So it’s that Time of the Year...

 FINALS!!!

So it’s that time of the year. Every end of the semester, teachers decide to unleash a wrath of projects, assignments, homework and tests all right before Final Exams. It’s every college student’s worse nightmare. Luckily, the Rec Center is a great stress reliever. Here’s my list of activities that could help you relax and be ready for finals:

 

1.)  Float it away

The pool is a great stress reliever. You can literally float your stress away in the lazy river. It’s the one place where being lazy is a good thing.

    2.)  Work it out

     When you’ve had a stressful day, it’s not a bad idea to pump some iron. Working out (no Group X after today) helps release built up negative energy. For some people, it energizes them and gets them ready to sit and study.

 

3.)   Massage it away

Massages are a great way to relax and relieve stress. All the lactic acid from stress simply gets rubbed away. But don’t forget, all massage appointments have to be scheduled 24 hours in advance.

 

 

4.)  Hit the stress out

Another great way to relieve stress is to get hit something! The Rec and the HPE both have Racquetball courts. Just simply check out racquets at the check-in desk. If you’re looking for something to hit outside, you can check out tennis racquets and play tennis at the Tennis Complex right next to the Rec.

Hopefully with these tips, you will survive the Dead/Finals weeks. It always helps if you stay optimistic. A good attitude is half the battle. Besides, it’s just one week. It’ll be over before you know it.

  -Just a thought from Dev. Hill

Life in the Back Country

  

Spring Break at Jackson Falls: Part 2 Camp Life

Last week I said I had the great privilege of joining 15 fantastic people on a Spring Break trip to Jackson Falls in southern Illinois. The sport climbing was simply amazing, but that was just one part of the trip. The trip also offered a chance for people to experience real back country camping. Imagine an entire week without running water! No, toilets, no shower, no sink to brush your teeth or wash your hands in. This was real camping, and I was diving right into it  with no prior experience. The challenge was on.

 

The first thing I had to get use to was using the bathroom outside. Since I’m a guy, simply unzipping my pants took care of #1’s, but #2’s was a whole other animal. Naturally there’s a fear that comes along with the idea of exposing yourself to the world, but it was a fear that had to be faced. 

I remember it as if it were yesterday. It was a cold, and dark night. Before I headed out I grabbed the bathroom kit. This special kit contains a shovel, toilet paper and a little bottle of hand sanitizer. To perform this task successfully, you have to go far enough away from the group to not be seen, but not too far that you get lost and can’t find your way back. Then when you find a spot, you have to dig a hole using the shovel and squat over that hole. Afterwards, you would fill that hole up with dirt and mix the contents together. For a good jester, you then put a stick on top of the whole so other people won’t dig in that same spot (or worst, step in it). After wandering around for what seemed like hours, I found a nice spot next to some fallen trees. Throughout the whole experience, I thought I was hearing raccoons in the near bushes. This was definitely not a safe position to be in when flesh-eating raccoons are around you! Ok, so I’m exaggerating. The experience wasn’t that bad. I actually found it easier to use than the traditional toilet.

Being out in nature for that long was like traveling back in time. It’s amazing what you do and how you behave when you have to think about the bare necessities. Every day we had to conserve our water use and measure our food intake. To take advantage of the natural sunlight, we woke up at sunrise and went to sleep when the sun went down. We didn’t have to worry about schedules or deadlines. It was just us, and the adventures we decided to go on. On this trip you also realize the simple things you miss out on in live.  Each day we were able to see the sun set and disappear on the horizon with its orange glow. We saw the billion of stars at night that lit up the sky. 

It really made you appreciate how beautiful living simple really is. 

- Just a thought from Dev. Hill

On Belay?! Belay is on!

 

Spring Break at Jackson Falls: Part 1 Climbing

So during Spring Break, I had the great privilege of joining 15 fantastic people on a week long trip to Jackson Falls in southern Illinois. Because so many amazing things happened during that week, I’m just going to share with you the climbing part of the trip. You’ll have to wait until next week to read more.

