December 2011 Newsletter

You made it! 

Whether it's your first semester or fifth, you have accomplished something HUGE. Now give yourself a pat on the back. Winter break has arrived and it's time to sleep in, eat home cookin', and...visit your friendly college advisor! ;) Yes, please stop in or call to say hi, and to update me on your accomplishments, struggles, and needs. I always love to SEE you! office: 239-657-7153 or cell: 941-677-8804

In This Month's Blog...

1. The Do's and Don'ts of Winter Break

2. At-home Survival Guide: Winter Edition

3. Chemical-Free in College: For Your Health

4. Keep Going

5. Music

THE DO'S AND DON'TS OF WINTER BREAK

(credit: http://bit.ly/uoN3d6)

DO catch up with old friends.
Let’s face it - we all don’t have the time during the school year to keep up with our old friends at home. Make sure to set some time aside for them to keep those friendships alive. Plan a reunion for New Year’s Day or a group dinner. Either way, it’s important to stay updated with your old friends. We can’t depend solely on their Facebook statuses and Twitter updates.

DON'T catch up with your ex(es).
Just don’t. It’s that simple. Sometimes it’s just better to leave things the way they are than to try and catch up. I know you’re curious about what’s been going on in their lives, but that’s what Facebook stalking is for! They are called exes for a reason. Don’t bring the extra baggage back to school.

DO get sleep.
Even though this is an obvious one, many of us still don’t get enough sleep over break. All of our friends are home on break too and we want to accomplish everything on our to-do-during-break list that we knock off sleep. Get the full eight hours. You’ll want to feel rejuvenated when you come back from break!

DON'T mess up your sleep schedule.

Messing up your sleep schedule can be one of the easiest things to do over break. Either we oversleep or don’t get enough. Although it seems like a wonderful idea to spend a majority of break taking eight naps a day on the couch and then staying up to watch infomercials, make sure you’re sleeping at appropriate times. 

Other DOs:
Do start writing your New Year’s Resolutions.
Do buy a new planner.
Do see a live show.
Do change up your style a bit. (New haircut? Try colored tights or funky socks?)

Other DON’Ts:
Don’t spend all of your time on the computer. (Aren’t you tired of looking at this glowing computer screen after this semester?)
Don’t go to the tanning bed. Just don’t.
Don’t forget to stay active!
Don’t gain holiday pounds. (Don’t let go of yourself too much)

At-Home Survival Guide: Winter Break Edition

(credit:  http://bit.ly/v22da6)

The sleepless nights and stressful days of exam week are finally over. You wonder how you’re ever going to survive a month with awkward high school run-ins and your (sometimes loveable) parents’ constant pestering. 

With a Little Help from My Friends: To keep things interesting during the lack of college fiestas, try to plan fun events with a bunch of hometown friends.  Holiday cookie parties are a great way to get a group of your girlfriends together to decorate yummy treats and escape any exam-induced social isolation. And if you are lacking in skills involving pots or pans, don’t worry!  Organizing a ‘Secret Santa’ exchange guarantees a fun time and helps you reconnect with old friends. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t love getting presents? A small road trip to see some fun Christmas lights is also a great way to get away from the parents for a few hours. So be merry, and get creative!

Don’t be a couch potato! Doing absolutely nothing for hours on the couch is acceptable for the first few days of break. We all know the outside world can be a bit much to handle after your social skills have suffered from library seclusion. But doing nothing for almost 4 weeks will only end up being absolutely boring and miserable. So when day 3 or 4 of break rolls around, put that junk food down, put away the blankets and get active! 

Something Old, Something New: When you’re home, the whole town can start to feel so old and predictable, so change things up and try something new to turn that attitude around. Even if you lack the initiative to search for events happening around your town, just trying a new restaurant once in a while can help keep things a bit more exciting. So as you venture back to your hometown, remember that no matter what crazy antics your family has waiting for you, you still love them (whether you’re willing to admit it or not). And although your town’s nightlife may not be quite as exciting as the usual frat basement, your creativity, along with a fun group of friends, will offer instant improvement. 

Chemical-Free in College: For Your Health

(credit: http://bit.ly/sMBYBs)

Short Nails     It may sound ridiculous, but the length of your nails can really impact your health. Longer nails provide a larger space for germs and bacteria to hide in, making it easier for you to transmit illnesses to yourself and others.

Vitamin C     You have probably heard that Vitamin C aids in immune system function, and making sure you get 100% of your daily value can help ward of illness before it even starts and helps you to recover quicker from things your body is already fighting. Pick up an orange at the dining hall or buy a pack of Vitamin C packed cough drops from the co-op.

Echinacea     Echinacea is a natural immune supplement that works similarly to vitamin C. Tablets can be purchased at CVS, Walmart and online and provide your body with an extra immune boost that can help you stay strong when stressed.

Green Tea     Aside from being delicious, Green tea is a natural source of anti-oxidants which help fight toxins in your body. A cup a day can help to strengthen your body and can even boost your mood. Green Tea bags can be found in most dining halls, and cold versions can be purchased in the beverage case at many college Unions!

Keep Going!

By all means, do NOT listen to the Debbie Downers. Do not ever think that you are succeeding TOO much. Do not let the "Can't" people get in your way. Success feeds success. Failure is only failure if you're not paying attention. Movement creates movement. Click here to KEEP GOING

MUSIC

• Meet San Francisco-based Fishtank Ensemble: Video here 

• Meet Nichole Alden (lyricist and singer of Dexter's theme song). Go to "Discography" and click the album covers to listen:  Alden Music

We are so proud of you. Through the all-nighters, group projects and campus clubs you're involved in, know that we love and support you. See you soon!