Fall Living Guide Table of Contents
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Battling a smartphone addiction Staying active during COVID-19 Conscious spending habits Simple, healthy recipes Apartment and dorm needs Navigating online classes Virtual friend hangs
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How to battle your smartphone addiction By Sophronia Cheung Scheung@mndaily.com Is a smartphone next to you right now? Are you sure it’s yours or someone else’s? Where’s your phone then? You start rummaging through your bag, looking frantically around you, trying to envision when you last used it… Oh, what should you do now?! According to a recent survey, • The typical cell phone user touches their phone 2,617 times every day. 2,617 times! • Most people, on average, spend 3 hours and 15 minutes on their phones each day. • Half of all phone pickups happen within 3 minutes of a previous one. There’s an ongoing debate on whether this is a healthy habit or not, even though 91 percent of millennials report having a healthy relationship with their devices. In fact, the millennials surveyed said their smartphone devices created better work-life balance, contributing to better communication and relationship-building. Yet, this “smartphone addiction” is a serious problem. The condition is especially severe among the young-- onein-five cop to “checking their phone every few minutes.” And the impact of this usage is staggering, especially during this pandemic. Our smartphone is the closest thing to socialization and the “outside world.” • Reducing the quality of conversations. • Adversely impacting short-term
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memory and problem-solving. Negatively affecting our sleep patterns. Resulting in more negativity, more distress, and less emotional recovery in young children. Increasing obesity. And the positive correlation between smartphone addiction and depression is alarming.
So how do we keep smartphone usage in proper alignment with our lives? What are some tools or ideas to help us cut down our usage? Here is a list of five tips I have used myself or learned from others: 1. Track your usage. What better way to cure your smartphone addiction than use another app for it? Ironic indeed and not the most ideal solution, but there are apps like SPACE, Flipd, Moment, and even your screen time function on your iPhone that will be able to help you find your phonelife balance by monitoring your smartphone use and setting limits. These applications will also send you reminders when you go overboard, making you question your actions before opening up your phone again. 2. Stop scrolling. The most popular social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok are all designed with infinite scrolling functions, where an endless feed of information can be consumed. However, infinite scrolling makes it easy to lose track of time. Nothing
holds our attention better than the unknown. In that bottomless stream of social media posts, we are constantly searching for the element of surprise, seeking things that captivate and entertain. It might be hard, but try deleting these apps that have infinite scrolls for a day or two every week and you will be surprised how much time you gain back. 3. Take regular, restorative breaks. We are not designed to stare at a screen for hours on end, we perform better with breaks. Those breaks do not consist of clicking on a different app like Netflix or YouTube though. Instead, take truly restorative breaks like exercising, physical interaction, journaling, or meditation. Ten minutes is sufficient, although longer breaks offer even more benefits. 4. Change your phone settings. Even though the most obvious tip to reduce your smartphone addiction is to reduce your usage, some tricks might achieve similar if not better results by simply changing the settings on your smartphone. • • • • • • •
The most common suggested ideas: Turn off notifications Set screen to gray-scale Remove distraction-based apps from your home screen Set a longer passcode Use airplane mode Turn on do not disturb
In my opinion, turning off notifications is something everyone should
do regardless if you have an addiction. No one deserves your undivided attention no matter where you are. Colors are attached to emotions and priorities. Setting your smartphone display to grayscale is surprisingly helpful in reducing the urge to view the little red notification bubble that will start your infinite scrolling vortex undoubtedly. 5. Put a hairband/rubberband around your phone. This trick is something I learned from Brad Soroka where he recommends placing a hairband or rubber band around your phone. When placed in the middle of the phone, the band allows us to answer phone calls easily, but makes other uses of the phone more difficult, including simple texting. “Every time you want to use your phone, this brings about a mindfulness exercise and makes you ask ‘what is my intention?’ If you want to use the phone, set your intention for why, and remove the hairband.” The hairband trick is not about eliminating your accessibility to your phone but this practice helps practice mindfulness to each specific use of it versus mindlessly unlocking your phone every 3 minutes. Smartphones might make our lives significantly easier when everything is compacted into one device, but when used mindlessly and unintentionally, they become a distraction and a hindrance in our daily lives. It is essential to use our smartphones sparingly. Live in the moment and interact with the real world in the real world.
