Life Hacks

Never make the wrong turn on the freeway again.

The alignment of the tabs on top of exit signs tells

you whether the exit will be on the left or right.

In life, most people try to find the easiest way to accomplish tasks; in addition, ways that can allow for the most procrastination to be achieved. I am constantly looking for simple solutions to everyday problems. If something can be accomplish quicker, and more efficient, then I am a huge supporter of changing my ways. I became fascinated with life hacks on Pinterest. To further my knowledge of life lacks, I recently read Life Hacks by Keith Bradford, and found several things that were insightful and could reduce my frustration level in my everyday life. Therefore, I thought I would share some of those tips with you; some of these I am interested in trying, and seeing if they actually work.

Technology

• Get the Wi-Fi password to almost anywhere by checking the comment section on Foursquare.
• Accidently close a tab in your Internet browser? Press "Ctrl+Shift+T" to reopen it.
• Storing batteries in the freezer can double their lifespan.
• You can search "(month)(year)" in Wikipedia to give you all the major world news for that month.
• On Supercook.com you can enter what ingredients you have readily available and it can tell you what meals you can make as well as how you can make them.
• Want to make sure you wake up in the morning? The Snooze app for iPhone will donate to charity each time you hit the snooze button.
• The Along the Way app will give you any cool attraction you can see along the way of any road trip.

Food and Drink

• Cottage cheese and sour cream will last twice as long if you turn the container upside down. This forms a vacuum seal and prevents bacteria from getting in.
• Tired of your takeout food getting cold by the time you get home? Put it in your passenger seat and turn on the seat warmer.
• Microwaving lemons and other fruits for fifteen seconds can double the amount of juice you get from them.
• Popcorn actually pops better when it's stored in cold places like the refrigerator.
• An empty Pringles can makes for a perfect container for your raw spaghetti.
• To keep potatoes from budding, toss an apple in the bag.
• Open your bag of chips from the bottom since most of the flavoring has sunk there.
• Microwave a Nature Valley bar for thirty seconds to prevent crumbs when you eat it.
• You can add two eggs and half a cup of oil to turn any cake mix into cookie dough.
• It's completely safe to eat the stickers that are on fruit. Even the glue used to put them on is food grade.
• Has your champagne lost its bubbly-ness? Drop a raisin in and watch the bubbles magically return.

Health and Fitness

• Eating celery is technically exercise. When you eat celery, you more calories digesting it than you consume.
• Don't wet your toothbrush after you put toothpaste on it. Water reduces some of the healthy benefits of using toothpaste.
• Laughing for fifteen minutes has the same health benefits as getting two extra hours of sleep.
• By simply owning a cat, your risk of heart attack decreases by 30%.
• Get stung by a bee? Apply a cut onion to the area. This will help break down the chemicals responsible for inflammation and discomfort.

Cures and Solutions

• Use a clothespin while hammering. You'll never bang your thumb again.
• To cure a sore throat, add a teaspoon of honey to JELL-O mix and heat it up. The gelatin will coat and soothe your throat.
• Make homemade ice packs by adding one part rubbing alcohol to three parts water in a Ziploc bag. It will get cold but not hard, so you can easily write it around sore body parts.
• Adding vodka to your shampoo can strengthen your hair, prevent dry scalp, and stop dandruff.
• Cornstarch will untangle all kinds of knots. Rub some into shoelaces, chains, and string to easily loosen them up.
• Blow some air in when filling up water balloons. This will cause it to pop when it hits someone instead of just bouncing off.

Money Savers

• Don't pay to learn a new language! You can learn Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Portuguese for free on Duolingo.com.
• To save money, when you shop, don't touch anything. Touching an item makes you more likely to buy it.

