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Halloween recovery and prepping for finals

How to recover from Halloween

The candy and snack night can be filled with terror, fun and magical experiences that can leave an aftereffect with you for days. But there is a scarier effect that you may not even realize is after you. Let’s face it: you’ve already ingested a surplus amount of candy, alcohol and food. The chances are you’re feeling a small urge to go to the gym. A few campus experts agree that going to the gym is just what the doctor ordered.

Dr. Scott Spear, executive director and chief physician for the University Health Center, suggests “at least 30 minutes a day of aerobic exercise, meaning they should have shortage of breath and be unable to talk” is the best thing you can do for your body once you’ve made one too many mistakes. He also suggests that if you partook in alcohol, you should “get tested for sexually transmitted disease.”

But what do you do with all the candy you still have? Moderation is the key, according to Department of Recreation graduate assistant Morgan Fox.

“Anything is okay in moderation,” she said. “Take a little of what you have and get rid of the rest.”

Dr. Spear seems to agree with Fox. “Divide (the candy) into zip-lock Baggies, and think about tossing the remaining half.”

Ms. Fox suggests “donating it to the Houston Food Bank.”

It seems that there are many things you can do to combat the toils and troubles of Halloween, but the smartest and safest one is to be aware and do everything in moderation.

Making the final stretch

Midterms are over, finals are coming and many students feel the panic approaching. “Should I start studying? Should I relax? I have so much homework.” These are all thoughts running through the average student’s mind.

Chemistry professor Simon Bott had some thoughts on these issues. “Take four to five personal hours a day and relax,” he suggests. “If you play too hard, you under-study, but if you work too hard, you over-study. It is balancing the two that will produce the best results.”

The holidays are approaching and it can be very easy to start early. Bott recommends not to. “Make goals for your assignments,” he said. It can be very easy to lose focus and motivation this time of year, so making goals is the best way to fight the urge to start vacationing early.

With the clock counting down to the end of the semester, many students are starting to stress. Outreach Coordinator and Staff Psychologist for Counseling and Psychological Services Thomandra Sam said, “It is imperative that, during times of stress, you attend to your body’s needs. Regular sleep and exercise, along with a healthy diet, makes sure that our body is able to function more optimally.” She also suggests employing good techniques that help you utilize stress and time. In addition, Sam suggests that you keep strong social networks and utilize them.

“Be mindful of the resources you have available to you. Learning Support Services, advising, (the Campus Recreation and) Wellness Center, CAPS and many other resources exist at UH to help students to gain the skills necessary to better manage academic and other stressors,” she said. She also said that you’re not alone in this and that the final countdown, which may be worrisome, is not as bad as it seems.

As the semester draws to a close, it becomes important to manage your time, create goals and relax. These will keep you sane and help you not feel like time is running out.

Advice columnist Ryan Thompson is a psychology sophomore and may be reached at [email protected]

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