Forward Magazine Winter Break Edition 2023

C A M P U S D I N I N G M AG A Z I N E

SOS Burnout How to Prevent Burnout and Thrive The Double Edge Sword of Social Media The Pros and Cons on Online Advocacy

Mapping Your Success

The Benefits of Journaling

Savoring the Season

Food to Help You Cope with Seasonal Depression From Sea to Shining Sea Popular Comfort Food Across the United States

WINTER

BREAK

EDITION

2023

forward Bold Reflection Welcome to December, the month of Bold Reflection! This is the perfect time to look back on the bold steps you’ve taken throughout the year and set new goals for the coming year. As the year draws to a close, it’s important to take stock of your accomplishments and reflect on your journey. This month is all about taking the time to look within, assess your growth, and set your intentions for the future.

Whether it’s reflecting on your personal or professional life, this is the time to celebrate your successes, learn from your challenges, and set new goals that align with your vision for the future. Don’t be afraid to dream big and set audacious goals that will challenge you to be your best self.

Festive December is the time to indulge in the warmth and joy of the holiday season, and there’s no better way to celebrate than by adding bold and festive flavors to your dishes and celebrations. From sweet and savory spices to rich and comforting flavors, embrace the spirit of the season with adventurous and exciting tastes that will leave your taste buds tingling. Try flavor profiles like peppermint, gingerbread, cinnamon, or nutmeg to add a festive twist to your favorite dishes.

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Savoring The Season Food to Help You Cope with Seasonal Depression

From taking strolling through a pumpkin patch to holiday decorations, autumn, and winter are many people’s favorite times of the year. But as the dreary cold sets in, you may be having more than just a case of the winter blues.

In the beginning, you may start to feel a lack of motivation and significant changes in your mood and behavior, in some cases, you may be experiencing seasonal affective disorder.

Usually affecting up to 10 percent of the United States population, seasonal affective disorder is a form of mild to moderate depression that coincides with changes in seasons. The cause of SAD can be described as multifactorial, affected by lack of sunlight (vitamin D), overproduction of melatonin causing sleepiness, and a decrease in serotonin (‘happy hormones’) activity. Receiving less light sunlight because of the harsh winter, working the night shift, and physical or emotional stress all predispose you to seasonal mood changes. So don’t brush off that yearly seasonal funk and take the steps you need to keep your mood changes and stress at bay throughout the year.

People with severe cases of SAD may seek treatment from a healthcare professional that involves light therapy, talk therapy, antidepressant medications, and supplements of vitamin D. However, research that links a specific nutritional diet has been proven to relieve symptoms of SAD. “Nutrition habits can definitely have an impact on your mood,” says Nicole Avena, Ph.D., a research neuroscientist and nutrition and diet expert in New York City. “Variety and balance is important. If your eating pattern is unbalanced, it can upset other aspects of your health, including mood,” she says.

Here is a list of food suggestions that can help support your mood and brain function:

Common Symptoms of SAD: • • • • • • • • 4|

Feeling sad or irritable Feeling unmotivated Changes in your normal sleeping patterns Change in appetite or emotional eating Loss of interest in things you previously enjoyed Social withdrawal Difficulty concentrating Low energy

Food Supporting Mood and Brain Functions: • • • • • • •

Salmon Berries Whole Grain Bread and Pasta Green Leafy Vegetables Green, Black, or White Tea Beans Dark Chocolate

Winter Break Edition 2023

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SOS Burnout

How to Prevent Burnout and Thrive As the end of the semester comes along it is essential to assess how you are feeling. Do you feel exhausted mentally or physically? Have you been increasingly irritable? Are you less enthusiastic about school? Many of these feelings are very common as your seasonal break starts due to the stress from school responsibilities.

If you are starting to feel this way, you may be experiencing burnout. When chronic stress and exhaustion meets, burnout happens. The World Health Organization describes burnout as an “occupational phenomenon” as it is common with people in the workforce. However, college students also find themselves experiencing academic burnt out as well.

When academic burnout happens, students begin to feel extremely overwhelmed by schoolwork and life responsibilities over an extended period. As these feelings arise, many students begin to feel cynical about school, losing their creativity and declining their academic progress. Burnout is very common among college students as the National College Health Assessment found that 80% of college students have reported feeling overwhelmed, and 40% reported it was difficult to function because of the stress.

