Motivation

Becoming a mentally motivated person surely goes hand in hand with success. For college students, many find that it is hard to find the proper motivation to excel. The article 9 Tips to Mental Toughness, by Garret J. Braunreiter, helps the everyday person become aware that the mind is a key component in the body’s physical condition.

In 9 Tips to Mental Toughness, Braunreiter explains that it takes more than self-convincing in order to become mentally tough. You have to believe in yourself, and if you do not think that you are able to overcome something, then you won’t be able to overcome it. As Braunreiter would say, “You are greater than anything that can happen to you.” Being mentally strong is not something you’re born with, it is a trait that you can create yourself.

The first tip is to listen to the experts. This means that the best way to learn something new is to research people who have actually conquered your goal. This also shows you that if someone else can do it than you are just as capable. The second tip is, no pain no gain, vs. patience, pacing and persistence. Tip two includes that nothing stops winners from winning, not even failure, not even pain. Also, pace yourself, because slow and steady wins the race. In order to attain your goal it may take longer than you assume, but keep at it. Number three, think. Thinking is a key. Be positive when assessing your daily routine and think about what can be improved. Do not get down on yourself. Getting comfortable with the unfamiliar is the fourth tip, meaning, change your routine up. The same routine everyday can get overly excessive and repetitive resulting in boredom. Fifth, think and speak well of your health. This means don’t dwell on pain and aches, its normal-no excuses are necessary. The last four tips include: Don’t be a victim of ads and fads; hang out with people who have similar goals, focus on desired results, and to expect the unexpected, which are all pretty self-explanatory.

Getting down on yourself can mentally wear and tear you apart. Motivation is very hard to find in the high stressed atmosphere of college life. Tests, exams, papers, and homework balanced with a social life can negatively affect students, but with proper motivation students may find it easier to overcome daily obstacles. It is easy to fall into the “I don’t have time,” and the “I’m too tired” routine, but you cannot fall into that trap. Some of the tips Braunreiter gives can be very obvious, yet always good reminders to people who are interested in being mentally and physically motivated/active. After all he is the “energy coach”.

STDs among college students on the rise

(http://media.www.coscampusonline.com/media/storage/paper1137/news/2008/10/01/News/Stds-Among.College.Students.On.The.Rise-3463905-page2.shtml)

“An estimated 50% of people will have an STD in their lifetime.” Unprotected sex is unfortunately more common than you think among college students. A fifty percent chance of having an STD is insanely high, and although they may be curable, they can ruin your life. "The best way to prevent STDs is abstinence, but that won't happen because people are in too much of a hurry to have sex," said COS student Eddie Hernandez. We live in a sexual decade and from media to fashion everything is sexualized.

There are 25 known STDS but the most common ones transmitted are Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and the Human Papillomavirus. The Center for Disease Control claims that 70,000 people get Gonorrhea each year! The symptoms of Gonorrhea for males include burning sensation when urinating, white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis. For woman, if there are any signs at all, they include burning during urination, excessive discharge, bleeding in between periods, and can also sometimes lead to Pelvis Inflammatory Disease which can possibly result in etopic pregnancy, which is when the baby develops in your fallopian tube. Epititis can also be caused by Gonorrhea which results in infertility for males. Chlamydia is known as the silent STD. ¾ of woman do not show any symptoms and ½ of men with Chlamydia have no symptoms either. Chlamydia can be transferred from mother to baby during pregnancy. Also, for women it causes fevers, vaginal discharge, lower back pain, and nausea. For men, it causes burning around the penis, and discharge. Luckily, Chlamydia can be cured and treated with antibiotics. Lastly, HPV is the most common of sexually transmitted diseases. There are several strings of HPV, some easily curable others not. Usually, HPV naturally cures itself if you stay healthy and your immune system is functioning properly. HPV can lead to cervical cancer and also cause genital warts. Men cannot get HPV, although they can carry it, and pass it on. Gardasil is the most recent shots generally given at your doctors’ office. It requires three shots, and prevents most strands of HPV. It is not required to have, but highly recommended.

Many schools teach sex education classes, but, even being the most educated person in the world, now sex is a top priority and many people do not think to use the proper contraception. Other people are often scared to talk to someone about their sexually transmitted disease or their genital abnormalities which generally continues to spread to others. Liberal clinics like Planned Parenthood are very important in today’s society, especially for people with medical and financial issues. With such high statistics on the most prevalent STD’s such as Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, & Human Papillomavirus, students especially should be more precautious while having sexual intercourse.

Tanorexia

(http://cancer.about.com/od/skincancermelanoma/a/tanorexia.htm




As we know, everyone loves to be tan for one reason or another. Are you a tanorexic? It used to be a girl thing, but now you even see guys wanting to get their “winter tan” on in the booths and beds, here’s why:

There was a study done at Wake Forest College in 2006 that proved tanning to be addictive. People form an addiction to the UV rays and experience what seems to be a high, like one would experience from a drug. The study consisted of students from Wake Forest following 8 people who tanned around eight to fifteen times a month, and following a second group that tanned less than twelve times a year. There were two types of beds used during this experiment, a bed with non-UV rays and a bed with UV rays. When the chronic tanners tanned in the non-UV ray beds, they experienced withdrawals, as would a drug addict being withheld from drugs. This helped prove that tanning is euphoric in the sense that the UV rays effect the production of endorphins, which are the chemicals released from the brain to produce a exhilarated feeling in ones body. It also reduces the pain we feel, like a drug would.

So why do people obsessively tan when they know all the consequences behind it? They’re addicted. The effects of tanning can be hazardous and lead to melanoma, other cancers, and in rare cases, death. When your skin gets darker it is damaging the skin cells, and it turns darker to act as a protective shield. The only safe way to still look glamorously tan is bottled products like tanning lotions or spray on tans. Sunscreen is key.

College Students and Sleep Deprivation

(http://www.sleep-deprivation.com/articles/causes-of-sleep-deprivation/students-and-sleep.php)

Every college student prepares their Starbucks Coffee drinks and energy drink intake accordingly to cram for an exam they have the following day. Also, every college student knows how hard it is to actually get a good nights rest, which is around six to eight hours a night to be able to function properly, between all the studying, partying and classes. Many students have erratic schedules with work and social activities (which you have to make time for) that eliminates sleep. 20% of college students suffer from insomnia which results in irritability, anxiety, and weight gain.

Incoming freshman have it the hardest. They have to adjust from a nice home to a dorm room that looks like a jail cell and have to worry about the “freshman 15”. For the entire college population, drinking is also a sleep disturbance. Many students seem to think a drink before bed is the most relaxing thing, alleviating their sleep patterns. This is false. Alcohol intake before bed increases the amount of times you wake up during the night and overall reduces your quality of sleep.

Without sleep you are needlessly harming your body. Lack of sleep can have long term effects such as grogginess, seizure, stroke, heart attacks, and weight gain. With lack of sleep you eat more to try to increase your energy. This can be hazardous for people struggling with their weight. Caffeine, as we know it, is just awful for your body. In the end of your caffeine intake you usually crash and burn, feeling worse than you did previously. Other factors that affect your sleep include: certain anti-depressants, diet pills, cocaine, methane, oral contraceptives with hormones, steroids etc.

The best way to improve your quality of sleep is exercise! Exercise is key, as long as it is not before bedtime. 20-30 minute naps can also help, when planned appropriately.