New year. Next month. Are you keeping up with your resolutions today?

We’ve all experienced it before. You plan on going to the on-campus gym the week after New Years Day. Not only are there any empty parking spaces, but if you’re lucky enough to get one, the likelihood of any machine being unoccupied is slim to none.

A new year brings about resolutions that more often than not are broken within two or three weeks from their conception. A month out from the start of 2012, its safe to say that many people (myself included) have broken at least one of the many resolutions they charged to stick with this year. You’ve heard them all before too—“I’m going to workout everyday, I’m going to lose 10 pounds by spring break, I’m going to cut back on my drinking”. While those resolutions often come from a place of self-motivation and desire to change oneself, variables in everyday life halt resolutions from continuing, many resolutions falling short before the end of January.

Frequently, college-aged students find themselves pressured to drink in excess and fit an image of what college recreational activities should entail. Students with body image goals in mind or who may be on a tight budget often feel that they should spend their extra calories and cash on alcohol and a night out at the bar. While such activities are appropriate in moderation, the following tips can be applied to any college student’s social life and will help any student maintain his/her resolutions for the long haul.

1. Accountability is key: Make a pledge with a friend to work out together a certain amount of times a week. Having someone who relies on you, and you in turn relying on them will help you both stay committed to your goals.  Doing this can even make working out more fun for the both of you.
2. Utilize the gym: Let’s face it—working out alone is often boring and you are more inclined to stop before your goal time is over as 10 minutes on a machine often feels like 45. With such a wide variety of classes at many student recreation centers, you can alternate your workouts and try new things too which keeps you focused and ready for more. In an average cycle class, you can burn up to 600 calories, which translates to about five light beers. Swapping a night on the town for a cycle class will help you stay focused and keep you on track. From kickboxing to Zumba to cycling, the possibilities are endless and working out with a large group of people keeps your mind off the time and helps you power through.
3. Get smart: Even though a lot of college involves going out and being social, we often forget we are in school to actually go to class. Seems manageable, right? Late, drunken nights can contribute to missing class, deadlines, and god forbid, a test or paper. Alcohol impairs your motor skills, judgment, memory and speech, all of which will effect your ability to get your work done. Knowing your priorities and having a clear understanding of what you need to get done during the week will make going out on the town less stressful knowing all your work is done.
4. Sunday Funday: How many times have you said you would be productive on Sunday and instead, laid in bed hungover for hours on end? Think about how many classes you missed over the course of your college career due to a rough night on the town. A rowdy night here and there is sometimes well deserved, but trying to make sure you make the most of your one-day off can help you stay on track with your resolutions. When you’re out, alternate an alcoholic drink with water so you don’t dehydrate yourself and can be productive the next day. When you drink, make sure you’ve eaten to absorb the alcohol you are putting in your body. Making sure you are properly hydrated and nourished will help you feel energized on Sunday and will help you make the most of your free day.
5. You are what you eat: We all want to be conscious of what we are eating and drinking but often we really don’t know what is in our food and drinks. In addition, we often eat when we aren’t even hungry because it seems like the right thing to do. Restaurants load bottomless calories in dishes to make them taste better and unfortunately, the drinks are even worse. One 10-ounce margarita has over 500 calories and a basic pasta dish can rack up over 1,000! Writing down what you eat will help you keep track of what you are putting in your body and can help you understand when you really should be eating. If you want to take it a step further, plenty of smartphone apps help you log your food and exercise and adds the calories allocated for you personally when you set up your fitness profile. Many apps have exact calorie counts from popular restaurants too so you can monitor your intake on the go.
6. More money, less problems: Many college students are on a tight budget and going to the bar Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights doesn’t help either. Going to the bars consecutively can burn a hole of over $60 in ones pocket once drinks are bought and cover charges are paid for. While its perfectly fine to go out and drink in moderation, keeping your weight and financial goals intact past January can be maintained if you set yourself an appropriate budget for your lifestyle and write down what you spend. Being conscious of what you spend your money on will help you prioritize your social life and will help you in the long run.

