RA Magazine

FEBRUARY 2014

Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable Tips for Confrontations

BAD NEWS BREWS Energy Drinks Dissected

WHY Busy Leads to Burnout Tips to Free Up Time in 2014

Best News Apps News Apps Best for the College Demographic

Recommended Movie The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

www.reslife.com

issue eighteen Š 2014 Swank Motion Pictures, Inc. RLC1527 2.13

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CONTENTS the SOLUTION issue BRAIN Cognitive abilities like conduct and behavior start to deteriorate.

Drinker may experience mild euphoria and loss of inhibition as the brain impairs the region of the brain that controls memory, attention, sleep and coordination.

SKIN

Bad News Brews

Alcohol increases bloodflow, making the drinker feel warm and look flushed.

HEART Your pulse quickens and the blood vessels relax to allow more blood to flow, resulting in a drop in blood pressure.

Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable

KIDNEYS Alcohol promotes the making of urine and can be the cause of dehydration unless extra fluid is consumed.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Tips for Confrontations

6 3 College Ice Breakers That are Hard to Hate Stay stress free with these tips to get your residents communicating in a fun way

8

As alcohol is absorbed through the stomach and small intestine, it irritates the stomach lining, blocking absorption of essential vitamins and minerals.

LUNGS Alcohol speeds up your breathing rate which lowers your respirations as you continue to drunk. When you exhale, the lungs excrete about 5% of the alcohol you have consumed, producing the effect that a breathalyzer test is looking for.

8 Staying Sober in a Partying World How alcohol affects your body

10 Bridging the Gap – Your Boss and You Increase communication with your boss and enhance your work performance

RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

fastestgrowing beverage in the marketplace

LIVER As your Liver breaks down alcohol, by-products are formed, some of which are more toxic to the body that alcohol itself. The balance of enzymes and fat metabolism are disturbed, which can cause organs to swell.

drink of choice

51% 100

for college students

billion Red Bull cans sold annually

13.3% increase in sales over the past year

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS Heavy drinking can cause a drop in testosterone in men, as well as testicular shrinkage and impotence. In females, excessive drinking can disrupt menstrual cycles and lower fertility.

14 Why Busy Leads to Burnout Tips to free up time in 2014

16 ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: 2 Movies That Connect 12 Monthly Must-Haves

16 Bad News Brews Energy drinks dissected 6 Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable Tips for handling confrontations

Energy Drinks DisSected

13 RA Spotlight 20 Recommended Movies

18 Best News Apps for College STUDENTS Stay informed with these easyto-navigate news apps

Want a subscription to RA Magazine? Know an RA at another school that would like a copy? Head over to www.ramagazine.com/subscribe.html and send them a FREE subscription.

RA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2013

1

Movies

M VIES THAT CONNECT [In this issue, Residence Life Cinema focuses on the sometimes stressful situation of conflict resolution and the effects of alcohol on your body.]

You, me and dupree Dupree is the epitome of the third wheel when he comes to live with his best friend and his wife. As he intrudes on the perfect lives they’ve set up for themselves, they learn the hard way how to deal with a roommate. This blast from the past is sure to be a hit with your residents!

Horrible Bosses This movies tells the story of what not to do to your horrible bosses. Your residents will love the crazy antics and slightly deranged schemes of our three main characters (Nick, Kurt & Dale ) to get rid of their bosses. It’ll have them rolling on the floor laughing at this funny story of conflict resolution gone horribly wrong.

© NBC Universal

© New Line Cinema

21 and Over the roommate A thriller taken to the depths of obsession, Rebecca finds herself the unfortunate college roommate of a mentally disturbed girl who’s out to get anybody who stands in the way of their “friendship.” © Relativity MediaA

This coming of age comedy takes the saying, “Life’s a party” to a whole new level. On his 21st birthday, goody-two shoes Jeff decides to stop playing by the rules and go out for a little fun on the eve of his medical school interview. What happens next is a blur of drinking and debauchery as Jeff learns to loosen up and enjoy life.

© Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.

THE Hangover III In the third installment of The Hangover series, the wolf pack is back with bigger, crazier and more hilarious stunts as they hit the road to take back a kidnapped friend.

pitch perfect Join the Bellas as they try to rise to stardom with their all girl acapella group with the help of new recruit Becca. Watch as they struggle to overcome a clash of thoughts, opinions and personalities and go from hating each other to ultimately becoming a tight-knit group of friends. © NBC Universal

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RA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2013

© Warner Bros.