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Staying active during COVID-19 By Allison Gerards agerards@mndaily.com Staying active and motivated can be hard for everyone, especially during a global pandemic. Finding new ways to stay fit that are both safe and enjoyable can be a difficult task. Here are a few ideas that may spark your interest and give you that little push to start back up on your fitness journey. YouTube: YouTube videos are a great way to get access to endless free and varying exercise ideas. The platform has so many options that range from rather intense workouts to low impact, casual workouts. The first type of exercise is called HIIT. This acronym stands for high-intensity interval training. This is any form of movement that is done for a certain period as hard as you can go and then a rest period. Most workouts are twenty minutes long and you do an exercise for 40 seconds and then rest the remaining twenty seconds of the minute. This is beneficial because it helps you burn fat throughout the entire day. Just from doing twenty minutes of exercise, you can reap the benefits for nearly twenty-four hours. Here is a YouTuber that has tons of videos for varying lengths of time, different types of movements, and is extremely motivating throughout. Her name is Heather Robertson and she offers so many different videos from beginning levels to advanced. If you go to her channel on YouTube, you can search through her videos and find one that really sparks your interest, and even join some weekly challenges! Another great thing that YouTube offers is low impact and easy workouts
for those who are looking to add just a little bit of activity to their daily routine. There are videos and YouTubers that offer low impact exercises and workouts. This means that you aren’t going to have to jump around or overexert yourself while still getting a great workout in. This has the same layout as a normal HIIT workout, where you are doing a certain movement for a given time and rest break right after. A YouTuber that is going to give you a great workout and make sure you aren’t in any sort of pain is MadFit. She has so many videos that range from HIIT style to a simple low impact arm workout. Just check out her channel and get your fitness journey started! Jump Rope: Jump rope is another great way to get fit all in the comfort of your home. There are so many benefits to adding jump rope to your workout routine. This simple exercise adds cardio to your routine, but at the same time is toning your muscles. It is proven that a short 15 minutes of jump roping can burn nearly 300 calories, all while improving heart health, bone density, and even improve your coordination. As you begin jump roping, you can simply go for an extended period of time, or you can start to add interval jumping, bodyweight exercises between every minute of jumping to add even more muscle toning work. And remember, you can get this workout done in as little as 15 minutes. All you have to do to get started is get yourself a good jump rope and Google “jump rope workout” and you will be on your way to a healthier you!
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Sponsored Content If you’re thinking of becoming a Direct Care Professional with ACR Homes, you may worry that you don’t have the right personality to work effectively with people who have disabilities. Perhaps you’ve never really interacted with differently abled people, and as a result have no idea how you’d do working with them as an assistant, caretaker and companion. Chances are, you’ll do just fine as long as you believe in treating others with kindness, dignity and respect, regardless of their circumstances. While you may experience a learning curve when it comes to medical and behavioral procedures, you’ll likely find that working with those with disabilities just requires a bit of extra patience and compassion. “Come in with an open mind and willingness to learn from other staff — and more importantly, each resident,” advises medical student Dawson Cooper. “Expect to learn more about yourself than you originally thought you would.” The University of Minnesota alumnus first joined ACR Homes as an inexperienced undergrad, and went on to log more than 2,000 hours on the job as a DCP. He cites the most important core qualities of a DCP as “empathy, patience, curiosity, passion, flexibility, caring and the ability to see the best in people. “The biggest misconception would be that our residents don’t want the same things fully independent people want,” he explains. “Respect, the ability to communicate needs and the opportunity to pursue goals are the core components of everyone I have worked with. But no two residents are the same, and developing that dialogue is pivotal in providing the best care possible.”
