MACKENZIE HURLBERT — Staff Writer
Winter has already shown its ugly face, and with the weatherman’s premonitions of a harsh winter season, there are some necessary precautions students should take. It is important to stay warm, fed, and alert this winter season, and here are some easy tips on how to do it.
First and foremost, students should sign up for the SCSU Alert system, which will tell them when there are cancellations on campus and other need-to-know alerts. These can be sent via cellphone or email. Instructions for signing up are found on the Southern web page.
Staying warm and fashionable this winter season is possible, and it doesn’t have to break your bank account. Hand-knit hats and scarves are great ways to represent mom’s handiwork and stay warm. Boots are very popular and “in” lately, but that doesn’t mean you have to have a pair for each season. Invest in one fashionable, yet sensible, pair that will keep you warm and styling this winter. Also, make sure there is a grip on the bottom of them so crossing the bridge by the Student Center won’t be a problem (I hear it gets pretty icy). A cheap and easy way to winterize your boots is to buy liners. Take your rain boots, already water-proofed for mucking through puddles, insert the liner (a large, fleece sock) folding the top of it over the top of the boot, and voila! A winter boot without the cost.
As far as staying fed, it’s always smart to have some snacks on hand. We’ve all been there; that time when you’re not hungry enough (or simply too lazy) to walk to the Student Center or to Conn, yet your stomach insistently grumbles a complaint. Or maybe an October snow storm or August hurricane has left you stranded in your room with no way out. Some easy solutions would be Ramen Noodles or popcorn, but there are healthier and equally inexpensive alternatives which can fill you up better. It’s important to stock up on snacks and healthy meal options.
For starters, although popcorn and Ramen Noodles are quick and cheap ways to fill up, there are healthier alternatives. For example, a regular-sized, movie butter popcorn contains over 200 calories and can stink up your room and the dorm hall. A healthier alternative would be Smartfood popcorn which comes in 100 calorie bags. Smartfood wouldn’t stink up your dorm room like microwave popcorn, and it’s already packaged in healthy snack servings.
Another healthy alternative for when you need something bigger than a snack are microwaveable soups. You can find them in any grocery store, and they’re convenient because they can be heated and eaten in the container you buy them in. One of my favorites, Chunky Chicken Noodle, is made with lean chicken and lots of veggies (and what’s great is that they aren’t dehydrated like Ramen Noodles). These are a great source of protein and can fill you up well.
Throughout winter, make sure you have plenty of water in you dorm room. Vegetable and fruit juices are also great drinks to stock up on. I always have a six-pack of V-8 V-Fusion drinks in my fridge. Each can is one daily serving of fruit and vegetables, and they taste like normal fruit juice.
Lastly, nuts and fruit are always great ways to satisfy your hunger. Trail Mix can be bought in the store, but I prefer to make my own. I mix peanuts, walnuts, almonds, M&M’s or chocolate morsels, dried cranberries, dried apricots, and sometimes oyster crackers or cereal. There are so many options, and it always makes for a healthy, satisfying snack.