Obtain smart food for your brain

By: MARINA ANDALORO

Staff Writer

Whether it’s studying, taking notes, or completing an exam, we need the right amount of energy and brain power to encourage us to stay focused. With finals creeping up and the semester coming to an end, it is extremely necessary to eat properly. There are certain foods that help your brain stay focused and energized, as well as boost your memory. Eight “super” foods are listed below and each explains how it affects the brain.

Eggs
Eggs have a great source of Vitamin B12, lecithin, and are full of essential fatty acids. There were studies that showed Vitamin B12 can protect you from brain shrinkage or developing Alzheimer’s disease. It is known that the yolk in the egg is high in cholesterol, but it is also high in choline. Choline is known to speed up the process of sending signals to the nerve cells and increase brain power. Eating one or two eggs a day will help you develop great brain power.

Spinach
Spinach contains potassium, magnesium, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, and folic acid. Spinach helps control anxiety, produces red blood cells, and improves memory. Spinach contains L-tyrosine, which is an amino acid critical to synthesizing dopamine and norepinephrine. The neurotransmitters are responsible for keeping your brain alert and focused. One cup of boiled spinach provides 20% of your DV for tyrosine. It also contains more than 65% of your Daily Value for folate and more than 20% of vitamin B6.

Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds have a great source of fiber and protein, as well as manganese, magnesium, iron and zinc. Zinc is extremely beneficial in this case because it helps the body properly functioning throughout brain, skin, and immune system. It has been said that eating pumpkin seeds can elevate your mood.

Red Bell Peppers

Red bell peppers contain a large amount of vitamin B6, folate acids, and potassium. Eating red bell peppers helps your brain function and protects you from migraines. Also, red bell peppers can also help relieve stress symptoms caused by depression and heart disease.
Avocado

Avocados are rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids. They increase oxygen and blood flow to your brain; the healthier your blood flow, the healthier your brain. Avocadoes also lower blood pressure levels. Because of this, it may help boost your cognitive abilities.

Grapes
Whether you’re eating black grapes or drinking black grape juice, you are increasing your levels of dopamine. Dopamine is proven to sharpen your memory and activate your brain activity. The compounds in grape seed extract activate genes that control cellular rejuvenation. Grape seed extract strengthened existing brain cell connections in the memory control center of the brain (hippocampus).

Blueberry
Berries contain fisetin and flavenoid, which aide in memory improvement and allow you to recall past events. By eating blueberries, it also helps in improving your motor skills and overall learning capacity. It is known that the blueberry is the best berry for your brain. An important fact to known is that if you eat blueberries once a day, you can help prevent the effects of aging on the brain.

Fish
The Omega-3 in fish increases energy, enhances learning abilities, and improves problem-solving skills. Salmon, tuna, and herring are the best choices of fish to eat for your brain.  If you eat one serving of fish a week, it can lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Internships: Opportunities for students

By Marina Andaloro

Staff Writer

courtesy of google images

35.3% of employers’ hire fulltime, entry-level students from their internship programs

67.7% of 2007-08 interns were offered full-time positions

83.6% of these offers were accepted

Competition is continually growing on the job market. It is starting to no longer become a question of whether or not students should continue their education after high school. They should take hold of every opportunity that comes forth to fulfill their future career goals. With this being said, it is a good idea for students to become interns to gain work experience while in the process of obtaining their degree. It is an opportunity for students to gain knowledge and experience in their own field of study. An internship allows them to go through steps of training and work with an actual company. In some majors, it is mandatory for students to complete an internship in order for them to graduate with their degree. It may require a student to train anywhere from one month to one year. But, regardless of how long or short the process of interning may be, it will only benefit students in the long run.

It is important to take note of how much of an advantage this is for students. As a student, you can only learn and experience so much in the classroom. Regardless of what field a student is in, an internship allows them to establish proper work ethics, get a feel for the atmosphere, and enhances their own outlook of the field. As an intern, you will get to encounter day-to-day what it is like to work in your field. Students will be assigned projects that they have to complete on the job. For example, if you are majoring in advertising, your internship will require you to work at a local advertising agency. The company will have the student write and take on individual assignments such as creating multiple slogans and/or writing persuasive copy for a specific product. If you majoring in accounting, your internship would probably be at a bank, insurance agency,  or finance agency. Students would be assigned to study profits, work on bookkeeping, or manage inventory. While students are working on their individual assignments, they will also start to form relationships with their fellow co-workers. The co-workers can help them with any questions or problems and may be beneficial to them in the future.