Life Tips

• If your car is about to get towed, get in it. Tow trucks are forced to stop to avoid kidnapping charges.
• If you ever need to stop and ask for directions, skip the gas station and find a pizza delivery place. They know their way around town way better.
• If you are buying headphones or speakers, test them out with "Bohemian Rhapsody." It has the complete set of highs and lows in instruments and vocals.
• Make a password into a goal of yours so you're constantly reminded of it.
• Use ketchup packets as ice packs. They're the perfect size for a kid's bumps and bruises and they stay soft enough to form around any body part.
• When buying something online, only read the reviews that gave three stars. They're usually the most honest about the pros and cons.
• When you're at a restaurant, wash your hands after ordering. The menu is generally the dirtiest thing you can touch.
• Microwave two big bowls at the same time by elevating the second bowl with a mug or another small, microwave-safe container.
• When you're thinking about buying something you don't necessarily need, imagine the item in one hand and the cash in the other. Which one would you take?
• If you have to put a beloved pet to sleep, find a vet who will make a house call. You'll feel better knowing that the animal's last hour won't be spent in a place it hates.
• If you ever find a driver's license, you can put it in any mailbox as is and the postal service will return it to its owner.

Survival

• When you call 911, the first thing you should always say is your location. They immediately send police when they have an address.
• Tip for your next camping trip: keep your toilet paper dry by putting it in an old CD spindle. It  fits perfectly.
• Tip for your next camping trip: use "joke candles" (the ones that you can't get blown out) to light fires. This way, the wind won't affect the flame.
• If you ever suspect that someone is following your car, take four right turns. It will form a circle, and if they're still behind at that point, then they're definitely following you.
• If you're ever homeless, spend whatever money you have on a 24-hour gym membership. You'll not only have a place to go at night, but will also be able to use their showers to stay clean.
• Don't put your feet up on a car's dashboard. Airbags go off like small bombs and can easily break both of your legs.

Party Hacks

• If you ever have to clean up vomit (and hopefully you don't), put ground coffee on it first. It takes away the smell and dehydrates it. Then, you can just sweep it up.
• Suspect someone is give you the wrong phone number? Read it back to them incorrectly, and if they correct you, it's legit.
• If you're ever drunk and need to sleep in your car, take the keys out of the ignition. It's actually considered a DUI if the keys are in there while you're in the car.
• Those lines on red Solo cups are actually alcohol measurements.12 oz for beer, 5 oz for wine, and 1oz for liquor.

Around the House

• The best way to clean a microwave: Put a cup of hot water and vinegar inside, turn it on for three to five minutes, and wipe clean with ease.
• Use a blow dryer to instantly defog any mirror.
• Get a small pan and fill it with water. Add some vanilla extract and cinnamon and put it on the stove. Your house will smell like a delicious bakery in no time.
• Take a picture of your fridge and pantry on your phone before you go grocery shopping. You'll never forget anything at the store again.
• If you don't own an ironing board, throw your wrinkled clothes in the dryer with a wet sock for thirty minutes.
• If you want a streak-free shine on windows, use newspaper.
• Hate that dust in the last couple bowls of cereal? Pour it into a strainer first. Problem solved.
• If your toothpaste says it repairs teeth, make sure it contains "NovaMin" as an active ingredient. It's the only ingredient that actually repairs teeth.

School

• Mathway.com solves all kinds of math homework problems with step-by-step explanations.
• Writing an essay? Copy and paste it into Google translate and have the computer read it out to you. It'll be much easier to find errors this way.
• You can remember the value of pi (3.1415926) by counting each word's letters in "May I have a large container of coffee."
• Changing the font size of periods from 12 to 14 can make a paper look significantly longer.
• The EasyBib iPhone app will give you a bibliography on any book if you simply scan the barcode.
• Stop using Google.com to search information for school essays. Use "scholar.google.com" instead. You'll find more relevant information right away.
• Never send your resume to someone as a Word document (unless asked). Send it as a .PDF file since it's much cleaner and more professional looking.
• Have a separate user account on your laptop for presentations. This way, embarrassing personal things won't show up when you open it in class.
• SelfControl is a program that blocks sites like Facebook, Twitter, and email for a specific period of time. Using it will help you minimize distractions while you study or do homework.
• It is actually better to take exams on an empty stomach. Hunger makes you focus better.
• Minor in what you love and major in what will get you a job.