Q: If you were to glance at an inventory of all the things you worry about every day, chances are that you'd find at least half of them were issues you couldn't control. Worrying about these things isn't just a waste of time, though: it can also hamper your ability to enjoy things you love like playing sports and hanging out with friends. For example, catch yourself next time you find yourself agonizing over whether your college application will be accepted of if your soccer game the next day will get rained out. Think about how and why this particular concern isn't a valid use of your mental bandwidth, and then do a breathing exercise or read a chapter of a book to cleanse your mind. As you get more practice doing this kind of self-monitoring, you'll become better and more efficient at it. You'll be able to recognize futile worries and dismiss them without the aid of breathing or other distracting exercises, and eventually, you'll find yourself avoiding these worries altogether. Leisure time is essential for everyone. It affords your stressed-out brain some time to regroup, recuperate, and reinvigorate, while elevating your mood and overall health. Even if you're affording yourself plenty of recreational time outside of school, though, you might not be taking full advantage of it. For example, if you're thinking about your Biology exam while halfheartedly watching a movie with friends, you're actually cheating yourself out of the benefits of meaningful relaxation. Make a rule with friends and family that down-time stays down, so no school topics or grade-stressing allowed! It may seem counterintuitive, but devoting your worries to a journal or blog can make a huge impact on your stress levels. You get to reflect on them and understand what things typically trigger your anxiety. Just be sure to let your worries go after writing them down: allow yourself to worry for the time it takes to write your journal entry, but call it quits once you're done. Watch a movie, read a short article on your favorite website, or go for a jog to clear your head. For example, devote a chunk of your daily entries to problems and frustrations from the day. After writing about other things, write something like, "I've been feeling really bogged down by soccer practice recently. I want to hang out with friends more, but it seems like all my day is devoted to this one activity. I almost told my parents that I want to quit, but I don't want them to be mad at me." Talking through your thoughts and impulses will help you to process your emotions and decide the right way to address your stress. Studies have shown that it can also help to physically "throw away" negative thoughts. For example, if you write a particularly negative journal entry wherein you vent personal doubts and insecurities, try an exercise where you rip out the entry and throw it in the garbage or burn it. This symbolic gesture can make you feel cleansed of negativity and refreshed from the release. While it's good to try to get good grades, you shouldn't worry too much about the letter grade you receive for a particular assignment. Rather, you should focus on the effort you put into researching and writing a paper or studying for an exam. This effort-not-outcome approach has been shown to help process failure in a productive manner while wasting minimal thoughts and energy on things you can't control. For example, if you dedicated many hours of time to a research paper but only received a B- from the teacher, congratulate yourself for the honest effort you put into it rather than berating yourself for the letter grade. In the same way, if you got an A on an exam for which you barely studied, don't crow over your victory. Dismiss any positive results you attain if they were achieved through insignificant effort. Setting goals constitutes an important and beneficial part of life: it encourages success, focuses behavior and attention, and builds self-esteem. That being said, not all goals are created equal: stressing out over goals which aren't actually important to you adds unnecessary guilt and pressure to your life while planting the seeds of conflict in your future. So, next time you're stressing over getting into Advanced Physics, ask yourself why you're doing so: is it because you truly care about the subject, or is it because your mother expects you to get into a prestigious Engineering program at university? If you think your goals for going to business school or getting a sports scholarship come from your parents' wishes and not your own, try talking to them about your feelings. Chances are, they worry more about your happiness and sense of fulfillment than they do the specific nature of your professional or sports career. For example, find a quiet time after dinner or before bed when your parent isn't distracted by work or household problems. Approach your parent and say, "Hey, can we talk about my plans for college? I've been thinking that I'm not so sure I want to go into Business as we had planned. What do you think?" Be calm, respectful, and open to their opinions, but also firm about asserting your own point of view. Mindfulness exercises like meditation and controlled breathing can be useful. The tangible benefits of these mental exercises has been well documented. In addition to making you feel more centered and clear-minded, it can help lower your blood pressure and anxiety while boosting your immune system. These exercises are deceptively difficult to master, so make sure you start out small. Find a few quiet minutes in your day when you can practice some slow breathing and focusing on your breath and body posture, and then slowly work up to deeper meditation techniques.
A: Learn to recognize the things you can't control. Keep school and free time separate. Write down your worries in a journal. Evaluate effort rather than results. Reassess your goals. Practice breathing exercises and meditation techniques.

Q: You will need several types of supplies to make your own mask, but you can always use these supplies to make additional masks. These are available online or at large crafting stores. You will need an oil based clay to sculpt the mask. You will also need a form to sculpt your mask on top of such as a Styrofoam mannequin head. You will need a material called industrial gypsum in order to make a mold of the sculpture. You will need some burlap to make your mold 3-D. Select a good quality brand of liquid latex for your mask. You will need a casting latex specifically formulated for mask making, called RD-407. You can also purchase paints or decorations such as fake fur, sequins, or feathers to put on the mask. This will depend on what final look you are hoping to achieve. Your clay will become more pliable for sculpting if you warm it a bit first. Place a few blocks of plasticine clay in the oven at a low temperature (150-200 F) for 15 to 20 minutes. The clay should be very pliable and warm, but not hot to the touch. Do not allow the clay to liquify. To sculpt the mask, you will need the form to stay immobile. You can secure the styrofoam mannequin head to a solid wooden base such as a 12' x 12' piece of plywood. Attach the head with duct tape until it is secure. You should use a thick enough layer of clay that you don't have to worry about it thinning as you sculpt. You can use your hands, sculpting tools, or tools from around the house (like a butter knife or putty knife) to sculpt details including skin textures and exaggerated features. Smooth the surface of the clay with lighter fluid and a small flat paint brush. When you are satisfied with your creation, move on to the next step. It may take you several hours or even days to create the look you are going for.
A:
Gather your materials. Warm the clay. Set up the mannequin or other form. Cover the head with clay and start sculpting.