When applying for a job, the co-workers can be used as references. They can recommend a student for a job because they have seen the student’s work. The experience of the work and atmosphere allows a student to develop a better idea on whether or not they are interested in pursuing their current major

Internships are a great way to start building a resume. Employers are interested in the applicant’s work background. They look for qualifications and experiences related to the job that students are applying for. If they have the experience or working background, it already gives them an advantage in their interview. The more experience, the more confidence the applicant will have applying for the job. This has the student already one foot in the door and it may even lead to a full-time job after graduation.

You should ask your guidance counselor if anything is offered for students who are interested in interning. If it is not offered, your guidance counselor still might be able to give you some helpful resources. As soon as you receive the information you need, start creating a professional resume and practice your interviewing skills. You can begin this process by doing an online internship search to identify types of internships you are interested in and geographic location.

MMA + College Students = A Good Time!

By James O’Hagan

From its original marketing as a blood sport competition with no rules to becoming one of the fastest growing and very competitive combat sports in the world, mixed martial arts or MMA is a few short steps from becoming as main stream as baseball, basketball, and football. MMA is a mixture of styles, including but not limited to Boxing, Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Muay Thai Kickboxing. MMA has been adopted as a sport style that is now practiced in most martial arts school around the world.  With this progression, the age of the average mixed martial arts student has become younger and younger and has garnered the attention of many college students. Some non-believers may not see this as a positive aspect, but it seems to be adding discipline and self-confidence to participants who may otherwise not have an opportunity to experience.

Two students of MMA and professional MMA competitors, Cumberland County residents Patrick White and Bryan Danner are strong believers in youth in MMA programs. White & Danner train at Shark Tank BJJ in Vineland, NJ, had some insight on college students training in MMA.  White, a graduate of Rowan University, became a pro fighter while in college after realizing that college wrestling wasn’t what he wanted to pursue, “I just always had that competitive side,” White explained.  After a career in high school wrestling and looking for something more during White’s college tenure, he felt that MMA was his niche. White reflects, “I loved working out, but just lifting weights and running wasn’t doing it for me anymore.”  When asked, if a MMA club or team was started at Rowan, how would he feel about that? “I would absolutely join, I would have been the first in line.” White stated.

CCC’s Bryan Danner, on break from school until the winter session, is also a pro fighter and also agrees with the idea that not only college students, but also, anyone, that wants to get into shape should participate in mixed martial arts training. “Definitely health wise, it’s definitely a benefit,” Danner explains. Also, he sheds light on the benefit to sometimes, wild college students. Danner, who fights this October 22in Atlantic City, along with his trainer partner White, believes that MMA will help focus students involved in MMA.  Danner states, “it will keep their mind busy, they will be focused and they will strive to be the best they can be.”

The benefit of MMA, whether you become a fighter, grappling competitor, or just want to become healthy is obvious. “There are guys out there that are 80 years old, rolling around on the mats still”, says Danner who also is a Marine reservist. White explains, “We got guys in here, that come in here, that are overweight, train for six months and drop 50 pounds.” Many students are engaging in mixed martial arts training to enhance their health and build confidence.  For more information about mixed martial arts programs, visit www.sharktanknj.com.

No “butts” about responsibility

 

A flower pot outside of the Distance Learning building is filled with packs of cigarettes and cigarette butts.

 

 

BRITTANY WALDER
Staff Writer

 

The cost of cigarettes may be incessantly on the rise, but the number of cigarette butts littering the sidewalks, parks, streets, and nature isn’t dwindling.

 Approximately 20% of adults in the United States are smokers.

 While cigarette butts may be biodegradable, environmental conditions may extend the “lifespan” of the butt to a whopping 15 years. That’s an astounding find concerning a remnant of an already dangerous and environmentally hazardous habit.

The butts of cigarettes are more than ugly blotches littering the scenery. They also contain the filtered chemicals from the cigarettes, and have the potential to leak into water supplies. Smoldering butts have also been prone to cause environmental and residential fires.

 Even though there are disposal canisters for this “useless” end of a cigarette, somehow they still find their way to the ground mere inches from buildings on campus, in rivers, gutters, parking lots, driveways, and roadsides.

 Why?

 The increasing number of bans and restrictions as well as the elevating price of tobacco should be an indication that the government and its people aren’t going to let up on smokers any time soon. The situation is intensified by the apparent lack of conscience smokers have when they dispose of their habit wherever they happen to be immediately standing. The implications are numerous. It says a lot about our irresponsible and apathetic smokers. It says a lot about our culture.