Another key trait for DCPs, he says, is the capacity to solve problems calmly and competently. “You must learn to be flexible in regard to your decision making and overall ability to ask the same things in different ways,” he explains. “What might work now may very well turn out not to in the future, which makes problem solving all the more important. (But) ACR does a really solid job of preparing you before you are fully autonomous and having to deal with high stress situations such as emotional outbursts. Whether that be shadow shifts, training at the main office or house-specific trainings, you will be prepared for any given situation. “ Cooper’s favorite aspect of work as a DCP, he says, was helping ACR residents get out and interact in the local community. “Competencies I gained include patience, the ability to communicate in a wide variety of situations, confidence in my ability to deliver quality healthcare in a team-based setting and the ability to handle the high-stress situations inherent in many healthcare positions,” he notes. “This position is unique in that we are given the opportunity to establish connections with our residents while learning and utilizing some of the core competencies expected of many pre-health students. “You never really know what you are going to be walking into each shift,” he adds. “The variety is fantastic.” To inquire about our rewarding and flexible jobs for students, or our custom research-based internships, please contact our Senior Recruiting Supervisor, Brianna at universityoffice@acrhomes.com to ask questions or request a job interview.”ACR Homes as an inexperienced undergrad, and went on to log more than 2,000 hours on the job as a DCP. He cites the most important core qualities of a DCP as “empathy, patience, curiosity, passion, flexibility, caring and the ability to see the best in people.
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3 simple steps to become more conscious of spending By Logan Balsaitis lbalsaitis@mndaily.com College students are no longer living off of Top Ramen noodles. Instead, they are paying for convenient food delivery services that come at an exorbitant price, such as Uber Eats and DoorDash. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with spending a portion of your disposable income on tasty food and frivolous entertainment, one could argue that there is something disadvantageous about liv-
ing outside of your means. Unfortunately, poor spending habits appear to be the case for a lot of college students today. It makes sense that a large number of students aren’t the best at managing their finances; no one has ever shown them how to before. The good news is that saving money is easy, all it takes is some minor calculation and a bit of willpower. This short article will go over the benefits of being more conscious of spending as well as include three simple steps
that you can implement into your daily spending habits to save more money. Why should you care? Before getting into the tips and tricks of how you can be savvier with your money, let’s answer the question of why you should care. First, money is kind of a big deal. Is it the most important thing in life? Probably not. However, it is something we all still need in order to have a sense of security and comfort. Learning how to be
conscious of spending while you’re young will help you achieve financial freedom and will create more opportunities for investing in yourself in the future. If you practice saving now, you will be better prepared during times of economic uncertainty and will be better equipped to tackle big-decision purchases like a house or a car. Being more conscious of spending shouldn’t be seen as something that limits you. It should be seen as something that gives you more independence.
8 Money can be one of the biggest stressors in life, but it shouldn’t be. Almost every college student could benefit from taking a closer look at their spending habits to see where they can cut costs and save a bit more. When you start incorporating saving into your life, you get a greater feeling of control over your disposable income. Once you have the ability to manage your purchasing behavior, you can alleviate stress in your life that could be caused by overspending. How to start being more conscious of spending today So how can you start being more conscious of spending right now? Well, there are a few simple steps that anyone can follow that will help to improve how they manage their finances. Step #1: Start keeping track of how much you spend This is always the first step to saving money. If you aren’t aware of how much money you spend on food, clothes, entertainment, etc, then you won’t have a foundation to make budget adjustments off of. By keeping a record of your spending habits, you will start to get a bigger picture of just how much your essential expenses are and how much discretionary income you actually have. Some expenses, like rent, for example, are at a fixed cost and therefore are non-negotiable. Other expenses such as food, clothing, and entertainment, have a factor of variability that is determined by your purchasing decisions. There are a lot of great free apps that help you keep track of how much you spend, or you can always go old school and use a pen and paper to write down your purchases. Step #2: Cut the fat Once you’ve figured out where your money goes each month, the next step is to sit down and really think about which of your expenses are necessary and which can be reduced or eliminated entirely. For college students, per-
haps the biggest change that could be made is with the food bill. On top of the hundreds of dollars spent on food delivery services and restaurant food, students are spending far too much money on name-brand products in the grocery store. A great way to immediately reduce the cost of groceries is to buy store-brand products instead; they are typically less expensive but are still of good quality. Rather than always ordering food or buying a ready-to-eat frozen meal, you should learn how to cook your own meals from scratch; this is a much cheaper option and is frequently the healthier choice of eating anyways. There are thousands of free recipes online that are specifically created for people who are on a budget. Try taking advantage of all the free resources available to you when it comes to learning how to cook. When it comes to spending money on entertainment, there’s usually a lot of room for improvement. Many of us are paying for multiple streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, and Disney+ to name a few. Try to figure out which one or two platforms you get the most use out of and unsubscribe from the ones that you don’t use as frequently. Entertainment is a spending category that can add up quickly when you have an excess amount of streaming subscriptions. Step #3: Reward yourself This last step seems contradictory to the overarching concept of saving. However, saving is all about delaying gratification so that you can learn to appreciate the experiences in life that aren’t free. If you’re successfully being more spending conscious with your money and you know that you’ve been putting more into your savings than you used to, it’s reasonable to reward yourself for your efforts. At the end of each month, you can evaluate how much money you were able to save by cutting down on unnecessary expenses. If you managed
to do a good job, you should have a decent amount of money left over to buy yourself a reasonably-priced treat; whether that’s a takeout meal, drinks at the bar, or a new pair of shoes. After a period of watching your spending habits so closely, you will immediately realize how good indulging in a bit
of non-essential spending feels. Being smart with your money does not mean you have to completely restrict yourself from having fun or enjoying life. It’s important to acknowledge that you are doing something challenging that requires discipline and willpower.
