iZ Friday, October 18,1996
FEATURES
Pride
Substance-free housing catches on with students
MC students say health and wellness dorm
rooms allow them to focus on academics
The College Press Service
COLLEGE PARK,
Md.--Think late Saturday niglit
at the dorm. Think smoke-filled
halls, raised voices, loud music,
and students playing hall sports.
But the proverbial
“college scene” is fading on
some campuses, as a growing
number of students eschew keg
blasts for a cleaner, quieter place
to live.
In the last three years,
substance-free halls, dorms, and
even fraternity houses have
surged in popularity. Colleges
and universities that offer sub-
stance-free housing include
Methodist College, Dartmouth
College, Pennsylvania State Uni
versity, University of California-
Los Angeles, and numerous oth
ers. The national headquarters of
Sigma Nu fraternity has helped
12 of its 214 chapters become
substance-free.
At the University of
Maryland, the number of stu
dents living in substance-free
dorms has risen from 120 in
1993 to about 1,000 today.
“Basically, it’s an extra-
nice environment to live in. It’s
great,” said J.R. Rosenberg, 19,
a sophomore at Maryland.
He lives on the sixth
floor of Denton Hall, which has
been designated as substance-
free; no alcohol, drugs, or to
bacco allowed. But what you
choose to do outside the hall is
your business, Rosenberg says.
“I am in a fraternity, so
I see both side of the world on
campus,” he said. “A lot of
people who live in substance-
free dorms don’t see all of what
goes on, so they don’t appreci
ate the environment they live in.”
At Maryland, sub-
stance-free housing was
launched three years ago with a
grant from the U.S. Department
of Education, said Karla Shep
herd, coordinator of programs
and orientation. The idea, she
says, is to prevent drug and al
cohol abuse on campus.
Students have latched
onto it because “they want
more choices,” she explains.
“They might not abstain from
alcohol and drugs, but they still
want to live in a substance-free
[residence hall]. Others are
committed to a substance-free
lifestyle.”
Many students just
want to avoid temptation by
keeping away from the party,
she adds. “They’re here for an
education,” she said. “You
could basically blow it by abus
ing alcohol and drugs.”
At many colleges,
students say the temptation to
abuse alcohol is definitely
there. According to a study re
leased by Harvard University’s
School of Public Health and
Social Behavior, a survey of
more than 17,500 students at
140 colleges and universities
showed that 44 percent of stu
dent report binge drinking.
Forty-one percent of entering
freshmen who reported not
binge drinking in high school
began binging shortly after ar
riving at college.
The same researchers
showed that widespread binge
drinking on America’s college
campuses had serious second
hand effects on students who
do not binge. Eighty-seven per
cent of college students re
ported secondary effects from
drunk students ranging from
insults and lost sleep to cases
of sexual assault.
Binge drinking is de
fined as consumption of five or
more drinks in a row for men
or four or more drinks in a row
for women on one or more oc
casions during a two-week pe
riod.
“Heavy drinking can
cause or contribute to a num
ber of problems for youth,” said
Steven A. Schroeder, present of
the Robert Wood Johnson Foun
dation, “such as poor academic
performance and school failure,
assault, automobile accidents and
resulting fatalities, recreational in
juries, violence and risky behavior
like early and unprotected sex.”
So whether students are
searching for quieter living quar
ters or want to avoid to potential
pitfalls of partying, campuses re
port greater numbers of students
are choosing substance-free living.
When surveyed, students also say
they chose to live in a substance-
free environment because “in high
school, they knew someone who
paid a serious consequence for al
cohol abuse,” said Alan Levy, di
rector of housing at the University
of Michigan.
The soaring cost of tu
ition has played an important role,
too. With more students taking our
larger loans to pay for college,
“they better use the time effi
ciently,” he says. The University
of Michigan surveyed students
who selected substance-free
rooms. They gave the following
reasons for their choice:
•avoiding roommate
problems associated with drinking
or other drug abuse: 78%
•academic issues (e.g.,
wanting a quiet atmosphere in
which to study): 59%
•parental influence: 26%
•religious preferences or
beliefs; 26%
•family members with al
cohol or other drug problems: 6%
•recovery from an alco
hol or other drug problem: less
than 1%
Another survey revealed
that their choice was not related
to whether they drank away from
the dorm. Students who party
away from their substance-free
floor said they just wanted a place
to live that was substance-free and
quiet.
By Whitney Larrimore
Assistant Editor
Health and wellness
dorms are becoming increas
ingly popular on many college
and university campuses around
the United States. Methodist
College, like many other col
leges, offers this lifestyle option
to students by allotting specific
health and wellness areas in
dorms for residency. Students
who are interested in living in
one of these dorm rooms must
sign a health and wellness con
tract and abide by its guidelines.
