Time Out with Tiger - Safe Spring Break Tips

Wampus Cat Greetings!

This time of year, many RAs and residents are excitedly preparing for their upcoming spring breaks!  One of your Wampus Cat mascots, Tiger, wants everyone to be safe in their spring break travels.

Here are some spring break safety tips to keep in mind and share with residents:

Property Safety
Be aware that there are lots of people out there who see students on Spring Break as easy targets for theft. Don't prove them correct. When traveling, here are some precautions you should always take with your valuables:

•Take as few valuables with your on your trip as possible.

•Book hotels that give you access to a safe. Lock up anything of value. Do not leave money or valuables around your room.

•Always lock your hotel room door.

•If you are traveling abroad, keep your passport in a secure location at all times.

•Watch out for scam artists who try to rip off students. Avoid high pressure sales pitches, and never go off to a secluded location with someone who wants to sell you something.

•If your cell phone or credit cards are stolen, report this immediately to the companies so they can cancel your service.

•When booking your trip, watch out for Spring Break travel package scams.

Physical Safety
High profile cases such as Natalee Holloway-- a high school student who disappeared during her Spring Break trip to Aruba-- are uncommon. However, sexual violence and other violent acts during Spring Break are not. Neither are accidents. Use common sense and follow these simple safety tips:

•Always stay in the proximity of at least one friend, and preferably two or three. Adhere strictly to this "buddy system" and do not leave with someone other than your buddies. Be sure to choose buddies you can trust.

•Do not leave with strangers, even if it seems like a good idea at the time. Always err on the side of caution and trust your instincts.

•Watch your drink very carefully! Be aware of "date rape" drugs that people may try to sneak into your drink. Never accept a drink from a stranger or let someone else hold your drink.

•Never go to an isolated place with a stranger or someone you do not fully trust.

•Carry a cell phone with you in case of an emergency.

•Carry your identification and important medical information on your person in case of an emergency.

Alcohol Safety
If you're going to drink alcohol during Spring Break, it's very important that you take precautions. Drunk college students can be seen as a target for both theft and sexual assault, so do not underestimate the way to take these reasonable precautions:

•Binge drinking is a big part of the Spring Break experience for many students-- and it's what gets students into trouble the most. The safest approach is to not binge drink and to know your limit with alcohol. If you do drink excessively, always use the buddy system and lots of common sense.

•Make sure you know the signs and symptoms of alcohol poisoning.

•Do not drink and drive, ever. You know better.

•Be aware of all local laws and regulations involving alcohol, especially if you are travelling abroad. A night in a foreign jail was probably not on your itinerary.

•If you drink, always rely on the buddy system and be very careful. As stated above, always keep an eye on your drink.

Additional Precautions

•Use common sense when it comes to sun exposure. Always use sunscreen with at least an SPF of 15 (higher if you have fair skin), and be sure to wear sunscreen even if it's cloudy. Wear hats and good sunglasses.

•Use common sense when it comes to swimming and water safety. Never swim alone, and avoid swimming when no lifeguard is present. Do not drink alcohol when swimming or operating a boat.

•Drink lots of water! Don't rely on alcoholic or carbonated beverages to quench your thirst, as these drinks can actually make you more dehydrated. If the local drinking water is questionable, make sure you have an abundant supply of bottled water.

Information adapted from:  http://www.suite101.com/content/spring-break-safety-tips-a38130

A Time Out With Tiger

Our series of learning from our wise Wampus Cat Mascots continues!  For this post, we are spending some time with Tiger. 

Now, Tiger loves to eat!  However, he won't eat just anything.  You remember how he found goats to be unappetizing.       

He does have some favorites foods though.


Tiger intrigued by some soy beef wraps I was making.  Jared's helping him take a closer look.

 

Tiger loves cat food!  Don't worry, we don't normally let him have free reign on his cat food like this.



As much as we'd love to give Tiger whatever he wants to eat in whatever quantities he'd like to consume, we have to be careful to give him a healthy diet, so that he can remain a healthy Wampus Cat.

