NOVEMBER 2011!
Beyond the Diag What’s Inside: PAGE 1 – It’s Turkey Time!! PAGE 2 – Winterize Your Wheels! PAGE 3 – Nighttime Blues! PAGE 4 – Go Blue, Beat OSU! PAGE 5 – Fire Safety First! PAGE 6 – Spectrum Center Celebrates 40 Fabulous Years! PAGE 7 – Flu Vaccination! – Off Campus Holiday Light Contest! PAGE 8 – SafeRide: one number, three ways to get home!
It’s Turkey Time! Who doesn’t love parades, Black Friday deals, and a four-‐day weekend? No ma>er what your plans are this Thanksgiving, here are a few fun facts about the American holiday. Thanksgiving has certainly become more involved over Dme – you can bet staples like cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie weren’t on the table in the 1600s. Today, about 46 million turkeys are part of a Thanksgiving dinner each year. Two lucky birds will receive a presidenDal pardon and avoid this fate, however, thanks to a longstanding Washington tradiDon. If you get sleepy aKer dinner this year, don’t blame the turkey, though. ScienDsts found that the amount of tryptophan present in most turkeys isn’t responsible for drowsiness, contrary to popular belief. The huge intake of calories is a more likely cause. For our neighbors to the north, Thanksgiving comes a bit earlier – on the second Monday in October, to be exact. The Canadian holiday was inspired by the U.S. Thanksgiving and started back in 1879. For many families, football is as much a part of Thanksgiving as the stuffing. As many students know, the Detroit Lions have played every Thanksgiving Day since 1934 (except for a break during WWII). You can watch their 72nd Thanksgiving game against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! From NaDonal Geographic
Winterize Your Wheels Snow flurries have already been spo>ed! Whether you are ready for the weather to paint the campus white or dread the inevitable cold, there are some basic preparaDons that your car needs in order for it to run smoothly this winter. First, the stress of the winter cold is hardest on the ba>ery, so pop the hood and check that the ba>ery terminals are clean. Keep in mind, every Dme a ba>ery dies, its lifespan is reduced significantly. Also check or have a mechanic check these important items: o o o o o
AnDfreeze levels Brake wear and fluid levels Exhaust system -‐ make sure there are no leaks or crimped pipes Heater and defroster Oil – heavier oils congeal more at low temperatures and don’t lubricate as well
Now even if your car does start, you won’t go far if your windshield is covered in snow and ice. If you are like most students and end up running to your car already ten minutes late, you are going to want a lot of windshield washer fluid. When you are buying it, read the label to check what temperature the fluid is rated for, and never refill with water! Also, don’t try to speed up the scrapping process with hot water – it can crack the glass and leave an even thicker layer of ice that is hard to scrape off. While driKing may seem cool in Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Dri3, sliding out of control on ice is anything but fun. Therefore, Dre tread is especially important in the winter. You can easily test your treads by placing a quarter upside down in one of the grooves; if you can see all of George Washington’s head, you may want to replace the Dre. Finally, as everyone is ready to head home for Thanksgiving – the most traveled holiday of the year – stock your car with the winter break-‐down essenDals, just in case: a scraper, warm clothes/snow gear, a fold up shovel, sand in the trunk for rear wheel drives and trucks, a phone charger, and a blanket. Remember that it’s just as easy to keep the top quarter of your tank full as the bo>om quarter, but you won’t get stranded or risk having your fuel lines freeze. Stay safe and warm this winter! Wri5en by Sabrina Palombo and Stephanie Hamel From www.ready.gov/winter
Nighttime Blues If one thing has become synonymous with the college experience, it is the dreaded all-‐ nighter. Even though most of us have heard the cliché “Sleep is important!” more than enough Dmes, it’s not what we pracDce. Most adults funcDon best with around eight hours of sleep per night; however, college students only average about six or seven hours. Let’s face it, we can tell ourselves to get to sleep earlier, but when pressures and coursework increase, we quickly fall into the habit of staying up late again. Perhaps a be>er way to change this habit is to address the causes of your sleep loss. Even the smallest things, like procrasDnaDon or an overworked schedule, can lead to difficulty sleeping. By tackling those hurdles and making sleep a priority, the path to a respul night will be much easier. If you are unable to cut commitments out of your daily rouDne, here are a few suggesDons from MiTalk (mitalk.umich.edu) that may help: • Stay physically acDve during the day, and avoid exercising just