Visit RAMAGAZINE.COM for additional movie suggestions RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

Ice

Breakers

College Ice Breakers That are Hard to Hate The toilet paper game. The “what three things would you take to a deserted island” game. Two truths and a lie. These activities appear to be usual ice breakers played in residence halls across the country. However, most students loathe them and they don’t do much in the way of helping ease the anxiety of new students. Most would love to boycott these types of “get to know you games” at all costs, thanks to the forced awkward situations they create.

Avoid the groans this year with some ideas that may take a little more preparation on your part, but will give your residents much more to remember than what animal so-andso wants to be. While any icebreaker can tank if you don’t sell it properly, here are fresh new ideas that should be more enjoyable.

Name that tune Invite your group members to take a trip down memory lane with a little “tunage”.

RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

Time needed to play: Roughly 30 minutes.

Team size: three-six people per team.

What you’ll need: Song clips, paper, pencils and a small prize for the winning team like a free iTunes download for each member.

How to play: Look up 12-15 songs that were popular when your residents were in grade school or middle school before your group arrives. You’ll want to pick ones with fairly recognizable opening riffs. Have your players introduce themselves and then separate them into groups. Give them a few minutes to get to know each other, then start playing your clips. Ask your groups to identify the artist and the song name. Your groups will have fun racking their brains to figure out who sang what. When you run through all of your music, ask the teams to select a different member to reveal each answer. If they get a question right, ask how their team remembered it.

RA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2013

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Ice Breakers

Encourage residents to exchange phone numbers and stay in contact after ice breaker sessions.

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RA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2013

RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

Ice

Breakers

The “PIG” Personality Test This is a great way to let your students learn a little about themselves and each other.

Time needed to play: roughly 20 minutes.

Team size: Any number of players will work.

What you’ll need: Paper, pens and a timer.

How to play:

Pass out paper and pens. On a blank sheet of paper, have your group draw a pig. Give them one minute to complete this task. Now comes the fun part: the interpretation. Read the following description of what the aspects of the drawings represent to your group, but add a little wit and humor of your own to spice it up as you go along.

The Interpretation: “If the pig is drawn toward the top of the paper - you are positive and optimistic. If drawn to toward the middle, you are a realist, and if sketched at the bottom, you’re a pessimist with a tendency toward negative behavior.

If the pig is facing left, you believe in tradition, are friendly and remember dates like birthdays. If facing right, you are innovative and active, but don’t have a strong sense of family.

If drawn facing the artist, you are direct, enjoy playing the devil’s advocate and neither fear nor avoid discussion. If the pig has too many details, you’re analytical, cautious and distrustful. If you’ve drawn few details, you are emotional and naive and you are a risk taker. If your pig’s showing less than four legs, you are insecure or you are living through a period of major change. If showing more than four legs, you are unrealistic and a little unusual. Ear size indicates how good of a listener you are, so the bigger the better. Tail length indicates the quality of your love life, so obviously the longer the better.

Ask who didn’t draw a tail and go around the group so each student can introduce themselves and show their drawing.

What you’ll need: Chairs grouped in clusters and a timer.

How to play:

Number your group off into equal teams (tell them to remember their numbers) and sit them in a cluster.

Explain to them that each group has seven minutes to find something they all have in common. When the timer goes off, have someone from each group announce what their group has in common. Rotate the students by their numbers (for example combine twos and fours in one round and ones and fours in the next) until everyone has had a chance to talk with each member of the group. The great thing about this game is that everyone is allowed to get to know each other without being forced to reveal anything embarrassing or do anything childish.

Three things Everyone shares a few unique facts that are easy to remember and allow the group to laugh a little.

Time needed to play:

Depending on your group size, anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes.

Team size: Any size group will do.

What you’ll need to play: A few good stories.

How to play: Ask each group member to tell the group their name, how they got one of their scars, the worst job they’ve ever had and what their first music purchase was. These are great questions to ask because everyone has a good scar story, bad first jobs are common and nobody has good taste in music when they’re a kid.

Common Ground This icebreaker technically isn’t a game, but it does spare the participants from making embarrassing noises or acting out weird gestures in front of a group.

Time needed to play: Roughly 45 minutes.

Team size: Try to keep teams under six people per team.

RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

RA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2013

5

Managing Tips for Confrontations Situations

Residence Halls

Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable Tips for Confrontations Michelle Cole Residential Education Coordinator Apartment ManageR Black Hills State University

Alright, let’s be honest… confronting an on-campus issue as a Resident Assistant can be a strange combination of awkward, stressful and even upsetting. When I was an RA in college, confronting an incident made my heart race like I was running sprints, made me unusually nervous and caused me to talk with lightning-fast speed. Why? I was extremely worried about how they would treat me. Like many RAs, I didn’t want residents to hate me, disregard me or make fun of 6

RA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2013

me. Eventually as RAs, we learn to step back and realize the residents are the ones breaking policy, not us. While confronting an incident, this needs to be clear, as well as the fact that you’re an authority figure that deserves respect. Test out one or more of my tips so you can begin to feel more comfortable in an uncomfortable situation.

RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

Tips for

Confrontations

TIP#1

Know the proper procedure Of course every school is different in regard to policies, staffing, on-call supervisors and calling public safety. My first tip for all RAs is this: know the proper procedure. Memorize who to call when and what to do in each situation. If you don’t know, ask! The professional staff members at your institution are there to help you, teach you and support you. It sounds silly, but it actually helps to go through incident scenes in your head. Think of what you would say while confronting a specific incident and have a “script” ready. This will help out immensely if the scenario unfortunately becomes reality. Also, know your student code of conduct so you can defend yourself and your actions.

TIP#2

Be polite and direct at the same time The next tip is one of my favorites. Be polite and direct at the same time. A great example of this would be telling a student who is drinking beer in a residence hall, “Unfortunately, you are breaking section three, part six of the student code of conduct, which explains that alcohol is not allowed on campus.” This lets your resident know exactly what rule he or she has broken, while you’re stating the violation loud and clear. With statements like these, there is no need to yell at residents or let your emotions get involved since the resident made the choice to break policy. Yes, you may have to report it, but beyond the report, you should have nothing to do with the consequences the rule breaker may encounter. Remember, often times your residents may be scared, confused or upset themselves, so using a calm voice with very clear statements will be the most useful for you.

TIP#3

Bring a water bottle to each incident Since I used to speak so quickly when I was nervous, I began bringing a water bottle to each incident I encountered. This gave me a much needed second or two to think about what I was going to say next while in the heat of the moment.

Whenever I needed a second to formulate my next sentence, I simply took a second to take a drink. When my mouth was super dry and I hated it, I’d have a sip. If a resident appeared intoxicated and was staring at me in a funny way, I would pause to quench my thirst. There were plenty of opportunities to easily consume an entire water bottle, which our bodies will thank us for. This trick helped me so much in my days as an RA, that I still use this trick as a professional staff member at Black Hills State University.

TIP#4

Hold yourself to a high level of integrity and ethics How many times have you heard about a Resident Assistant letting their friends “off the hook?” Personally, I’ve heard this story too many times. Don’t be the person who simply gets used by friends who don’t have enough respect for you and your role on campus. You were selected and personally chosen to maintain a commitment to your school. Make sure you hold yourself to a high level of integrity and ethics. If you do in fact, encounter an incident involving your friends, do the right thing. They know you have responsibilities as a staff member and shouldn’t put you in that situation in the first place.

To expect you to let them slide would be unfair. Yes, your friendship may change slightly, but it’s worth having a clear conscience and remaining an honorable employee.

With time, you will figure out what incident related “best practices” work well for you. Until then, I highly suggest trying out one or two of these and talking to those with experience. I wish I could say confronting incidents was much like an improv show, but in residence life, it definitely pays off to be prepared.

RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

RA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2013

7

Staying Sober

The Advantages of Staying Sober in a Partying World Give your residents some good reasons to skip the booze next time they head out to a party.

Skip the drinking and spare yourself:

Tips on Navigating a Party Without the Sauce

• The money. Partying can get expensive really quickly, especially if you get in trouble with your university or the law.

1. Get a drink without the booze

• The calories. Drinking provides no nutritional value, just empty calories. These calories also love to hang around as fat around your midsection, leading to the not so cute “beer gut”.

• The hangover. There’s no guaranteed hangover cure, so prepare to feel less productive the morning after.

• The embarassment. Nothing is worse than losing control of what you do or say when you’ve been drinking. Staying sober will let you avoid waking up thinking “what did I do last night?”

