Preventing the Winter Holiday Pounds

My first article talked about students gaining the freshman 15 in the first two months of school. Now, if you've passed that test, the next step of the challenge of the year awaits: November-February, when many people in general gain weight from the winter season! The weather becomes cold and many people do not want to exercise outside--and the biggest challenge of all: Grandma's holiday cookies and family gatherings! Don't wait until resolutions come around January 1st, start now and take the steps of prevention to maintain a reasonable weight..

A student article from the UCLA website gives a very insightful Top 10 list on how to survive the holiday season. In short, they discuss that you shouldn't try to lose weight during these months rather just focus on maintaining the weight. It says that you should be physically active in between gatherings, avoid eating just because you are in a social setting, go in with a plan, and really focus on the social aspect rather than just being at the party and eating.

http://www.snac.ucla.edu/pages/Resources/Handouts/HO.Holiday%20eating.htm

Personally, I think as long as you are sensible about what you are eating and exercise on a regular basis, I don't see the holidays as a huge problem. Eating in moderation makes it less difficult to get through the holiday season because it actually does fill you up. Oh, and maybe propose doing some fun physical activity instead of just sitting around at these parties--maybe challenge your cousins to WiFit or play activity charades with your friends on New Years!

Being Safe on Campus during Halloween

Halloween in college has turned into a week long celebration. It is filled with mischievous fun, missed morning classes, and scandalous costumes that you wouldn't normally wear to a family party. Although this sounds like fun and games to the typical college student, it is also important to remember that many sexual assaults occur on campus at this time of year. It makes sense that with everyone dressed up costume, nobody knows your real identity--making it easy to get away with a crime. Students need to protect themselves and use common sense this Halloween season to prevent themselves from emotional and physical harm. For a good, personal account regarding Halloween and assault, read this: http://media.www.collegian.com/media/storage/paper864/news/2003/10/21/Opinion/Prevent.Yourself.From.Being.A.Victim-1702615.shtml#4

Seventeen magazine reccomends the following tips on having a safe, yet fun Halloween:
1. Always watch your drink at a party
2. Make sure your costume is functional
3. Be extra careful on the road
4. If a friend is driving, make sure they are sober and alert
5. If you go trick-or-treating, be smart
6. If your hosting a party, be careful with decorations
7. Have a cell phone handy
Tips taken directly from: http://www.seventeen.com/fun-stuff/special/halloween-safety-tips

Using Technology to Get Fit at College

In the past five or so years, technology has taken a jump in the fitness world. From physiological devices, such as heart rate monitors, to personal enjoyment devices, such as the Ipod touch, marketers have made equipment more affordable, which has been great for the average college student struggling to pay their bills. Some of these really cool fitness inventions would have never been thought of ten years ago, and yet they are on sale today for a reasonable cost (or at least something you can ask for during the holiday times or a birthday!). Most of the equipment comes in different colors, targeting both the women and men's population. Fitness has finally become enjoyable.

Here's some new fun, fitness technology items on the market:

WiFit: A Nintendo videogame that tests the players balance, strength training and cardiovascular ability through games. There are over 50 activities and it can also track a daily activity log. It is great for a dorm room workout! $85 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii_Fit

iFit: A personal trainer in a computer chip. It plugs into your treadmill, elliptical or bike and automatically adjusts the speed and resistance for each step of the workout. http://www.ifit.com/workouts/

iPod Sport Kit: A chip that is placed in your Nike running shoe that programs your music to the pace you are running at, provides feedback on whether or not you are meeting your programmed goals, and records workout data online after the workout. Cost: $26 http://www.apple.com/ipod/nike/run.html

For more information on technology and fitness: http://www.byui.edu/scroll/lifestyle/2007/01/20070129-techno-fit.htm

Should Physical Education Classes be Required in College?

A fairly recent controversial topic in the college curriculum world is whether or not physical education classes should be required for college students. It would count as graduation credit and be required of all students, regardless of their major, similar to the english or social understandings categories in the common core. College has proven to be the transition period of many student's lives where they become sedentary, mainly because so many students go from playing sports in high school to not playing in college. Physical activity is sometimes forgotten because of all the other new changes happening at this time.

By requiring PE and Health classes in college, students lock in time in their day to exercise and they get credit by doing so. When researching this issue, many colleges require their students to take a general fitness class which includes walking, yoga, or weight training. Other schools require them to get CPR/First Aid certification to graduate. Bryn Mawr, a college in Pennsylvania, actually requires their students to pass a swim proficiency exam in order to graduate.

Here at Westfield State, although it is not required, the following one credit, 8 week long elective classes are offered: step aerobics, golf, strength and conditioning, and relaxation techniques. The downside to this is that only 20 students can sign up for it, making it nearly impossible unless you are a senior.

