Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Get Happy!


Feeling stressed out before Thanksgiving break because your professors assigned your four papers due at the end of the week? If so, meet Happy! Happy is like any other college student here at SCU...except he has a giant yellow head. Despite the strange looks he gets from time to time, Happy not only manages to get by, but goes through his day with flair!

Check him out and help my Sociology group do well on our assignment. Please comment, rate, subscribe, and friend us on YouTube because we would love to watch your videos too. Thanks!

Jada Marsden

Have You Seen The Ninja??

Back in Sanfillippo, several students graciously volunteered to be cast in a Sociology project composed by fellow collegereporter Keesa and I. For our sociology class, we were required to create a video, any video, that would have the potential of ultimately gaining more views than a video composed by our sociology teacher. If we succeed and gain more views than our professor, we will be guaranteed an A for our video production. With that said, help us out and watch away. Rate high, favorite our video, and share it with everyone you know. The competition ends on 12/4/09, so hurry and watch it before then. We promise its HILARIOUS! So, have you seen the ninja??


THE NINJA STORY



- Sara

Santa Clara hosts first swine flu clinic for students

When Heather Clayton heard there would be a swine flu vaccine available to Santa Clara students, she was determined to make sure she got one.

“I wanted to be prepared,” said the senior, a chronic asthma sufferer.

So Clayton arrived at the vaccination clinic on Nov. 12 at 8 a.m., a full two hours before a single dose would be injected. She was the first in line.

Sixty Santa Clara students had lined up outside the California Mission Room to receive the vaccine when the clinic officially opened at 10 a.m. Several dozen additional students were already waiting inside after filling out medical paperwork.

Senior Mary Werling lined up early just behind Clayton, but wasn’t getting vaccinated on her own accord.

“My mom is worried and therefore I am worried,” she said.

Swine flu, or H1N1 as it is officially called, sickened nearly 22 million Americans from last April through mid-October. The Centers for Disease Control estimates 4,000 have died from the virus, including 540 children.

Santa Clara’s first case of H1N1 was confirmed in (month). There have been a total of XX confirmed cases on campus since then. California has witnessed 237 confirmed cases of the virus since the government began tracking it last spring.

Quote from Cowell

Graph on regular flu shot statistics at SCU. When is flu season? Does Cowell always contract with Maxim?

“It’s trendy to get a flu shot nowadays,” said senior Ryan Lyles. Both Clayton and Lyles received a regular flu shot earlier in the year.

Approximately 300 doses of the H1N1 vaccine were administered at the clinic last week. Did they run out? Students can set up an appointment at Cowell Health Center if they still wish to receive an immunization. The vaccine is provided free by the federal government, but students must pay a $15 administration fee.

Swine Flu: Confessions of a Community Facilitator


Santa Clara University has made it a point to keep the students, faculty, and staff updated on the latest information regarding the recent H1N1 epidemic. Three weeks prior to the Fall semester, I arrived on campus for my Community Facilitator training. At Santa Clara University, a Community Facilitator is somewhat like a Resident Assistant. Because I would hold a position of student leadership in the dorms, I was instructed on Santa Clara University’s mission to fight any and all traces of the H1N1 disease.

I learned the ins and outs of the virus and was lectured extensively on the importance of cleanliness and “appropriate contact” with others (i.e. no hugs or hand-holding allowed). I watched detailed power point presentations, received several informational brochures, and even watched a couple YouTube videos, all about the H1N1 epidemic and how to avoid it. As a result of the school’s precaution, I was informed of the actions my dorm would need to take if someone possessed “H1N1-like” symptoms. As a Community Facilitator, I had the responsibility of noticing if one of my residents started having flu like symptoms and was instructed to immediately send them to Cowell Health Center to be tested for the Swine Influenza Virus.

The Residential Learning Communities (our special name for dormitories) each have designated isolation rooms that suspected Swine Flu victims must reside in until their symptoms subside. These students are required to stay in the isolation rooms and are instructed to wear facemasks if they need to leave the room for a short period of time. Because of the close living spaces in the RLCs, someone who might have the Swine Flu would need to be immediately isolated so as to not spread the virus to any other student. So far, a couple of my own residents have utilized these services. However, none of them have actually contracted the virus.

To this day, I still receive constant email updates about H1N1 and what other steps Santa Clara is taking to make sure its students can avoid the viral influenza at all costs. I know that we must all take precautions in terms of avoiding the Swine Flu and that its important for us to be informed about the effects of the virus. But sometimes I wonder, is it ever too much?