“It’s a great advantage not to drink among hard drinking people.” ―

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- F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

RA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2013

A can, cup or bottle in your hand serves as an easy buffer drink that helps you avoid explaining why you’re not drinking to everyone you meet. A soda can easily pass for a mixed drink and having a drink in your hand will help keep obnoxious party goers from hassling you so you can enjoy your evening.

2. Let loose Even though you don’t have the haze of alcohol making you feel a little invincible, you can still dance like a fool, flirt with whoever you want and laugh like crazy at all of the shenanigans happening around you.

Nobody will think twice about your behavior, since many of them might not even remember it in the morning. Adopt the right mindset and take advantage of everyone else’s clouded judgment to just enjoy yourself.

3. Bring a sober buddy If you think that you might feel a little left out watching your friends get sloshed, try enlisting another sober friend to be your partner in crime for the evening. This way, you’re not the only one who isn’t seeing double after a few hours and can still carry on a coherent conversation.

RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

Staying Sober

HOW ALCOHOL AFFECTS YOUR BODY BRAIN Cognitive abilities like conduct and behavior start to deteriorate.

Drinker may experience mild euphoria and loss of inhibition as the brain impairs the region of the brain that controls memory, attention, sleep and coordination.

SKIN Alcohol increases bloodflow, making the drinker feel warm and look flushed.

HEART Your pulse quickens and the blood vessels relax to allow more blood to flow, resulting in a drop in blood pressure.

KIDNEYS Alcohol promotes the making of urine and can be the cause of dehydration unless extra fluid is consumed.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM As alcohol is absorbed through the stomach and small intestine, it irritates the stomach lining, blocking absorption of essential vitamins and minerals.

LUNGS Alcohol speeds up your breathing rate which lowers your respirations as you continue to drink. When you exhale, the lungs excrete about 5% of the alcohol you have consumed, producing the effect that a breathalyzer test is looking for.

LIVER As your liver breaks down alcohol, by-products are formed, some of which are more toxic to the body than alcohol itself. The balance of enzymes and fat metabolism are disturbed, which can cause organs to swell.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS Heavy drinking can cause a drop in testosterone in men, as well as testicular shrinkage and impotence. In females, excessive drinking can disrupt menstrual cycles and lower fertility.

RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

RA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2013

9

Bridging the Gap

Bridging Gap the

Your Boss andYou

As a constantly wired Millennial, your first experience in the real-world workplace with people of other generations may be very different than working with only your 20-something peers.

Your older coworkers, management and bosses were not raised in your generation where not everyone gets a participation medal, 10

RA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2013

where the information well could run dry and where working from home was rare.

These generational and age related differences can have a surprisingly different effect on work processes, styles, tendencies and more.

Recently, contributor to Forbes magazine Jason Nazar wrote a very enlightening article about the “20 Things 20-Year Olds Don’t Get.” Here are the key take-aways he’s noticed while working with his own team of 20-somethings at his company Docstoc.

RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

Thanksgiving Bridging Traditions the Gap

Time isn’t unlimited.

The sense of urgency to get to the next level is something that Nazar finds uncommon amongst college grads today. Now, graduates seem to think they have all of the time in the world to “figure themselves out” or really find out what they’re passionate about. This can hinder your opportunities in the long run, because as you become older, the really unique chances can become scarce.

Use your college years to really figure out what you want from your life, what kind of lifestyle you want to live and how to best use your skills.

Use early mornings and late afternoons to your advantage.

You’re the lowest men and women on the totem pole when you start working. This means that you’ve also got the most to prove and the most new ground to cover. There’s only one surefire way to get ahead and that’s to work harder than everyone else.

Don’t be the guy who stays in the office the latest to get more work done, when you’ve only goofed off all morning. People are already wise to that act.

Instead, use your early morning hours to get important meetings in, strategically plan and do your hardest work.

Save the later hours in the day for smaller, more task-based items.

Pick up the phone In our age of IMs, Snapchats, Tweets and texts, a phone call is rare. Face-to-face touch bases meetings are even rarer. Stop hiding behind all of your technological communicators and have actual conversations.

As Nazar points out, “It should be your first instinct, not last, to talk to a real person and source business opportunities.”

what to do next. Err on the side of doing too much, instead of too little. Also, when you’ve made a mistake, take the initiative to own out to it and apologize. You’ll be making lots of mistakes when you first start out, so don’t try to justify your mess ups. Growth will come from the lessons you learn through these errors.

