Sunburned

You did everything you were supposed to do. You wore a hat, you stayed in the shade as much as possible and you applied sunblock with a protection factor of at least 15. Still, you got burned. Ouch.

"Even with the best intentions, many people will suffer at least one sunburn each summer," said Dee Anna Glaser, M.D., dermatologist and associate professor of dermatology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. "They forget to reapply sunblock after swimming or they miss spots or they stayed outside longer than expected. A sunburn can be a painful lesson."

In general... some of the Do's & Don'ts are as follows:

DO'S-------
> Take a cool bath-not ice cold, but cool-without any bubble bath, bath salts or oils in the water.
> Apply cold compresses to the skin.
> Sit near a fan or an air conditioner.
> Stay out of the sun. Tender skin should be protected against the sun until it has healed, which usually takes a couple of weeks.
> Take aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen to ease the pain and inflammation.
> To rehydrate (add moisture to) the skin and help reduce swelling, apply a thick, bland moisturizer, aloe or a one-percent hydrocortisone cream on the sunburned areas. Make sure the moisturizers have little or no alcohol content.
> Drink extra water to replace the fluid lost in the swelling of sunburned skin and to prevent dehydration and dizziness.
> Apply an over-the-counter anesthetic spray to ease the pain.

DON'TS-------
> Do not take a hot bath to "draw out the heat." Glaser said this treatment myth might only injure your skin further.
> Do not scrub your skin.
> If possible, do not apply lotions or moisturizers that contain extras, such as perfumes or preservatives.
> Do not pick at blisters or remove your skin when the peeling process begins. This can result in infection. Let the skin fall off naturally.



In addition to these 'normal' remedies; there have been lists upon lists of FOLK REMEDIES such as:

*ALOE; very effective in relieving pain and inflammation.


*VINEGAR; will prevent blistering and peeling.

*LEMON WATER; will cool the burn, act as a disinfectant, and will promote healing of the skin.

In any case, if you experience chills, fever, or rashes - you may have sun poisioning and you should seek a doctor immediately.

Back to School

School is back in session, whether you have kids attending school or you are in school yourself or even BOTH; there's nothing more fun than homework, tests and quizzes right? ... NOT! However, furthering ones' education is extremely special and we should take advantage of the situation in some cases. Make it a point to succeed this semester. Shoot for the best grade possible, and don't merely attend, to attend. Attempt to learn something. Knowledge, after all, is power.

Some ways to help you succeed:

1. Take notes effectively

A good set of notes can serve you well. Your notes help you remember which concepts your professor stressed and, thus, give you an idea as to what will be covered in the exam. Note taking also helps you concentrate on the lecture.

2. Learn to read actively

Most of the material you have to learn at university is presented in written form. That's why it's so important to know an active reading technique that will enable you to learn and remember what you read.

3. Learn to write effective term papers

At University, term papers are very important. Your professors assign them so that they can see how well you understand the material and how effectively you can discuss the pertinent issues. Your goal is to use your papers to convince your professor you deserve the mark you want.

4. Manage your study sessions

Your schedule is likely a hectic one. Besides attending classes, doing homework and studying for tests and exams, you might also be holding down a part-time job, participating in a team sport, and looking after an apartment. You need to manage your time very efficiently if you are to keep up with your studies and finish your assignments on time.

5. Balance your life

Devoting all of your time to school work may sound like a sure fire way to succeed in your courses, but living only for school can actually lead to burn-out. Conversely, spending too much time on leisure or other activities can lead to major stress (or even failure) when exam time comes. Finding the proper balance between time for school and time for everything else is a crucial step in achieving success.

6. Set a career goal

Setting career goals is a crucial step towards success. Career goals are the focus and the reason behind all the hard work you're doing now. When you don't have a sense of what you're moving towards, things can seem pretty pointless. Knowing how a particular assignment relates in the long run to your future career can be the motivation you need to actually do it.

7. Deal with personal issues

Life has a way of handing us ups and downs when we least expect them. This means that sometimes your life is going to get in the way of your studies. It's important to realize and accept that there will be times when you are just not able to work or study because life issues are demanding more attention. If this happens to you, be ready to seek out resources to help you deal with the situation.

8. Work the system

Success at university is more than just doing well in classes; it's knowing how to work with the system. There are things that you need to know that you won't necessarily be told. And with regards to university regulations, ignorance is not bliss! So be prepared to ask questions and dig a little to find out the information.

♥ Saturday; the Simple Life.

♥ Go for a walk with a pet or a friend. Enjoy the outside.



♥ Write a letter to an old friend & send it through snail mail.

♥ Attempt a craft -- Origami, jewelry, or something that interests you.

♥ Browse MySpace's music list & search for 'unsigned' artists. Listen and be enlightened.

♥ Sign up for an event (5K, bike ride, walk, etc..) & get a friend to join you.

♥ Pick flowers or buy flowers and set them in your house.