What about you, Wampus Cats?  Do you or your residents ever struggle with eating healthy on campus?  Eating healthy on campus is possible, but comes with challenges. 

Here are a few tips for eating healthy on campus:

Be sure to eat breakfast. Skipping it could leave you famished and cause you to snack on whatever's around later in the day. When it comes to A.M. options at the cafeteria, go for fresh fruit (cut up or whole), light yogurt, oatmeal, English muffins (with jam), high-fiber cereal (with fat-free milk), and omelets made with Egg Beaters. Avoid pastries, giant bagels with butter or cream cheese, and greasy breakfast meats.

Stay hydrated.  Drink plenty of H2O throughout the day.  Have a glass of water before you make the rounds of the dining hall to select your food.  This can help you feel more full and make healthier dining choices.

For lunch and dinner, try sandwiches and salads.  Make yourself a salad or sandwich of lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, lean deli meat (like turkey breast), and other no-guilt salad and sandwich toppers.  Try out the low-fat sub options available at Subway!

When it comes to hot items, go for grilled chicken, veggie burgers (in lettuce buns!), and baked or grilled fish. Stay away from mayo-packed deli salads (like tuna salad), creamy or cheesy pasta dishes, and oversized subs.

For snacking, your best bet is to keep guilt-free emergency snacks with you at ALL times. One reason college students may put on weight while at school is that they're SO busy and find themselves unprepared when hunger hits; so they grab whatever food they can, whenever they can. Bad idea! Keep your residence hall room stocked with great stuff you can eat in the room AND grab and take with you. Try whole fruit (like oranges and apples), high-fiber snack bars with 200 or fewer calories, jerky, and 100-calorie packs of almonds. Keep your micro fridge stocked with light string cheese, fat-free yogurt, and baby carrots or other veggies.

Be aware of any alcohol consumption.  If you or your residents choose to drink alcohol (off campus of course), be aware of the calories in the alcohol you are consuming.  Click here for an extensive list of the calories present in different forms of alcohol.  If you or your residents do choose to drink, be sure to do so in moderation, to stay safe and healthy.

An important part of being a happy and healthy Wampus Cat also includes engaging in regular exercise. 

Here are a few tips on fitting exercise into your busy schedules:

Walk to class instead of taking the bus. 

Take the stairs instead of the elevators.

Check out the workout options available through UT Rec Sports.

Attend a TRECS workout class with your residents. 

Invest in a few workout DVDs so that you can exercise any time you like.  Crunch Fitness offers some great DVDs catering towards a wide variety of fitness interests and levels.  Try one out in one of your common areas as exercise program with your residents.

Start an intramural team with your residents.  For information on UT Intramurals, click here. 

Find physical activities that you enjoy and focus on how they make you feel.  If you tune into the relaxing, stress relieving consequences of exercise, this can motivate you to stick with your exercise routine in the long run.


Here are the sources used for this post.  Feel free to visit these sites for additional resources and tips: 

http://hungry-girl.com/askhg/askhgdetails.php?isid=2183
http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-alcoholic-drinks-ic1401
http://www.collagevideo.com/exercise-videos/crunch-exercise-videos-21&page=1&pp=40
http://recsports.utk.edu/Programs/Fitness/Class%20Schedules/
http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=53101&sc=3030#Story
http://lowfatsubs.com/lowfat/index.htm
http://recsports.utk.edu/Programs/Intramurals/index.php

A Pause with Paws

Wampus Cat Greetings!  In keeping with our plan to learn from the ancient wisdom of our Wampus Cat Mascots, it's time to pay a visit to Ms. Paws.

Now, Ms. Paws is a very sweet natured cat.  She is very friendly and affectionate toward people she's familiar with.  She and Tiger usually get along great and have lots of fun wrestling and snuggling together. 

But, sometimes Ms. Paws gets an attitude and is not too keen to share things with Tiger.  She can get pretty territorial about the cat perch and cat tower. 

