. 

The topic of this blog was inspired by my curiosity and excitement for when a useful life hack is found. I used to Google or stream through videos on YouTube looking for anything new to apply to daily life. The first and most efficient one was the proper way to cut a bell pepper. From this new system, I realized how effective life hacks can become which opened the book of my journeys with life hacks. The posts will share my new experiences, opinions, and recommendations on a wide arrangement of life hacks.