The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, September 30, 1998, Image 6

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    The Battalion
Relieve stress with some cathartic fun
Second annual event offers students advice, humor
BY STEPHEN WELLS
The Battalion
Adversity
Continued from Page 4
Lintner had a new focus — cre
ating a better way to house the sick.
He said until the cancer, he had
not thought of such a career path.
“I had never given health-care de
sign much thought,” Lintner said.
“After spending so much time in
hospitals, my view changed.”
George Mann, an American In
stitute of Architects Ronald L. Sk
aggs Endowed professor of Health
Facilities Design, has known Lint
ner for six years as both a friend
and a student.
Mann said he recommended
Lintner seek the American Insti
tute of Architecture and American
Hospital Association fellowship
due to his special perspective on
the subject.
“Carl is a very special student,”
Mann said. “Not too many architects
can view design as a cancer patient.”
Lintner’s designs reflect his feel
ings on how the healing process
should occur.
He said patients need to feel
close to the outside world.
“They need access to nature,
whether it be an atrium or water
fountain,” He said. “The exposure
reduces stress and helps healing.”
Lintner said the patients should
have more privacy.
“There should be space for the
patient’s family guests during long
stays at the hospital,” Lintner said.
Mardelle Shepley, an associate
professor of architecture, said Lint
ner is a remarkable person.
“He is taking direct action to
make the world a better place for
patients,” Shepley said. “Carl has
not just survived the cancer, but he
is using it to his advantage.”
Mann said the whole college of
architecture believes in Lintner.
“We believe in him,” Mann said.
“He is making a wonderful contri
bution.”
Lintner said others who are sick,
must stay positive and believe they
are going to get well.
“Negative thoughts are not a
good thing when you are sick,”
he said.
It lurks in the impossible class
schedule. It stalks a student during the
first two weeks of class. At test time, it
pounces and forces normally sane Ag
gies to go on all-night study binges. But
the only time students really think
about it is when they say, “This is my
stress week.”
Today, in the fountain area of the
Memorial Student Center, students will
get the opportunity to strike back at
stress during the second annual Beat
the Hell Outta Stress Day.
Dr. Andy Smith, associate di
rector of counseling for the Stu
dent Counseling Service, said
students should attend Beat the
Hell Outta Stress Day and learn
all they can about it before it be
comes a problem.
“The basic idea behind the
whole event is to get information
about stress to students early on
in the fall semester, about the
time when students start to hit
the wall with exams and papers,”
Smith said.
All of the events will be locat
ed in and around the MSC, and the
day’s events are divided into three gen
eral categories.
In the morning and early afternoon,
large tents in the fountain area will of
fer a variety of activities to help stu
dents deal with the stress they have in
their everyday lives.
One such activity is the wall, a large
temporary-wall covered in paper upon
which students can write to vent their
frustration. Stress balls will be given
away at some of the booths.
Inside the MSC, a series of seminars,
ranging in topics from proper nutrition
to relaxation techniques, are scheduled
to take place.
At the end of the day, students who
think they may be suffering from an ex
cessive amount of stress can attend a
free anxiety disorders screening. This
screening is designed to identify prob
lems students are experiencing and to
determine whether they may need help
in dealing with their stress.
Miranda Fulton, a senior nutrition
major and a member of Aggie
R.E.A.C.H., said students can feel bet
ter and more relaxed by simply laying
off the fried food.
“Good nutrition is just another part
of general health and well-being,” Ful
ton said. “For example, too much caf
feine can raise your stress levels. It also
works the other way. Higher stress can
cause intestinal discomfort. Eating well
will make you more comfortable.”
For those students not ready to make
the total commitment to a diet of tofu and
fiber, there are several quick fixes students
can use to stay out of the dumps.
Scott Junkins, a junior biomedical
science major and member of Aggie
R.E.A.C.H., said one simple rule will
keep some of the doldrums at bay.
“If you’re in a stressful situation, the
thing to keep in mind is to make sure
you eat well to keep your energy up,”
Junkins said. “Candy is good for quick
energy, but that energy boost is fol
lowed by a pitfall. Things like fruits
give you a nice sustained energy level
all day. It is okay to reward yourself
with a dessert, though. It gives you
something to look forward to.”
Some of the topics covered,however,
are those students would immediately
identify with stress. One such seminar
is an Aggie Luv Line, modeled after the
MTV show.
Sheilah Looney, a senior community
health major and member of Aggie
R.E.A.C.H., said students should be prepared
for stress when entering a relationship.
“Relationships are very stressful to
the average college student,” Looney
said. “Information about how to talk to
your partner, as well as information
with regards to your own body, sex and
sexually transmitted diseases is impor
tant.”
College students should listen to a
knowledgeable person when it comes
to their bodies, Looney said.
“When I go out and talk to
people I see that there’s a good
mix of people who have a lot of
information and a lot of people
who are misinformed,” Looney
said. “I’ve been doing pro
grams for a while, and I’ve seen
people who are really on top of
things and I see people who are
shocked at the information that
I reveal to them.”
An important message of
Beat the Hell Outta Stress Day
is ignoring stress can prove
harmful.
