Don't immediately switch gears when you finish reading. (Switching gears immediately is the surest way to erase everything you just read from your short term memory.) You will process better and remember more if you take a few minutes to reflect on what you read. Reflect on your pre-reading (fit it into the course goals). Write a summary. Here are some sample questions you could discuss: What is this writer's purpose? Who is the audience? What are the main points/topics covered? What reasons and evidence support these main points? How is it relevant to this course? Context. What am I supposed to learn from this? How and how strongly do I react to this? Why? Question the material. What do I think is wrong/right? Why? What reasons do I have for my beliefs? This helps move the material from short-term to long-term memory. If you find you need to review the material in order to complete your assignment, you will be able to find the parts you need more quickly.

Summary: Reflect on what you have read. Try using two or more of the following strategies: Review the reading material within 24 hours to process it again. Begin any assignments promptly after reading the text.

Dealing with a suicidal parent can be mentally exhausting and emotionally stressful. A complex series of emotions can be the result. In order to understand what you're feeling and find ways to cope, look for these common reactions: Shock. A suicidal parent can come as a strong surprise. Nobody expects things to get this bad, especially with the person who is supposed to be taking care of you. Anger. Parents are your caregivers, so it may seem unfair for you to have to deal with all this emotional stress. It's normal to feel angry. Guilt. You may blame yourself for what is happening simply because you are close to your parent and the real causes may be less visible. Confusion. You may not know how to respond, so you may fall into a state of confusion over what's going on and how to cope with the situation. Self-blame is a normal reaction to a parent being suicidal, but it actually stems from misunderstandings about the complexity of suicidal emotions. The desire to commit suicide results from a number of different factors, as this guide discussed in the previous section. You are not the cause and never have been. In fact, it's unlikely that there is one singular reason for the way your parent is feeling. Suicide is not a simple, rational choice. l. There are things you can do to help yourself and your parent, but you never have ultimate control over what happens presently nor and what has happened in the past. The unfortunate reality is that sometimes suicide happens even when the family and extended support network has done its best to be supportive and provide a caring environment. This doesn't mean you shouldn't try, because those efforts can make all the difference, but the point is that some things exist outside of our control. Do everything you can, but with the recognition that you can't do everything. Therapy is not just for your parent with suicidal thoughts. A suicidal parent is an extremely taxing burden, so don't feel bad if you need outside help. Cognitive-behavioral therapy can help you come to terms with the emotions and thoughts that can arise as a reaction to your situation. Search for a therapist near you: click here. Be sure to find a therapist you can trust and confide in. If you don't find that person on the first try, don't settle! Therapeutic alliance is one of the most important factors for successful therapy. Thinking and worrying obsessively about your parent won't help them or you. Develop effective coping strategies to stay healthy and keep yourself from falling into the same problems as your parent. Although most of the research in this area discusses grief after an actual loss, some of it applies to the potential of loss as well: Grief and worry are not enough, it takes continued activity to process these difficult emotions and keep your life positive. Sports, other hobbies, and spending time with friends can act as a vaccine against despair in this situation. In addition to professional help and maintaining an active lifestyle, don't forget to keep in touch with your own friends and other family members! Social support is essential for your ability to cope with the high emotional demands of a suicidal parent.

Summary: Recognize your emotions. Avoid blaming yourself. Resist the illusion of control. Seek therapeutic help. Focus on your own life. Have your own support network.

Contour lines are there to give you an idea of what is happening beneath the water's surface. Contour lines, often red, connect similar water depth listings. This has the effect of dividing areas into shallower and deeper waters. Use the contour lines as a reference for the overall water depth in an area. For example, contour lines may connect points listed as 20ft (240in) deep. All of the points inside those lines are even shallower than that. On nautical charts, white space is normally water, so the blue areas will stand out more. Shoals and other shallow areas are blue. These spots tend to be no more than 18ft (5.5m) deep, although this varies from chart to chart. Shallow areas are often marked off by contour lines. The exact depth of shallow areas depends on the chart. Some charts color in areas under 3 fathoms, while others mark spots less than 1 fathom deep. Dry land will usually be inside a contour line, but not always. Pay particular attention to any tan spots in the middle of water channels. Sometimes these spots are submerged and can damage your boat, especially in shallow water. Land is always a light color to distinguish it from water and other navigational aids.

Summary: Follow dotted contour lines to monitor similar water depths. Look for light blue areas to identify shallow water. Find yellow or tan areas to identify land and sandbars.

Astringent persimmons are usually acorn-shaped and labeled "Hachiya," at least outside of Asia. They must be eaten when soft, practically bursting into mush. The skin should be smooth and semi-translucent, with a deep orange color. Read the identification guide above if you're not sure about your persimmon type. If you eat Hachiya persimmon before it is completely ripe, you will have the strongest mouth puckering experience of your life, due to its astringency. This numb feeling is temporary. Drinking and eating other food will help it go away. Astringent persimmons ripen within 710 days of purchase, but can sometimes take a full month. To speed ripening, store in a closed paper bag or airtight container. If stored in an airtight container, it may become moldy. Add a ripe apple, pear, or banana to the paper bag or container, or add a few drops of rum or other spirits on each of the leaf-like growths. To ripen these without causing extreme mushiness, wrap each fruit in three layers of non-porous plastic wrap. (Avoid wraps labeled with recycling symbol 4 or "LDPE"). Heat in an oven at minimum temperature or with just the pilot light on, no more than 120F (50C). Leave for 1824 hours, checking occasionally. Once the fruit is soft, pop it in the refrigerator. When you're ready to eat it, cut off the leaf-like flower stem, then slice lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and inner stem if present. Eat the rest with a spoon. The peel is edible as well, but eating it is messy when the fruit is ripe. Some people add cream and sugar, or a squeeze of lemon juice. There are a few tricks you can use to remove the astringency of an unripe persimmon. These will change the taste and texture, but you won't have to wait days before eating the fruit: Freeze the soft fruit instead to create a sorbet-like texture. If you prefer it warm, defrost it in the microwave. Alternatively, soak the persimmon in salt water for about a minute.
Summary: Let your astringent persimmon ripen completely. Speed up ripening. Eat chilled, with a spoon. Use shortcuts to eat unripe persimmons.