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3 simple, healthy recipes to make in your apartment
By Monica Wang mwang@mndaily.com As we all know, cooking at home is a pleasurable way to control the quality of meals and get ourselves motivated to eat healthier. But, when college students were busy during normal in-person semesters, running all around the campus to be in classrooms on time, they mostly consumed fast-food to maintain their schedule, and barely sat down to enjoy a warm homemade meal with healthy ingredients and personalized flavors. Although it’s a tough period for us to keep self-quarantined in our apartment or be isolated from our friends, COVID-19 has also provided us a great time to show our cooking talent. If you are looking for easy-cooking healthy recipes to make in your apartment, here are some ideas. Overnight Very Berry Oat Chia Pudding - Fiber Up and Diary-Free! Ingredients: ⅓ cup of rolled oats (30g) 2 tbsp of chia seeds (20g) 1 cup of soy milk (245ml) 1 tsp of cocoa powder (3g) 1 tbsp of liquid syrup (10g, you can choose maple syrup, honey, sugar-free syrup, etc.) ½ cup of fresh or frozen berries (50g) Steps: • Mix all dry ingredients together in an air-tight bowl or a mason jar • Rolled oats, Chia seeds, Cocoa powder • Pour liquids in the container, give it a stir to make sure all in-
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gredients are mixing well Dairyfree milk, Syrup Cover and put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight Open the fridge and add the frozen berries topping on the thick pudding Enjoy!
Per Serving Calories: 372 (maple syrup) Fat: 13g Protein: 16g Carb: 48g Fiber: 15g Lettuce Chicken Sandwich - Low Carb and Gluten-Free! Ingredients: 3 whole pieces of iceberg lettuce (1530g) ½ Roma tomato (60-80g) 4 oz chicken breast (115g) 1 slice of swiss cheese 1 egg Salt and pepper 2 tsp of cooking oil (6g) Preparation: • Slice the chicken breast and season with salt and pepper • Heat 1 tsp of cooking oil over medium heat in a skillet • Fry the egg for 2 minutes and flip it for another 2 minutes, then take it out • Heat 1 tsp of cooking oil over medium-high heat in a skillet • Add the chicken breast and cook for 4 minutes • Flip the chicken breast and cook for another 3 minutes • Slice the Roma tomato
Steps: • Cover a flat area with plastic wrap • Put 2 pieces of iceberg lettuce • Put tomato slices on the lettuce • Put chicken and the slice of cheese on the tomato • Put the fried egg on the cheese and cover it with 1 piece of iceberg lettuce • Wrap tightly • Cut into half • Enjoy! Per Serving Calories: 400 Fat: 23g Protein: 40g Carb: 9g Fiber: 1g Grilled Teriyaki Salmon with Asparagus and Kale - Omega-3 and Asian Flavor! Ingredients: 2 salmon fillet (4 oz, 115g, each) 2 oz chopped kale (57g) 3.5 oz asparagus (100g) 3 tsp soy sauce (10g) 1.5 tsp honey (5g) 1 garlic clove (8g) 1 tsp sesame oil (3g, optional) 1.5 tsp oyster sauce (3g, optional) Salt and pepper Preparation; • Mince the garlic clove • Mix soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper, sesame oil, oyster oil in a small bowl • Blend the sauce with 15ml water • Boil a pot of water
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Heat a skillet over medium heat
Steps: • Put asparagus into the boiled water for 2 minutes • Add salmon fillets into the skillet (skin side down if possible) for 1 minute • Flip salmon fillets carefully for 1 minute • Add half of the blended sauce into the skillet • Cover the skillet for 2 minutes and flip salmon fillet for another 1 minute • Bring the salmon out, do not wash the skillet • Put asparagus and chopped kale in the skillet, stir fry for 2 minutes • Add another half of the sauce in the greens, stir fry for 1 minute • Serve the cooked salmon with greens and rice if you like • Enjoy! Per Serving (without sesame oil/oyster sauce/rice) Calories: 389 Fat: 18g Protein: 45g Carb: 12g Fiber: 6g Per Serving (with sesame oil and oyster sauce, without rice) Calories: 421 Fat: 21.5g Protein: 45g Carb: 13g Fiber: 6g