Before this trip, my rock climbing experience was limited to a few times climbing the easy routes on the Rock Wall at the Rec Center. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. On the first day of climbing, we hiked down the canyon system of Jackson Falls and headed for some “easy” climbing routes. I was one of the first people to Top-rope one of the routes. The first thing I noticed was that real rock is cold when it’s cold outside; makes sense. The Second thing I noticed was how different it was compared to the Rock Wall at the Rec Center. Outside on real rock there’s no colored routes. There are no defined handgrips to hold on to. You have to make your own routes and test areas on the rock to make your own grips. I had a difficult time finding holds because I wasn’t used to looking for them. I also noticed that your style of climbing changes. You can’t use your upper body all the time. You’ll get tired out really fast and you’ll just make it tougher on yourself (note to self, leg muscles are stronger than arm muscles).

After going through the growing pains and relearning how to climb, things got really fun. I felt like I was a part of the rock. No longer was it just me trying to climbing a big piece of rock, but rather, it was me figuring out a puzzle using my mind and my body. After getting better at it, I decided to try Lead-Climbing for the first time. For those who don’t know, Lead-Climbing is when you climb the wall and while ascending, you attach quickdraws to knobs on the wall to catch you if you fall. Lead-Climbing is both really exciting and terrifying. Because you are making your own anchors, the falling distance is greater. The scariest part is when you are about to make the next clip. You are already far away from the last one, and the belayer has released more rope for you, so if you decided to fall then, you’ll be falling for a while. It definitely made me a lot more conscious of my moves and more focused. Though it’s scary at times, I would recommend everyone to try it out . Just make sure you have some skilled climbers watching you and helping you along the way.

Rock climbing is an amazing sport that combines both your mental and physical being.  You can’t just do pull-ups all the way up to the top. You have to constantly think about your footing to make your legs do most of the work. You also have to plan and think about your moves so that you use the least amount of energy. Another mental aspect of it is that sometimes the wall can test your will power. You will find times where the route looks impossible and you think you can’t do it. Those are my favorite moments. That’s when I get to know what I’m made of. 

For more information on the Outdoor Pursuits department at the Rec Center or more information on the different trips offered, visit:

Outdoor Pursuits at SFA

Here is a video about the climbing on the trip

- Just a thought from Dev. Hill

Gotta Love Your Genes

Did you know about 8 million Americans have an eating disorder? What’s interesting about that is 95% of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25. In acknowledgement of National Eating Disorder Week, SFA is having “Love Your Genes Week” to help celebrate and promote positive self body image and self-esteem. It’s important to build self-awareness and self-esteem. With a society like ours, it’s really important to appreciate yourself, and to appreciate others.

 

 

Here is a run down of “Love Your Genes Week”:

Monday, February 25^th:

·      "I Pledge to Love My Genes": 11am-1pm in the BPSC Plaza

o   Here’s an opportunity for people to donate jeans.  They’ll also get to share what they love about themselves and “Pledge” to love their genes.

·      Love Your Genes Partner Yoga: 5:30pm-6:30pm outside (Meet at Rec Welcome Desk)

Tuesday, February 26^th:

·      Step Up "Bystander Intervention" Training: 6pm-8pm in the Rec Meeting Room

o   The Campus Rec Dietitian Sarah Drake along with The Office of Multicultural Affairs, health educators and counselors are having a discussion panel about eating disorders and how to get involved with helping others.

Wednesday, February 27^th:

·      "America the Beautiful" Film and Discussion: 11am-Noon in the BPSC Tiered Classroom

o   It’s like a lunch-and-learn where people get to see a great film about America’s culture of beauty and then discuss it. (Lunch is provided)

Thursday, February 28^th:

·      "Breaking Down Boundaries" with RHA: 10am-2pm in front of the Education Building

o   In this exercise people will tear down blocks showing statements that they may like or may not like about themselves, in the hope of breaking down stereotypes. 

Throughout the week you’ll also be able to donate old pairs of jeans to the Family Crisis Center of East Texas. Just simply drop off your jeans in the box at the Rec Center lobby. We will also be selling Love Your Genes shirts for $7. Also look out for large posters that will be posted in the spirit lounge addressing a variety of information and stats.

