December', as A&M University B T^ • 'fl *an^ • w€ Ck 11Tl W\ f^'WKT r% P^'V'l ^WMT JL^C^AJLJL tkJv'v yr AW' ▼▼ Illl o m , stjM>&GXaZc& m hi HIGH December, 1994 Fightin’ Texas Aggie Holiday Season!! owdy, Ags! Rodnicki/lHE B'.r kind which w in, and Ross; nee again all of us here at Aggieland find ourselves coming to the end of another busy semester. This has quite a semester, too. We built two Bonfires in the time it normally takes to build just one oop!!), we finished our first undefeated football season since 1956 (Whoop!!), and, just as everyone peered, we sawed off Varsity’s horns and beat the hell outta t.u. (Whoop!!). With finals right around the corner and the holiday celebrations not far behind, we at the Center for rug Prevention and Education would like to wish y’all “Good Luck” and “Happy Holidays!’ We would so like to provide you with some information concerning how to make it through the next few weeks fely, without any difficulties with alcohol or any other substances. This newsletter contains information about the use of caffeine and cramming for final exams, some ps for having a safe holiday season, and a few recipes for non-alcoholic beverages. If you have any uestions about these topics, or any other types of questions about alcohol or other drugs, give us a call. Enjoy the holidays, Ags. However, we ask that if you choose to celebrate the festivities with alcohol, S please do so in moderation. From the home ofFice in College Station, Texas... Top Ten Aggie Cotton Bowl Day Activities Eat home-cooked meals! Read text-books for next semester! (NOT!) Sit in front of the fireplace (if it’s cold). Sit in front of the air-conditioner (if it’s hot). Sleep! Explain once again to our parents why we didn’t call them all semester. Give thanks that at least t.u. isn’t in the Cotton Bowl. Remember to call the C.D.P.E. in January and find out about the opportunities to become involved in C.D.P.E. peer groups. Watch Texas Tech beat the hell outta Southern California. Guard Reveille (Whoop!). The Art of Cramming (Aggie Style)!! to his residence alt n was struck in lio did not wan! ■d to do so. xposure valking by ing, a subjects!! oked at him,sli 3. xication icated subject intoxicated ccSi toxicated pas.«i orist charged* Intoxicated ixicated motorist rrested. Alcoholic Beverc ons - Two citati * * ^ alejj ver ips, earrings th beads d 4 p. m. Is an all-nighter bad for students? Yes! Especially if it is the night before the exam. A lack of sleep will not hurt you physically, but it will psychologically. Your concentration span will go down drastically, causing poor test performance. What is the minimum sleep I need? At least three to four hours. No less! When is the best time to sleep? Between 2-5 a.m. or 3-6 a.m. Your body heat is lowest at 3-4 a.m., therefore you are the drowsiest then and your retention is extremely poor. If I am going to stay up all night, how can I stay awake? 1) Break up your work into small units. Never try to study for more than 40 minutes without a 5-10 minute break. 2) Take a shower. It helps! 3) Do not study on your bed. 4) Do not take a nap. A one-hour nap is worse than no sleep. It is best to sleep three to four hours. 5) Try periodic exercise to get away from the books. A 15-20 minute walk every couple of hours is a great idea. Will caffeine help? No! Not in the long run. Although caffeine will make you more alert while you study, the side effects such as trembling, headaches, nervousness, sluggishness, and disorientation will hinder you at test-taking time. Happy Holidays Aggies!! We’ll see you in January!! Next Stop: The Holiday Season What about caffeine tablets? Over-the counter caffeine tablets have more caffeine than other sources of caffeine, such as coffee, soft-drinks, and chocolate. Products such as No-Doz, Vivarin, and diet pills are taken by students to increase study time, but they can be dangerous due to their increased caffeine content. You can overdose on 10 grams of caffeine, which is equal to 100 cups of coffee or 50 Vivarin tablets. What about eating? Keep it light. High calorie, light food is the best, such as fruits and vegetables. Eating a low will make you drowsy. What is the best place to study? Studying in your room is not a good idea. Find a place with good light, no noise, no phones or visitors, and away from your bed, if you are trying to stay awake. When is my best study time? During the day time when you are alert. Use every available daylight hour. What if I cant sleep when I go to bed? Don’t worry about it. It is not unusual considering the stress. Consuming larger than normal doses of caffeine also causes insomnia. What is a good breakfast after a hard night? Protein (like eggs and meat), rather than coffee and donuts. Are Movies, T. V., or leisure reading good relaxants after studying? No! It simply puts interference between studying and the test. The best way to rest and retain what you have studied is sleep! After finals are over, you know that the holiday season is just around the corner. The one thing we all like to do during the holiday is eat and drink our way into the New Year. Although people think that alcoholic beverages (such as eggnog and champagne) are an integral part of the holidays, they are not the only beverages for the holiday season or any other season. In fact, research shows that 30% of Americans do not consume alcohol and may be tired of the usual “soda” as an alternative. Others are choosing to drink less as they become more aware of the many negative consequences of drinking, such as drinking and driving. Listed below are some alternatives to alcohol that are more exciting than soda. Give them a try ENJOY!! 