Take a look at our May newsletter!
CAMPUS COMMONS
May has finally arrived and kids across the state couldn’t be more excited that school is out for summer. This time of year is perfect to pack the family in the car and travel to one of your favorite vacation destinations. National Road Trip Day falls on May 27 this year, and it provides a great opportunity to travel with your friends or family to some of this country’s most beautiful locations. Though I didn’t take many road trips throughout my childhood, those I took in college are some of my favorite memories. When I moved to Florida for college, I was amazed by how quickly you can travel between states in the South. Within just a few hours, you could have traveled between 2–3 different states. I wanted to see more of the country, so I took advantage of the situation. It wasn’t crazy for me and my friends to take a trip to Alabama or Georgia at a moment’s notice. When I was in North Carolina doing a rotation for physical therapy school, my road trip adventures went to the next level. I was in Greensboro but I also had friends in Columbia, SC, and Knoxville, TN. We usually had Mondays and weekends off so we would all travel somewhere during our three-day weekends. One of the best trips we ever took was to Charleston, SC. I would have been in my early 20s during this trip, and we saw so many historical landmarks throughout the area. Whether we traveled into the Smokey Mountains or toward the Carolina coast, I loved experiencing the new places and they left a profound impact on me. Taking trips and vacations are incredibly beneficial to us. We can get worn down from work and our other day-to-day responsibilities, so we need a break from time to time. Often, we’d rather jump on a plane and travel to a beach than pack up the car and take a week to see interesting places in America. As I get closer to retirement, ROAD TRIPPING ACROSS AMERICA SIGHTS TO SEE AND PLACES TO VISIT
I’m more determined to go and see areas of the country that have always interested me.
One of these places is the American Northeast. We were supposed to travel to Cooperstown, New York, back in 2020 for a baseball tournament, and we were going to visit New York City as well. Unfortunately, the pandemic put a stop to that trip. I still plan to take a trip out there and visit New York, Boston, New Hampshire, and Maine. I also wouldn’t be opposed to taking trips to see all of the professional baseball stadiums throughout the country. There are so many interesting places to see; we just have to get out and visit them. For me, driving and experiencing new places is incredibly self-fulfilling. It’s also been great introducing our children to these beautiful places. They’ve definitely visited more locations than my wife or I visited when we were kids. It won’t be long before they have families of their own and plan their own road trips. When that happens, I hope they’ll take me along for the ride with them!
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Turn Your Rainy Day Around —With a Fort!
3 TRANSFORMATIVE BLANKET FORT TIPS
3. Pick a theme — and a name. Is your fort in the jungle? On a beach? In the woods? Pick a theme and decorate accordingly! You can bring in beach towels and toys or cut leaves and trees out of construction paper. Don’t forget to name your fort, too. The more creative you get, the better.
April showers are supposed to bring May flowers, but when the rain keeps pouring, there’s only one thing for a family to do: Build a blanket fort!
Blanket forts have been a low-cost, low-tech form of entertainment for centuries, and over that time, generations of enthusiasts have perfected them. Use these tips to transform your next rainy day into a family adventure: 1. Build heaviest to lightest. Once you’ve gathered your materials — including blankets, sheets, pillows, binder clips, and movable furniture — it’s time to build. Start “heavy” with the largest piece of furniture, like a couch or table. That will be the anchor of your fort. From there, arrange the other furniture in a circle around the anchor and drape it with blankets. Use heavier blankets for the walls and the lightest sheets for your roof to avoid a collapse. Use the binder clips to hold the sheets and blankets together! 2. Light it up. Light is crucial for you to do activities in your fort! Dig out your holiday string lights if you have them or bring a lamp or two into the space. You can also use flashlights and even glow sticks to make things especially fun!
So, now you have your fort — what should you do in it? We’re glad you asked! The answers are almost unlimited, but here are a few favorites:
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Drink hot chocolate
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Make a craft project
Tell ghost stories
Have a family jam session (if you’re all musical)
Read (out loud or separately!)
Do a puzzle
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Eat your favorite snack
Play a board game/card game Pretend you’re on an adventure in another country
Snuggle
“Camp” overnight
Perform a shadow puppet show
3 STRETCHES TO HELP LOOSEN A STIFF NECK
The average workday for many Americans consists of hours upon hours of looking at a computer. Then later, many of us like to spend our free time watching television or spending even more time on our computers. If your computer or TV isn’t set to the perfect level, you may start noticing issues with your neck. A stiff neck can be incredibly painful and at times, even debilitating. If you experience neck pain regularly, you can do simple stretches to improve mobility and minimize pain. Some of these stretches may be painful or difficult at first but, over time, will become easier. Try to do them once a day until it gets more comfortable. Then you can do the stretches more often for an extended period of time. NECK ROTATION Keep your back straight and your shoulders still while you slowly turn your head to the left as far as it can go without feeling an increased level of pain. Once you’ve reached your limit, hold that spot for five seconds before returning to the
starting position. You can then repeat the stretch on your right side. If pain continues to increase, only turn your head part of the way. NECK EXTENSION Keep your shoulders and back stationary while you gently extend your neck by looking upward. Continue to bring your head backward as far as you can without increasing pain. Hold this stretch for five seconds before returning to the starting position. If you’re doing the stretch properly, you’ll feel it along the front of your neck as well as the muscles in the back of your neck. NECK FLEXION This stretch is the opposite of the neck extension. You’ll want to slowly lower your chin toward your chest and look downward with only your head; don’t bend your neck forward. Flex your head as far as it can comfortably go and hold that position for five seconds before returning to your starting position. When done correctly, you’ll feel the stretch throughout the back of your neck.
