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Show The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice Since 1890 The Daily Utah Chronicle ©2004 www.dailyutahchronicle.com Vol.114 No. 82 Thursday, December 9,2004 Students cope with stress near semester's end Steve Gehrke Asst. News Editor December has become virtually synonymous with stress in many students' minds. "Christmas break is coming, and I'm just thinking about getting done and having finals over with/' said U computer engineering turned undeclared major Jonathan Benson. Many U students, like Benson, are faced with a high level of pressure due to a number of factors including world events, the current state of the economy, an increasingly competitive job market, an often difficult race to register With final exams looming, it can be easy for many studetns to get overwhelmed, but a good diet and more sleep can often help reduce the stress. for the next semester, and, of course, the looming promise of Finals Week. "I think it's just a reality of being on a college campus and in a college counseling center that around the times of midterms andfinals,people are just more stressed," said Lauren Weitzman, director of the U's Counseling Center. "People react differently to 9/11 and terrorism, so it seems like world events can affect students' stress levels." Dean of Students Stayner Landward agreed that outside forces in the world and current events tend to affect students psychologically. "The market seems to weigh more heavily on student' minds than it has in the past," Landward said. "The cost of education has risen. Students used to be able to Defensive Coordinator Kyle Whittingham, shown coaching from the sidelines of the BYU game Nov. 11, signed a contract Wednesday to be the Utes' new head coach, starting next season. Whittingham has now been with the team for 11 years. See story page 19 SEE STRESS PAGE 3 Helpful tips for final exams Christina DeVore Staff writer While students roam around campus as the winter chill attacks and Michelin look a-likes have invaded campus, illusions of Finals Week accrue in every space left in the brain. Students of every k i n d undergraduates and grads— tend to leave studying for finals to the last minute and then become frantic when they realize how close the actual test is—even more so when they realize that the test is comprehensive. Then, because of slacking, procrastinators can't wait until Dec. 18, when peace will come back to their once-sane existence. What to do? How to get through the test? How to possibly pass and study for all of the exams? The "Freshmen Survival Kit," composed of the dos and don'ts in college that are supposed to help students become more successful, plays like a broken record in their heads when they begin preparing for finals. Prioritize. Study habits. Tutor. Cram the brain. But if students haven't learned to use these supposed study habits before, how are they going to get them to help them now? Assistant Professor of Geography at Bridgewater State College James Hayes-Bohanan suggests not studying, but learning as a good alternative. However, last-minute people need some basic tips to be able to get their tickers tocking and to get their brains to start thinking so they will do well on the ex- ams, rather than beating their skulls on the wall, trying to knock the last bit of knowledge they may have actually gained right out. Before rattling brains and driving beyond the point of no return from staring blankly at the test question, consider the food eaten right before the test and also the time taken to study. There are certain foods that help memory. Our brains need antioxidants, which come from fruits and vegetables. To help keep hearts beating strong, it is important to keep antioxidants in the system. It provides the heart's output to flow to the brain, helping to increase learning ability and prevent the loss of long-term memory. The little round, luscious, ball-shaped fruit known as "grapes" are a great source of antioxidants, What about the French and their willingness to drink wine for every oc- casion? Wine is a product of grapes, therefore stimulating minds and creating a memory inducer. However, drinkers must not over indulge. Also, a heavy meal right before an important test can make a person feel lethargic, according to Noralyn Wilson, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, primarily because blood is diverted from the brain to the stomach for digestion. Just like our taste buds as- sociating sour with lemons, memory associates people's studying habits with subjects. When first studying a subject, it is important to decide the location of knowledge intake. When studying for the final, students should be sure it is the same place they studied the subject all semester. By going to a consistent site, the brain links it to the subject being explored. SEE EXAMS PAGE 6 Despite the overwhelming schedule students will juggle during finals, there are ways to maintain a health balance, said Amy Cutting a nurse practitioner for Student Health Services. Her tips are: •Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. •Don't study until you fall asleep because then you will have a harder time remembering what you have studied. •Don't study in a bedrooma bedroom should feel like a place away from work. •Students are highly discouraged to use things like caffeine pills and or prescription drugs such as Ritalin. •Take at least 30 minute's for a break and do something you enjoy. •Eat more fruits and veggies instead of fast foods or processed foods. •Make sure that somewhere in the day there is physical activity. •Drink warm tea and/or eat or drink something that releases tryptophan like oats, turkey, chocolate," cottage cheese, fish and peanuts. During finals week, the Marriott Library becomes a second home for many students cramming for their exams. Mid East studies battling for academic freedom Gov't threatens to control curriculum Steve Gehrke Asst. News Editor Some U students may soon be studying government-controlled curriculum if Congress passes a bill. A group of scholars have accused the Middle East Studies Association of failing to predict the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent rise of radical Is- Steve Gehrke Asst. News Editor The U's Middle East Center could face either decreased federal funding or government-controlled curriculum in the future, based on whether a bill is passed. Last year, the nation's 17 Middle East Centers and 118 international studies centers received $86.2 million in federal funding called Title VI money. Several critics of the curriculum taught within Middle East Centers SEE GOV'T PAGE 6 Ibrahim karawan, director of the Utah Middle East Center, has grown concerned with what he believes are congressional oversight that could potentially affect Middle East Centers. n.. lamic organizations. He continued. The Middle East Center As a result, they are will sponsor another lecture "I am someone who pushing for implebelieves in the values mentation of an In- series this Spring Semester of democracy and libternational Higher addressing America's reputaeralism. Let's make Education Advisory tion abroad. For more inforsure the outcome of Board. mation on the center and past this is not stifling disDirector of the U's lectures, visit http://www.hum. cussion instead of enhancing free debate," Middle East Center, utah.edu/mec/ Karawan said. "I am Ibrahim Karawan, the lucky person who said the board would gets paid to do what I pose a threat to acawould have done anydemic freedom. how. At times I catch "The people who myself running through the parking raise these things have views, perceptions and political pressures," he said. lot to get to my office because I'm ex"We don't want to be puppets, we cited. I cannot run from the parking lot if there's a script. It would not be want to be free thinkers." American." Karawan added that, if an oversight committee were to require that The committee would be estaba percentage of certain literature be lished under provisions of the Intertaught in order to maintain funding, national Studies in Higher Education he would confront it. Act—H.R. 3077, which was introduced "Those are not the values of free in- by Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich. quiry," he said. "If I failed, I would reMartin Kramer, former director of sign. I do not get micro-managed and the Dayan Centre in Tel Aviv; Stanley pushed to do what anyone would in- Kurtz, a research fellow at the Hoover sist on the outside. I listen to my own beliefs and consciousness." SEE MID EAST PAGE 4 • > ' A&E page! Year in review Check out the A&E section for a chance to make your picks for the best/ worst of 2004. Opinion page 15 Happy whatever Say what you mean during this holy time of year. Sports page 19 Back on track The U basketball team blew away MontanaWestern 98-63 at the Huntsman Center. |
