The Start of Autumn

It's getting to that time of year where the air starts to get crisp and cool (doesn't get above 100!) and the leaves are starting to change (nearly).  A lovely time to go for a nice walk and enjoy the fall air or sit in a coffee shop drinking a pumpkin spice latte and eating some warm pumpkin bread.  Or, if you're a college student, it's a great time for study, study, and more study!  Mid-terms are almost upon us and we're right in the thick of classes with a test or paper around every corner. (I had three tests in four school days a bit ago!)   Even so, I have found that a short break to take a walk  can be quite refreshing on the brain.  Students can only concentrate for so long.  My sister Carol keeps reminding me of this when I get stressed out about a test. (Thanks, Carol!)
Oh, I nearly forgot, this is also the time of year when colds and the flu are invading the campus like the ants invade our kitchen in the summer.  I'm taking a microbiology class this semester which is making me very aware the of gazillions of bacteria surrounding us.  Here's a little advice to try and stay healthy for those tests: wash your hands frequently (you wouldn't believe the bacteria we found on door handles), carry tissues so you don't wipe your nose with your hand, this spread germs and you can wipe germs onto your nose, take vitamin C, and last but not least, SLEEP!  Some college students think that sleep is overrated, but it is definitively not.  Without enough sleep, our brains don't function at their full potential and we can get sick more easily because our body is not rested.  In my Psychology class today, we were talking about sleep (what a coincidence...) and our teacher mentioned that cramming for a test by staying up the night before is really the worst thing you can do.  Lack of sleep affects your memory and if you will have a better chance remembering things if you have more sleep.  Also, an interesting fact I learned in the same Psych class, we have a built-in time in  the afternoon to take naps. It varies from person to person, but 3-5pm is a general time when people's brains are the slowest in the day.  This is why my Mom always says never to get a haircut at 4:30, because it will almost never be a very good one.

On that note, I am going to close this post and snuggle up in my warm bed.

"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe."
Psalm 4:8