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The real necessities for moving into your college dorm or apartment By Lauren Boike lboike@mndaily.com Moving to college is a big transition for everyone. There are a lot of things to prepare for, and figuring out what to bring is a big part to do. Many stores create guides that don’t have all the essentials, or they provide too many unnecessary items. Our list was created for both dorms and apartments based on college students’ experiences, so you know exactly what to bring and what you can leave behind. Bedroom Dorm - It’s important to have all the right pieces to get a good night’s sleep, so it’s best to start with the following: • Comforter • Fitted Sheet • Pillowcases and pillows • Mattress pad • Desk and desk chair if needed • Hangers Apartment - Having an apartment might mean a bigger space, so you might be able to fit a bigger bed. With that, we suggest getting a raised bed frame so you can store items under it. The bedding essentials for the dorm goes for your apartment as well but adjusted to your new bed size. • Bedframe • Bedding • Desk and desk chair if needed • Hangers Bath Dorm - Chances are your dorm has a community bathroom that you share with others, so it’s important to invest in essentials that keep you clean and organized. • Shower shoes (Look at plain flip flops or Target’s shower shoes)
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Bathrobe Shower caddy Towels and Washcloths 3 bath towels and washcloths, 2 hand towels Apartment - Not having to use a community bathroom is a blessing, but with that, a lot of other purchases need to be made. • Towels and washcloths • Shower curtain and liner • Shower hooks • Plunger • Toilet wand • Toothbrush holder • Towel bar (or Command hooks if needed) • Bathroom rugs to spruce up your space • Hanging shower caddy Kitchen Dorm - Many people bring too much kitchenware to the dorms, and it takes up a lot of space. Bringing the following will be more than enough for your life in the dorms: • Plates, bowls, cups, and silverware (2 of each) • Water bottle • If you like coffee, it’s a good idea to bring one or two mugs • Keurigs (Not an essential item, but they can save you a lot of money instead of going to Starbucks every day) • Microwave and fridge (These also aren’t essential, but many enjoy having these items in their room for smaller snacks or premade meals. Plus, it will give you a break from dining hall food) Apartment - This is an area to focus on when first moving into your apartment since you didn’t need a lot of these
things while living in a dorm. Even if you don’t cook much, it’s important to have the basics: • Pots and pans • Medium and large size • Baking sheets • Medium and large size • Baking pan • Medium size • Measuring cups and spoons • Cutting board • Colander • Mixing bowls • Medium and large Kitchen Utensils: You can find many of these in a set. Check sites like Amazon, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, and more. • Whisk • Wooden spoon • Spatula • Can opener • Tongs • Pizza cutter Kitchen appliances: Depending on what your apartment comes with, these
may or may not be needed. Below we listed the most common appliances used: • Microwave • Toaster • Crockpot • Blender Dishwashing: We included things to stock up on for both dishwasher and hand washing needs. • Dish soap • Drying rack • Sponge • Dishwasher detergent • Kitchen towels Dining: Now that you have everything to cook, you need things to actually eat. Look at Target, Costco, Amazon, and IKEA for affordable dinnerware set options. • Plates • Large and small • Bowls • Large and small • Glasses • Coffee mugs
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Salt and pepper shakers Dining table and chairs if your space allows (Another great place to look for these items is Facebook Marketplace!)