According to the con
tract, a student who chooses to
live in this residential section
commits "to a lifestyle abstain
ing from alcohol, tobacco, and
other illegal substances."
Rob Foreman from the
Student Life office said, "It (the
health and wellness program)
came from the residence life
staff and is now in its third year."
So far many students have taken
advantage of the program.
There is a capacity for 50 stu
dents interested in the program,
Staff Report
Methodist College will
hold a 40th anniversary celebra
tion on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at
11 a.m. in Reeves Auditorium.
The college was chartered on
Nov. 1, 1956.
Entitled “Celebrate
40!”, the program will include
a running narrative about the
Weight gain
By Aiex'ndra Nulle Dummer
Staff Writer
Twenty to thirty per
cent of all men and women are
overweight. Going from eating
mom’s home cooked meals to
cafeteria food or fast food
causes many of us to gain
weight. The “freshmen fifteen”
can be avoided simply by know
ing what the body needs rather
than wants.
With the health kick of
the 90’s, most people are aware
of what the right ways of taking
care of one’s body is and how
important it is, although not ev
eryone does it. However, new
things about the human body are
being discovered every day. For
example, recent research has
proven that stress changes the
way your body uses and absorbs
nutrients. So if you’re under
stress, you need to be sure your
body is getting the nutrients
your speeding metabolism
needs. You will also want to eat
foods that calm you down rather
than making your stress worse.
As college students, we all
know the meaning of stress, es
pecially when midterms and fi
nals come around.
Here are some health
ful tips from the International
Food Information Council
Foundation on prohibiting
stress. Drink orange juice, be
cause when you are under stress
the body needs more vitamin C.
Drink lots of water to keep from
becoming dehydrated, which
adds stress to the body. Have a
banana; they are high in vitamin
B6 and will keep the metabo
lism running high. Stick to one
cup of coffee a day and avoid
caffeine the rest of the day. Re
sist the urge to snack on sweets.
When under stress, the
brain secretes a substance which
causes sugar cravings, but eat
ing whole grain breads, bagels,
and pastas are better for you and
will satisfy your craving by
stimulating your brain’s produc-
and 43 spaces are currently
filled. Seven females and 36
males are in the program, but
Foreman anticipates the num
bers to grow.
Foreman said "When
we started the program, every
one had their own room, but
now we have two people to
each room." Soon new rooms
may be added to the existing
ones to expand the space for
students interested in health and
wellness. Eventually a whole
new dorm may be built just for
this program.
Tony Ralls, a freshman
in Sanford Hall, has been in the
program since the beginning of
this semester. Ralls said, "This
is a very good hall. [Everyone]
is pretty close and no one is
rowdy. You must abide by the
contract. If [you're] caught
breaking it, you must move."
Patrick Puryear, an
other freshman in Sanford Hall,
is also in the program. Puryear
said, "I didn't want to be around
any distractions that would take
away from my studies, and I
college’s first 40 years, color
slides from college Archives, and
a variety of musical numbers
featuring alumni, staff, and cur
rent students.
After the show, birth
day cake will be served in the
Reeves lobby. Alumni and other
friends will have lunch in the
Alumni Dining Room.
tion of serotonin, a calming
chemical which is the active in
gredient in Prozac. Finally, ex
ercise. This will burn up stress
chemicals in the body and make
you feel more relaxed and ener
getic.
Many Americans are
overweight because they eat too
much and exercise too little. An
average American eats about
130 pounds of sugar a year,
mostly from processed foods
high in calories and low in nu
trients. Also, we have become
very lazy. Try taking the stairs
rather than the escalator or walk
to Pizza Hut rather than driving.
To establish perma
nent, healthful eating habits,
there are some guidelines to fol
low according to the pamphlet
entitled “You and Your Weight.”
Lose weight slowly—a pound or
two a week. Space meals evenly
in small proportions throughout
the day. Don’t skip meals, and
eat at least 1,200 calories a day.
Eat slowly, chewing thoroughly,
and stop when you’re full.
Researchers speculate
that food cravings arise in an
attempt to supply the body with
nutrients it lacks. Susan
Schiffman, professor of medical
psychology at Duke University
Medical Center, says, “Carbohy
drate cravings can simply be
from hunger because your blood
sugar levels are too low or
cravings can be based on other
physiological needs.” For ex-
also didn't want to live with
someone who smoked." For
these reasons, he feels it best for
him to be a part of the program.
