Your cumulative GPA is one of the criteria used to see if you make National Honor Society standards. If you want to be in NHS, work on maintaining a high GPA. Members of National Honor Society must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher on the 4.0 scale. On a 5.0 scale, this would be at least a 4.375 and 5.25 on a 6.0 scale. On a letter grade scale, this would be at least a B+ and 90% or higher grade average on a 100 point scale. Start working on your grades early in high school. If you start off with a low GPA you'll have to work extra hard to pull it up in the following semesters. Take your studies and homework seriously. If you're struggling with a particular subject, consider hiring a tutor or asking a friend in class to help you out. Most people do not excel equally well in all subjects. You might be an excellent chemistry student but struggle remembering dates for history class, for example. Practice good study skills. Flashcards, memorization, and practice tests and quizzes are all great means to prepare for an exam. If your teacher offers any optional after school review sessions, always attend even if you feel confident about your skill set. The NHS also has criteria when it comes to standardized testing. In order to be accepted into NHS, you need 1750 or higher on the SAT, a 200 or higher on the PSAT, and a 26 or higher on the ACT. Most bookstores, as well as Amazon, sell up to date study guides for most standardized tests. Many colleges and organizations like Kaplan offer prep courses, which can be taken in person or online. If you're serious about NHS membership, consider asking your parents if you can enroll in one of these courses. Remember, you can retake most standardized tests if you do not like your score the first time. National Honor Society values leadership. The organization seeks out student leaders who convey good problem solving skills and contribute ideas to the world around them. If you want to be an NHS member, you need some leadership experience on your resume. Get involved in your school. Join a club that speaks to your passions and go for a leadership role. You might not be able to be say, president, right away but you can always take a smaller position as a board member or treasurer. Consider running for student council. Being a representative for your class would look great on an NHS membership application. You can also get involved outside of school. If you play sports, being the captain of your hockey or soccer team can convey leadership skills. Consider volunteering to coach little league, taking on the role of coach to kids younger than yourself. If you're involved in any other type of community, you can try to be a leader there as well. Say you take art lessons at the community art center. See if they need volunteers to tutor younger students. NHS seeks out students who have a dedication to serving their community. If you want to be in NHS, volunteer for a cause you care about and stick to your service long term. There are many ways to volunteer. You should pick a cause you feel passionate about as you'll be more motivated to stick your service out. Love animals? Work for your local Humane Society. Interested in politics? Try doing campaign work for a cause you support. Big reader? Ask your local library if they need assistance. If you're struggling to find volunteer opportunities, go to a local community center, church, hospital, or coffee shop. People often leave flyers in these kinds of establishments trying to recruit volunteers. You can also ask the school counselor or principal of your school. He or she might be in contact with a variety of local organizations seeking out student workers. Character is another category NHS pays attention to regarding candidates. A student with high character adheres to high standards of honesty, is courteous to others, and has a clean disciplinary record. Avoid people and situations where you might get in trouble. Things like recreational drug use and underage drinking look bad on an NHS application.

Summary: Maintain your GPA. National Honors Society members are always looking for ways to earn their 25 hours of community service that they must fulfill each year in the organization, so ask them for help in these subjects. Do well on standardized tests. Be a leader. Volunteer. Stay out of trouble.

Vacuum or sweep your cork floors. Do this to remove any obvious layers of dirt or dust. That dirt can scratch the floor over time. Use a soft-bristled broom or a low setting on your vacuum. Combine a drop of mild dish soap with cup (60 mL) white vinegar and 1 quart (.946 L) of warm water. Put the solution in a spray bottle to apply it most easily to any surface. Mix it gently by rocking it back and forth or stirring gently. Don't shake it or you'll create unwanted suds. Don't worry if you add a little extra soap. You can also use a combination of liquid soap and water. Try combining 5 drops of soap to every quart (.946 L) of water. Try using a gently abrasive cleaning solution. Watch out for cleansers that contain bleach. These can discolor your cork. Also avoid acidic cleansers that might damage your cork. Don't use products like a Swiffer on your cork floors, as they can leave streaks. Steam mops use a lot of water as they clean the floor, which can damage cork flooring. The steam may damage the finish on your floor or the cork itself. It's best to avoid using this type of cleaner on your floors.

Summary: Vacuum cork floors. Prepare a cleaning solution with soap, vinegar, and water. Use store-bought cleaners. Avoid using a steam mop to clean cork floors.

Apples, celery, and carrots are crunchy, and eating them can help scrub surface stains off of your teeth. In addition, they may kill bacteria and improve your breath. These products (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.) contain lactic acid, which might help protect your teeth. Some of them can also help whiten your teeth and/or prevent some stains: Hard cheeses can scrub some surface stains from your teeth, and block some stain-causers such as wine or coffee from discoloring your teeth, if you eat some prior to drinking. Eating dairy products is good for your teeth, but don't consume too much of sugary foods such as ice cream, as these can contribute to tooth decay. Sage has an antiseptic effect, and for this reason is even found in some mouthwashes and gargles. It can also help to whiten your teeth. Simply rub fresh sage leaves on your teeth. Strawberries contain an enzyme called malic acid that may help to whiten your teeth. You can simply rub a sliced strawberry on your teeth, or mash fresh strawberries into a paste and rub it on your teeth. Leave it on your teeth for five minutes, and then rinse with water. Brush and floss your teeth as normal afterwards. You can add half a teaspoon of baking soda to the paste, if desired. Research shows that a strawberry paste will only remove surface debris. If you want more intensive whitening, seek other treatments. Natural bleaching agents found in lemon can help whiten your teeth; however, the citric acid found lemons can also wear away your tooth enamel, so you should not overuse this method. Simply take a slice of lemon peel and rub it on your teeth.
Summary: Eat crunchy fruits and vegetables. Eat more dairy products. Use sage to scrub your teeth. Make a strawberry paste. Use fresh lemon.