It is important to remember that burnout is not a medical condition; however, according to MayoClinic.com, “Some experts think that other conditions, such as depression, are behind burnout.” As you rest and relax during your winter break and gear up for a new semester, we encourage you to utilize healthy practices that can help prevent burnout. To get you started, here are a few ways you can prevent burnout.

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Winter Break Edition 2023

1. Practice Time Management Good time management skills can lead you down the road to success in many ways. It is hard to manage time when you are used to going with the flow of things. However, having good time management skills allows you to add some organization to your life and combat any feelings of procrastination. The more organization is added to your life, the less stress you will feel. When you curate a schedule for yourself, remember to create adequate downtime for yourself. During this time include any activity that will help you relax and reset like watching your favorite show, playing video games, reading a book, hanging with friends, or just sleeping. It takes time to manage time, but once it is solid, you will see a drastic change in your life.

2. Learn The Power Of No Saying “no” is easier said than done when you have people counting on you and have a multitude of responsibilities. However, there is power in putting yourself first by saying no to activities and favors you may not have time for. When you say no to things, it helps you remember to prioritize yourself more than you would. It is important to remember that you cannot be there for other people properly if you are not taking care of yourself. Remember to always check in with yourself before taking on more responsibilities.

3. Ask For Help It is normal to try to take on everything and not ask for assistance, however, taking on the world can be exhausting. Asking for help can be difficult because people often feel like they are a burden to others or some are prideful. Nevertheless, asking for help can greatly improve your relationships with others as you can develop a healthy dynamic with your friends and loved ones. This can also increase productivity as you will save time by receiving a helping hand. This will free up time for you to complete other things on your to-do list.

From Oral Traditions to Written Words:

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A Journey Through

Mapping Your Success: Native American Literature

The Benefits of Journaling to Reach Your Goals In 1951, famous poet and activist Langston Hughes wrote the poem Harlem to describe his experience navigating a world filled with injustice. “What happens to a dream deferred?” questions what happens to dreams put on hold or delay them. We all have dreams and goals we would like to achieve.

While in college, you are inching closer to your goals as you learn and obtain various opportunities. Having a sound plan for your dreams is always helpful, and journaling can help guide you.

Writing down your thoughts and feelings may be difficult at first, but it can be an essential tool in your success. There are many types of journaling, with the common practice being personal or diary journaling, where you write down your private feelings in a notebook, tablet, phone, or computer.

Other types of journaling include art, travel, food, reflective, and video journaling. Expressing your feelings through different creative avenues can be personal, but some people do decide to share across social media and public blog platforms.

As you continue your collegiate journey, consider adding time to engage in journaling. Here are three benefits of journaling.

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Winter Break Edition 2023

Track Your Growth How often do you reflect on your growth? Do you take time to relish your accomplishments? Writing down your accomplishments can be a great way to see your growth visually. Once you begin writing everything down, you may realize how much progress you may be making. You can write every day or end your week by writing about your work. You should document everything from making it to class on time, turning in your assignments, and making progress on a paper or semester project to winning awards and obtaining a career goal. Tracking your growth can also help you remember things you missed on your to-do list. As you are writing your goals, you may see that you did not do everything you sought out for.

Remember that you always have tomorrow to achieve what you did not today!

Finding Inspiration As you journal, you are actively helping keep your brain in great shape because it boosts memory, comprehension skills, and other cognitive functions. While your brain works, it can unlock different ideas to help you in your success. Let your creative ideas soar as you write down your thoughts and dreams! Whether it is a good idea or one that needs more planning, writing down your creative ideas will help you develop plans for your goals that you may not have thought of before.

Help Emotional Wellness As your journaling habit develops, you may see a positive change in your emotional well-being. A study published by The Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2005 found that “expressive writing” is often thought to be therapeutic. Participants who wrote about their feelings were less likely to get sick or be seriously affected by trauma. Journaling is a form of release as you can release any positive or negative thoughts on paper and an electronic device. As you regulate your emotions, you may find stress alleviating, as VeryWellMInd.com notes “journaling is a highly effective tool for relieving stress, like a counseling session.” With a clear mind and heart, you can think more about your goals and plan more effectively

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Winter Break Edition 2023

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From Sea to Shining Sea Popular Comfort Food Across the United States Whether you’ve had a bad day, are feeling under the weather, or simply need a little TLC, enjoying some of your favorite foods will surely take those winter blues away. Of course, food is all about personal preference, but we at Thompson Hospitality would like to provide some comfort foods to help you through those long winter nights based on your state.