 

By Savanah Bass

 

It takes LessThanUThink to have a safe trip to the National Championship

 

While ‘on the road to 14’, remember these travel tips for a safe journey:

• Rest up and get a good night’s sleep. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driving while drowsy is a contributing factor in 100,000 accidents annually. Drive only when well rested, and switch off with another adult every few hours, if possible.
• Drop the cell phone. According to the NHTSA, drivers who use hand-held devices are 4 times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves.  To ensure the safety of you and your passengers, avoid using your cell phone while driving.
• Dodge the crowd.  Be acquainted with traffic problem areas and do the best you can to avoid them.  However, if you do find yourself in an unpredicted traffic situation, be patient.
• Keep your eye on the prize.  Keep your eyes on the road while driving at all times.
• No illegal formations.  Avoid ‘too many players on the field’ by only having the same amount of passengers as seat belts in a vehicle.
• Huddle up and assign a designated driver.  Do not drive while intoxicated, do not ride with others who are intoxicated, and avoid the obvious times and places where you might become the victim of drunken driving.  While in New Orleans, call a cab if no one volunteers to stay sober.
• Snap your seat belt.  Be sure everyone in your vehicle is wearing a seat belt regardless of how long the trip.
• Review the weather reports, and plan your trip accordingly.

By Haley Schwartz and Anne-Marie Urrutia

 

Cut The Soda Habit

I never used to be a heavy soda drinker. Of course I had the occasional soft drink, but I always kept a variety in my diet: water, milk, fruit juice and iced tea. When I came to college, however, soda began to dominate my life. I found myself filling my cart with another 12 pack of pop at the grocery store, ignoring the button for water on all vending machines and reaching for a cold one every time I felt a hint of thirst. My soda intervention didn’t come until my dentist told me I had to cut back. Luckily, it takes less than you think to cut the soda habit.

The number one reason why a soda addiction starts is convenience. It’s easy to open the fridge and pop open a can of cold, sweet cola. There are not many other beverages that are so instantly refreshing and so terribly unhealthy for you. I found that the easy way to cut back is to find a replacement drink. One that worked for me was lemon water. I started by keeping a jug of water refrigerated and pre-slicing the lemon. When it came time to get a drink, I poured the water over ice (crushed ice is even better) and added a slice of lemon. Viola! The ice cold water is refreshing and the citrus from the lemon gives the water the pop that my taste buds were looking for.

If this still doesn’t do the trick, try buying a jug of iced tea or lemonade at the grocery store. The sugar in these beverages should satisfy your craving. Of course, if you find yourself still reaching for the coke, try buying liters of soda instead of cans. When we open a can of soda, we feel the need to drink all 12 fluid ounces. A liter allows you to moderate your consumption and eventually stop consumption altogether.

Any habit is hard to quit, and no one says that you can never have a sip of soda ever again. Just give yourself some time and be persistent, and you’ll find your cola cravings wont be so strong.

By Kassandra Hannay

Make a difference in your community.

Community service is not only a great thing to put on your resume to impress employers but also an extremely fulfilling and rewarding way to do something for others, and ultimately yourself.

I participated in a lot of community service events in high school, and when I came to Alabama I found it harder to become involved. I didn’t know when and where events were taking place and didn’t know where I could even sign up for them. If you are interested in community service events on and off campus, here are some ways to find out the details:

Fall Get On Board Day (Student Involvement and Leadership)
The annual Fall Get on Board Day will be on Aug. 25th from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Representatives from the more than 300 student organizations, as well as campus departments and local vendors, will be on site in the Ferguson Center Plaza and the Crimson Promenade. Students interested in getting involved on campus can visit different tables for organizations in which they are interested, as well as have the chance to receive free giveaways from local vendors.

The Community Service Center

Another great service to take advantage of is The Community Service Center, located in The Ferguson Center. You can access their website by going to http://volunteer.ua.edu/. On the website you will find anything and everything you need to know about upcoming community service events and how to get involved. I suggest checking out this website or visiting the Community Service Center as an easy and fun way to make a difference in your community.

