In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: In most cases, you'll receive a piece of paper explaining the requirements for each instrument, including prepared exercises, scales, and sight-reading. Your director may give you one, but if your music is found in a file on the internet or a method book, make sure to get hold of it as soon as possible. A friend, older band member, band director, or other musical acquaintance will likely be willing to help you out. (as this will likely be required) all the required scales as many octaves as possible. This includes the chromatic scale, which will likely be a requirement as well. In many auditions, points are given for octaves - three octaves, for instance, will obviously be worth more than two (however, you may only get all of the points if you do well on every octave). You need all the points you can get, so if you can play a second or third octave, do so. However, keep in mind that you will most likely have a time limit to play the scales, so don't add too many extra octaves, and it's better to play "easy" octaves well than to try to max yourself out and play sloppily (which means you'll lose more points than you might have gained for the extra octaves). You can't practice the sight-reading piece ahead of time, obviously, but if sight-reading is difficult for you, practice will help keep you from being caught off guard. You want to have your instrument sounding its best.
Summary: Make sure you know the audition requirements. Be sure to have a copy (or two) of the prepared piece(s). If the prepared piece is a bit over your head, by all means, ask for help! Memorize Practice sight-reading. Take your instrument to the repair shop for a COA (Cleaning, Oiling, Adjusting), and have any known problems fixed.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Whenever you have a strong emotion, record it in your journal. Write what you are feeling, what triggered that feeling, and what you're going to do about that feeling. Use your journal as a way to process feelings in the moment. If you feel overwhelmed, you might be able to release some of the tension by simply setting your thoughts down on paper. Write about what you did and how you did it. Write about what you thought and what you felt. Question what you did, and answer your own questions. Focus on the logical progression of your thought processes, and try to better understand yourself. Write about what you feel that you could or should have done; write about what you feel about what you chose to do; write about who you are; and write about what you want. Try to define your goals for the future, whether they are personal, professional, or otherwise. Record your thoughts about your most recent session, and take note of anything interesting that you learned. Experiment with journaling during your sessions, directly after your sessions, and later on when you reflect upon your experience. Set personal goals with your therapist, and use your journal to track them. Some therapists are actually trained in journal therapy. If you'd like to explore journal therapy with an intentional and professional guiding hand, consider finding a licensed journal therapist in your area. If you feel that you can best express a thought by drawing it out, do not hesitate to do so. Use color! Paint, marker, crayon. Consider pasting photos, clippings, flowers, and other ephemera into your journal anything that feels meaningful. Try to incorporate scrapbooking. If your therapist gives you any worksheets or print outs of useful info, stick them in your journal! Use your journal as a scrapbook of self help techniques. Create lists of things that make you happy and triggers you should avoid. Consider drawing "mind maps" to connect your ideas. Draw lines, arrows, or webs between related ideas. Find the themes that arc across your troubles, and try to identify the various ways in which they manifest. Later on, it can be easy to forget why you wrote or drew something. Push deeper, and try to flesh out your thoughts as thoroughly as possible. The more fully you examine your worries, the better you'll be able to understand them. The better you understand your worries, the more easily you'll be able to overcome them. Look for journal prompts on the Internet, ask a friend or a therapist for ideas, or try to come up with a few solid themes that you want to explore. Having a different question or journal prompt to answer each day can be a great way to keep up with writing. When you write to a prompt, you may feel more like you're writing to someone instead of just writing for yourself, and you may feel accountable to the journal structure. Consider these questions and more: Are you proud of who you are? How would you like to be remembered? What is a personality trait that you admire or seek in others and why? Think about something you feel obligated to do, daily or regularly. Why do you feel obligated? What is the best advice that anyone's ever given you? Journaling can simulate the feeling of pouring out your feelings to a close, trustworthy friend. Try to address your journal as though it's a close friend who anticipates each new entry; imagine that it is eager to learn of your progress through life, and that it cares about your emotional well being. The feeling of a one-on-one "relationship" can tap into the therapeutic effect of sharing experiences. Compare the things you have written recently with the things you wrote six months ago. Look for patterns, and try to chart your personal development. It may be difficult to go through the negative emotions again, but you will know you are progressing when you can remember these feelings without feeling swept away by them.
Summary: Journal what you feel. Evaluate your actions, your thoughts, and your emotions. Journal in conjunction with your therapy sessions. Don't be afraid to get creative. Go into detail. Give yourself writing prompts to stimulate your self-inspection. Think of your journal like a friend. Read through your journal regularly.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Allowing yourself to splurge on your favorite fast-food treats once a week may help you stay on track and boost your commitment to your diet on non-cheat days. Select a day where you allow yourself to enjoy your favorite foods without feeling guilty. Perhaps on Fridays after a long week at work you'll allow yourself to stop at your favorite drive-thru, or on Sunday you'll visit your favorite coffee chain. Think of it as a special treat or reward for all your hard work during the week. It is recommended that you get 150 minutes of aerobic exercise each week, or about 30 minutes of exercise for 5 days each week. Increase activities like walking, swimming, or dancing to help you boost your heart rate and burn more calories on days you plan to eat fast food. The more calories you burn, the faster you will reach your weight-loss goals, and the more calories you can use to enjoy a fast-food meal. Activities that use larger muscle groups, like your legs and back, will help you burn more calories by increasing your heart rate. On days you plan to have a fast-food meal, prepare by slashing calories from other meals. Swap heavy cream for skim milk in your morning coffee, or eat a lunch that is full of steamed vegetables and whole grains. These small changes can help you enjoy a fast-food meal while still staying within your daily calorie limit. Increase the amount of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins in your diet to help you with your weight-loss goals. Enjoying these healthy options at most meals will allow you to conserve more calories that you can later use to enjoy the occasional fast-food treat. While you're on a diet or a weight-loss program, plan to prepare the majority of your meals at home. When you prepare meals at home, you will be able to account for your calorie, carbohydrate, and fat intake more easily than if you ordered a meal at a restaurant. Cooking at home frequently may also help you to consume fewer calories when you do visit a fast-food chain.
Summary:
Plan to have a cheat day. Add some extra cardio on days you plan to eat fast food. Cut calories from other meals to make up the difference. Eat a balanced diet. Cook most meals at home.