Patriot Days at The University of Texas at Tyler!

This week has been a whirlwind of fun here at The University of Texas at Tyler! We had many events happening for Patriot Days. There was much free food, festivities and educational information for FREE to all students. It was perfect timing too, everyone needs a pick-me-up during the craziness that IS April. Finals are coming quickly, the world is turned upside down momentarily, you think you are about to totally lose your cool.... and then the University gods come and bring loads of free food, balloon artists and spray-paint artists to entertain you. It's like the ultimate "HEY. DON'T DIE" from the University!

Also, here's a "HEY. DON'T DIE" from yours truly: 

I decided to cover the Health Fair during Patriot Days. I'm really glad I did, because all of the food offered wasn't super vegetarian friendly and the UC second floor was turning into a land of pure temptation. So I went upstairs and these are a few things I found....

Finals Week is Upon Us!

So as you may know and may have heard, Finals Week is here and imminent, leading to insane amounts of cramming, an obscene amount of coffee consumption, and all nighters all around. While it may be a little bit better for your test grade because it allows you more study time, it is not the best thing for your health. When your body is stressed out, it is more prone to getting sick! And everyone knows that being sick during Finals is the worst. 

"No, Linus, it doesn't have to be. Not with these handy dandy tips!"

Keep Calm and Patriot On

So the last two weeks have been very, very tough. I had my first microbiology exam, followed by a lab exam, with a statistics project and exam due within a week of each other, a music exam, with - last but not least- my political science exam.  It is as though my professors all consulted each other and said, “Let her take ALL the tests!” The wonders of being a nursing major indeed. 

I just know that this is what goes in those emails

The good news is that this upcoming week should be pretty smooth sailing, with only the standard, every day class quizzes. This is why it is important to stay up on your reading! Some classes will do these every day quizzes, and as long as you are staying up on your work, these are easy A points in the grade book. Here are some tips to get you through these “storm” weeks and into a “zen” week, where there’s little pressure. 

I love the little bridge!

Take Care of Yourself

The fall semester is here to stay. Lectures, quizzes, assignments, readings, projects and exams are about to happen to all of us and we need to be ready to face them. Don't let the semester and your schoolwork stop you from taking care of yourself the way you're supposed to.

How To Handle Stress

   If anything, college is a lot like high school. What was the one thing we all knew high school was? Drama. Now, unlike high school drama, college drama tends to actually matter ...

Take a Break from Stress (Fun Event!)

                Well, here at The University of Texas at Tyler, I'm sort of involved in all of the things. I, somehow, hold three officer positions this year in various clubs. A large body of the tasks that have been assigned to me, are to let people know about the events we are putting on all over campus for the rest of the semester! Aren't y'all lucky?


 Next Tuesday, September 25th, Peer Education is throwing a day of relaxation for all UT Tyler students and faculty/staff members!

Harvey Lake, taken by Josh Grijalva 

The line-up includes:

• chair massages from (8am-12) 
• "Yoga by the Lake" (11am-12) 
•  progressive relaxation with one of our licensed professional counselors (beginning at 10am) 
• a "free hug" from SWOOP!? a brief introduction to mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques - this will be INSIDE the UC (likely the Ballroom just after 2pm)
  
  This event is located on the deck behind the Administration building!
  
   Events like this are a wonderful way to take a break from a stressful day! So go between classes and tell your friends. I plan on working most of the event, so I'll be there! Sign up early for the massages... or I'll fill your spot with my name. :p

Treating Your Body with Compassion

 

     As I wrote in earlier blogs, I was not too thrilled about turning 20. I am not a "teen" anymore and still a year short of being 21!:( The start of my birthday week didn't go as well as I hope and only added to the dreading of my birthday. Perhaps I don't like my birthdays because it just means another year of being older and another step into being an official adult.... so scary. So when Tuesday afternoon came and I started a mild fever, followed by fatigue and nausea ( I cannot remember to spell this word. EVER!) I thought, this is just my luck! The second week of school and I'm already sick! Fortunately The University Health Clinic was able to see me the next day.

     There are many preventive ways to avoid the spreading of germs and getting sick!

From:Getty.com

• WASH YOUR HANDS!-  This is the obvious and one of the most effective ways to avoid getting sick and spreading germs. 
•  Hand Sanitizer-  Seriously you can get these sooo cheap! My friend went to the dollar store and got us a pack with two 2 oz. bottles for yes, ONE DOLLAR (plus tax of course) after watching the movie Contagion. We we're quite paranoid after that :)
• Sneeze and cough properly- Yes there are proper ways to do these! When you feel a sneeze coming, face away from other people, and sneeze into your elbows. This way you don't sneeze in your hands that you touch others and things with! 
• Don't share utensils or water bottles-  Taking a sip from a friend's water bottle or sharing a bite of their food with their fork is one of the easiest way to spread germs aside from kissing of course. 
• Disinfecting/ cleaning supplies-  Have lysol disinfecting spray at hand! They come with various fragrances :) Smells very nice. My roommates literally sprayed the WHOLE apartment when I told them I wasn't feeling well. They were a tad bit paranoid..  Also, Clorox Wipes are hands down the most vital things for cleaning and disinfecting. 
• Exercise and getting a good night sleep- Exercising and getting the recommended amount of 8 hours helps maintains healthy immune system. We all know that all nighters and very late bed times are usually happens in college but try to get the most sleep you can! And napping between classes are always nice :) 
• If you're sick, STAY AT HOME!- If you are not feeling well, and I mean really not feeling well, not just because you don't want to go to class, then stay at home! There is no need for you to put more stress on your body or spread what you have with your peers. 