Student Affairs Calendar

Another website to visit is the Division of Student Affairs at http://www.sa.ua.edu/. The Student Affairs calendar is a great way to find out what events are being held on campus on a monthly basis. By visiting this website frequently, you are able to find upcoming events that you might be interested in and the details of how to participate.

The LessThanUThink Campaign

If you’re interested in our campaign and want to get involved, we’re recruiting volunteers to help out at our events. From setting up and closing down to passing out promotional items and talking with students, our campaign offers plenty of volunteer opportunities for students. If you’re interested, log in to your SL Pro account and search for The Century Council or The Capstone Agency. Can’t find us? E-mail launchcampaign@gmail.com, and our volunteer coordinator, Megan Miller, will help you find a way to help out.

These resources are all good tools to help you get involved in your community. Your MyBama website makes it easy to connect to student organizations and event calendars so that you are aware of all of the events UA has to offer; trust me, there are plenty of them. Community service is a great way to make your time here at UA rewarding and worthwhile.

By Mary Marshall

Avoid the Freshman 15

Almost all college students worry about gaining the Freshman 15. You should be excited about making friends and settling into the next stage in life — not losing your figure.

Some tips from Jessica-Lauren Roberts, graduate assistant for fitness and nutrition services at the University Recreation Center, prove that avoiding the Freshman 15 does not have to be as difficult as you might think:

First: Consider what your lifestyle was like in high school. If you were an athlete in high school and are not going to continue playing in college, that changes your calorie needs. Ask yourself, “what am I coming from and what am I getting into?”

Second: Look at your portion sizes. If you are not hungry within four hours of eating, you are eating too much in one sitting.

Third: Make sure you have variety in your diet. Try to have something from as many food groups as possible on your plate, but in the correct portions. This way you will not leave the meal and start craving something.

Fourth: Get enough rest. Sleep has a major effect on your appetite and metabolism. Your body is a great fat burner while you are asleep, so if you do not sleep enough you might start gaining weight.

Fifth: Keep yourself hydrated. Your body better processes what you take in when you are hydrated. Be careful if you came from a high school or a home where you rarely drank soda. If you start drinking soda or sweet tea all the time you can add up to 1,000 calories a day, which could cause you to gain more than a pound each week.

Avoiding the Freshman 15 does not mean you should stop eating. It actually requires the opposite. Make sure to eat regularly, do not skip breakfast, keep healthy snacks on hand for busy days and try to incorporate as many food groups into your meals as possible.

Now that you are on your own, you have to be conscious of what you eat and how many calories it takes to keep your body running. Five simple steps is all it takes to avoid the Freshman 15, and being aware of your choices from the start will make life much easier.

by Amanda Coppock

Land an amazing internship

Meet Christina Hill, a senior majoring in apparel and textile design with a concentration of apparel design who landed an internship working at the world-renowned Cannes Film Festival. I had the chance to sit down with Christina to ask a couple of questions.

Q: Tell me about the process you went through to land this internship.

A: I had to go through many different steps to get this internship.  It all began in the beginning of this past fall semester. I first had to apply to Capstone International and the IIACI (Institute for Interdisciplinary Art and Creative Intelligence), a program run by Dr. Janeann Dill, here at the university.  Once I spoke with Dr. Dill, I had to send in a few things such as my resume, official academic transcript, essays and do a one-on-one phone interview.  This part of the process took about a month or so.  I then had to apply to American Pavilion (AMPAV), where I had to produce a resume, transcripts and three letters of recommendation as well as hold a phone interview and answer a series of essay questions.  The questions were related to my knowledge and experience with films.

Q: How many University of Alabama students were selected?

A: Twenty UA Students were chosen.

Q: How many interns overall were involved?

A: Overall there were 130 interns

Q: What was your typical workday like in Cannes?

A: I had check in at around 9 every morning, then I would head to work for a six-hour day.  I was selected to work on the tech support team.  I was basically in charge of making sure that the “round table discussions” were set up properly and the speakers were taken care of. Some of our speakers were James Franco, Michele Williams and the US Ambassador for France.  The days were long, but the scenery made everything worth it.