 Some sort of flag should go up when a smoker, who is standing right beside a disposal canister, opts to drop the butt to the ground instead.

 Imagine children playing in a yard filled with these little carcinogenic corpses. If this doesn’t paint a lovely little picture of innocent perfection, then this is one step towards realizing that something needs to be done.

 If smokers want to stop being treated like babies, they should start resisting the impulse to act like them.

 Statistics from http://www.cdc.gov

 

An ashtray was emptied into Parking Lot J at Cumberland County College.

 

 

The future of Generation Y

By BRITTANY WALDER

Staff Writer

They were hailed as the “blessed” generation. For one, this generation has had access to more information than ever. They grew up amid the development of the Internet and the fall of communism, and did so in an increasingly smaller world where tolerance became essential in order to interact with the myriad of cultures they were exposed to daily.  This generation has been more socially and environmentally aware, and has seen a drastic decrease in traditional gender roles. They have been slated as more collaborative, and despite a high divorce rate among their parents, reportedly have closer-knit families than their parents and grandparents did.

Their relatively few numbers led some experts to believe that their technological literacy, social skills, and unwillingness to settle would put them in high demand with employers. They were raised with the conscious realization that they had control over their destinies. This was until the 2008 financial crisis.

Generation Y is now, according to Alessandra Stanley of The New York Times, “in the midst of an economic crisis that confirms the worst fears of [its] members, namely that their baby boomer parents are leaving them a world convulsed by war, drowning in debt, and melting under global warming.”

Their once promising futures are now uncertain.

According to USA Today Magazine, almost half of college students will owe over $10,000 in student loans, the average of which is $19,000, after graduation. It will take an estimated 15 years for these loans to be paid off, putting students in debt into their  30s. The average Gen Yer also tends to owe at least $5,000 on credit cards before the age of 25. This all comes after the fact that this cohort of individuals spends approximately 15% more than any other generation.

“It’s a pity that 40% of college graduates owe a lot of money in loans and debts,“ said John Toth, 19, a sophomore at CCC, “it’s even more sad that more than half of them will claim bankruptcy, get out of debt, and never work it off.”

Generation Y now faces the shifting plates of academics. College is no longer an option to increase expertise in a field; it is an absolute necessity.  For this group of young adults entering the dwindling job market, the associate degree is essentially the new high school diploma.

“ I do see the associate’s as the new high school diploma. An increase in demand for standard education has risen, but overall customer service and human relations has decreased,” said Elizabeth Mujica, 30, a Cumberland County College student. “The workplace has now been overtaken by a bunch of people who completed book work requirements, but lack basic communication skills.”

The question is, when faced with their first economic recession, and what has been called one of the worst economic crises in memory, experts are wondering how this burgeoning group of young adults will fare. How will this group that has been conditioned to harbor unrealistic expectations react to being laid off from a job they have only recently started? More importantly, what will they do to help the situation? This, after all, is the generation that permeates with the belief that “work” and “life” are two separate realms. How are they going to cope with longer work hours and less flexibility, and how are they going to help the country out from under the oppression of debt?

Many people feel that Generation Y is more focused on the here and now as opposed to the future.  Its members grew up during a time of virtual economic security.  Older generations are now looking to the younger generation to fix the financial mess, and lead the country back to stability.

“I think it will be like any other generation,” Mujica said. “There will be those who work hard to be successful, and those who ask for handouts when the going gets tough.”

The situation does not appear to be completely hopeless. Many young people are at the very least thinking about what they can do to improve their future.

Toth said,  “Generation Y is in big trouble, especially in America.  We’re in so much debt because the government keeps spending money to try to ‘fix’ society. We need our government to shrink as much as it possibly can, leave society to the people, and guide us on the principle that people can take care of themselves.”

Students e-flock to hybrid courses

 

 

By ASHLEY LONG

Staff Writer

 

Students have the option of taking a traditional classroom course or taking a hybrid. A hybrid course is where there is a carefully planned blend of both traditional classroom instruction and online learning activities. Students are able to make meaningful connections with their instructors and other students, without being required to travel to campus on a regular basis, as the majority of the coursework can be completed on the Internet.

Rather than having students sit in a lecture hall taking notes, instructors can teach through more “active-learning” assignments such as case studies, self-tests, tutorials, and online group projects, all of which are available over the Internet.

The most important educational benefits are how hybrid courses help improve writing and computer skills. Hybrid classes also encourage self-directed learning, time management, problem solving, and critical thinking skills in those who participate in the programs as well.

