Chardin's First Newsletter
Winter Quarter 2015
Jessie Writes about the New Year Resolution
After searching statistics about New Year’s Resolutions, I came across one that stated that only 8% of people in the US (in 2014) reported that they were successful in achieving their resolution and 49% had infrequent success. The leftovers never succeed unfortunately. The most popular resolution I have ever heard from people in my past 21 years was to lose weight. “I want to exercise more! I want to eat healthier! I want to shed some pounds!” But I think this year we should get a little more creative with our resolutions. The following are some resolutions I thought would be most productive for college students living in Seattle:
- Get involved on campus! Especially if you are a senior, leaving Seattle University in June, it would be rewarding to contribute your time and skill towards a university event or affiliate with the university. Put your mark on Seattle University and if it can also be added to your resume, you’ve killed two birds with one stone! Ideas include volunteering your time with the Seattle University Youth Initiative (i.e. tutoring children at nearby schools), or attending SGSU meetings where you can provide input about what you find important at Seattle University. If you’re a junior, I highly recommend considering applying to be an Orientation Advisor. I was one my sophomore year and it was honestly one of the most rewarding experiences I had a SU. I made so many friendships and gained confidence with talking to new people!
- Be a better listener. Keep eye contact when speaking to others, such as professors, mentors, and colleagues so they know you are actually paying attention and care about what they are saying. Eye contact is one of the more difficult skills to develop, but when you have it down, others do take you more seriously. This can be applicable to job interviews as well! Don’t forget body language ties into listening as well.
- Try new foods! We go to school in First Hill which is within walking distance to International District, Downtown Seattle, and Capitol Hill. If you have a break from class lasting for an hour or so, walk down Broadway and get some Mediterranean Express or Vostok Russian Dumpling House. If you want to grab dinner near campus there is Vietnamese food at The Lemongrass, Japanese food at Momiji, and Nepalese food at Annapurna Café.
- Get enough sleep. If you want to know one way that will combat sickness, reduce under-eye dark circles, and cut down on stress, this is it. 7-8 hours of sleep is ideal for adults, but it can vary from 5-10 hours depending on who it is and how deep the sleep is. Without adequate sleep, the immune system becomes weak and your body becomes more vulnerable to infection. Growth hormones are released during sleep, which is vital for proper physical and mental development. The parts of the brain that control emotions, decision-making, and social interactions slow down a lot during sleep, so they can function optimally when awake. So with it being so cold and dark out, get home earlier and snuggle into your sheets and catch more zzzzzz….
- Take a trip! It doesn’t have to be a big trip; you can even stay in the Greater Seattle area! Check out a neighborhood of Seattle that you have always heard about but never visited. Take a walk or walk your dog at Greenlake Park in Greenlake or go to a beautiful lookout point on Beacon Hill! If you’ve got reliable transportation, take a ferry to Victoria and go to the Buchart Gardens! Or grab some friends and your passports and make a day trip to Vancouver. If you want to see a quaint German town, make a day trip out to Leavenworth! If you want to go for a little shopping spree, drive down to Portland and do some sales tax-free shopping! We have a three-day weekend in February that has “little trip” written all OVER it. Getting out of Seattle can be so refreshing as well!
Staff Spotlight: Connor Rice
Hey Chardin Members! So, as you have seen we have been doing a staff spotlight to give you guys the chance to learn more about us! Here are some facts I would like to share with you!
- Born British, raised American
- What I did over break: my aunt, uncle, and three baby cousins were here for Christmas! So I spent a lot of time with them
- Favorite food: Cheese (even though I am slightly allergic)
- Favorite meal: Eggs Benedict
- Favorite color: Green, but sometimes purple, and maybe blue
- Favorite Movies: Memento, King’s Speech, Love Actually, and Guardians of the Galaxy (baby Groot is my life)
- Favorite books: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand
- Career interest: Consumer Behavior in Marketing
- New Year’s Resolution: Learn to cook and start mountain biking!