Pennsylvania

Meaty and cheesy between a warm bun, the Philadelphia cheesesteak is Pennsylvania’s most popular dishes. This sandwich is hearty, comforting, and tastes amazing! So, pick up a roll in the home of the ‘philly.’

Georgia

Growing the best tasting peaches in the country, Georgia’s peach cobbler is admired by all. Resembling a thick-crusted, deep-dish pie, this sweet and warm dessert pairs best with a nice scoop of your favorite ice cream.

North Carolina

No matter if it’s on ribs, chicken, or burgers, North Carolina’s BBQ sauce is a tangy, vinegar-based blend with ketchup, salt, pepper, and unique ingredients. Barbecue culture is the best in the United States, and no one does it quite like North Carolina.

Mississippi

Why not be like the French and “let us eat cake!” Being an ideal comfort food, Mississippi stands out with their signature mud cake. Topped with melted marshmallow and toasted pecan nuts, this dessert is hard not to indulge in.

Alabama

They put it on everything! As we all know, barbecue sauce is a big deal here; so much that the state of Alabama has its own signature BBQ sauce known as white BBQ sauce. Bottled and sold in stores, this condiment is an Alabama essential.

Maryland

Due to their location and overproduction, Maryland serves the best crab. Made as a sandwich or served alone, crabcakes make the best comfort food for Marylanders.

Virginia

Known for its southern-style fare, Virginia loves its country ham. Cured country ham would be the perfect addition to a breakfast biscuit of a bowl of grits.

Florida

Famous throughout the United States, Florida’s key lime pie is a refreshing dessert that has the right amount of zest. Making the perfect summer dessert, its graham cracker crust makes it’s a great addition for the colder season.

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Small Steps Big Results

Tips for Achieving Optimal Health and Wellness

The DoubleEdge Sword of Social Media

The Pros and Cons on Online Advocacy

Affecting about 10 percent of pregnancies in the U.S., gestational diabetes commonly develops in the middle of pregnancy without any prior diabetic condition. Usually leading to problems for both the pregnant woman and the baby, a safe delivery can still be achieved through proper diet, exercise, and monitoring. In most cases, after the baby is delivered the condition goes away on its own, but it is important to continue to monitor blood sugar levels as there are no guarantees.

The cons of online advocacy:

The pros of online advocacy:

Misinformation

Amplifying voices

With the internet being a vast place with unlimited access, it is easy for misinformation to be spread. Everyone has their own opinions of various situations that often get mistaken for the truth based on the popularity of the social media post. It is essential always to take a step back and find credible news sources reporting on the matter to separate the opinions from the facts.

When people are in need, it is easy for their voices to get drowned out by other problems in the world. With social media, people can use their platforms to raise awareness for various situations in and around their communities. With over five billion people using the internet daily and over four billion on social media globally, sharing your story with others can benefit significantly because you never know who it can reach.

Information Overload Leading to Burnout There is a plethora of information in the world, and with technology now, we have it all at our fingertips. As beneficial as technology and social media, seeing constant information every second of the day can be overwhelming. In addition, if people in need are not seeing justice, the same outcomes can desensitize you. If you are not limiting your screen time, you can become mentally drained from the constant social media intake.

Efficacy Concerns When wanting to make a difference in the world, social media can be a great tool to get the word out there. However, frequently times, the work stops at spreading the word. It is a concern that many issues never get adequately resolved because the work does not reach offline. Raising awareness is one thing, but the work behind it makes a real impact. With the overload of information given every second of the day, issues can get lost or forgotten about.

Educational Opportunity There is a mass amount of information on the internet waiting to be discovered. As you are supporting or coming across a critical issue, use that moment to inform yourself properly. A new worldly issues comes much background information to help you understand clearly. The more you are educated on the matter, the more you can effectively help people.

Cost and Time Effective Before the internet, people went to the streets to protest and raise awareness about injustices. Being on the picketing lines takes a lot of time and can cost you money for supplies. Utilizing social media allows people who cannot join the protest physically to join the fight virtually.

Sharing others’ posts can allow you to reach many people, which may create valuable change.

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Winter Break Edition 2023

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Marketing Contacts Daniela‑Gabrielle Smallwood, Vice President of Marketing and Programming daniela.smallwood@thompsonhospitality.com (571) 446–7430 Stacey Gibson, Director of Marketing stacey.gibson@thompsonhospitality.com (571) 524–8566

Editorial Staff Gina Godwin, Creative Director Yolanda Waters, Cheif Editor Ashley Clarke, Lead Writer Joellen Allah‑Mensah, Graphic Designer