So next week when you’re going through your daily routine, remember, love and be yourself, because everyone else is taken.

- Thought from Dev. Hill

Is Chocolate Good for Your Health?

 Since giving chocolates on Valentines Day to significant others and friends is so popular,  I decided to give you guys some insight on chocolate and its benefits.

 

Click Here to see a History of Chocolate  

 

Effects on Health

Chocolate in moderation can actually be beneficial to you. There is something in chocolate that helps protect your cardiovascular system. That something is cocoa beans. They are rich in natural antioxidants called flavonoids.

In plants, flavonoids help protect from environmental toxins and help repair damage. In humans, antioxidants help the body's cells resist damage caused by normal bodily processes and from environmental contaminants like smoke. An increase in damage from either of these can cause bad cholesterol in your blood to form plaque on the artery walls.

Flavanols are the main type of flavonoid found in cocoa beans. It can lower blood pressure, improving blood flow to the brain and heart and help lower bad cholesterol.

Are all types of chocolate healthy?

Before you get temped to buy up a ton of chocolate candy bars or slices of chocolate cake, it’s important to know that not all chocolates contain high levels of flavanols.

Cocoa by itself naturally has a very strong, bitter taste, which comes from the flavanols. When cocoa is processed (through fermentation, alkalizing, roasting, etc.) into chocolate products, it loses this taste and ultimately reducing flavanol levels. As you can tell, most commercial chocolates are highly processed. Most people think that dark chocolate contained high levels of flavanols, but that all depends on how much it as been processed. Still, dark chocolate is the better option over milk chocolate. Cocoa powder is another good option as long as it hasn’t gone through treatment with an alkali to neutralize its natural acidity.

On the bright side, most chocolate manufacturers are looking for ways to keep the flavanols in their processed chocolates. Here is a list of companies that are trying to provide better options.

CocoXan

• http://www.xanconfections.com

CocoXan offers chocolates specially formulated for PMS (with chasteberry and bilberry), pregnancy (with folic acid and DHA) and brain health (vitamins A,C, D3 and E). 

Attune Probiotics Chocolate Bars

• http://www.attunefoods.com

The texture and taste of their chocolate were great according to reviews. They also come in familiar varieties like chocolate crisp, chocolate almond, chocolate mint, and just plain chocolate.

Gnosis Chocolates

• http://www.gnosischocolate.com

Options include Low-glycemic, vegan and organic. The chocolate named “Simplicity” contains only four ingredients: cacao, agave nectar, vanilla bean and blue-green algae.

-Just a thought from Dev. Hill

Reasources:

1.) http://www.livestrong.com/article/514529-healthy-options-for-chocolate-lovers-in-grocery-stores/

2.) http://spryliving.com/articles/the-new-healthy-chocolate/

3.) http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/prevention/nutrition/chocolate.aspx

Noo !!! Not Time Management!

One of the hardest things to do in college is to manage time. Sometimes it feels like you want to do a hundred things, but only have time to do two of them. In this blog I’ll go over some tips to help with time management and unlock the door to productivity. 

I know for me, nothing feels better than the feeling of being productive. It is sometimes hard to achieve that feeling. A friend may call and ask to hang out or a favorite TV show may come on. To help with this problem, I found a list of things you can do.

1.) Start with a list
Write down everything you need to do for the day. If you don’t carry a planner or notebook already, start working on that. Personally, I preferred a small, simple, white-lined notebook because you aren’t restricted by the various boxes and lines. A simple To Do List is often a huge help to anyone, but make sure to avoid a list that reaches outrageous length and is overwhelming to look at. It also helps to make use of down time. If you get out of class early and need to read a chapter or two for another class, take advantage and get reading! It’s less work you have to do later.

2.) Reward Yourself
Whenever you accomplish something, especially the important things, make sure to take the time to reward yourself. If you finished your studying on time, treat yourself to ice cream or something.