In Weaver Hall, Molly
McWilliams is a part of the health
and wellness program. She en
joys being a part of the program
because she said living in an al
cohol and drug-free environment
is "just one less hassle to worry
about. It doesn't conflict with
your studies." McWilliams also
said she thought "a lot more
people would like to be in [the
program] but it's not that well
known."
The program is still
relatively small, but it is begin
ning to become popular. Fore
man feels that the more people
find out about the program, the
more people will be interested in
it. In the future, more students
may be a part of this new lifestyle
organization. As long as people
are interested. Foreman said,
"We are committed to providing
the [health and wellness] atmo
sphere."
Door prizes, including a
bag of 40 silver dollars, will be
awarded in a drawing. Persons
must attend the show and deposit
a ticket stub to be eligible for the
drawing.
The Methodist College
Alumni Association planned and
coordinated the event, along with
a committee of college staff.
ample, while also tasting pleas
ant, ice cream and cookies rank
high as “comfort foods” to
soothe troubles away.
Sandra Combs, direc
tor of the MC health center, says
students should “get more in
volved with activities because
when you are lonely you tend to
over eat.” She adds, “Form little
groups for walking around cam
pus.”
The weight room is
also available to students Mon
day through Friday from noon-
5 p.m. and 7:30-9 p.m. and Sun
day 7-9p.m. Any changes to the
weight room hours are posted
weekly next to the athletic of
fice door. Basketball coach
DeeDee Jarman says students
“need to be familiar with how to
use the machines, have a plan
when they go in, and have a
spotter. Also, know safety pre
cautions.”
The dangers of dieting
is that they prohibit rich, high-
calorie, often-favorite foods.
Unable to resist, dieters will
eventually give in and overin
dulge themselves. Marsh
Hundall, director of nutrition at
a women’s weight management
facility at Fox Run says, “For
get the carrot sticks and have a
reasonable portion of ice cream,
if it’s ice cream you really want.
In moderation, favorite high-
calorie foods can help you stay
within a well-balanced diet and
achieve a healthy weight.”
^Homecoming 1996: Let Us "Entertain you
ScfieduCe ofT,vents
f ridgy, Oct.18
Tutt-Tutt Cftampionsfiips-Win a portaSk CD player
8p.m.: JiCumni andguestsgatfier at tfie :Ho[iday Inn 1-95
Saturday, Oct. 19
7:30 a.nu—Sfiuttk service avaUabCe from iHoRday Inn to 'Bayufood QoCfCCuB for
LozvdermU^^off'Tournament
8 a.m-Tee time for tfie Jourtk S\nnua[‘WiCCiam T. LoivdermU^QoCf'Tournament
9 a.m.—Teacfier Afumni dissociation “Brea^ast, SlCumni ‘Dining H(pom
9 a.m. -1 p.m.-U(egistration Tent open on campus for aCumni
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.-f\{C 'Bool^Store open for sfiopping
10 a.nu-Cross Country Di^Qe Conference O^eet starts at 4tfi fioCe of O^Cgoffcourse
11 a.m-'Women’s soccer: Lady ^onarcfis vs. Stienandoafi
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.-'Picnic on tfie ma£[ ($5 aduft, $3 cfiUdren under 12)
1 p.m.—J^ootba[igame: ^onarcfis vs. Davidson Coffege; 1964-75 cfuerkaders introduced
atfiafftime
3 p.m.~^\{en’s soccer: ^Monarcfis vs. Jofinson & Wafes
6 p.nu - 7 p.m.-Mumni fwrs.d'oeuvres before dinner, Dining H(pom #3
7 p.m.-Afumni Dinner, !\[umni Dining 'Room ($10 per person)
9 p.m. -1 a.nL—!Homecoming Dance at holiday Inn 1-95 zuitfi Tfie "Entertainers
-CasuaC dress
-Crowning of “King and Queen at 10:30 p.nu
-Sfiuttfes start at 8:30 p.m.., Ceaving iWC on tfie fiaCf fiour
and leaving iHofiday Inn on tfie fiour
MC plans 40th anniversary celebration
not inevitable in college
Cutting back on fat doesn’t mean going hungry. This
chart offers great-tasting low-fat alternatives to com
mon foods. (Portions are average serving sizes)
Instead of: (fat grams) Go for:
com muffin (5)
granola (12)
bacon & eggs (37)
cheeseburger (30)
French fries (20)
potato chips (18)
bean dip (4)
ranch dressing (18)
ice cream (18)
English muffin & jam (1)
nonfat yogurt & granola (2)
pancakes & syrup (6)
bagel/low-fat cream cheese (10)
oven-fried potatoes (8)
pretzels (2)
salsa (0)
vinaigrette (8)
sorbet (0)
-Peter Jaret. Health Magazine