before bedDme (which may make it harder to fall asleep). • Create a “to do” list and keep a notepad by your bed, so you can write down any thoughts racing through your head at night and fall asleep worry-‐free. • Avoid large meals three hours before falling asleep, and reduce caffeine and nicoDne intake four to six hours before bedDme. • Take a short nap (30 minutes or less) early in the day, if you feel Dred – long naps can upset your internal clock and disturb your sleep at night, though. With the last month of the semester approaching and with it a plethora of exams and essay deadlines, sleep will be the first thing sacrificed for many students. While this may seem to allow for more study Dme, lack of sleep can hurt your ability to remember what you learn and actually sacrifice your grades. Just think about the consequences of a late night – the hazy morning lecture, unbearably annoying headache and helpless loss of concentraDon. Is it really worth it? Wri5en by Emily Ho and Stephanie Hamel
Go Blue, Beat OSU! If you were at the Nebraska game and joined in the “Beat Ohio” chants, you understand the heightened emoDons surrounding the Michigan-‐OSU game on this campus. As over 100,000 fans crowd Ann Arbor and the Big House this year, please take note of these fan behavior Dps to keep the weekend as fun and safe as possible. Be a posi)ve fan. Avoid the use of foul language, obscene gestures, and threats. Don’t be a bystander. If one of your friends gets carried away, use your influence to discourage their inappropriate behavior. Keep personal belongings to yourself. Do not throw, project, or drop any object that could cause injury in the spectator or playing area. Remain in designated sea)ng areas. Do not enter onto the playing area before, during, or aKer the game. U-‐M is smoke free. Observe the no-‐smoking regulaDon in and around athleDc venues. Respect athle)c officials and law enforcement. Follow the instrucDons of law enforcement personnel. In the case of an emergency, remain seated unDl instructed otherwise and listen to announcements. Enjoy the game without alcohol or other drugs. Inebriated guests ruin the experience of others around them and may risk removal from athleDc events. If you plan to host or a>end a tailgate before the game, here are a few recommendaDons from Student Legal Services to help minimize risk: • • • • • • • •
Be considerate of neighbors and talk to them prior to your event. Monitor how much people are drinking and don’t allow drunk people to drive. Make sure those under 21 are not drinking. Control the noise level and size of your event. Be polite to the police. Leave your drinks behind when you leave a party. Use bathrooms not bushes, use trash containers not the ground. Provide food and non-‐alcoholic beverages for your guests.
The 2011 season started strong, including the exciDng win against Notre Dame in our first-‐ ever night game. Let’s make the end of the season just as successful by staying safe and responsible at the Michigan-‐OSU game!
Fire Safety First As the weather gets drier, vegetaDon and wooden structures are more suscepDble to catching fire. Be prepared this fall and winter by taking note of these important safety precauDons: Check your smoke detectors. Verify that there is at least one smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector on each floor of your home. Test the devices oKen to make sure the ba>eries are working. Be sure to leave all smoke detectors uncovered, plugged in and turned on. Have an evacuaBon plan. Know the exits in your building and prepare a back-‐up plan in case flames block usual escape routes. Hold pracDce fire drills to make sure all residents know how to get out safely. Keep escape routes clear. Ensure that doorways and windows are not blocked and avoid pusng large objects in hallways because they can impede your exit in the case of a fire. Dispose of cigare5e bu5s properly. Verify that all cigare>e bu>s are completely put out before disposing of them. Also avoid flicking cigare>e bu>s and smoking near flammable structures and materials. Be careful when you grill. Ensure that hot coals and ashes are exDnguished and discarded safely. Don’t leave trash lying around. Garbage can easily catch fire, so it should always be fully contained in trash cans a safe distance away from buildings. Remove upholstered furniture from your porch. The City of Ann Arbor recently passed an ordinance banning the use of upholstered furniture outdoors.
In the case of a fire, it is essenDal to act quickly and decisively. If you smell smoke and are unsure of its source, immediately evacuate the building and inform the police or fire department of the situaDon. Also, always trust your smoke detectors — never presume that a fire drill is taking place or that the alarm is malfuncDoning. For further quesDons regarding fire safety, contact the Ann Arbor Fire Department at 734-‐794-‐6961.