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THE MANY BENEFITS OF CARDIO EXERCISE
Cardiovascular exercises are an option for nearly everyone since you don’t need a gym membership to get a workout in. Running, swimming, dancing, biking, and even jumping jacks are all appropriate when it comes to cardio exercise. The American Heart Association and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services both recommend we get at least 150 minutes of moderate cardio exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous activity every week. Though it might not be the quickest way to build muscle, cardio exercise has many benefits. Here, you’ll find some of the best reasons to incorporate cardio into your routine. WEIGHT LOSS If you’re trying to lose weight, few things provide better results than cardio exercise. It’s one of the best ways to burn calories and fat. But it’s imperative that you also eat a healthy diet if you want to see results. You’ll need to burn more calories than you consume in order to see the pounds disappear. Swimming, bicycling, running,
and hiking are some of the best calorie burners if you’re trying to lose weight.
IMPROVED HEART HEALTH AND LUNG CAPACITY
Cardio exercise accelerates your heart rate and gets your blood pumping properly. Your blood pressure will go down and your blood flow will improve after you begin a regular cardio routine. Performing any level of cardio is going to strengthen your heart. Additionally, you’ll also notice improvements in your lung capacity. While it can be difficult to breathe during these exercises, you’re actually increasing your lung capacity by pushing your breathing to the limit. It gets easier over time. INCREASED ENERGY Cardio exercises are one of the best ways to naturally boost your energy. When our body is participating in physical activity, it releases endorphins. These increased endorphin levels give us a massive boost to our energy. It’s a big reason people run in the mornings.
TAKE A BREAK
Mother’s Day Brunch Rainbow Frittata
Inspired by EatingWell.com
INGREDIENTS
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Nonstick cooking spray
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Basil, thyme, salt, and pepper, to taste 1/2 avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup sweet potato, diced 1/4 cup yellow pepper, diced 1/4 cup broccoli, chopped
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Cherry tomatoes, halved Sriracha hot sauce (optional)
8 eggs
DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 350 F and coat a cast-iron skillet with nonstick cooking spray. 2. In the skillet over medium heat, cook sweet potatoes, yellow pepper, and broccoli until soft. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper. 4. Pour egg mixture into skillet with vegetables. Don’t stir but instead use a spatula to lift the edges of the egg mixture until it is evenly distributed. 5. Transfer mixture to oven. Bake for 5 minutes or until the dish sets. 6. Top with avocado and tomatoes. Drizzle Sriracha on top (if desired).
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INSIDE
THIS ISSUE
1 2 2 3 3 4
Visiting Beautiful Locations on Road Trips
Turn Your Home Into the Ultimate Playhouse
3 Stretches to Help Loosen a Stiff Neck
The Many Benefits of Cardio Exercise
Mother’s Day Brunch Rainbow Frittata
Strengthen Your Entire Body!
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Big Benefits of Canoeing and Kayaking
MENTAL BENEFITS •
The weather is getting warmer, which means you can do more activities in the water. Canoeing or kayaking is an excellent way to get outdoors and be active. Besides looking at the beautiful scenery around you, taking to the water confers several physical and mental health benefits.
While canoeing or kayaking, your body releases serotonin,
dopamine, and endorphins from neurotransmitters. This will help boost your mood and self-confidence and improve your focus .
PHYSICAL BENEFITS •
Paddling can help improve your upper-body strength and muscle tone — because you’re using your arms to guide yourself through the water with the paddle. Paddling helps strengthen your arms, shoulders, chest, and back. • You use your legs to balance, maneuver, and change directions in the vessel. In turn, this movement helps strengthen your lower- body muscles . • While trying to stay centered and balanced on the water, you will develop more core strength . Paddling helps work your lower back, abs, and oblique muscles. • It’s a form of cardiac exercise that will help your heart circulate more blood throughout your body. It will also improve your endurance , enabling you to go longer distances faster.
• These activities can enhance your memory and learning ability . This is because it exercises your hippocampus, one of the largest portions of your brain that is responsible for verbal memory and learning. • If you have trouble sleeping, this activity can improve your sleep . Exercising during the day can make you naturally tired, which helps you fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. • Since you’ll be in the sun, your body can produce more vitamin D . This vitamin is essential for strong bones and an effective immune system. Canoeing and kayaking are great outdoor activities to help you get your daily dose of physical activity and a mental health boost. So, enjoy the warm weather and be one with nature — this may be your new favorite summer hobby this year!
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