Brief Intermission

With Christmas quickly drawing near, students are more than excited about a break which allows them to recharge before the second semester begins.

Frequently referred to as "winter break", one of the best loved times for college students is Christmas. This alots time off from school to reconnect with family, friends, and anything but schoolwork. Many agree that the focus of the break is very relaxing and non-stressful.

Business Management junior, Josh Deshields, said it will be nice to just relax in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina. "I plan on hanging out with a lot of my friends and possibly visit my old high school just to catch up with some of my favorite teachers, but I will mostly spend time with family."

Most students believe meeting up with old friends will be the highlight of their break; and for some, they brought their friends home with them in lieu of complications. "My roommate will be spending the holidays with my family this year because he won't be able to make it back to New York," said freshman Cody McEachin.

Making time for friends and family isn't the only priority for some students while being at home. Involvement with the community is just as important. "The day after Christmas, I'll be participating in our traditional YMCA turkey chase which is a local run that everybody in the community participates in," said sophomore Lauren Daughtry.

Between family gatherings, quality time with friends, and lots of relaxion, the Christmas holiday proves itself to be quite an enjoyable and well-needed break.

Final Exams, Stressful Students and Bad Habits

As the week of finals fastly approach, some students will push their bodies to an extreme and unhealthy limit in attempt to study for long periods of time for exams.

To maintain focus may become quite difficult. This causes some students to use the drug Adderall which helps better their study skills and enhances their concentration level. Released in April, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health stated that 7 percent of all full-time college students, ages 18-22, use Adderall.

Adderall, an amphetamine, is a central nervous system stimulant that affects chemicals in the brain and nerves that contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control. It is designed to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, better known as ADHD. This drug has legal medical uses but has a high potential for abuse.

Arthur, a senior Public Relations major, said the stress of his major drives him to use Ritalin so he can concentrate before and during exams. Ritalin is a drug similar in composition to Adderall.

"Usually I take Ritalin or something like it so that I can stay up for 48 hours straight," Arthur said. "It helps short term. You don't retain anything, but it definitely helps short term. If I want to get into my internship I've got to get all As or close to, so I do it for that reason also."

Sebastian Health Center Director suggested that drugs aren't the only concern during the last week of finals.

"There are alot of things that could happen during finals week," said the Director. "Things like sleep deprivation and poor eating habits are things that will not improve performance on finals."

Alex, a freshman who admitted to abusing the use of Adderall, said he stays up for long periods of time before his test and other strenuous homework assignments. "I've studied for 12 hours straight without a break; without eating or anything," he said.

The coordinator of health promotions at Sebastian Health Center, said the stress surrounding final exams causes many students to resort to dangerous measures. "Stress levels are heightened because students want to do well on their finals. They want to make good grades and their stress response, if they don't have healthy coping mechanisms, can be negative."

The best ways to prepare for a final are to get adequate sleep and begin studying at least a week before the test so "cramming" isn't necessary. Drugs are not beneficial.

Community Opens Its Heart

For almost two hours, volunteers came together to serve a customary Thanksgiving feast to hundreds of people who may not have had a place to go.

On Thanksgiving Day, the Durham Rescue Mission hosted its Annual Thanksgiving Community dinner. The facility was a beehive of activity as volunteers prepared meals for delivery and serving those that made the journey out. They served a free traditional Thanksgiving meal and gave away free clothing and groceries. In addition, games and activities were also given away for the children to enjoy.

Community members donated almost 100 turkeys, ham, and conventional side dishes a long with a wide variety of desserts. Ashley Lawson, 22, was volunteering for the first time and had done a number of jobs in the kitchen. "Volunteering is rewarding to help other people," she said. "I'm really happy to help out."

Just 16 years old, this was Cydney Williams 4th year as a volunteer. Her job this year was washing serving trays. She said the hardest part was scraping the trays clean before placing them into the dishwasher. "Its important that the younger generation help people out too," she said. "Someone has to eventually take over."

Stella Johnson, a homeless mother, was thankful to enjoy dinner with her son. "This is great," she said. "I don't know how they do it. It takes a lot of work and hours of preparation."

After one hour on Thursday, more than 200 meals had been served by more than 100 volunteers.