“Stress is very real,” Smith
said. “Everyone experiences it pretty
much all day. Stress is simply the experi
ence of adjusting to changes that you per
ceive. Every aspect of our lives involves
some kind of stress, and in small doses
stress challenges us to do something with
our lives and is a positive influence.”
Smith said there are several warning
signs when diagnosing a serious,
stress-related mental state.
“Too much stress could show up
over a period of time,” Smith said. “You
may be getting angry at your room
mates more often or not having as
much empathy for others or even get
ting sick more often since stress de
presses the immune system.
“A result of too much stress is de
pression. When you feel like you
don’t have any reserves or any ener
gy. In severe instances, depression
can lead to suicide.”
Page 6 • Wednesday, September3l).i| The I
Wehner
Continued from Page 3
The Wehner Building also houses two lecture hi
seating 126 students. The Wehner Building's ckf
have access to an entire suite of audio/visual equipr-l
includes a VCR, overhead projector and computer
Currently, each classroom is equipped witiB-
worked Pentium 166 PC computer running M
Windows 95 and Microsoft Office
video/data color projector is used to projectaco:Mf # i
A
generated presentation as well as video images:
ch
I Tin
to one
and is ■
video cassette recorder/player located in each cl
livery classroom has a communications dockw
pie ports including an ethernet connection lini
puters to any of the numerous computer sem
building, the University mainframe ortothelni
In addition to all the available equipment usedti
the students’ learning experience, the WehnerBu:
is faculty-friendly.
The Mays faculty has the use of a Research at.
mental Learning Lab, rooms 101 A-E The research B e
sists of five interview rooms and an audio/visualeeB en 1
control room. This area is suitable for small group # Kul
marketing studies or other expend u ni oi rcse-:. v
Each of the interview rooms in the lab can sec: ^ ' w 1
■ lie 1
JForg
Itch
|ms
'he
1
im
people. These rooms are equipped with a vide:\
which allows facilitators to record the group dyur.
observe the groups on video monitors located ini:
room. The interview rooms can also be monitors:
way windows found in each room.
Mike Goldwater, assistant director of fadStie
tenance and renovation, said maintenance fori
is state-funded.
“ Maintenance for all the buildings on campe
funded,” Goldwater said. “The state gives anywhet:
to 72 cents per square foot per year to maintain all
A&M’s buildings.”
According to Gold water's figures, $133,000 is u.d
Texas A&M University Physical Plant on the tiptoe)
Wehner Building.
One of the few problems with the WehnerBu.
been finding a parking space. As the University has
ed westward, parking has gotten to be a bigger pro
both students and faculty.
In 1994, one parking lot close to the constnra:
the Wehner Building turned into a staff parking lot
'94, two new lots providing 430 spaces was built,
route was implemented to make parking and travel:
Campus easier.
Tom Williams, Director of Parking Tfaffic andlrt
vices, said PTTS is currently considering a West
Parking Garage in order to alleviate any parkings
caused by the construction of both the E.L Wehn:|
ing and the Geotge Bush Presidential Library.
The Wehner Building is one of the newest bin By he
campus. Its history consists of many businessiBne a
meetings of business related organizations oncWilco
but the future looks bright to expand the useso(wine c
which will continue to make it one of the mostpB'He
buildings on campus. Bes
MSC Box Office
Lobby of Rudder Tower
Please note our new hours:
Monday - Friday 11am - 8pm
Saturday 10am - 2pm
Closed over TAMU holidays
College Ski 3 Snowboard Week
4 Resorts for the Price of One!
Uaury Gondns, tilts, Rentals, lessstis, Ain Bus 8 Parties
Keystone
Beaver Creek
-IJ.feSki
If
Sold Out 11 years In a raw! Call Tudav!!! #1 College Shi Week
I J
www-utosslci-ooinri
Need birth control?
Think you have an infection?
Time for your Pap smear?
Make the responsible choice.
Call PLANNED PARENTHOOD.
VlW
te® 1 * Uncensored
health information
Pregnancy tests
Sen
ee niyi c
e.p p "-
V.r;^ G "
o
se Xna?/v t treat >Ve,ir f
Contraception
Confidential. Prafettiona!. Affordable.
Saturday appointments.
Insurance accepted. Medicaid welcome.
0 Planned Parenthood®
of Houston and Southeast Texas, Inc.
409.546.1744 Or call
4001 E. 29th St, # 103 1-&00.230.PLAN
Bryan an d be connected
www.pphouston.org a clinic near you.
Sept. 29 & 30
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Blocker, Commons, Duncan,
Evans, Kleberg, MSC,
Rec Center, Underground,
Wehner, Zachry
Freshmen Elections
“Tfocct 'l/occe
MUD,
SWEAT AND
LEATHER
mm
10%OFF BOOTS
WITH A VALID
STUDENT I.D.
RED WING SHOE STORE
Located Imi. North of TAMU on Texas Ave.
846-3813
WORK HARD
RE-
With an order of $]q
or more. Offer expire;
December 1, 1998.
It's
We'll soon be acceptij £
Aggie Butks!
1404 Texas Ave.!
a eh;
Part
eons
764-2929
764-2712 FAX
T
new
help
www4asonsdeli.com