Living room Dorm - You want your dorm to be a comfortable space so friends can come over, but it can be tricky to have a lot of seating in a tiny room. Look at places like Target and IKEA for affordable and dorm-designed options. • Futon • Chair • TV • TV stand (We recommend using a shelf that has storage beneath it. This is a great way to utilize your dorm space while reducing clutter) Apartment - Hopefully you can carry over some of these items from your dorm. Otherwise, check Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist for affordable options of the bigger furniture pieces. • Couch or futon • Chair • TV • TV stand • Coffee table • Throw blanket Office For both your dorm and apartment workspace, it’s important to have a nice desk chair, a lamp, and a trash can. These items will help you stay comfortable while studying for long stretches of time, and reduce clutter. Check out places like Target and IKEA for affordable options. Laundry Dorm: • Laundry basket or hamper • 1 bottle detergent • 1 pack of dryer sheets • Wrinkle release • Stain remover Apartment - If you have more space, you can buy some additional things presented below: • Drying rack • Steamer or iron
Technology This is another area that can carry over easily when moving from a dorm to an apartment. Look at Walmart, Costco, Amazon, and Bestbuy for sales on the following: • Dorm and Apartment • TV (Consider getting a smart TV for access to apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu. If not, getting a Fire Stick or Roku is a way to get the same benefits) • Wifi router if needed • Power strips • Surge protectors • Extension cords Cleaning and other supplies These are the essentials for any spills, stains, or if you’re a clean freak. Dorm: • Clorox wipes • All-purpose cleaner • Duster • Handheld vacuum if needed Apartment: • Vacuum • Broom and dustpan • Mop or Swiffer • Clorox wipes • All-purpose cleaner • Duster Miscellaneous Many of these items aren’t the bare necessities, but they will make your dorm room homier. Cheaper rugs can be found on Target or Amazon, and Etsy and Society6 are known for their affordable wall art selections. And don’t forget to bring Command hooks and strips, and a tool bag for assembling furniture when moving in. • Rug • Storage bins • Mirror • Wall art decor Hopefully, this helps relieve the stress of moving into a dorm or apartment and provides you with insight on the essentials you’ll need, and to make your space the best it can be.
NAVIGATING YOUR WAY AROUND THE U Your Transportation Choices WALK n
Gopher Way: tunnels and skyways connecting campus
BIKE n
buildings. n
612-624-WALK: call for a safe, free security escort to walk
designated for biking. n
with you.
Bike Racks: situated near most buildings on campus (on a seasonal basis).
PARK n
Bike Paths and Lanes: almost six miles on campus
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Bike Lockers and Secure Bike Parking: rent a storage area.
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Bike Center: full service - learn more at z.umn.edu/bikecenter.
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Helmet & Headlights: purchase at Boynton Health Service
Contract Parking: guaranteed space 24/7 via an online
Pharmacy.
lottery each semester. Details at parklot.umn.edu. n
Public Parking: hourly, daily, carpool, meter, discount and
BUS
event parking is available. Visit umn.edu/pts for rates and locations. n
Motorist Assistance Program: FREE service (lock-outs,
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students. Purchase at http://buspass.umn.edu.
jump starts and air for tires) for legally parked PTS customers. n
Car-Sharing: on-campus vehicles. Drive by the hour or day.
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Ride-Sharing: Gopher RideShare is a U of M database to connect and share your commute with others. Download the Gopher RideShare app. Learn more at gopherrideshare.umn.edu.
Campus Shuttle: FREE bus service between the St. Paul, East Bank and West Bank campuses. Use a telephone, mobile device, or web-enabled computer to see where the bus is and its predicted arrival. Learn more online and at bus stops.
Fee includes gas and insurance. Find out more at umn.edu/pts. n
U-Pass: discounted, unlimited-ride city bus and rail pass for
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Campus Zone Pass: free pass that allows rides on Green Line between three campus stations.
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Paratransit Service: free curb-to-curb on-campus transportation for persons with temporary or permanent disabilities. Rides can be scheduled online at z.umn.edu/paratransit or by phone at 612-624-8338.
