Personalized Folders

Often after our rough copies are finished, we tend to throw them away. But after reading this article, you will find a great way of recycling them.

You will need:
1. The cover of a used copy (A4 size or bigger)
2. White chart paper
3. Cardboard paper (or any hard paper)
4. Glue
5. Scissors
6. Decoration materials (of your choice)

How to do:
1. Carefully take off the cover of the copy. You now have the basic shape of an open flap folder.
2. Open the flap and on the lower ends of both sides stick two separate pieces of cardboard, each equal to the length of the side it is stuck to. (2-3 inch
width.) Leave some gap (approx. 1/2 inch) between the two strips, so that it is easy to open and close the folder. Apply glue on the lower end of the strip only, so as to make them like pockets for keeping the papers.
3. Cover the entire folder with white chart paper to give it a clean effect.
4. Decorate the folder with drawings, stickers, ribbons, beads, stones, etc. For e.g. if you want to give the folder to a friend cover the spine with ribbon and the rest of it with picture collages of memories of your friendship. While decorating don't stick to any rules, just be creative!

By Tasfia Mehreen Jalil

It’s the beginning of a new year and as always, many of us have resolutions. We at RS decided to go around and ask a couple of strangers their resolutions for the year 2009!

“I'm getting a new wardrobe for sure and am really looking forward to giving myself a new look. My friends have convinced me that its time to get a new haircut. I'm gonna look good and feel it!” Adeeba, 20, BRAC.

“I want to save up for college and I hope I succeed! I have a few tuitions so it shouldn't be too hard.” Sakib, 17, A-levels.

“Learn how to cook and control my temper!” Nam, 18.

“Well, it's not really my resolution, but I guess I have to do it anyways- that is quit smoking. My wife and children nag me about it all the time.”- Mr. Ahmed, 43, Banker.

“I am going to break up with my girlfriend! She's too expensive to keep and takes a whole lot of my energy. I hope she's reading this.” Farhan, 20, EWU.

“Increase my book collection. I want to get all the famous five books!” Samantha, 14, Academia.

“My resolution is to never forgive my best friend who had the guts to date my ex boyfriend behind my back- and she always agreed that he was a big time jerk. Well now I know why.” Ms. X, 18, Mastermind.

By Nayeema Reza

Top up revision

Leaving revision to the last minute can be really stressful. So what do you do, if you know you haven't done enough? Do what you can. Everyone knows the first rule of revision don’t leave it until the last minute! However what if, for any number of reasons, the reality is different? If you do find yourself in that situation try to be real with yourself and accept that there is no way that you're going to be able to prepare in depth. However the worst thing you can do is give up and say there is no point. Although time may be short, you can still make a difference to your grade. There is always something you can pull off.

Face facts
So what's the best way to make the most of the time you do have? Start by using the time you have left constructively, don't put it off anymore and keep at it until the day of the exam.

You probably know more than you realise, so concentrate on the areas that you feel most confident about. Better to do a few things well rather than a lot of things badly! Ask yourself which subjects are most likely to come up? If you're not sure perhaps you can ask a friend, or your teacher to help you identity the subject areas that are the most important.

Once you have prioritised topic areas, try to pick out the main facts and points of that subject. Don't get bogged down with the small details, go for the main facts first. If there's a big topic you don't understand, try to get help immediately. Swallow your pride and ask a teacher for help, or perhaps a friend who you know is better at that subject.

If you have made notes in the lead up to exams, use those revision tools to help you take in the main facts. Try also to focus on subjects that you already have some knowledge of.

Practice run
One of the best ways to do last minute and top up revision is to work through past and mock exams. This will also help prepare you for the type of questions you are likely to see and the way the exam will be laid out.

If you're doing GCSE's, the BBC's Bitesize site has lots of mock exams you can download as well as interactive help and games. For A levels and even some degree courses you might also find the revision-notes site helpful.

The night before
Experts say that one of the biggest problem surrounding revision and exams is stress. It can make even the most thorough reviser think they can't remember anything and even lead to panic attacks. So, even if you know you could have done more, try not to get stressed. Staying up all night before the exam is never a good idea. Being over tired will mean you have poor concentration and probably won't remember most of what you've read anyway. Instead try to have an early night and keep calm. Don't focus on passing or failing.

Second chance
Fingers-crossed you'll pass. But failing doesn't mean you're a failure in life. It simply means you didn't manage to make the grade in a particular subject - this time around. And hopefully next time you'll remember the golden rule.
Now stop reading this and go and revise! Good luck.

Laff lines

Fleeting love
If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it will always be yours. If it doesn't come back, it was never yours to begin with.

But, if it just sits in your living room, messes up your stuff, eats your food, uses your telephone, takes your money, and doesn't appear to realize that you had set it free....you either married it or gave birth to it.

Evidence
One night a fellow drove his secretary home after she had imbibed a little too much at an office reception. Although this was an innocent gesture, he decided not to mention it to his wife, who tended to get jealous easily.

The next night the man and his wife were driving to a restaurant. Suddenly he looked down and spotted a high-heel shoe half hidden under the passenger seat. Not wanting to be conspicuous, he waited until his wife was looking out her window before he scooped up the shoe and tossed it out of the car.

With a sigh of relief, he pulled into the restaurant parking lot. That's when he noticed his wife squirming around in her seat. "Honey," she asked, "have you seen my other shoe?"