Q: What was your favorite part about the internship?

A:  Having the opportunity to go see films.  Most of the films I got to see will probably never make it to the states.  I also had access to everywhere in the Palais. This meant I could walk down the hall of the convention center and see Tim Burton walking into market.

Christina’s experience interning at the Cannes Film Festival was certainly an exciting and unique experience. Not all internships will seem so glamorous, but as long as you put in effort and make the most of it, even an internship at a small company in your hometown can be worthwhile.

Wondering how to get started? Try visiting the UA Career Center, attending internship fairs on campus or meeting with your college’s internship director.

Ditch the BuzzKill

Here the story: It’s Friday night and you are laid back sipping on your Natty Light, playing some Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and right when you are about to obtain the level of Brigadier General, you feel it. It feels heavy, cold, dark and almost annoying. You look at your friends, and you can tell that they feel it too. The buzz from your cold Natty begins to fade into obsolescence.

BOOM! The door swings open, and there it is. It’s loud, obnoxious and overbearing; it’s the total opposite of seeing a scantily clad Jessica Alba standing in your doorway. It’s the Buzz Kill.

All the questions begin to race through your head:

“Who told him where we were?”

“This is exactly why I ignored his text”

“I just lost my killstreak because of this idiot!”

By this time, the two Natties have completely lost their effect. This may be a good thing, because you are going to need a clear noggin to avoid this perp ruining your whole night.

Ditching the BuzzKill:

You may think you’re trapped, but it really takes less than you think to ditch the Buzz Kill. 

Everybody magically finds prior obligations to separate themselves from the Buzz Kill.

“My girlfriend wants to hang tonight.”

“I might need to get going fellas, I have to be at work early tomorrow.”

“My dog just died, and I just need to be alone right now.”

Whatever can get you out of there, DO IT!

You should have already agreed upon another meeting location. This is where you all should get back together and meet in order to resume tonight’s festivities without the negative energy of the Buzz Kill floating over everyone’s head.

Avoid Twitter and Facebook updates at all costs. Buzz Kills will use this as their primary resource to find out where they can find the next chill spot to bust up in and . . . well, be a Buzz Kill.

Even though you don’t really want to hang out with him, don’t give up hope on your buzz-killing friend; there is help out there for him. Maybe you can sit him down and explain why you seem to always have something to do when he texts or calls. Maybe you could introduce him to other buzz killers, and they could sit around and kill each others’ buzzes . There is always the option of continuing the relationship with the Buzz Kill, but this is only acceptable if the he or she immediately related to you (brother, sister, father, mother).

Otherwise, my motto goes “Once a Buzz Kill, Always a Buzz Kill.”

by Joseph “J.B.” Bradley

Divide Roommate Responsibilities

One of the many exciting opportunities in college is moving into your own place with your roommate, but sometimes roommate situations don’t always end up being as much fun as you originally thought. From bills not getting paid to cleaning that becomes a one-man job, there are several ways roommates can get annoyed with one another and friendships can be ruined.

Once you have moved into your fabulous new space, ground rules need to be set so that problems are less likely to arise. Often, students don’t realize having a roommate is very similar to having a relationship, and setting ground rules can make this experience go smoothly. Personally, I am going into my third year of having the same roommate, and I firmly believe we have lasted this long because of the routines we set in the first couple of months living together.

Here are some of the ways my roommate and I have split up our responsibilities without annoying each other in the process.

• Cleaning. No one in his or her right mind likes to clean, but it’s  something that just has to be done. Also, it’s not fair for one person to do all of the work. When it’s time for a cleaning day, it’s best to just get it done. You would be surprised at how fast your living space can go from a disaster to immaculately clean. When you first move in together, find out what cleaning strengths you each have. Splitting up the chores into something that you don’t mind doing is best. In my experience, I usually tackle the kitchen and my roommate cleans the living room. By working on two things at once, you cut down time, which makes cleaning less painful. Some chores — like taking out the trash — are best if you take turns.
  • Items essential to the cleaning process: broom, Swiffer mop, Windex, paper towels, Clorox Clean-Up Wipes, vacuum and garbage bags.