612-626-PARK • pts@umn.edu umn.edu/pts
How to tackle online classes: figuring out what works best for you By Jennifer Harley jharley@mndaily.com Online classes and online hangouts, the digital world that used to be enjoyable, where we craved screen time, now seems a bit overwhelming as COVID-19 has forced us to be exclusively online for everything we do. Tackling Zoom fatigue and school seems like a high mountain to climb, but it is not impossible to figure out and get into a routine with this new “normal.” Here are a couple of steps to take to tackle this mountain and come out on top! Take a Deep Breath The start of a school year might be a chaotic time for you because all of a sudden, you are thrown into long days of classes, homework assignments, awkward breakout room sessions, and you don’t have time to go outside and take a walk. Remember to take a deep breath to calm down and get ready to start organizing the chaos, beginning with an assessment of your work style. Work Style: What is My Work Style? Creative Learning Systems describe work style as “the way people in the workforce absorb and retain new and difficult information, think or concentrate, do their daily work and solve problems.” Work style relates to how you function best in your daily responsibilities. Everyone has a unique work style, and being aware of this will help you figure out what will work best during this online format and lower your stress levels. So how can you figure out what your work style is? When you are in class or working on different assignments, take note of what makes you tick. Fast Company prompts the following questions to ask yourself:
When do you consistently complete your work? Early, in advance of deadlines, or do you wait till the last minute? When you communicate, do you write only a few words or write novels? You can also ask yourself: • In what environment do you work best? • How much communication do you need to get something done? • How long can you focus on a task? • When have you been the most productive? • How do you organize your thoughts? After thinking about these questions or writing them down, you now have a better idea of how you can thrive in this online format, and it gives you a better idea of what to strive for when you are working. Below Fast Company describes four basic work styles that might help you understand how you work best with four common work styles: • Logical, analytical, linear, and data-oriented • Organized, sequential, planned, and detailed-oriented • Supportive, expressive, and emotionally oriented • Big-picture, integrative, and ideation-oriented Setting Boundaries The next step to take after getting a better idea of your work style and taking the time to understand what will work best for you is remembering to set boundaries for yourself. During this time, it can be easy to become a workaholic or easily get distracted because everyone is limited to their bedrooms or other rooms in their living situation. Because of this, school, work, social, and
alone time are all in the same place, and they can bleed into one another. This lack of separation causes stress, and it can lead to an imbalance in your life. Curious to know how to keep the balance? Take into consideration the following tips: 1. Plan out your day on your calendar If you are trying to break up the time to make sure that you have a balance with school, work, social life, and alone time, put it on your calendar! Start by putting all of your responsibilities on your calendar because it will help give you a bigger picture view of what is happening that day. Even if you have asynchronous classes, it is vital to plan out the class time to help you stay on track! Then think of other things that are important for you to do that day (exercising, reading a book, meals, hanging out with friends), and add that as an event on your calendar. By adding everything to your calendar, you build in time for other events and can create a balance. The key is to be firm with the schedule, but not too hard on yourself if you want a couple of extra minutes to eat or finish up an assignment. 2. Create a to-do list of everything you have to do that day It can get very overwhelming when you don’t know what you have to do that day to meet deadlines. If you don’t get organized with all the assignments or tasks that you have to do, they might slip through the cracks, and you’ll end up missing the deadline. A way to combat this is to sit down with your syllabus and take note of all the dates and assignments that are due. Then after listing them out, you can add them to your planner, and this will help organize everything you have to do. Then in the morning or the
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day before, looking through your planner and adding it to your daily to-do list. Another tip that goes along with creating a to-do list is setting smaller deadlines for yourself before the final deadline. Setting up these deadlines will help you stay on track to meet your goal and turn your assignment or project in on time! 3. Take breaks! As mentioned before, taking breaks is vital to set boundaries and give yourself a break from working. It is good to take some time to recharge after a class or a meeting. Take a walk, a nap, or sit and think about nothing before going back into your school day. Make sure to keep a balance of time you are working and time you are on breaks! 4. Set timers for blocks of time Are you trying to get work done, but you end up looking at TikToks or go down the Youtube rabbit hole? Try using the Pomodoro technique! Set a timer for an hour and only focus on what you are doing. After the hour is up, take a fifteen-minute break and repeat the cycle. This technique forces you to focus on the task at hand, and you know when break time is! This process will allow you to work efficiently and give you more free time. The technique can specifically help you if you get distracted easily and builds in time to give your brain a rest from the task. All of these tips and tricks will help you stay in control of your time and allow you to feel more organized with online classes! Taking a closer look at how you work best and implementing some organizational tools to keep yourself accountable and on track will help you take on the online format of school.