Tyler's Farmer's Market

          After reading Ryan's blog about what there to do in Tyler, this is something to do and an alternative to the MET at The University of Texas at Tyler, ya'll. Last Thursday, Leah (my new summer roommate) and I took a trip up to Tyler's Farmer's Market. We were pleased by the prices, and I made many purchases for myself and our greater household... and even my guinea pigs.

Leah "instagrammed" the corn. 

Meditation: Maybe Not Hippie Dippie Junk After All

Last Friday night, I went back up to the school to participate in UT Tyler's first official group meditation. I was hesitant at first, but that was before I understood the mental health benefits.  After outside research, I find that the human mind (your mind, my mind) has the ability to control more than we've been told. The allure of better focus and a clearer mind got me to the first meeting, but after listening to the leaders of the group, many of whom have been practicing meditation in some form for some time, I found many more reasons to continue practicing.

List of My Top 25 Reasons to Meditate (from a list of 100):
1- Greater Orderliness of Brain Functioning
2- Provides peace of mind, happiness
3- Helps keep things in perspective
4- Decreased tendency to worry
5- Leads to a deeper level of physical relaxation.
6- Builds self-confidence
7- Increases serotonin level, influences mood and behavior
8- Resolve phobias & fears
9- Helps control own thoughts
10- Helps with focus & concentration
11- Increase creativity
12- Increased brain wave coherence
13- Improved learning ability and memory
14- Increased feelings of vitality and rejuvenation
15- Increased emotional stability
16- improved relationships
17- Easier to remove bad habits
18- Increased Productivity
19- Improved relations at home & at work
20- Able to see the larger picture in a given situation
21- Helps ignore petty issues
22- Increased ability to solve complex problems
23- The ability to react more quickly and more effectively to a stressful event
24- Reduces need and dependency on drugs, pills & pharmaceuticals
25- Helps cultivate a greater inner-directedness

Tips for staying healthy in dorms!

Living in the dorms means living in close quarters with many people.

This increases one’s chances of getting sick very much.

I am of the lucky ones who has survived the dorm sickness of the first semester.

Here are some tips to help you survive this semester without getting sick:

1. Sleep.

Pulling constant all-nighters will not keep your health great. Try to get at least 6 hours or more a night.

2. Caffeine

Drinking too much caffeine can be harmful. So watch your caffeine intake.

3. Keep your room clean!

“Dorm rooms can be a breeding ground for all kinds of germs. It's communal living, so you usually have roommates and suitemates, and germs spread fast. Also, many dorms are used year-round for summer sessions and other educational programs, so when you first move in, you don't know how clean it really is and who lived in it last.” – Susan Ott

*Don’t clean your room for Health and Safety’s. KEEP it clean ALL semester!

4. Eat Healthy

Getting the vitamins you need is very important to stay healthy. If you don’t want to fruit or vegetables, buy multivitamins! But if you do go out and get some fruit to eat for snackage while you are studying!

Stay Healthy Patriots!

The Health and Kinesiology Department.... Doing It Big!!!

It is good to see the H&K Department doing new things and showing their UT Tyler pride. Check out the article:

Health Science students at The University of Texas at Tyler were invited to present at the 2011 Interprofessional Health Science Education Conference in San Antonio, Dr. Scott Marzilli, Department of Health and Kinesiology chair, announced.

Student inviteed were graduate student Brianna Moore of Longview and undergraduates Samrita Thapa of Tyler and Jason Simmington of Corsicana.
Their topics reflected innovations taken from health and kinesiology faculty, including a global health course taught within the department and teaching methods for health educators at UT Health Science Center in San Antonio.

Dr. William Sorensen and Dr. Cheryl Cooper, assistant professors of health and kinesiology, served as their faculty advisers.

The UT Tyler Department of Health and Kinesiology offers undergraduate degrees in health, health and kinesiology, and kinesiology and graduate degrees in health and kinesiology, kinesiology, and clinical exercise physiology.

Graduates have moved directly into careers in various areas of health care, teaching, coaching, athletic training, business, and research. Programs also serve as preparation for further education in graduate or professional schools.
For more information, visit
here.
One of the 15 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler offers excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance, and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 6,400 high-ability students at campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine.

I salute you and keep up the good work!!!!