-Sara

How About Some Tunes Instead of Medication

When you catch the flu, you undoubtedly feel lethargic as well as stressed at the thought of all the school work and responsibilities you'll have to make up. During this period of physical and mental tribulation, I believe it helps to pray, relax, and listen to some soothing music. Especially in the wake of the H1N1 epidemic, it's nice to have a mix music ready to go in case we have the misfortune of contracting the virus.


Here are some pieces of music that I highly recommend for times that you just want to take it easy.


Beethoven:

Sonata #14 – First Movement (AKA Moonlight Sonata)

Chopin:

Nocturne Op.9 #1

Nocturne Op. 27 #2

Prelude Op. 28 #15 (AKA Raindrop Prelude)

Piano Concerto #1 – Second Movement

Debussy:

Clair De Lune

Reverie

Rachmaninoff:

Piano Concerto #1 – Second Movement

Piano Concerto #2 – Second Movement

Prelude Op. 23 #4

Vocalise


You may notice that all of my recommendations are from the Classical Music repertoire (or more specifically from the Classical, Romantic, and Impressionistic Periods/Styles of music). Classical music has grown to be my personal favorite genre. I like instrumental music in particular. While lyrics can be wonderful and poetic, sometimes just have melody without words can be liberating and express that which words cannot.

Here is a video of Norwegian pianist, Leif Ove Andsnes playing Debussy's Clair De Lune

Leif Ove Andsnes plays Debussy's 'Clair de Lune'



- Anton

Monday, November 16, 2009

Swine Flu: A Quarantine Experience


Name:
Brad Terrill
Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona

What was your experience with the Swine Flu?
"I wasn't diagnosed with Swine Flu. They didn't know know whether I had it, and they didn't do a blood test, which would say whether I had it or not."

Where were you quarantined? What were the conditions?:
"I was quarantined for two full days in Nobili apartments. I couldn't leave and had to wear a mask if I left."

What was your first reaction when you heard you had to be isolated?
"Ahh man... that sucks."

What was your favorite pastime?
"Hulu.com" (A website that offers free television shows)

Do you have any advice? "Stay away from people who have it... it's not too bad."


Interview by Keesa

Swine Flu: are you worried? - Steps of Swine Flu

1.

2.


3.



How do we know when Swine Flu attacks? Could it be the awful symptoms? Perhaps. But even then, you can’t really tell if someone, including yourself, has the H1N1 virus attacking the body. What does it look like? And what does it do to your immune system as it attacks?

Of course there are the flu symptoms including fever, runny nose, sore throat, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, coughing, lethargic activity, and a lack of appetite.

The H1N1 virus is said to include parts from swine, avian, and human flu strains. Making it harder to stop from spreading because no one has been exposed to all three before, leaving the human population with no previous resistance. (image 2)

First, The virus enters the body (image 3) and begins to attack the immune system. Then, unless your immune system can fight the virus off, you become ill, and feel the flu like symptoms because your body is trying to get rid of the virus.

If you would like to see an animation about the life of a flu virus I would recommend the animation at NPR.

If you feel you are experiencing signs of the H1N1 flu, please see a doctor, and take precautions against further spreading the disease.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Swine Flu Affects Young People More

(Photo courtesy of nydailynews)


Although medical practitioners are warning people of all ages to take precautions against swine flu, children and young adults between the ages of 5 and 24 should take preventative measures in particular. Unlike the seasonal flu which targets those over 55, swine flu has hit children, young adults, and pregnant women particularly hard. Now why is this?

One reason is because swine flu has spread like wildfire in schools. When young people are in close quarters, it's easy for the virus to disperse among friends. Another possible explanation is that over their lifetime, adults have been vaccinated more often which may point to a better immune response. There is also some indication that those born before 1957 might be protected somewhat due to exposure to an older version of swine flu.

Regardless of why swine flu has targeted young people, please take proper precautions to prevent the virus from spreading. For more information on who is at high risk, visit Daniel J. DeNoon's piece on MedicineNet.

Swine Flu: are you worried?




Name: Matt Saydah

Are you worried about swine flu? No

What precautions are you taking? "Well my favorite is the batwing: coughing into my elbow. After rugby practice, I usually change into dry, warm clothes so I don't walk around when I'm all sweaty. I'm using more hand sanitizer and I got a flu shot earlier this year. If you're somewhat cautious and don't go out to parties when you're sick, I think you'll be fine."


Name: Brigette Heitman

Are you worried about swine flu? No

What precautions are you taking? "I've used more hand sanitizer this year than I've ever used in my entire life. I've always been good about washing my hands. My roommate never covers her mouth when she coughs or sneezes. That's pretty gross. I got a flu shot already because my mom was nagging me to."

-CEW