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Missing your friends during COVID-19? Here are five things you can do together, virtually By Taya Wiggins twiggins@mndaily.com COVID-19 has prevented all of us from being near our closest friends, making it difficult to share experiences and create memories. Maintaining our social lives, according to Psychology Today, can be “one of the most important influences on mental and physical health. Without positive, durable relationships, both minds and bodies can fall apart.” However, as long as your Wi-Fi is functional, and you own a webcam or cell phone, your social life can be maintained. Here are five ways to create new and lasting memories with your friends, virtually. Netflix Party Sitting side-by-side at the movie theater or going to a friend’s house to binge-watch your favorite shows on their couch are classic activities we often engage in with friends. Unfortunately, due to social distancing, this is unable to occur, but Netflix has developed a solution. They have emerged with a clever way to watch shows or movies with as many people as you want referred to as Netflix party. According to Netflix, it “synchronizes video playback and adds group chat to your favorite Netflix shows.” It is a simple set-up using a Google Chrome extension. To create your party, Netflix directs viewers to “click on the red “NP” icon located next to the address bar. Then click “start party” to get the party started, and share the party URL to invite friends.
Throw a virtual party If you have what is currently referred to as a “COVID” or “quarantine” birthday, you miss social gatherings on your university’s campus, or just want to have a fun time with your friends, hosting a virtual party is perfect for you. Appoint one individual as the designated DJ, invest in some LED lights, and dance the night away with your friends, virtually. The Zoom platform is a suitable option that many have found successful when hosting parties. Houseparty is another great option, defining themselves as “a face-to-face social networking app that allows up to eight people to video chat at once in a room, however, users can have infinite rooms and easily float between rooms.” There is a relatively low limit on the number of people within each room, but there are many rooms- hence the name house party. This app also has fun party games such as Heads Up, Trivia, Chips & Guac, and many more. Start a book club If you and your friend group enjoy reading books, starting a virtual book club would be an enjoyable method of relaxation and provide a way for consistent communication. As Better writer Meghan Odegard stated, “a great book can provide you with an escape while inspiring a need to reach out and connect, and virtual book clubs are an accessible and flexible way to communicate with others.” Deciding upon the logistics before the book club commences is vital for it to function smoothly. Logistics may include figuring out which books are going to be
16 read, deciding upon meeting days and times, determining the most appropriate platform used for meetings, and finding a way your club members can keep in contact with each other. Having a method of communication is essential for potential questions or concerns, and can be done through a text message group chat, a Facebook group, or something along those lines. Book clubs have many benefits beyond relaxation and consistent communication that include gaining new perspectives, bettering teamwork skills, and improving writing in addition to communication skills. Play games Yes, we are referring to games on your phone or your favorite video game console. Almost everybody has some sort of game on their cellular device, whether that is Candy Crush
or the ever-popular Temple Run. Games such as these allow you to play in multiplayer mode with whoever you may choose. If you own an iPhone, you have access to approximately 23 different multiplayer games like 8Ball, Chess, Archery, Anagrams, and Four in a Row. Having access to consoles
such as an Xbox, Playstation, or a Wii allows you to play with a team of friends (or 1-on-1) against others in popular games like Fortnite, Call of Duty, and NBA 2K. There are various ways and devices in which you can play games with your friends at any time.
Cook a creative meal (and have a dinner party) Cooking with friends is a great way to bond and try new recipes. Although you may be unable to physically cook together and perhaps ask your friend to “pass the salt,” as long as you have a device with a webcam, cooking a creative meal together (virtually) is still a pleasant experience. Stuffed peppers are relatively quick and minimally difficult to makemeaning you’ll have a good time cooking them. French bread pizzas are creative as you can choose toppings and customize it to your liking. Lastly, spicy Mexican lasagna roll-ups are quick, cheesy, and you can put your own spin on it. Once you’re done cooking the meal, don’t forget to eat it together! Dinner parties are fun ways to not only celebrate milestones but to spend time with those whose company you enjoy. As Delish’s deputy editor Sarah Weinberg stated, “WiFi is the new long table; your phone is the new place setting.”
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