• Bills, Bills, Bills. Getting your bills in on time is crucial to your living situation and your pocketbook. Make sure that you check your mail consistently, so that you don’t miss deadlines that can result in late fees. My roommate and I both have a key to our mailbox, which makes it easy to check the mail two or three times a week. Bills are often due at different times, so each week you and your roommate should sit down and calculate what each person owes, and send them in as soon as possible. Some roommates choose to split up the bills by each having certain bills set up to automatically withdraw from their accounts. This is a great way to coordinate bill paying if you have two bills that tend to be around the same amount.

With these simple tips, you and your roommate should have a long lasting relationship. Remember, the best relationship is one in which people communicate with each other, so have a quick pow wow if something isn’t working for you. Honesty keeps you from becoming annoyed or resentful of your roomie.

By John Paul Bruno

Join a club sport

Looking for a great way to get active and involved at Bama? Joining a club sports team is a great way to stay fit and meet people. UA has plenty of teams ranging from Water Skiing and Women’s Lacrosse to Ice Hockey (yes – hockey in Alabama). While the information varies from club to club, here are some general guidelines and questions about how it takes less than you think to join a club sport at UA.

What sports are there?

The University Rec Center’s website has links for Crew, Cricket, Ice Hockey, Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse, Raccquetball, Men’s and Women’s Rugby,  Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Table Tennis, Tennis, Ultimate Frisbee, Water Ski, Wheelchair Basketball, Wrestling, Fishing, Kayaking, Tri-Athlete, Volleyball, Skeet Shooting, Cycling, Paintball, Bowling, Disc Golf and the Climbing Club. Each team has its own page where you can go to get information.

What’s the difference between these and intramural sports?

Sports clubs are for those looking for a longer commitment. They normally last for the entire school year, include weekly practices and competitions against other schools’ club teams. Many of the teams travel and compete in regional leagues. If you played a sport in high school and aren’t playing for UA this is a great way to still stay involved in your favorite sport.

So, how do I join?

The easiest way to get information is at Get on Board Day. Almost all the teams have tables where you can talk to current members, get information, and find out when practice starts. Meeting the teams at Get on Board Day gives them the chance to get your information and lets them know you’re interested.

If you’ve already missed Get on Board Day, your next step is to contact the team through their web page on the Rec Center’s site. Each team has their own page where you should be able to find a phone number or email address.

If they don’t have information there, call the Sports Club directly; they can help you get in contact with someone from the team.

What does it cost, and are there try-outs?

It depends; every team has its own set of dues and its own set of requirements to play. Some are looking for only experienced players and some are willing to teach the sport. For specifics, you’ll have to contact the teams directly.

For more information, visit the Sports Club website. http://urec.sa.ua.edu/sportsclub.cfm.

By Megan Cotton

Go green

Green. It used to be a color you learned in preschool. Now, it’s a symbol for one of the largest globally recognized causes: saving the environment.

In the past few years, our generation created it’s own hippie movement; instead of preaching peace, however, we’re preaching green. We’ve heard the phrase “go green” so many times we’re becoming desensitized to it. However, many people still don’t know exactly what going green means.

“Going green” sounds very involved; the phrase implies a total change in lifestyle, which is hard for most college students living on a budget. However, it actually takes less than you think to go green.

Here are a few ways you can go green; join the green movement and save both your money and your planet.

 

Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving alternatives. These swirled bulbs may cost you $2 – $3 more at the store, but they’ll save you money in the long run. Energy-saving bulbs use 75 percent less power and last 10 times longer than regular incandescent bulbs. I replaced every light in my apartment with these bulbs, and I noticed a difference in my power bill immediately. Think regular bulbs are boring? Hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowes sell these bulbs in a variety of colors and sizes.