40 Fabulous Years The Spectrum Center celebrated 40 fabulous years with a weekend filled with events and acDviDes focused around connecDng with UM LGBTQA alumni, students, and staff. Highlights from the weekend included a luncheon in the Michigan Union where alumni and current students were able to share their Michigan experiences and discuss career opportuniDes and resources for LGBTQ professionals, a presentaDon from Sue Rankin on her groundbreaking research The Lives of Transgender People, and a VIP alumni dinner where the Spectrum Center’s co-‐founder, Jim Toy, was honored for the work he has done over the last 40 years. The most fabulous event from the weekend was by far the Broadway Comes Home Pink Carpet event on Friday night in Rackham Auditorium. Broadway literally came home as more than 800 people were entertained with performances by Gavin Creel '98, Celia Keenan-‐Bolger '00, Dan Reichard '00, Danny Gurwin '94. Emmy Award Winner Laura Anne Karpman ’80 wrote a musical tribute especially for the Spectrum Center, which was performed by the UM School of Music jazz ensemble. Saturday night, UM was honored with the first college reading of the new play “8” wri>en by Academy Award Winning Screenwriter, Dustan Lance Black (Milk). Overall, the weekend was a huge success and a real tribute to the 40 year legacy of Spectrum Center. Here’s to many more! Wri5en by Spectrum Center Staff
November Health Update - Flu Vaccinations Around this Dme of year, no one has Dme to get sick… Prevent the flu from sesng you back this exam season by gesng vaccinated! UHS offers flu shots to students and U-‐M affiliated individuals for only $40. The flu vaccine is at least 70% effecDve in prevenDng illness in healthy adults, and can also reduce the severity of symptoms if you do get the flu – sounds like a good idea, right? To set up an appointment, call 734-‐764-‐8325. The flu is a viral infecDon that can seem like a severe chest cold. Symptoms can start quickly and may include a fever, headache and body aches, Dredness, cough, sore throat, and a runny or stuffy nose. The flu is highly contagious and easily transmi>ed, so if your roommates or friends get sick, it’s best to avoid close contact with them, even if you have been vaccinated. If you think that you have the flu, be sure to rest, drink plenty of fluids, and take over-‐the-‐ counter medicines to alleviate your symptoms: take Tylenol (acetaminophen) for fever and pain, Robitussin DM for cough relief, and generic medicines like NyQuil or DayQuil for mulDple symptoms. Keep in mind, because the flu is a virus and not a bacterial infecDon, anDbioDcs are ineffecDve as a treatment. Just because you are sick doesn’t mean everyone around you has to be – avoid spreading the flu to others by following these simple Dps: - Cover your mouth & nose with a Dssue or your sleeve when coughing or sneezing - Wash your hands with soap and water - Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth while you are sick - Keep your distance from others or stay at home while you are sick
Good luck on your exams and stay healthy this fall!
Holiday Light Contest A>enDon off-‐campus students: Beyond the Diag is hosDng the first ever University of Michigan Holiday Light Contest! Are you and your housemates planning on decoraDng this year? If so, send an e-‐mail to beyondthediag@umich.edu no later than Thursday, December 8 with… 1. Your address 2. The name and contact informaDon of one housemate The best decorated houses will receive a prize! For more informaDon on the contest, visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/UMbeyondthediag
one number, three ways to get home! Now that Daylight Savings Time is over, campus is gesng darker earlier. If you find yourself alone at night and need a safe way to get home, consider using SafeRide! Before this fall, the various transportaDon opDons existed under individual names and phone numbers, leading to confusion regarding which program students should use. Now with SafeRide, you only need to know one number – (734) 647-‐8000. When you call, an automated menu will present three opDons for rides home, organized by your locaDon and what Dme you are calling. • OpDon 1 is for students at the UGLi, the Duderstadt, or the Cancer Center between the hours of 2 AM and 7 AM. • OpDon 2 is for students elsewhere on-‐and-‐off campus between 10 PM and 3 AM. • OpDon 3 directs you to Ann Arbor’s Night Ride service, a $5 shared-‐ride taxi throughout the greater Ann Arbor area. Keep these helpful Dps in mind when using SafeRide: 1. Call about a half hour before your desired Dme of pick-‐up. 2. Make sure you have your M-‐Card with you. 3. If you’re traveling in a group, have each person call separately to request a ride. 4. If your desDnaDon lies outside of a one-‐mile radius of central or north campus, choose OpDon 3 or consider calling a cab. 5. OpDons 1 and 2 are free! 6. Save the SafeRide number – (734) 647-‐8000 – in your cell phone. These programs are specifically in place for your safety, so if you feel at all unsure about walking home alone, do NOT hesitate to call! SafeRide is a free, late-‐night ride service that transports students, faculty, and staff to their residence or vehicle within a one-‐mile radius of campus. Riders may use this service once per evening and must present a valid UM ID.
For more safety Dps and informaDon about Beyond the Diag, visit studentsafety.umich.edu Like us on Facebook @ facebook.com/Umbeyondthediag Follow us on Twi>er @umbeyondthediag SDll have quesDons? E-‐mail us at beyondthediag@umich.edu