Begin career planning early in high school
Dear Readers: Do you have a child or grandchild who is looking at college or a trade school? If she or he is a sophomore or junior in high school, now is a good time to start doing your homework and researching schools.
Here are some hints to help with the application process, from the U.S. Department of Education (ed.gov):
■ Have the student be honest on the application. It won’t help to lie or exaggerate.
■ Online applications are faster.
■ Colleges can and do check social media sites—make sure the student’s is pristine.
■ If letters of recommendation are needed, these can take time to get. Give coaches, supervisors and teachers at least one month, if not two, to get those completed.
■ The student should showcase his or her individual talents on the application. The school wants students who are bright, unique and skilled!
■ Save copies of everything sent out. Best of luck to these fine young people!—Heloise
WINDSHIELD AND VINEGAR Dear Readers: This time of year, much of the country can be in a deep freeze— brrr! There’s an old hint of my mother’s, the original Heloise (1919-1977), involving my favorite household helper, vinegar and windshields. This can prevent the windshield from icing over overnight.
Using a mixture of 2/3 cup white or apple-cider vinegar and 1/3 cup water, wipe or spray lightly the outside of the car windshield the night before a hard freeze, if you’re parked outside. This should lessen the effect of ice and lower your defrosting time.
In San Antonio, we don’t often get hard freezes, but the vinegar-and-water mixture will clean the windshield at least, and it certainly is safe! Would you like more hints using vinegar? Visit Heloise. com to order my vinegar pamphlet, or you can send a self-addressed, stamped (70 cents), long envelope, along with $5, to: Heloise/Vinegar, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Label all spray bottles so you know what you’re working with!—Heloise
CLEAN SINK
Dear Heloise: One chore I perform every night before going to bed: wiping out and drying the kitchen sink. Germs can build up there, and I feel like the kitchen and the house itself are cleaner when the sink is clean!
I use repurposed paper towels that I’ve used previously to dry my hands—saves money!—Rebecca L., St. George, Utah