This blog is meant to dive into the events and services SFA Campus Recreation has to offer. We want our participants to feel connected and want to give them a sense of belonging. Enjoy!
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.
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.
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:
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 25th:
·"I Pledge to Love My Genes": 11am-1pm
in the BPSC Plaza
oHere’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 26th:
·Step Up "Bystander Intervention"
Training: 6pm-8pm in the Rec Meeting Room
oThe 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
27th:
·"America the Beautiful" Film and
Discussion: 11am-Noon in the BPSC Tiered Classroom
oIt’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 28th:
·"Breaking Down Boundaries" with RHA:
10am-2pm in front of the Education Building
oIn 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.
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.
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,
flavonoidshelp 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.
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
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 onMonday, 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.
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:
2.) Work
it out
