This technique works great with rough or reclaimed wood. The finished product will look rustic, and will look like the wood of a barn. Because this technique is designed to create a rustic look, you almost never have to sand. The roughness of the wood actually adds to the final, barn-like, product. The wood does not need to be perfectly clean, but if it's very dirty, wash it with soapy water. Let it dry completely before you begin painting. It is best to pour the paint on the center of the wood. Start with a small amount, and add more if necessary. You can use any type of paint with this technique, although most people find latex paint the easiest to work with. Add water if the paint is too thick. Adding water will also make it easier to drag the paint across the wood. Spread the paint across the wood, into the grain, and let it soak into the grooves. If you want a light coat of paint, you can spread the paint out thinly. For more coverage, don't spread the paint as widely. Repeat this step to fill in blank areas. Let the piece sit overnight, and then check it. The paint may take longer to dry in areas where you applied thick layers of paint. Make sure it is completely dry, and not tacky to the touch, before you move the wood. If you want the wood to have more coverage, or a brighter finish, add more paint and scrape it across the wood. Add as many layers as you like, but remember that the more paint you apply, the less the wood will show through.

Summary: Use the paint and drag technique to create a rustic look. Pour a small amount of paint directly onto the wood. Use a wide putty knife, or scraper to drag the paint across the wood. Let the wood dry for at least 12 hours. Repeat as necessary.

Give your friends a call or send them a text to chat without needing to see them in person. Set up a group chat and add several friends' phone number to the contact list. Text is a great way of contacting everyone at once if you are setting up a time to hang out. Give your parents or siblings a call to see how they've been. Family members are friends too! Ask about your extended family and see if there are any family events being planned that you can attend. It is always easier to come up with fun ideas to do once everyone is together. You can have fun at home or go out and find something to do. Head to a restaurant. Getting food is a fun and important social experience that brings people together and strengthens social ties. Just make sure everyone puts down the cell phone. Let everyone have some input. Just because you arranged the hang out doesn't mean that you own the floor. Find out what sounds agreeable for everyone and come to a consensus on what to do next. There are a variety of different activity groups you can join with your friends. Fitness, martial arts, dance and drama are a few examples of social clubs present in many cities. These groups are a great way to meet new people. Sign up for online communities such as Meetup, Tribe, and Picatic to find existing communities located close to your area. Clubs exist even for activities which are considered solo activities, such as reading or painting. You can get together to discuss the reading or share techniques. College is a great place to join a club and meet people to hang out with on a regular basis. See if one of your friends knows of any upcoming parties and if others are invited. Or you can hold your own invite your friends and let them invite friends of theirs. Make sure you party responsibly. Don't get too carried away and respect the environment if you aren't holding the party. If you are hosting the party, set some rules for the party guests to keep things from getting out of control. For example, set a drink limit or make sure they have a safe way home if they plan on drinking. Use a taxi service such as Uber or Lyft if you need to get home from a party, but don't have a designated driver who can give you a ride. Jump in the car and go for a road trip, or take a long hike at a nearby nature reserve. Even the mall can make for a fun, short trip. Make sure everyone has enough time to see the trip through from start to finish. If taking a longer trip or road trip, make sure you have enough money and supplies to last the expected time the trip will last, as well as an emergency stash just in case. Plan ahead. The more complicated the trip, the more research you should perform ahead of time. Plan a general route and take note of important stops such as gas stations, hotels and hospitals. Let others close to you know where you are going if you are going to be gone for an extended period of time.

Summary: Phone or text your friends. Invite some friends over. Join an activity group. Go to a party. Go on a long or short journey, trip, or adventure.

Review your written work for effectiveness and ensure that the piece meets your objective. Your goal may be to persuade, inspire, entertain, educate or inform the reader. Ask yourself, "Did I present a fresh perspective on the topic?" or "Am I doing a good job of defending my argument with facts and logic?" Be honest with yourself, and don't be afraid of rewriting the piece if necessary. High-quality writing reflects a person's own ideas, thoughts and conclusions. If 1 part of your writing is weaker than the rest of the article or essay, consider removing or rewriting it to better fit the piece. If what you have written is simply a regurgitation of existing material, examine your own thoughts, experiences, and opinions to add original ideas into the piece. If your teacher provided guidelines for how they'll be grading your writing, use it to guide your revision. Look at what you need to do to receive the highest grade. When you find that information in your paper, check it off of the rubric. If something is missing, make sure you add it into the paper. For instance, if your teacher requires that you have at least 2 quotes per paragraph, go through each paragraph and underline each quote. If there are 2 in every paragraph, you can check that component off of the rubric. Go back through your piece and write down your thesis on a separate sheet of paper. Then, write down the main focus for each paragraph and include a bullet point for each piece of supporting information. Make sure all of your claims support your thesis and are related, factual, and logical. If you can't explain how your points support each other, consider restructuring your argument. Go through the outline to make sure all of your points are supporting the topic of the paper, and remove any information that doesn't contribute to your main focus. If your professor or teacher has provided specific guidelines about how many sources or what type of sources to include, then make sure that you have met these guidelines. Review what you have written and check to see if you have included the required citations for the sources as well. For example, if the professor or teacher has requested 2 book sources, 2 scholarly articles, and 2 web sources, then make sure you have included and cited all of these sources.
Summary: Ask if your writing is achieving the purpose of the piece. Check the rubric to ensure the piece meets the criteria if it will be graded. Analyze your logic by constructing a backwards outline. Ensure that the required number and type of sources are included.