It has always been my dream to attend college. My parents were glad I chose this path. 【小题1】 Upset and stressed，I decided to look for ways to pay by myself.

My search for money began on the Internet. I went to every free scholarship search engine and spent a lot of time each day online looking for scholarships I was qualified for. 【小题2】 This gave me a way to prioritize（按优先顺序列出）my schedule. I finished applications due（到期的）in October in September，November's deadlines in October，and so on.

After organizing everything，it was time to fill out the applications. Some were easy and took little time while others were long and tedious. Despite the amounts，which ranged from $100 to $40，000，I took each scholarship seriously because together they would fund my goal.

【小题3】 Almost every one required an essay about my extracurricular activities，commitment to education and career aspirations. To perfect my writing，I turned to friends，relatives and teachers for advice.

Now I have won 80 percent of the scholarships I applied for. After many hours of staying up late to finish them，I managed to receive over $ 100，000. Now，I can attend college completely free. I feel that a huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders. This fall，I am attending Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans. 【小题4】

The scholarship search truly made me a better person. I learned the importance of setting a goal and accomplishing it. 【小题5】 I'm delighted that I had the opportunity to learn more about my drive to succeed — I can push ahead no matter what obstacles are in my way.

Reducing Test Anxiety

Test anxiety arises when a student excessively worries about doing badly in a test. This can become a major hindrance (造成妨碍的事物) to test performance and cause extreme nervousness and memory problems among other symptoms. 【小题1】

Think positively. Scientific research has shown that our expectations can affect our performance. 【小题2】However, if you expect that you’ll do poorly, studying may not be enough to help you perform well. Therefore, it is a wise choice to think positively.

【小题3】 Fear releases adrenaline (肾上腺素) , preparing the body to deal with danger. Your heart rate and breathing speed up and you may feel shaky, sweaty, or dizzy. Anything you can do to reduce these physical reactions will help you think more clearly and feel more confident.

Eat before the test. Don’t skip breakfast to study. 【小题4】 Choose protein-filled snacks and avoid sugar, which can give you quick energy that may run out in the middle of the test. Eat something even if you feel sick—try crackers or toast to settle your stomach. Avoid caffeine and energy drinks, which can increase anxiety.

Get a good night’s sleep before the test. Studies have shown that you will do well in the test if you get enough sleep. 【小题5】 If the test is later in the day or the evening, or if you just couldn’t get a full night’s sleep, take a nap. Research has shown that a short nap—less than an hour—can improve alertness, memory, creativity,  productivity, and moods, and can decrease stress.

How to make friends at a new school

Starting with a new school can be difficult. Everything seems to be different, and you don’t even know where to go for your own classes. 【小题1】 However, if you use these skills, you can quickly turn some of those strangers into friends.

Be yourself.

【小题2】 If some people don’t accept you, they’re not the kind of friends you need. People often stay together because they have similar interests. For example, someone who does a lot of sport may make friends with those who also run or swim a lot.

【小题3】

Remember to be nice to the people you meet at your new school. If you think that you will say something that may make them feel sad, do not anything and just nod your head if they talk to you. Also, remember to be as helpful as possible!

Believe in yourself.

A smile goes a long way. When you walk in the halls, don’t keep your eyes on the floor. Raise your head and make eye contact （目光接触） with other people. 【小题4】 Introduce yourself. Tell them your name and where you’re from.

Remember people’s names.

You like it when people use your name, and so do other people. People may become angry if you just begin by saying "Hey" each time. Besides, ask them in a kind way if they have a nickname （绰号） . 【小题5】

   Undoubtedly, the best way to prevent illnesses of the mind is to exercise the brain. Here’re some great exercises to sharpen your mind.

Never stop learning. 【小题1】 One way is to take classes online through websites like Coursera, org or Edx. org, where you can take courses from the top universities for free. Perhaps you would like to learn a new language. 【小题2】 There are wonderful language programs available through RosettaStone. com and Duolingo.com which offer many lessons to choose from.

Read something everyday. Reading itself is a wonderful brain exercise. Make a point to read something every day. It could be a newspaper, book, blog or magazine, but the more informative it is, the more of a workout it will be for your thinking cap. 【小题3】

Exercise your body. Exercising your body affects your strength, mood and fitness. Exercise excites the nervous system and causes you to perform at a higher level.

【小题4】 Communicating with others on topics of common interest is a great workout. Talking about in-depth topics like headline news and political interests exercises your ability to pay attention and focus. There are always many like-minded people who enjoy the same hobbies or share the same beliefs.

Play games. The act of solving problems and figuring out puzzles is excellent for keeping your brain in shape. 【小题5】 Solving math equations or word puzzles, and even just a quick game of Bubble Witch will do wonders for your thinking processes.

   The jobs of the future have not yet been invented. 【小题1】 By helping them develop classic skills that will serve them well no matter what the future holds.

1. Curiosity

Your children need to be deeply curious. 【小题2】 Ask kids, “What ingredients (配料) can we add to make these pancakes even better next time?” and then try them out. Did those ingredients make the pancakes better? What could we try next time?

2. Creativity

True creativity is the ability to take something existing and create something new from it. 【小题3】 There are a dozen different things you can do with them. Experimenting with materials to create something new can go a long way in helping them develop their creativity.

3. Interpersonal Skills

Understanding how others feel can be a challenge for kids. We know what’s going on inside our own head, but what about others? Being able to read people helps kids from misreading a situation and jumping to false conclusions. 【小题4】 “Why do you think she’s crying?” “Can you tell how that man is feeling by looking at his face? If someone were to do that to you, how would you feel?”

4. Self-expression

【小题5】 There are many ways to express thoughts and ideas — music, acting, drawing, building, photography. You may find that your child is attracted by one more than another.