Paws doesn't always like to share the cat tower with Tiger.

As you can see by the way she is basically sitting on Tiger, Paws doesn't always like to share the window perch.

Wampus Cats, does Ms. Paws remind you of any of your Wampus Kittens (residents)?  This is the time of year when roommate conflicts can become very common.  The honeymoon phase of being very excited about the new school year begins to wear off, as time goes by and school work increases. 

Here are some tips for handling roommate conflicts:

• Make sure all your residents have completed their Roommate Contracts.  These are very helpful tools for helping your residents talk about what boundaries their comfortable with, what their pet peeves are, etc.  It's very important that residents have talked with their roommates about preferences regarding visitation/guests, shower schedule (for suite style rooms), cleanliness of the room, study times in the room, sleep time, use of personal items, music/noise, and use of space in the room. 
• Sometimes it helps for residents to keep in mind that they don't have to necessarily be best friends with their roommates.  While some great friendships can start out this way, many people have friendly but not super close relationships with their college roommates, and that's totally fine.
• Discourage your residents from talking about their roommates behind their backs.  This can often get back to the roommate and escalate the situation.
• Make sure your residents are aware that any time living space is shared, compromises have to take place for people to live together in peace.  Help your residents decide what issues they are both willing to compromise on.
• Encourage your residents to make use of the other common ares in your building (study lounges, multipurpose rooms, etc.) as needed.  Sometimes getting out of the room a bit on a regular basis can help diffuse tense roommate situations.
• Make sure your residents are aware of other campus spaces that can be great for studying and/or reading:  the library, Starbucks, dining halls, the U.C.
• Remind your residents to be realistic and patient.  For many of our students, sharing a room is a new experience for them and it takes some getting used to. 

Here are some good online resources on residence life roommate conflicts:
http://reslife.georgetown.edu/studentfamily/dailyliving/roommates/rmconflicttips.html
http://www.udel.edu/reslife/parents/roommate.html
http://www.drew.edu/depts/reslife.aspx?id=14453

The West Area Programming Office has ready made bulletin boards on roommate success that you are welcome to use!

Always remember you can use your head staff as a resource if you need further assistance with roommate conflicts.

What about stress and conflict amongst your building staff members?  During this time of year, RAs sometimes feel more stressed out as the their academic work load increases.  Sometimes tensions arise between staff members. 

What can be done about tension between staff members? 

• Keep in mind that you don't have to be best friends with everyone on your staff.  While this is great if it happens naturally, it's fine if it doesn't.  The main goal is to get along as well as possible and support each other, so that you can best serve your residents and build a safe and welcoming community in your hall.
• Remember that conflicts in the workplace are common.  It doesn't matter what field you plan to go into to, work conflicts are a part of life.  Working through conflicts professionally now as an RA can prepare you for staff issues that may arise in whatever field your choose to go into in the future. 
• Make sure that you are getting out of the hall enough.  While you are expected to be dedicated to your RA job, it is very healthy to take appropriate time away from your building when possible.  Having activities and relationships outside of UT Housing can help you keep staff difficulties in perspective.
• Don't talk about staff members behind their backs.  This is likely to get back to them and cause a greater conflict.
• Talk with your head staff about how they would like you to address tensions you have with another staff member.  Such concerns are often best addressed respectively, directly, and in private.
• Make sure you are taking good care of yourself and doing what you can to manage your stress well.  We are all more easily irritated when we are tired and stressed.  Be sure you are getting enough sleep, eating well, getting some regular exercise, and spending time with supportive friends, family, and significant others.  

Remember, a relaxed Wampus Cat is a happy Wampus Cat!

A Time Out with Tiger

In ancient Egypt, cats were regarded as sacred and respected animals, admired and respected by all. In keeping with this ancient Egyptian tradition, in this blog we will from time to time consult with our Wampus Cat Mascots, Paws and Tiger, to determine what we can learn from their wise ways.