4k W W I >N pinion editor Photo editor ports editor elite editor ephanie Dube, AW'' id Kari Whitley im. Tiffany Moore,S- 1 ’ ameron, Blake Cr# a ley Stavinoha ;r, Stewart Doreen)' 1 'n, Erin Hill, leremy isr, Elizabeth Preston ikley lie Oleson ring the fall and sprit 1 : )t University holiday 1 ’ age Station, TX 778*' raid Building, Texas ,&M University inti* Editorial offices are' wsroom phone nudf sement by The BaltaW Tied advertising, call ire 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1 student to pick op 1 3 per school year at* Express, call 845-2^ O.L.Jig Equal parts of Raspberry Sherbet Raspberry Syrup Ginger Ale * can also use blueberries or blackberries Combine the sherbet and syrup, slowly pour the ginger ale over the mixture and stir. Let sit in refrigerator for a couple of hours. Blend on high for two minutes and keep refrigerated until used. Strawberry Demi-Daiquiri Crushed Ice - 2/3 scoop Splash of Cream Sweet and Sour -41/2 oz. Strawberries - 1 1/2 oz. Blend the above ingredients to medium consistency. Makes 8 drinks. Peach Stopper Strawberry Daiquiri Mix - 12 oz. can Orange Juice - 12 oz. can Peach Nectar or Juice - 12 oz. can Pink Lemonade - 12 oz. can Water - 2 1/4 cups Sprite to taste. Combine the fruit juices and water. Shake or stir. Add Sprite to taste. Tart and Tangy Punch Apple Cider - 8 cups Lemonade Concentrate - 6 oz. can, thawed Ginger Ale - 28 oz. bottle, chilled Ice Cubes In a large punch bowl, combine cider and lemonade concentrate. Add ginger ale and ice. Stir to blend. Garnish with apple or lemon slices. Makes 24 servings. Mai- Tai Pineapple Juice - 1/2 cup Club Soda - 1/4 cup Grenadine Syrup - 1 tbsp. Orange Juice - 1/4 cup Cream of Coconut - 1 tbsp. In shaker or tall glass, combine ingredients. Shake or stir to blend. Add crushed ice. Makes 1 serving W^ineless Fizz White Grape Juice - 1/2 cup Lemon Juice - 1/2 cup Lemon-Lime Soda In tall glass, combine ingredients. Add soda to taste. Stir to blend. Add crushed ice. Makes 1 serving. Tips for having a safe holiday season The holiday season is a festive time in our country and around the world. It is a time when many people have parties, some of which serve alcohol. If you plan to attend or host a party this holiday season, the following are a few tips that may help you make the event a fun and enjoyable, yet safe holiday. First, if you have a party where alcohol will be served, make sure that there is plenty of food available. Food will slow down the rate at which the alcohol enters the bloodstream. You should keenly monitor the amount of alcohol consumption. Look out for those who have drank too much and then act accordingly. Drinking causes the judgement of individuals to become clouded to the point where they would act in a manner in which they normally would not act. For example, most date rapes and many other violent acts involve alcohol. Since alcohol also impairs driving ability, make certain there are enough designated drivers who will not drink. If for some reason this is not possible, taxi services are always available. One way to take care of drinking and driving problems is to encourage guests to drink non-alcoholic beverages, perhaps trying some of the recipes listed earlier in this newletter. Another option, which is particularly appropriate for New Year’s Eve, is to hold the party at a hotel. You could reserve a party room at a hotel and rent out rooms ensuring that no one has to drive home that evening. Although many holiday parties often have alcohol available, it is not necessary to have the alcohol be the focus of the evening. Plan activities during the course of the party for the guests to enjoy. Sometimes people will drink continually at a party if there is nothing else to do. If they have games or movies, for instance, to keep them involved, then they will be less likely to drink excessively. New Year’s Eve is a particularly dangerous time of the holiday season. If you must drive on New Year’s Eve, do so cautiously. There will be many drivers that will be impaired and at a risk to you. C.D.P.E.: The Rainbow Center Center for Drug Prevention and Education • Room 222, Beutel Health Center • Texas A&M University • College Station, TX 77840 • (409) 845-0280 Coordinator , C.D.P.E.: Dr. Dennis J. Reardon Editor, The Rainbow Review Rod Hetzel Contributors: Reese Baylor, Dawn Leister Amy Williams, Eric Hartman AlM 1