The Universities at Shady Grove (USG)

I hope you had a terrific holiday break. I know I needed the break to relax and spend some time with my family and friends. I had such a great time playing computer games with my brothers, cousins, husband, and nephew. I was also super happy that I was able to cook my favorite dishes and binge watch holiday movies.  

Because my two brothers-in-law are vegan, I have been learning about vegan foods and how to prepare them. It was a challenge because I needed to learn about ingredients that did not include any animal products in them. However, it has been fun learning how to make traditional foods vegan by simply switching a few ingredients without breaking the bank! I love food, entertaining with food, and saving money so I thought it would be a great idea for me to learn more about how to prepare vegan foods so that whenever they come by my place, we do not have to order out, which can be pretty expensive. Over the holiday break, I experimented with several recipes including vegan pumpkin pie, different kinds of cheese, and vegan chicken noodle soup.

Although cooking and baking can take a long time, it is my way of de-stressing. I do not know why, but I guess it gives me instant satisfaction compared to writing a paper and waiting days or weeks to know how I did. For those who are curious about the different vegan recipes that I tested over break, I provided the link below. Unfortunately, I do not have pictures (my family ate them before I had the chance to take a picture :)). I was skeptical about vegan foods, but when I started making them, I realized that they can taste the same as any regular foods made with animal products. I highly encourage you to give vegan food a try.

Vegan Cheese

• Garlic & Herb Cheese
• Melted Cheese

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup (I customized this to my taste, which is adding some type of milk which is a Filipino chicken soup recipe)

Speaking of cooking as a stress reliever, if you want to learn more about nutrition and how to stay healthy, you can visit the Campus Recreation Center to learn more about their group exercises, personal fitness, and other semester events.

Finals are over, and a lot of us are certainly in the holiday spirit. Some are probably preparing gifts, food, and making reservations for the upcoming celebrations.

If you are among the lucky working class individuals, your break starts this Friday and goes on to January 2. We may be off from school, but some of us have work, families, and other commitments, so by the time the break is over,we did not even have time to relax (who knows, this may be what your summer is like too).

Before the time vanishes, and you realize that you did not have any fun, make a to-do list of what you HAVE/NEED to accomplish, and what you’d LIKE to do.

Here is my to do list for this winter break.
NEED TO DO:
Study from 9AM-8PM every Wednesday to Saturday for the MCAT
Work
Shadow a physician

LIKE TO DO:
Have fun
Watch television (Catch up on The Good Doctor, GoT, etc)

I have a lot to do, but I cannot squeeze it all into a 1 month winter break.
I learned last time at an event here at USG that our goals have to be SMART (SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely), so I will stick with the 5 things I need to do.

Anyway….have a happy holidays!

All images from Giphy.com

Hey Fam! I am back again with things you can do over the winter break! I promise you will rock with my few suggestions 

1. See good movie!

Winter break is just getting started! Relax kick your feet up and eat that popcorn during a new movie! There are some of the best films of the year out right now! Titles like Creed II, Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse, Robin Hood, and Auqaman!  You now have a lot of free time! Take advantage! Ask a friend, family member or longtime crush to join!

2. Catch up with old friends (and stay in touch with new ones)

Anyone and everyone you went to high school or were in college with will be off school for the holidays. This is the perfect time to catch up! Creating new memories and relive old times by get everybody together! Who doesn’t love to reminisce about the good ol’ days.

3. Exercise

Fight that holiday Gut! stay on board with all your regular exercise regimen. You’ll look and feel better. You can even invite friends and family to tag along!

4. Plan next semester’s schedule

Get the jump start on planning next semester while you have the long and need break time. There’s no time like the present!  Create that plan for next semester now, before the time runs out.

5. Apply for scholarships and internships

If there was ever a time to apply, it’s now! You don’t have to spend the entire break applying for scholarships, but even if you devote a few hours to your scholarship applications; it will make a world of difference in your search. After all, it only takes one to win! Here are some great resources to help get you started in your 

6. Revamp your resume, cover letter and/or essays

Updating documents are always good to keep on hand at all times.   You never know when you might need them. Whether it be a job, internship or college application resume, cover letter or essays. Opportunity can always come your way at any moment.  Best idea is to be prepared at a moment’s notice.  Take that extra time during your break to work on all your important documents, adding any extra information you have had since you last updated them. 

Now go out there and seize the day!!!!

Trick question: it is what we make of it. If you want it to be wonderful, you have some say in making it so. For just a few short weeks you’re on break from being a member of USG’s student/faculty population, and I suggest you try to enjoy it before the next semester kicks in.

