INPUT ARTICLE: Article: . Frosting will dry out and harden if exposed to air, so don't let it sit around while you wait for your cupcakes to finish. A thick buttercream frosting will be best for creating your decorations. Frosting or icing recipes which only use powdered sugar and liquid are more difficult to pipe due to their thinner consistency. If you need to store your frosting, or you have a lengthy decorating session planned, keep any frosting you're not using in an airtight container. If your frosting develops hardened lumps, add a few drops of milk or water at a time, stirring them in to see if the hardened lumps mix into the rest of the frosting. Piping bags, also called pastry bags, are canvas or plastic cones with a hole at the tip to squeeze the frosting out of. If you don't own one, you can easily make your own following the instructions in this linked article. You can use a rectangular plastic bag (such as a ziploc bag) and cut a hole in one corner, or cut out a large, long triangle of parchment paper and wrap it in a circle to make a cone. If you use parchment paper, make sure to fold the corners down or tape the outside layers together to prevent the bag from falling apart. You'll need one of these metal decorating tips or nozzles so the frosting comes out evenly. Make sure to use large or jumbo nozzles if you want to create a typical cupcake swirl. Regular sized nozzles, or a tiny hole in the bag with no nozzle at all, can create intricate designs but not the thick, decorative swirls used for most cupcakes. You might be able to find the most common large piping tips, the Wilton brand 1M and Wilton 2D, at craft shops. If you want to try different types of swirls, you may need to find other tip designs in online stores. Tips with round holes produce a design that looks like smooth soft-serve ice cream. Star-shaped holes make rippled or ruffled swirls, and you can buy them in many designs depending on which pattern you like best.

SUMMARY: Make the frosting right before you're ready to pipe Buy a piping bag or make your own. Select large decorating tips.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Light given off by electronics like phones, computers and televisions increases wakefulness and prevents sleep. Give your brain a chance to wind down by powering down electronics at least an hour before bed. Do your best to keep all light-emitting devices out of your bedroom. Get some light blocking curtains or a sleep mask for your eyes. When we sleep or dream in mild to moderate light, we wake up feeling less rested and more depressed than we ordinarily would. Turn off music before bed. If there are other noises keeping you awake, consider earplugs. Avoid reading, studying, writing, or drawing while in bed as these contribute to wakefulness and create an association with your bed other than sleep. If, in spite of getting the required amount of sleep, you are still tired, take a power nap for 1530 minutes. It is important not to nap longer as it increases tiredness and prevents meeting evening bedtime goals. Caffeine, even in small doses, can prevent the body from sleeping, especially when taken after morning hours. If you notice that caffeine seems to have a negative impact your sleep, cut it out of your diet, or only consume drinks that are "caffeine-free." Just know that your decaffeinated cup of coffee still includes a tiny portion of it. If you prefer tea,search for naturally decaffeinated ones, to be sure that it probably has no trace of caffeine. (This should not apply to drinks such as chamomile unless you add ingredients such as sugar)

SUMMARY: Power down electronic devices. Don't sleep with the lights on. Embrace silence. Remember that beds are for sleeping. Avoid long naps. Avoid caffeine.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Being a computer scientist is all about learning to be a student, not just during training, but for all time throughout your career. Technology changes, new languages develop, new algorithms are devised: you need to be able to learn new things to stay current. As a computer scientist, it is your job to solve problems. It is also about solving problems in a way which can leave everyone happy in the end. This means learning good communication skills as well as coding skills because you are more likely to match the needs of your client with the apt solution if you listen well and relay back your understandings clearly, as well as keep the client informed during the project.

SUMMARY: Become a lifelong learner. Understand your future role.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Think about the ideals, values, and moral attributes that are important to you. These might include being a good friend or being healthy. Values and ideals are the ideas about life that you think you need to excel. They are different from goals in that goals are more concrete actions that can be completed. The first step is to figure out what excelling at life means to you, as well as for your values and the kind of life you want to have. It may take time to sort through all of these questions and to decide what excelling at life truly means for you. Try to create the broadest possible definition of excelling in life: short-term, long-term, big dreams and small successes. Get a journal or notebook that you dedicate solely to your new vision of your life and how you want to see yourself succeed. Start by making a list of all the ways you could excel at life, whether they are realistic or not. Write down your highest aspirations all the way down to simple things like doing the dishes every day. You may find that your definition of excelling at life can start with making small changes every day, whether it has to do with your personal health, finances, career goals, family, romance, personality traits such as being more kind, or nurturing your friendships. Look at your list of the ways you can excel. Then look at your list of values and ideals. Begin to figure out how they match up. Which goals accentuate your views about life and the kind of person you want to be? Start to group the ways you want to excel into similar categories, such as career goals, hobby goals, health goals, family and friendship goals. Then group these into long-term and short-term goals. You might have a health goal of being able to weight-lift 300 pounds, or you might have a career goal of becoming a journalist, or you might want to wash the dishes every night. Now that you have started to get clear on what excelling means for you, start prioritizing your goals. Which ones are long-term goals that will make you feel like you are excelling at life? Which goals can you practice on a daily basis in order to feel like you are living your life in a positive direction? Excelling at life can be as simple as interacting with people with kindness, being a more organized person, investigating bigger life changes like a career change, or making an effort to spend more time with your family and friends. The most important part of defining what excelling at life is for you is that it resonates with who you are as an authentic person and what kind of life you want to live. Your journal will become your personal source for focus and inspiration. Perhaps you have people in your life who inspire you because of their attitudes, strength, and perseverance. Find a picture of them or something that reminds you of them, and paste it in your journal. Use your role models to inspire you and remind you of what you aspire to be. You can also consider famous people, such as musicians or athletes, who inspire you because of their life, their actions, or that you can look up to and admire. For example, the Dalai Lama has been a symbol of peace for decades, even under great adversity. You don't have to become the Dalai Lama to remind yourself of his strength and attitude. This reminder can help you stay focused on the kind of person you want to be and the life you want to live. Think of these people as inspirational tools.

SUMMARY:
Make a list of your ideals and values. Make a list of all the ways you can excel in life. Make a list of your goals. Prioritize your goals. Find role models.