Now, one thing that Tiger is very skilled at is getting enough sleep. Tiger gets plenty of sleep everyday and sleeps whenever he is tired. Like many cats, he can fall asleep anywhere:


What about you, Wampus Cats? Are you getting enough sleep? What about your Wampus Kittens? Are they having trouble waking up for early morning classes?

Let's consult a source, and see how you can help yourself and your Wampus Kittens get a good night's sleep:

•Don’t go to bed hungry or full. Hunger and indigestion hinder sleep.

•Get regular exercise (3-4 times per week), but not right before you plan to go to sleep – mid-afternoon is best.

•Use your bed only for sleep. Avoid using it to study, eat, chat with friends, etc.

•Create the right environment. Make sure your room is dark and cool. Most experts agree cooler temperatures work best.

•Don’t nap. But if you have to, do it before 3 pm and for less than an hour.

•Eat (lightly) to induce sleep. Although you shouldn’t eat too much right before sleep, certain foods promote sleep. Such foods include the amino acid L-tryptophan, found in milk, turkey, and tuna; and carbohydrates, such as bread and cereal. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and large amounts of sugar.

•Take warm shower before bed.

•Read a book, or some other calm activity that relaxes you. Creating a relaxing ritual can help your body slow down in preparation for sleep.

•Set your body’s clock. Go to sleep and get up around the same time every day to set your body’s rhythm.

•Practice relaxation techniques before bedtime. Deep breathing and visualization techniques can help you relax and facilitate sleep.

•Avoid sleep-disturbing substances like alcohol and caffeine. Alcohol creates the illusions of good sleep but the architecture of sleep is affected adversely. Sleep is fragmented with deep sleep initially and a rebound of REM sleep later. Caffeine is a stimulant and reaches its peak effect in the first hour but with a half-life elimination of 3-7 hours. Caffeine is a potent sleep inhibitor and it increases sleep latency, night waking, decreases total sleep time, decreases slow-wave sleep, impairs overall sleep quality.

In the West Area Programming Office, we have a ready-to-use Bulletin Board in a Bag on Getting Enough Sleep. Feel free to make copies of it in the West Area Office to use for your own bulletin board!

Starting the year with good sleep habits can help you and your Wampus Kittens operate at your full potential and feel your best all semester long! Remember, a rested cat is a happy cat!

Meet Your Mascots!

Perhaps you didn't realize this, but here in the awesome West Area we have REAL LIVE Wampus Cat Mascots! Seriously, we do. They are named Paws and Tiger.

This is Paws:

And this is Tiger:

These Wampus Cats are actually my cats. Now, don't start freaking out. No, they do not stay in my apartment in the Apartments Residence Hall. Not only would I of course never break housing policy, I would never house our mascots in hostile Fainting Goat territory. Paws and Tiger stay at the off-campus apartment of my wonderful fiancé, Jared. Here he is with Tiger:


Jared's apartment is west of campus, so he is totally a West Side Wampus Cat.

In order to assess Paws and Tiger's dedication to becoming our live Wampus Cat Mascots, I ran a little experiment. Being the good psychologist-in-training that I am, I decided to show Paws and Tiger a picture and ask them how it made them feel.

This is the picture I chose:

If this picture looks familiar at all, you may have seen it previously on the Fainting Goat Gazette Blog.

Tiger and Paws had very noteworthy reactions to being shown this goat picture. Tiger promptly sat on the goat and showed his ferocious tiger qualities by ripping it to shreds.

It seemed that Tiger did not care for the taste of goat.

Ms. Paws' reaction was more subtle, but just as noteworthy. While she expressed initial curiosity about the goat:

She promptly stalked off, uninterested. It was as if she was saying, "Let me know when you have a picture of an interesting creature to show me."

The message was clear. Paws and Tiger gladly accept their responsibilities and title as the live West Area Wampus Cat Mascots! They are ready to represent you with pride and obliterate any goat that comes into their path.

Bad goats, bad goats. What'ch ya gonna do, what'ch ya gonna do when the Wampus Cats come for you?




If you like, you can see more pictures of Paws and Tiger here.