3.) Concentrate on 1 thing at a time
The human mind works more efficiently when it is focused. Multitasking has shown to be a disadvantage to productivity. Focus on one thing and get it done. Try not to let tasks run into each other. At times, multitasking may seem like a more efficient way, but it’s really not.

4.) Avoid Procrastination
When trying to be more productive and save time, procrastination should be avoided at all cost. It is the ultimate productivity-killer.

5.) Set Deadlines
Nobody likes deadlines because they cause major stress and aggravation. A simple way to alleviate some of this stress is to set your own deadlines. Challenge yourself and reward yourself for meeting a difficult challenge. Not only will this save you time; it’ll help you avoid missing those deadlines.

6.) Set Long Term Goals
In the everyday grind, we sometimes lose sight of our goals. Setting up a long term planner will help you keep your long term goals in mind. Whenever you find yourself thinking “Why am I putting myself through this right now? I could be home watching whatever,” just take a look at your long term goals and you’ll be reminded of why you need to keep going. Revise your long term goals monthly to keep them up-to-date.

7.) Avoid Burning Out
Burnout occurs when your body and mind can no longer keep up with your tasks. Don’t try to force yourself to do the impossible. Decide on times for important tasks, but always be sure to leave time for relaxation and reflection. Review your recent accomplishments and make sure you feel good. Review and reflection is one of the best ways to gain confidence, and higher confidence means more productivity. Also make sure you are getting enough sleep. Although it's tempting to work long hours, in the end you're actually less efficient when you're tired.

 
-Just a thought from Dev. Hill

Here's a list of videos you can watch that could help with time management:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdFQk0umynM&list=FLgWTFq1JwuKUsUZ7QqHNOcw


Resources
http://www.dumblittleman.com/2008/02/11-solid-ways-to-improve-your-time.html
https://www.youtube.com/user/watchwellcast?feature=watch
http://careerplanning.about.com/od/timemanagement/a/time_mgt.htm

Let the Recycling Games Begin !!

 

This year SFA is competing in the 2013 Recyclemania Tournament! 

Before I go into what RecycleMania is, let’s first talk about why it’s important to recycle in the first place.

1.) Recycling is good for the environment

It takes less energy to create new items from recycled materials than it does from raw materials. Mining minerals and cutting down trees into lumber requires vast amounts of energy.  Recycling allows us to reuse materials multiple times to conserve natural resources while creating the products we use in our everyday lives.

2.) Recycling is good for communities

Getting materials from mines or forests usually takes place far away from the place where they are consumed; however recycling can start in your own community. Gathering recyclables and reprocessing them into feedstock for future products is done locally.

3.) Recycling reduces pollution

Burning garbage or throwing waste into landfills produces byproducts that pollute the environment. Nasty runoff from landfills and metals (like mercury) can find their way into streams, rivers and oceans, fish, and eventually into human beings.

RecycleMania is a friendly competition for colleges to promote recycling in their campus communities. This year SFA is one of 600 colleges around the U.S and Canada that are competing! For 8 weeks each college reports the amount of recycling and trash collected each week and are ranked based on who recycles the most. Winning schools have the best recycling rate percentage of total waste and generate the least amount of combined trash.  So with each week’s updated ranking, we can see where we stand among other schools and see how much we have to reduce and recycle to be number one.

Why is this a good opportunity for us? Well, besides helping the Earth, national recognition is provided to the winning school in each category on the RecycleMania website and is featured in a national press release. Winning schools receive an award made out of recyclable materials and win the right to host that category’s trophy for the upcoming year.

 

This would be a great way to put SFA on the map! The competition starts next week on Monday, February 3rd, and ends on Saturday, March 30th.

SFA will be collecting CARDBOARD ONLY for this competition.  You can drop off your cardboard at Ralph W. Steen Library or the Student Recreation Center.

Let’s kick some AXE and Recycle!!

For more information, visit recyclemaniacs.org

-Just a thought from Dev. Hill

Resources:

http://www.grownyc.org/recycling/whyrecycle

http://recyclemaniacs.org/about