A new job every year isn’t a good thing You want a boss who demands excellence and pushes your limits in the early years of your career. This sets a solid foundation for your expectations, success and more. It also creates discipline and provides a huge learning opportunity. It takes about two-three years to master any new skill, according to Nazar, so take at least that much time before you move on to seemingly greener pastures.

Your reputation is your currency Damaging your reputation is sometimes an irreversible move, since it serves as the key that can open doors and windows of professional opportunity. Guard it like it’s your most secure treasure. This includes the talking that can occur when something doesn’t go your way. Use the opportunity to speak up about what is bothering you instead of speaking out in terms of gossip, complaints and trash talk about your company or coworkers.

"...it takes about two-three years to master any new skill... so take at least that much time before you move on to seemingly greener pastures."

Take initiative No one ever got a raise or a new title by waiting for someone to tell them RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

RA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2013

11

Great Snack!

Flower Power

Whether you're hosting a hall event or needing a latenight snack while studying, Garrett popcorn is the go-to! Based in Chicago, IL, Garrett Popcorn is made fresh and shipped anywhere in the United States. There are a multitude of flavors and tin options available at Garrettpopcorn.com.

Charge up to four devices at a time with the USB Flower Hub. Its trendy design makes it a conversation piece and adds a pop of color to any book shelf or coffee table. The USB Flower Hub is available for $18 from Seejanework.com.

trendy musts for every college student

Monthly

Must-Haves No Muss, No Fuss, Residence Hall Recipe

DIY Print Shop T-Shirt Screen Printing Kit Don't waste time and blow your budget getting professional t-shirts printed for campus activities. Pick up your very own screen printing kit, invite dormmates over and spend a night customizing your own campus tees! Prices vary at Urban Outfitters and Amazon.

Taco in a Bag Need a fun snack or light meal idea? Enjoy these 5-minute Mexican-style microwaved ground beef and cheese nacho-flavored tortilla chips.

1/4 cup refrigerated taco sauce with seasoned ground beef (from 18-oz container) 1 bag (1 oz) nacho-flavored tortilla chips 2 tablespoons finely shredded Mexican cheese blend 2 tablespoons shredded lettuce

Nashbar Handlebar Bag Bicycling from class to class and in need of a safe storage spot for your school books? Look no further than Nashbar.com. Bags are easily attached for quick removal.

There is a wide variety of sizes ranging in price. Bag shown to the left is $14.99 at Nashbar.com.

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RA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2013

1. In a small microwavable bowl, microwave ground beef on high for 30 seconds or until thoroughly heated. Squeeze bag of chips to crush slightly.

2. Cut bag of chips open along top; hold open. Top chips with warm ground beef; mix with fork. Top with cheese, lettuce and if desired, other taco toppings. Eat directly from bag.

RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

Spotlight

RA SPOTLIGHT

AM .R w ww

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u re

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to be fe

d in ou rn e h t e t et ligh l . p t m o t om Co Sp m a ine.c RA for agaz

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[Get to Know Other RAs]

er Christopdher n Alexa h's University

Saint Josep

Your school: Saint Joseph's University Where you live: Ashwood Hall Your major: Dual Major in Finance and Risk Management & Insurance Students living on your floor: 34 Favorite thing about being an RA: My favorite thing about being an RA is when I make a small difference in one of my residents' lives. Although I enforce the rules when necessary; I spend most of my time helping them with their problems and planning fun programs. At the end of each year, I can honestly say I have over 30 new friends.

What are the benefits of integrating movies into your RA programming events?: Being able to watch something everyone wants to see, while getting to know some of your residents is one of the benefits of integrating movies into your RA programming events. It is nice to be able to watch a movie you've been meaning to see and discuss it with your residents afterward.

Describe your favorite program where you used movies to enhance program content. My favorite program where I used movies to enhance program content was during my Living Learning Program when I showed a clip from a movie about Wall Street. The clip exemplified the need for a great resume and good interview skills in order to land an awesome job after college.

What advice would you offer your future RAs? I would tell future RAs to relax and just go with the flow. Try not to get caught up in every aspect of your residents' lives and all of their troubles because they can consume your life. Remember that your college career is most important and that it is too short not to have fun with friends every once in a while!

Cullen Re

iser

University of North Dakota

Your school: University of North Dakota Where you live: Priestley Your major: Sociology and Criminal Justice Students living on your floor: 30 Favorite thing about being an RA: I love working with people in general. Being an RA gives me the opportunity to interact with fellow housing employees and my residents everyday.