To see an example of Bryn Mawr's College PE program, visit:
http://www.brynmawr.edu/athletics/physical-education/policies.htm

*What would you think if WSC required physical education classes to the common core?*

Pets Improve Student's Emotional Health

For many, college is an emotional roller coaster filled with projects, exams and other stressful academic assignments. Students are more likely to fight with their significant others, roommates, parents, and professors than any other time in school. Depression is all too common in college. In times of high stress and loneliness, sometimes all we need is something that we can't have living on campus: a pet.

According to WebMD, students that had a pet reported that they would feel lonely without one. Their top three reasons to having a pet were: 1. Companionship 2. To keep them active and 3. To "get them through the hard times." There's something about having a pet that is similar to having a best friend around all the time. Many students living off campus choose to adopt from rescue shelters near the college. From personal experience, my four roommates and I just got two bunnies (Mufasa and Einstein..pictures to come!) this past weekend and it has really allowed us to bond over buying the cages, picking up the bunnies, and getting them settled in our new home!

If you don't have the time or money to care for a dog, cat or bunny, there are other pets that are easier to maintain. Fish, hamsters, gerbils, lizards and guinea pigs are all fun and inexpensive alternatives. For those who live in a dorm room on campus, I'm sorry to say there's not much you can do about sneaking a pet behind your RA's back. I do not recommend trying to keep a boa constrictor in a common room, a fish as a pet in a Poland Spring water bottle, or a kitten in a shopping bag (All true college pet horror stories according to Helium.com)

For further reading, check out:
http://www.webmd.com/balance/news/20081226/pets-comfort-college-students
http://www.helium.com/items/396839-tips-for-keeping-pets-on-college-campuses

*Do you feel that a pet would help ease your stress in college?*

Adderall: The Study Drug of Choice

Whether writing a five page paper or cramming for a midterm, many students don't get the right amount of sleep. Therefore, they often turn to a quick fix to keep them awake in the dawn hours of the morning. Most commonly, drinking caffeine was used as a pick-me-up, but most recently on college campuses, prescription drugs have become more and more popular, particularly a drug called Adderall.

According to Wikipedia Legal, Adderall is a "psycho stimulant medication composed of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine which is thought to work by increasing the amount of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain." It can be given as an instant relsease and is normally prescribed for patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

With this said, it isn't hard to find the drug on college campuses. According to the Houston Chronicle, 23% of people say they have loaned their prescription drug and 27% say they have borrowed someone else's. Many students take it as a one time quick fix because they've heard it helps study, then become addicted. The difficult part about this drug is that there are no stereotypical users on the college campus. Anyone with some sort of academic stress have been said to take this drug. In an interview from the TransWorld News, a student reported, “I don’t know that many kids that have done coke, none that have tried crack, and only a few that have dropped acid. I can’t even count all of the ones who’ve taken Adderall.”

Personally, I think that if students have good time management skills during the semester, it will go a long way to easing the stress come the end of the semester. I have stayed up until four in the morning the night before a paper is due, but I can honestly say that drinking water and taking short breaks every couple of hours gets the job done just as well.

To read more about prescription drugs on campuses:
http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=125454&cat=10
http://adderall.legalview.info/wikipedia/Adderall/

Easy Ways to Get Exercise at Westfield

For many of us, getting exercise and staying fit is high on our priority list at college. And, now it can be easier than ever. Living on a college campus, there is usually always an opportunity to exercise. Teen's Health recommends the easiest way to stay fit at college includes: working out at the gym with a friend, jog on nearby trails and roads, organize pick up games, attend campus workout classes, take a hike, or play intramural sports. For more information, visit: http://kidshealth.org/teen/school_jobs/college/exercise.html?tracking=T_RelatedArticle#

More specifically related to Westfield State, I have compiled a list of easy things students can do to get a little more exercise in their day:
- Take a Yoga Class in Davis Hall
- Walk the stairs instead of taking the elevator to get to 4th Floor Wilson
- Shoot hoops at the Woodward Center or in Parenzo Gym between classes
- Instead of taking the bus to 333, leave 15 minutes early and walk
- Run or play ultimate frisbee at Stanley Park
- Go ice skating at Ameila Park (near Big Y and the Post Office in Westfield)
- Go with friends to a "Butts n Gutts" class in the Ely Gym
- Join the dance, wrestling, equestrian, or any other club teams WSC offers
- Map a run around Western Ave using www.mapmyrun.com
- Play in a Movement Science organized tournament (ie - Hoops for Heart 3v3 Basketball or Dodgeball Fundraiser Tournament)
- Make an intramural team with friends that live on your floor
Visit the WSC intramural site for more details:
http://www.wsc.ma.edu/athletics/intramurals.htm

*What do you do for exercise during the school year?*