In addition to the obvious academic advantages, hybrid courses are also making it easier for more people to get a quality education. That’s because hybrid courses require limited on-campus attendance, which means they are more accessible to students. “Taking an online course is great, because the flexible class schedule allows me to work more hours at my job,” said Katrina Sansalone.

How does a hybrid course work for the faculty members who teach them? “It works well, but it is a lot of work,” said Professor Julie Stratton. “If I miss something in the lecture, I can easily Email the information to all students or post it to a discussion area. The additional online delivery method sometimes allows for more in-depth exploration through the hybrid portion, as well as having more current information to supplement the text.” 

The structure of a hybrid course allows for flexibility. What kind of student should look into taking a hybrid class? “This depends on the student. Something, hopefully, advisors help in guiding students through when they select classes. If a student works well independently, needs extra time to review material, has no problems with computers (whether it be using them or accessing them) and is looking to be more flexible in his or her schedule, then hybrid does fit that description. Although, I would not completely write off a hybrid course based on that list,” said Stratton.

Stop stress before it eats you

 

By JULIE FULLAM

Staff Writer

 

Stress. It’s a part of everyday life. From when you wake up in the morning to when you go to bed, it consumes a lot of our daily activities. School is stressful. Work is stressful. Family, friends, and neighbors are all stressful. There are negative consequences to dealing with stress both physically and mentally. Physical side effects include weight gain, joint pain, headaches, and a low immune system. Mental side effects such as depression and anxiety not only hurt you, but the others around you. 

Exercise is an important asset when it comes to stress because it helps relieve “negative energy” and helps you become more relaxed. Exercises such as yoga, cardio, weightlifting, and swimming are all good examples to relieve stress and to “keep it fun.” 

“Recognize the signs of stress and try to find a technique that works for you. Controlling stress is a skill you will use throughout your life. As you become better at controlling stress, you will live a happier, longer, and more fulfilling life,” said Shane Familie, the athletic trainer at Cumberland County College. 

“Not only do you need to exercise and control your stress, you need to eat healthier too, including foods that are high in vitamins and antioxidants. Try to avoid high caffeine drinks as they will heighten anxiety.” 

A lot of people deal with stress differently. Students are no exception. Students want to succeed  in  college, but unfortunately, sometimes the classes are too much to take all at once. Staying up late studying and procrastination will not get you that ‘A’ on your final. Some students drink Red Bull or Monster in order to stay up and finish their studying. One Red Bull drink has 27 grams of sugar,  which is almost equivalent to 2 tablespoons of sugar! It also induces that extreme “high” state from the caffeine, and results in a massive crash afterwards. 

April Walsh is a sophomore at Cumberland County who enjoys drinking Red Bull. “I love it. I can’t imagine my life without it. I love being able to finish things I am working on, such as going to the gym, and feeling like I can run a mile. Red Bull and other energy drinks are a part of my everyday life! I think they taste great!” Laura Rundell, a freshman at Cumberland County College said, “Energy Drinks? No, I stay away from them. They are not good for you! If you need an energy boost eat things that boost your metabolism. Go to the gym. Do jumping jacks. Something that doesn’t work by putting taurine into your body and making you crash in the end.” 

So with all the pressure and stress in life to deal with, how do we know how to catch stress before it affects us? 

1.) Get a good night’s sleep. The absence of a full 7-8 hours of sleep can leave you drained and could make you sick. 

2.) Eat healthier. Eating more foods enriched with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants is a good way to relieve stress and make your body feel good. 

3.) Exercise. Exercise should be a part of everyday life. 30 minutes of exercise a day is recommended in order to stay healthy.

4.) Don’t procrastinate. Waiting until the night before to do a paper will not help. Pace yourself a week or so before to spread out your paper. 

5.) Mediate or do yoga. 

There are many other ways to relieve stress as well. Kathleen Johansen, a sophomore, said, “I like to write to relieve my stress. I like to sit and relax, listen to soft music playing in the background, and just write how I feel. It’s always a relief to feel that inner peace.” 

Linda Lleres, the Spanish professor at Cumberland County, has another method, “I enjoy cooking to relieve my stress. It makes me feel happy to know that I get to cook all this food and someone will enjoy it! I always try to have a positive attitude and stay calm!” 

No matter how old or young you are stress can be a big problem in your life. Take the time to breathe, relax, and most importantly, have fun! Stress can be sneaky, but if you fight it off before it can get to you, your life will be happy, healthier and more fulfilling than ever before.