What are the benefits of integrating movies into your RA programming events?

Some movies convey cultural and social meanings that were prevalent during the time they were made. They also bring to light cultural and social issues as well. Showing a movie and discussing the central theme or issue is a great program to raise awareness or teach residents about a topic.

Describe your favorite program where you used movies to enhance program content. We held a program where we showed a movie that highlighted severe economic inequality in the United States. The movie was a great kickoff to the program where we played Cash Rules Everything Around Me, which also highlights how those with money can hold power over others in society.

What advice would you offer your future RAs? Organize your RA, personal and academic obligations. Finding a balance between all those areas is key to being successful. Also, it is crucial to be able to take time for yourself. An emotionally and physically healthy you is better prepared to go above and beyond for your residents.

Being an RA means: A leader for your residents and being accountable to your staff.

Being an RA means: Leading by example. It is important that your residents and your fellow peers look up to you as a responsible role model and a mature adult.

RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

RA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2013

13

Busy to Burnout

y s u B y h W o t s d a e L : t u o n r Bu Tips to

im T p U Free

Do you struggle with feeling like you can’t squeeze one more second out of your day? Between making sure your residents are happy, safe and obeying the rules, to pleasing your professors, to managing time for your own social life, it’s easy to see why you may feel like you’re burning the candle at both ends.

What is Burnout?

Burnout is defined by the American Psychological Association’s David Ballard, PsyD, as “an extended period 14

4 1 0 2 e in

RA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2013

of time where someone experiences exhaustion and a lack of interest in things, resulting in a decline in their job performance.” He adds that in stressful situations, “the demands being placed on you exceed the resources you have available to deal with the stressors." If not kept in check, this overwhelming exhaustion can leave you tired, sick and utterly useless, surging your stress levels through the roof.

Just how can you combat the plague of always feeling busy?

Unload a Little When you just can’t seem to finish everything in the allotted 24 hours of a day, take a step back. While this may sound

RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

Busy

to Burnout counter-intuitive, getting away from the very things that are stressing you out can cool you down. Call or text a friend or relative who won’t mind you confiding in them and take a breather. When you feel better, you’ll find that the world hasn’t stopped spinning and your responsibilities might look a little less daunting.

Check Yourself Be honest; are you really as busy as you’re claiming to be?

Here’s one way to find out. Dissect your day to find out what you’re spending the most time on. Also, how much of your anxiety is coming from technology? It’s true that being constantly wired in can promote productivity, but it can also overstep its boundaries, causing school or RA stress to leak into your own relaxation time. Turn off your phone, check your email at certain times and log off of your social media accounts to take your relaxation breaks seriously.

Tap a Nap You know how everything can seem just a little better in the morning? Try that out when you’re stressing and feel burned out.

In as little as 15 minutes, or a quick little power nap, you can feel refreshed and take another look at your situation with a fresh mindset.

After all, research suggests that having fewer than six hours of sleep per night is a major risk factor for burnout and poor sleep can drain your productivity levels.

Know When It’s You, Know When It’s Them A lot of time, burnout is motivated by external factors just as much as internal factors. Pay attention if the tight shoulders, headaches and upset stomach symptoms are coming from your own actions or the actions of others. If you’ve reached your breaking point, consider talking to your manager about your feelings and concerns if they’re job related or make an appointment with your campus mental health services if your burnout isn’t related to your RA role.

RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

Do You Have These Burnout Symptoms?

These ten burnout symptoms, selected by the American Psychological Association’s David Ballard, PsyD, can wreak havoc on everything in your world, from health to overall happiness. Look out for: 1.

Exhaustion all of the time.

2.

A lack of motivation concerning things you were once enthusiastic about or no internal motivation.

3. Frustration, cynicism and other negative emotions that make you feel like what you’re doing doesn’t matter anymore.

4. Cognitive problems that interfere with your ability to pay attention.

5. Slipping academic or RA performance since the beginning of the semester.

6. Personal problems in your relationships like getting into more arguments or talking less.

7. Not taking care of yourself including drinking or eating too much, smoking or using drugs.

8. Being preoccupied with a situation and wasting energy on it even though it’s your free time.

9. Generally decreased satisfaction or feeling stuck with parts of your life.

10. Health problems like weight gain or loss, digestive issues, depression and heart disease.

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15

Energy Drinks

Bad News Brews

Energy Drinks Dissected Fastestgrowing beverage in the marketplace

Drink of choice

51% 100

for college students

16

RA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2013

billion Red Bull cans sold annually

12 660 %

alcohol

calories

RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

BulletinEnergy Board of the Month Drinks

Many college students aren't just overdosing on caffeine with coffee. Energy drinks are the elixir of choice for 51% of college students according to a 2007 survey. In fact, energy drinks are the fastest-growing beverage in the marketplace. Even more incredibly, Red Bull, the world’s leading energy drink sells over 100 billion cans annually in 100 different countries. As the popularity of these drinks surges, so do concerns about the side effects.

