Our Brains and Our Lifestyle

 Steven McCornack said that stress is corrosive in the body, shortens the life span, and is an enormously devastating state of being. He also said “you can be in a state of stress and not realize you are” which might sound crazy, but he said that everything in society is so hyperstimulating and quick moving, that we don’t realize how wound up our minds can get.

“When you think about all the entertainment industry and how media is designed for more stimulation…for salient and more vivid apps and more enticing things…” McCornack said that everything in the entertainment and media industry has gotten faster and louder. In America we are constantly in a non-relaxed state of suffering and yet we embrace the causes of our own stress, which are the constant use of hyperstimulating media and technology!  “You cannot rid your life of stress” said McCornack, but you have to learn to deal with the inevitable stress, better…

Music can help, but it has to be calming music. Proven through research, Roger Smeltekop and other colleagues did a study testing particular music on stress and it lowered stress hormones in the body! 

Stress-be-gone?

Did you know that technology is becoming a very large stressor for Americans? Steven McCornack, who is an associate professor at Michigan State University, said that America is uniquely work obsessed and sub-products of sleep deprivation. McCornack “people wear it as a badge of honor that they’re sleep deprived.” It’s obvious that stress isn’t good for you…but when you hear it as “you travel the world and people think you’re missing the point of life; it’s not about career or work, it’s about what you want to remember in your last dying breaths, about spending time with people you love” does it become a little bit more obvious that in America we are maybe too stressed?

Stress can be relieved with many things, but McCornack said especially “fitness coupled with peace and quiet.” For example by doing yoga to soft music and bringing the mind down to a restful state…mixing endorphins and meditation to offset the stress of daily living. 

Everyone has felt stress at one point or another, so what do people like you do to get rid of it?

In this video, McCornack talks about researched ways to relax, and students talk about their own personal ways of coping.

Keep Your Bike Healthy for a Healthy Winter Ride

The manager of the MSU Bike Service Store, Tim Potter, said that he really doesn't believe people when they say "it's too cold to ride my bike." He said that he thinks it's too cold to walk or stand instead of generating your own heat by biking, and, thus, making it to class quicker than otherwise too! Potter is working with PSA (public service announcement) to spread awareness and inform people on the bike lanes throughout campus in order for them to become safer for bikers and drivers.

On campus, it’s interesting to see what the students are saying about how they best get to class in the wintertime.

In the video, those particular students choose not to ride their bikes all the time based on weather, but they also choose not to take care of their bikes enough to do so.

Potter said that students should ALWAYS be taking good care of their bikes in order for the winter to be safely biked through. “Keep bikes indoor at night. Keeping bikes outside all the time, everything tends to rust up; brakes start to cease, shifting gets bad,” said Potter. 

Potter said that though students may not know, there are many simple and convenient ways to take care of bikes during the cold months. According to Potter, three-fourths of residence halls have bike rooms that are free to use and there are MSU bike garages in the parking ramps on Trowbridge Road and Grand River Avenue! He said, “they’re covered, secure and well-lit with an ATM machine and video camera for security and both of the facilities have a do-it-yourself repair station that have air-pumps and tools for basic adjustments and repairs.”

Biking in the Winter at MSU

The MSU Bike Service Store is on the campus of Michigan State University and is dedicated to renting out and fixing bikes. Tim Potter, who is the manager of the MSU bike store said, "we're one of just a handful of university-owned bike shops in the country; fewer than five are full-service, and our main focus is helping transportation cyclists." Potter talked about ways to keep safe while biking on the roads and sidewalks as things start to freeze and the cold Michigan weather hits MSU campus. 

Some students like riding their bikes around campus, and Potter recommends it as year-round transportation. For wintertime biking safety, Potter said that “studded tires” work best to help you navigate through winter conditions such as ice and snow. You can make “studded tires” at home by going to the MSU Bikes blog and looking at the tutorial. Potter said that you especially have to be visible when biking in the winter, and he recommends good rear and head lights. Even during the day Potter said that shadows and shade can make it almost impossible for drivers to see bikers.

So is year-round biking ideal for everyone?

In this video, a couple students at MSU talked about their experiences with biking at MSU. 

After Spongebob

"The Secret Box" and "Band Geeks" episode of Spongebob was on tonight.
The show started with Patrick obsessing with his cardboard box but not telling spongebob why. Spongebob really, really wanted to know and thought Patrick was just doing it to drive Spongebob crazy. By the end, Patrick showed Spongebob a string in the box...Spongebob laughed and walked away, then Patrick said "good thing he didn't pull the string."
In Band Geeks episode, Squidward had to lead the Bikini Bottom marching band at the Bubble Bowl, and Squilium laughed at him because he just wanted to see him fail miserably.
Squidward and his band ended up rocking it out at the show and the crowd loved it, and Squilium passed out from the beauty of the music!
Classic Spongebob.

Good Evening Spongebob

6:30 p.m. and an episode of spongebob came on.
Spongebob is always on Nickelodeon, also known as Nick, and has been around since 1999.
The episodes that are on tonight are "The Secret Box" and "Band Geeks." Both are old episodes.
The Secret Box started at 6:30 p.m. and Band Geeks will start at 6:45 p.m..
Spongebob is the main character and Patrick is always his best friend in every episode. The show is animated and takes place under the sea! Colorful, musical, and quirky. It always will annoy anyone who isn't watching the show directly or trying to pay attention to it...but is sarcastic and witty for a Nick cartoon.