INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you can't bring yourself to stop self-harming just now, at least keep from inflicting irreparable harm upon yourself. Don't share cutting or burning implements with anyone. It's just like sharing needles; you can get all sorts of diseases, like HIV or hepatitis. Sterilize cutting or burning implements to help reduce your chances of infection. If you can't refrain, try to keep cuts shallow to reduce the chances of scarring. Avoid using your fingernails, earrings, and other objects that are unsterile and can cause infection. Keep first aid supplies on hand and know what to do in the case of emergencies. Always have a phone nearby in case you need to call 911. Putting yourself in risky or dangerous situations without regard for your own welfare can also be a form of self-injury. Try to avoid this when you can. Decide how much you are going to allow yourself to do (how many cuts/burns/bruises), keep within those boundaries, and clean yourself up later. Triggers are things that give you the urge to hurt yourself or to put yourself in danger. To identify your triggers, write down in a notebook what happened before you last self-harmed. Look for patterns in your responses to identify themes. What kinds of situations trigger the behavior? Do you get the urge to self-harm when you're depressed? Angry? Embarrassed? Self-Conscious? Frustrated? Understanding what triggers your self-injury can help you find other, more positive ways of coping, such as dealing with the triggers head on. For example, you may start to notice that whenever you see a certain person in your life, you get the urge to self-harm. You could then use this information to try to avoid that person, and thus avoid the urge to self-injure, and/or present that information to your therapist and ask for his guidance. Many people use self-injury as a way to cope with stress or to express feelings that they don't know how to express otherwise. Examples of triggers include: People Situations Memories Certain times of the day Certain feelings Certain thoughts Specific bodily sensations Certain classes in school Your body goes through some changes when you experience the urge to hurt yourself. You can use this information to predict when you might self-harm and take the necessary precautions, such as getting a phone handy in case you need to call 911. There are some ways urges can manifest: Increased heart rate Nausea Shortness of breath Feelings of heaviness or emptiness Feeling like you are outside your body observing yourself; being disconnected from yourself Powerfully experienced emotions of sadness, anger, fear, or other negative emotions Thoughts such as "I'm going to hurt myself." Risky or dangerous decision-making

SUMMARY: Take the necessary precautions to stay safe. Do only the minimum required to ease your pain. Keep a record of when you experience self-harming urges. Pay attention to your body.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: You don't have to do this, but it's what makes the cake traditional. The person who finds the plastic baby typically has to host the next party. Some traditions say that he or she has to make the next cake. If you can't find a baby figurine, or don't want to use one, try an orange wedge or a pecan half instead. They are edible and less likely to hurt someone's teeth! If you want to, you can use a cardboard cake platter instead. Gold would go especially well with the Mardi Gras theme, and even more so considering that this is a King's cake. Pour 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of warm water into a mixing bowl. Stir in the powdered sugar. Keep stirring until all of the water is absorbed and the powdered sugar turns fluid. The icing should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it's too thick or too dry, add another tablespoon (15 milliliters) of water. Use a soup or sauce ladle to scoop up the icing and pour it in a thick, generous layer onto the cake. Avoid getting any icing in the empty middle, however! Try to sprinkle the sugar on in even bands of purple, green, and gold. The bands can be as thick or as thin as you'd like. You can use a thick, generous sprinkling of sugar or just a delicate dusting. If you can't find any gold sugar, use yellow instead.
Summary: Push a small, plastic, baby doll into the bottom of each cake. Place the cakes onto serving dishes. Prepare the icing. Pour the icing over the cakes while they are still warm. Sprinkle the cakes with purple, green, and gold sugar.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Know what's expected of you at the beginning of the term, so there won't be any surprises on an exam. If a single paper is worth 50 percent of your grade, you should have your thesis in the back of your mind. Spend lots of time on projects that will significantly affect your grades. The syllabus should tell you how many hours of reading are generally expected in a week, so write it out on your calendar at the beginning of the term which days you are going to study for this subject. Buy a term planner and organize your study time. Schedule a different subject every 3 to 4 hours so that your mind stays sharp. If you are an auditory person, then you should tape all the lectures and listen to them later. If you are a visual person, you should take notes or video tape the class for easier revision. Don't let friends tell you that you are a "geek" or "nerdy." In most classes, you can't get an A unless you are willing to study hard. Your brain needs to breathe, rest and refocus.

SUMMARY:
Read the syllabus. Pay attention to how much tests are worth. Schedule regular study times for each subject. Use technology to your advantage. Be proud of good grades and study habits. Take breaks every 45 minutes of study time.