Alcoholic and caffeinated energy drinks like Four Loko, have been banned by numerous state liquor boards across the country.

Four Loko has been blamed for sending hundreds of college students to the hospital across the country. One “blackout in a can” contains 12% alcohol, 660 calories and is the caffeine equivalent of two cups of coffee.

"...mixing the two stimulants...can be a recipe for disaster..."

Of course, drinks like Four Loko aren't the only way to combine caffeine and alcohol. It's just easier to regulate because it puts both substances in one can. Popular drinks like Red Bull and vodka and rum and Coke have been mixing the two stimulants for years. But doing so can be a recipe for disaster. Energy drinks can make you feel sober, even when your blood alcohol level is over the legal limit. Don’t just take our word for it. Take a look at NFL wide receiver Donte' Stallworth’s story. In March 2009, he drank multiple shots of tequila and Red Bull, then got behind the wheel and killed a pedestrian with his car. Stallworth said he didn't feel drunk at the time of the accident.

A February 2010 study by the University of Florida supports his claim. The study showed that, because they feel both wide awake and drunk, people who drink alcoholic energy drinks are four times as likely to drive drunk as those who drink only alcohol.

"...people who drink alcoholic energy drinks are four times as likely to drive drunk as those who drink only alcohol."

RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

Energy Drinks Dissected Here are some of the ingredients in the drinks you’re slurping.

Taurine – An amino acid that affects metabolism, interferes with motor behavior, temperature regulation, mood and general behavior.

Glucuronolactone – A naturally occurring matabolite found in the liver. Has been known to provide additional energy sources, producing a stimulant effect.

Caffeine – A bitter white alkaloid that acts as a stimulant. May cause restlessness, anxiety, irregular heart beat, disorientation or psychosis in high doses.

Ginseng – An adaptogenic herb with anti-fatigue components. Research shows it can relieve stress and improve memory but side effects like headaches have been reported.

Vitamins – Usually consist of additives stressed by manufacturers to give the drink some sort of healthy benefit.

Guarana – A South American plant that is denser than caffeine. Has a stimulating effect similar to caffeine and can help boost caffeine’s effect.

Sugars – A carbohydrate that is the body’s preferred fuel method. Creates energy but too much can lead to an insulin spike in the body that can cause a “crash” later on and the onset of diabetes.

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Best News Apps

BEST News Apps for College Students Knowledge of the nation’s top stories makes anyone – in any industry – better at what they do. At the most basic level, reading or watching the news keeps you informed. The earlier you start paying attention, the better, so here are some apps to help you increase your news knowledge.

Flipboard: Free (Android/IOS) Flipboard is like the news version of Pinterest because it allows you to pick the news sources and topics you’re interested in and lets you sort all of the news by your categories. From there, you can create your own “personal magazines” consisting of the articles you think are important. You can share these with other Flipboard users or post them on social media.

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RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

Best

News Apps

Pulse: Free (Android/ Windows8/IOS)

Beat News Boredom.

Try reading or viewing the news selfishly. Ask yourself which stories may possibly make an impact on your life and only read or pay attention to those.

Follow your favorite blogger, Facebook friends and even top news sources like The New York Times all in one spot.

Plus, read the hottest stories from the interwebs even when you’re offline thanks to offline syncing. Starting a story on your phone but finishing it on your tablet is also possible with synching between all of your devices.

Reeder: $3 (IOS) According to the techie website Gizmodo, Reeder is the prettiest and best-synching Google Reader-based RSS app available for the iPhone. Gather your favorite sources, download them and watch the updates roll in. You pick the sources and organize the information the way you want to see it.

Drippler: Free (Android/IOS) This app repurposes and aggregates content from around the web, but differs in the fact that it provides links to the original source material at both the top and the bottom of the articles provided, while introducing causal readers to articles and information they could have missed. It only looks for articles that matter to you, so you aren’t overwhelmed with irrelevant content.

