After you've completed setting up your microscope, put the objective lens back to the lowest setting and move the stage down. Next, carefully pick up your slide (on the edges!!!) . Then, place a drop of culture on the specimen on the slide using a dropper (try not to spread drop out). Now, like a true mad scientist, pick up the forceps and use them to pick up a cover slip. Then, ever so slowly and gently like a bomb diffuser, place the coverslip on the culture drop/specimen. BUT place it slowly and at about a 45˚ angle. After you have done this, pick up the slide (on the edge) and put it on the microscope under the stage clips**. (** if any excess culture around the edges gently dab off with a piece of toweling**)