- What I am looking forward to this year: Avengers 2, Star Wars VII, Pax Prime, building a bike, learning to cook, summer internship, traveling, reading new books, and my sister applying to college
Chloe Writes about Winter Blues and Seasonal Affective Disorder
It’s that time of year again: chilly, rainy, dark, and dank. In other parts of the world, this is the time when the world becomes a gleaming white landscape reflecting the far away light of the sun, when people make snowmen, snow angels, and enjoy hot cocoa and egg nog with their loved ones in front of the fire. In Seattle, it’s just kind of cold and wet, a little foggy and more than likely, families and friends are sharing flu viruses along with that hot cocoa. Actually for most, the weather is just a minor annoyance, no larger a problem than the other facts of life, perhaps forcing them to reevaluate their exercise routine or commute. For a select portion of the population, however, the changes in the seasons can bring on an episode of major depression: a consistent, overpoweringly low mood that may manifest itself as thoughts of hopelessness, worthlessness, despair, lack of concentration, and suicidal ideation. Observable behaviors may range from lack of appetite to overeating (along with weight gain or loss), irritability, withdrawal from normal activities, isolation, oversleeping or insomnia (especially if accompanied by anxiety), fatigue, sensitivity to rejections or conflict, and exaggerated emotional responses (crying or apathy). Some people may also experience somatic symptoms such as feelings of heaviness, sensitivity to pain, sexual dysfunction, stomach upset, hair loss, and even changes in the menstrual cycle.
Although experts have not pinpointed an exact cause for these responses to different seasons, some believe that circadian rhythm disruption due to low levels of sunlight exposure may play a role. Serotonin release and vitamin D production are also influenced by sunlight, so alterations of these functions could alter mood as well. Interestingly, seasonal affective disorder does not always occur in the winter time – suggesting that there are multiple mechanisms of action at play. Some people may experience symptoms in the spring or early summer, and this demographic tends to experience higher levels of anxiety concomitantly. As a sports and exercise science major, I also know that people tend to work out in relation to the seasons and that winter time just isn’t the most exciting time to go out for a nice jog. Since exercise also stimulates release of serotonin and resilience to stress, a sudden decrease in this activity could trigger depression or anxiety.
Thankfully, there are treatments for this disorder. Since many experts believe that light itself plays a direct role, mainstream treatment tends to include light box therapy. Light boxes can be purchased without a prescription at a relatively low cost, but it is recommended that professional medical counseling be sought in addition as light therapy can actually trigger mania in people who also have bipolar disorder. Other things that you can do for yourself include exercising regularly, going outside during the day time to maximize time spent in natural sunlight, opening blinds, and participating in yoga or meditation activities. Although some over the counter supplements are marketed as antidepressant agents and may or may not have some evidence to back up claims, keep in mind that supplements are not regulated by the FDA and therefore may not do what you expect them to and even cause harm in some people (especially those with bipolar disorder). In general, supplements are really a hit and miss situation because they may have extra, unwanted ingredients (which they do not have to put on the label) or even not contain what they say they contain in the first place! If you think that you may have SAD, it is always best to talk with your physician, a psychiatrist, or therapist and allow them to help guide your treatment process.
On that note… fellow students at SU, always remember that a consistency and healthy habits are the key to basically everything! If you are lacking sunlight, add sunlight. If you are lacking exercise, add exercise to your day to day activities. Eat healthily, sleep adequately, and just remember that something good is just about to happen.
Ran Suggests A Weekend Gateway - Leavenworth
I have heard people talking about their trips to Leavenworth several times in Chardin. So, I decided to write about Leavenworth to give trip advice to people who haven’t been there and are planning on a visit.
Leavenworth is located at the base of the eastern slope of the Cascade Mountains, very near the geographical center of Washington State. Leavenworth is part of Chelan County and has 1.23 square miles of land area and 0.02 square miles of water area. It’s about 2.5 hours’ drive from Seattle to Leavenworth. (WA 98826)
Leavenworth is famous because its entire town center is modeled on a Bavarian village. It’s a best place for photographer because it looks different but extremely beautiful in all 4 seasons. Basically, you can do anything in this quiet and beautiful town, spa, geocaching, outdoor theater, wine tour, interesting museums, or even good restaurants.
There is one restaurant I would recommend: Andreas Keller German Restaurant. (829 Front St. Leavenworth, WA 98826). It has the great German dark beer. You can set your GPS to this location and this would direct you to the Leavenworth’s main street. And there is a hat shop – The Hat Shop on the street, and it is worth to go. I had a lot of fun trying on a ton of their funny hats. (721 Front St. Leavenworth, WA 98826)
A weekend is a desired time to stay in Leavenworth. Be sure to check the weather report before going. Safe trip.