Why pay attention? Here are 5 reasons: 1. To give you something to talk about.

There’s often a moment in many conversations where no one has anything else to say and a subject change is needed.

Why not use this break to talk about what’s going on in the world? Staying informed can also make an easy ice breaker topic when meeting with professors, interviewers and other professionals.

2. To help you score a job.

People who get the best jobs often use news as a duel source of inspiration and information. Plus, staying on top of the latest happenings in your industry can only behoove you.

For example, are you studying a healthcare profession? You better believe all of the changes in the healthcare reform will be something you deal with on a daily basis. Educational major? Pay attention to state budget news and national education initiatives.

3. To stay smart.

You’ll come across new ideas, words, concepts and beliefs, some of which may come in handy as you’re writing papers, explaining answers and working with classmates during your college career. After college, even feature stories and business profiles can help when it comes to networking and finding a job.

4. To get an opinion.

As a voter and citizen of the world, it’s your obligation to know how you feel about the important issues like hunger, war, terrorism, healthcare, taxes and more. When it comes to politics, generally you can’t complain if you’re not participating in learning what’s going on.

5. To know what’s happening outside.

When you’re in college, it’s easy to live inside of the college bubble. There’s life outside of what’s happening in your residence hall and campus, so don’t forget that there’s more important things going on right now inside the halls of the nation’s capital.

Reading a newspaper, blog or website still counts as learning.

RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

RA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2013

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Movies

RECOMMENDED MOVIES [Suggested movie to show on your channel] Want to know the hottest movies of the season? RA Magazine brings you our picks for top movies your residents are sure to love! And this month’s pick is the top grossing Thanksgiving movie of all time, none other than The Hunger Games: Catching Fire!

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is based on the novel by Suzanne Collins, follows the journey of victors, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, as they return home and try to adjust to life after the participating in the Hunger Games.

But nothing can remain peaceful for long as they discover new threats and are faced with the possibility of returning to the arena. This movie will take you on a roller-coaster ride of emotions from pain, anger, love, fear and ultimately courage to find the strength to persevere and SURVIVE.

Make it a double feature by requesting The Hunger Games AND The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

© Lions Gate

Films, Inc.

© Lions Gate Fil

ms, Inc.

PROGRAMMING IDEAS:

Door Decorating Contest Build excitement for the movie by having residents on your floor transform their door into something found in the arena. Suggest they try their hand at camouflage or create their best door shield.

Have a contest and come up with a fun prize or treat for the winner. Create a scoring card with categories on what to judge. For example: durability in the arena, creativity, use of The Hunger Games theme and craft. Encourage residents to get into it by letting them know the prize in advance. Use your bulletin board to make the contest announcement and potential prize. Take pictures of all the entries and attach them to the board.

This will allow more residents to vote and increase participation.

May the odds be ever in your favor

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RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

Dinner of the Districts Divide your residents into teams assigning them a different district. Have them make a dish they think would come from that district or would be presented in the capital building. Have them bring it to a common area and allow everyone to sample each other's dish. Encourage them to come up with creative Hunger Games theme names for their food item.

Get everyone in the spirit by decorating the space with silver parachutes resembling the ones the tributes received from sponsors in the arena. Behind the food table, hang red, yellow and orange streamers to resemble fire and cut out a mocking jay using construction paper.

Photo By: blog.hwtm.com

Photo By: beingtazim.com

Photo By: blog.hwtm.com

Photo By: blog.hwtm.com

During the showing, have the residents keep an eye out for their dish. If it is spotted, give them a Hunger Games sticker or take their photo next to the winning dish and hang it on your Hunger Games themed bulletin board.

CAPITOL COSTUMES Ask your residents to dress up in their best Capitol inspired makeup and outfit. Take their picture and post it on a Hunger Games bulletin board. Have others vote on ‘who wore it best.’ Encourage residents to use props, visit the dollar store and resale shops to create a fantastic costume on a budget. Have a gathering with participants to share makeup and hair paint or to lend creative ideas to others.

RESIDENCE LIFE CINEMA

Ask your Resident Director to add this movie to your residence hall movie channel or streaming service provided by Residence Life Cinema! Don't have a dedicated residence hall movie channel or streaming service? Work with your Resident Director to contact us and find out how you can bring the magic of movies to your residence hall!

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www.reslife.com

A Division of Swank Motion Pictures Inc.,® Tim Swank, Chairman

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