Use power strips. Power strips aren’t just useful for plugging in your straightener, blow dryer and curling iron at the same time; they’re easy energy savers. Plug appliances you use every day into a power strip. When you leave for the weekend, simply push the “off” button. It saves energy by eliminating “ghost power” – the energy used by your appliances when they’re plugged into the wall and not being used.

Make recycling a habit. You’ve seen the giant blue trash cans on campus, but do you ever stop to use them? Recycling is the easiest way to go green. Have a soda habit? Save up those cans! Kicked back some Bud Lights this weekend? Don’t just toss the bottles! Keep a box by the trash can for aluminum cans, plastic bottles and glass bottles. If your apartment complex doesn’t already, ask them to pick up recycling. Most managers are more than willing to help you go green. While you’re on campus, toss bottles and cans from vending machines and dining locations into recycle bins. Most buildings and dining halls on campus offer recycle bins, making it convenient to recycle on campus. After a week or two of remembering to toss cans, bottles or newspapers in the recycle bins, you’ll develop a recycling habit.

Conserve Water. Conserving water is an easy way to go green, and it can seriously save on your water bill. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth. Get leaky sinks fixed. Only run the dishwasher if it’s full. Combine laundry loads with your roommates. Replace old shower heads. Don’t take hour-long showers. Use antimicrobial hand gel instead of washing your hands. If you adopt all of these, you can expect a drop in your water bill.

Clean green. When you think about going green, you don’t usually think about what you use to clean your home; however, using eco-friendly cleaning products is better for you wallet, your home and your planet. I began my green journey with Shaklee’s Get Clean line of cleaning products. After 2 years, I’ve never had to buy another bottle of product. The trick: it uses the same concentrated solution to make window cleaner, degreaser, all-purpose cleaner and more. Think it won’t clean because it doesn’t burn your nostrils? Research shows it actually cleans better. I’m safe from buying new products every few months, my body is safe from harmful chemical fumes and the planet is safe from all those plastic bottles I would’ve wasted if I’d avoided my green cleaning products.

 

Shop green. You can easily go green while you’re shopping for groceries. Love fresh produce? Choose organic items. They’re fresher than their pesticide-infected counterparts, and they taste better. Love your bottled water? Buy a filtered water pitcher instead. The $20 – $30 you spend on a water pitcher pays for itself in three months or less. It is also much more convenient than lugging the 24-pack of water bottles up your stairs.  Tired of going home with a mountain of plastic grocery bags? Bring your own cloth bags or buy cloth grocery bags at the store. Some stores offer discounts for customers who use cloth grocery bags. Don’t want the bags with the supermarket logo? You can create custom bags online and use them while shopping for groceries and for clothes.

Carry reusable cups. A day without coffee in the morning is a bad day. Gotta have that Starbucks? Buy a travel mug; it saves the waste the traditional paper cup makes when you’ve got your fix. Most coffee stores on campus not only allow but also encourage you to use a travel mug. Starbucks recently gave a free cup of coffee to anyone who used a travel mug. Love the Starbucks cup look? You can get a plastic look-alike at Bed, Bath and Beyond for $8. Also, the Starbucks in the Ferg takes Bama Cash; get an authentic Starbucks travel mug on mom and dad’s dollar. We won’t tell.

Look green. Put your green face on, ladies. Using green makeup doesn’t mean looking like Fiona from the Shrek movies; it means saving money and saving face. I use Shaklee’s line of green beauty products, and I’ve seen changes in my wallet and on my skin. Wearing all-natural makeup is better for your skin than wearing no makeup at all, and it lasts longer, too. If you’re a makeup snob like I am, you spend $80 – $100 on department store makeup two or three times each year. Last August, I paid $100 for my entire Shaklee line; today, the base, powder, blush, eye shadows and bronzers are still in tact. I used to struggle with pimples, and I spent tons of money trying out new facial cleansers. Green beauty products cleared up my skin, and I don’t have to worry about clogged pores if I accidentally fall asleep before washing my face.

These are just a few of the easy ways to go green. Find the steps that work for you. Going green doesn’t mean completely changing your life; it means taking control of your bills, your home, your body and your planet.

by Allison Cook