If anything, the season’s got great music.

For most people, it takes a parent, friend, or simply a colleague to making a comment.

“You look tired.”

“Do you ever have any downtime?”

Or my favorite,

“Are you always working?”

This comment, no matter how many times it’s said, goes in one ear and out the other. They don’t know what they’re talking about. It’s just the hustle! It’s the grind! Everyone has to do it at some point, especially in this day and age.

Suddenly, four months later, you’re exhausted and burnt out, but it’s too late to turn back. You can’t quit the job now. You can’t drop a class in the middle of the semester.

Hopefully, winter break will be a nice relaxing, fun time with family and friends. A break from all the work, studying, and feeling of “man there’s never any time to play or have fun.” However, when we come back from this break, it’s going to be easy to feel overwhelmed with the sudden onslaught of assignments, deadlines, and lack of free time. It’ll feel easy to become swamped again, overworking ourselves.

There are three easy ways to avoid that without feeling like you’ve slacked off, especially if your “typical” is wearing several hats and then some.

1. 1. Learn to say no. This is something I’ve just recently had to train myself to do. Yes, it’s great to give and do things for others. Sometimes, we have to watch out for ourselves first. Think of it this way: if it’s a favor you know you wouldn’t be hurt by a friend saying “no” to in your situation, then you have to say no yourself.
   2. Listen to your body. It’s funny how so many adults still don’t do this, myself included. There are so many signs of stress and overwork manifesting in itself. There are the obvious ones, like fatigue and headaches. Then there are some things that are unique reactions to each person. One person might get canker sores. The other might start to feel achy. Though it’s common in today’s society to push through, there’s a reason why our bodies are physically reacting. It’s a cry for rest, even if it’s just an extra few hours off.
   3. Ask for help. There are more kind, amazing people out there than selfish people. Asking for help is key. As you’ve probably heard, the worst that can happen is that somebody says no. But even asking for minor favors, like a friend picking up something at a grocery store for you or a colleague giving you extra notes on a day you leave a lecture early because you aren’t feeling well, will make a huge difference in how you feel.

A lot of these ideas aren’t new. They aren’t mind blowing tips. But sometimes you need to hear these things again, even if from a total stranger online.

Lately all I have been thinking about was studying, studying, and…more studying. It almost seems endless during this time, but finally the last stretch is here! This week final exams will be over, papers will be due, and we will be able to get ready for Christmas and New Years if you celebrate it. If not, it is still a wonderful time to be able to relax and catch up on much needed sleep. Since it’s the last stretch, it’s easy to let your guard down. It can become hard to stay focused when the end is so near, and you might find yourself becoming lethargic and mind elsewhere. Sometimes I’ll look at my textbook,  and have no idea what I just looked at for the past thirty minutes! So as a final note before the end of the semester, I wanted to write about a few tips that have helped me focus and be energized, as well as a few ways to relax.

• Exercise – Yoga

At USG, the Campus Recreation Center is a wonderful place to start if you are looking to exercise with cardio or if you need to relax through yoga and group sessions. The center even holds events like the end of the semester ping pong tournament, and all you need is your USG ID!

For me, exercising is a great way to relieve stress and to focus on the present. By visiting the center you can find out what type of exercise you like. You could stay for ten minutes or for an hour, by yourself or with others, with music or conversations. The possibilities are endless, so make sure to visit!

• Phone – Off

Turning your phone off and away from you is definitely not easy. But once you have it away from you, you realize just how much time you might have been spending on it. I tried to make my screen gray scale at first, then decided just to turn it off and shove it into a corner. At first not having it by your side might make you feel distracted, but give it an hour or so. When I didn’t have a device to look at, the only thing left was to hit the books and study. Not checking your phone every now and then can really help you to retain focus, and hopefully you can keep the momentum going until you’re all done!

• And when break finally comes – Fun!

What do you like to do in your free time? What makes you happy? Do you have something you’ve been wanting to try as a new hobby or a simple curiosity? Break is a time for you to find yourself and explore your interests in ways you couldn’t during the semester. The semester is a time for focus and studying, but you have to relax and loosen yourself a little during the break to prevent burnout. A steady momentum is important, but nothing can continue forever. Remember to breathe and relax, to put the books away for a day or two, and dive into hobbies.

Maybe you will meet with family and friends, or maybe you’ll find solace in the quiet with your thoughts. Either one works as long as it is what makes you happy and content. Relax this break, you deserved it! No matter the grades you received, it doesn’t change the fact that you worked hard and deserve to relax.

Happy holidays! I hope everyone has wonderful days ahead this break.