This will stack a second, identical layer over your original image. You'll use this to select the image(s) in the photo that you want to distinguish from your blurred background. Choose the selection type based on what is most suitable for your particular image. Ex.: If the image you want to emphasize has very straight edges, right-click to change the lasso to Polygonal, which will create straight lines between the points you click. If there's a sharp, clear edge between the background and the image you want to emphasize, change the lasso to Magnetic, which will find the edge for you. Feathering your edges will make them softer and subtle and much more forgiving. This will help you freehand-select more accurately. Be sure to "close the circle" by ending up back where you started and clicking on your origin point. You'll know your selection is complete once a dotted "marquee" line appears around the edges. Make sure you're working on the top layer when you lasso. To add to an already-completed selection, hold down the Shift key while you continue to select. This is a great way to either modify your current selection or simultaneously select a separate subject. To subtract from an already-completed selection, hold town the Alt key and select the area you wish to remove, which will then become unselected. Don't worry about making your selection perfect the first time around; you will adjust it later. This will select your background instead of your subject(s). This will blur the background of your image. Play around with different blur radii to create the background effect you want. The larger the radius, the blurrier the image, so if you're going for a subtle effect, aim low. For example, if you want the background to be very soft and only somewhat identifiable, try a radius of 10. If you want your background just barely blurred, use a radius of .5 or 1. This will re-select your subject(s) instead of your background. The subject of your photo will disappear from the top layer, revealing the intact image from the layer underneath. It may seem like a mistake to "paint" over your photo, but what you are really modifying is the size and shape of the "hole" between your top and bottom layer. In other words, this is a way of fine-tuning that lasso selection you made originally. Use black to hide more of your top layer. For example, if the blurring overlaps your subject in places, use a black paintbrush to hide some of that top-layer blurring. Use white to show more of your top layer. For example, if the blurring isn't close enough to the edges of your subject, simply fill in the gaps with a white paintbrush. Be sure to use shades of gray. Especially for edging, it's important to keep the look soft and subtle, which will make errors harder to detect. This will combine your various layers into one.
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One-sentence summary -- Select Layers > Duplicate Layer. Select the Lasso Tool from your tool palette. Increase the feather to between 1 and 3 pixels. Zoom in on your subject(s) so that you can see the edges clearly. Click or drag the Lasso tool along the edges of your subject. Go to Select > Inverse. Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Go to Select > Inverse. Go to Layer > Add Layer Mask > Hide Selection. Use the Brush tool to modify your selection. When you're completely satisfied, go to Layer > Flatten Image.

Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen. Type in character map to do so. It should be at the top of the Start menu. Doing so opens the Character Map window. Click the "Font" drop-down menu at the top of the Character Map window, then click a commonly used font (e.g., Arial) in the drop-down menu. The reason you need to do this is that less commonly used fonts include different symbols which aren't compatible with some programs. Scroll through the list of symbols until you find the one you want to use. Click once the symbol to select it. You should see the symbol enlarge slightly. It's at the bottom of the window. The symbol will be added to the "Characters to copy" text field. You'll find this in the lower-right corner of the window. Doing so copies the symbol to your clipboard. Once you've copied your symbol, open a text field or document, then press Ctrl+V to paste in the symbol.
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One-sentence summary -- Open Start . Search for Character Map. Click Character Map. Select a common font. Find the symbol you want to type. Select the symbol. Click Select. Click Copy. Paste the symbol into a document.

Okay, this isn't exactly staying up all night, but taking a nap for even a few minutes can improve performance and minimize signs of sleepiness. Even a little shut eye can help you stay up for the rest of the night. One study found that people did better with just a 26-minute nap. So shut your eyes for just a little bit, and you should find it easier to make it through the entire night and next day. The key here is to take a short nap because otherwise you could end up in a deep sleep, which is very hard to wake out of. You could also sleep a little bit longer the night before you know you will be up all night. The body will "bank" the sleep, and it will be easier to get through the stretch of sleeplessness without it. Your body clock is actually aware of changes in light and darkness, and you will feel more awake in the light. The body clock is linked physically to the eyes. If you're super tired the next day, go outside. The sunlight will also function to wake your body up more. The darkness causes the body to produce melatonin, which is the sleep hormone. People's instinct is often to turn down the lights at night, but that's probably going to make you more sleepy as the body perceives it's time to call it a night. Turning the lights higher than normal will trick the body. The brain is going to be more alert after you move a bit. If you don't have time to exercise, you could just engage in a conversation, wash the dishes do something to focus your body on a new action for a time. Changing an activity also might wake the body up more. The body will become more alert to compensate for the new activity. The body feels less tired when you're busy because it will focus on the task instead of the lack of sleep. Mental activities also may help you stay awake by keeping your focus on something other than the fact you're tired. So try playing a game. Some mental activities, like reading a book, may make you more sleepy, though, especially if you do them while lying down. You could listen to a talking radio show though. The body temperature naturally lowers during sleep, so people sleep better when it's colder. However, a hot room is probably going to make you feel drowsy. Other ways to trick the body into feeling more wakeful include taking a cold shower and getting dressed up for your day. In addition to turning down the room temperature, you could also open a window. The breeze should help you stay awake, in addition to the lower temperature (if it's cool outside).
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One-sentence summary --
Take a short nap during the night or right before it starts. Make sure the lights are on and bright. Stay busy, and move. Cool down the room.