2008 Woodie Awards
Muhlenberg: the next biological weapon?
Amy Cohen
Issue date: 2/14/08 Section: Op/Ed
It's around that time of year again -- the dreaded cold and flu season. You know it's in full swing when the guy behind you in your earliest morning class has given up taking tissues to class and has now resorted to lugging an entire roll of Bounty paper towels, and your dorm hallway has turned into a wasteland of greasy Chinese food containers, old chicken soup cans, and empty cups of tea from Java Joe's.
So for those of you that have miraculously managed to not get infected by the plague, keep up the good work with a few tips to stay healthy these next few weeks until Spring Break.
First off, get plenty of rest. We all laugh at Mom when she reminds us at the end of our weekly phone calls to get some sleep. You're in college and sleep is so overrated, right?
There is no shame in going to bed before midnight so you can get your 6 to 8 hours. Besides, being zombie-like the whole next day is no fun either. If you're burning the midnight oil to get a paper done or because you're the master of procrastination, then be sure to nap the next day. College students could major in the art of napping, so take advantage.
Eat right. One cannot live off of Cup of Noodles and bagel bombs alone. Balanced meals keep your energy up and your immune system healthy. So many of us are over- scheduled with classes, clubs, sports and work, so it's understandable that sometimes three square meals aren't possible.
Definitely fit it in whenever possible, and when you can't, try to snack. The goal is to keep your caloric intake equal to your caloric output so that you don't feel run down. Quick snack foods with vitamin C (like fruit) are really helpful for packed schedules and students on the run.
Hand Sanitizer is your friend. Remember that kid sitting behind you with the faucet for a nose and the paper towels? Every time someone sneezes, the germs can travel up to three feet away from the original scene of the sneeze and can live on the surfaces they land on for hours. That means potentially your desk.
So for those of you that have miraculously managed to not get infected by the plague, keep up the good work with a few tips to stay healthy these next few weeks until Spring Break.
First off, get plenty of rest. We all laugh at Mom when she reminds us at the end of our weekly phone calls to get some sleep. You're in college and sleep is so overrated, right?
There is no shame in going to bed before midnight so you can get your 6 to 8 hours. Besides, being zombie-like the whole next day is no fun either. If you're burning the midnight oil to get a paper done or because you're the master of procrastination, then be sure to nap the next day. College students could major in the art of napping, so take advantage.
Eat right. One cannot live off of Cup of Noodles and bagel bombs alone. Balanced meals keep your energy up and your immune system healthy. So many of us are over- scheduled with classes, clubs, sports and work, so it's understandable that sometimes three square meals aren't possible.
Definitely fit it in whenever possible, and when you can't, try to snack. The goal is to keep your caloric intake equal to your caloric output so that you don't feel run down. Quick snack foods with vitamin C (like fruit) are really helpful for packed schedules and students on the run.
Hand Sanitizer is your friend. Remember that kid sitting behind you with the faucet for a nose and the paper towels? Every time someone sneezes, the germs can travel up to three feet away from the original scene of the sneeze and can live on the surfaces they land on for hours. That means potentially your desk.