OCTOBER 2019 |
VOL 3 ISSUE 2

In this issue:

  • BOO-t the Sunday Scaries
  • Eck Teck-nique
  • Houston Happenings
  • Meal Prep
  • MS4 Advice
  • Schedule Prep
  • SPOTlight
  • TAO
The Well is a monthly newsletter that serves to
positively impact the well-being of the McGovern student community
by highlighting a myriad of wellness-related content.
BOO-t the Sunday Scaries
“Sunday Scaries” is one of the many ways to describe the sad, stressed, anxious feeling we experience the day before another week begins - when we look toward the challenges that await us in the coming week while simultaneously dreading the end of the weekend. This feeling can be augmented by our medical school schedules, as Monday’s often entail new modules, new rotations, new attendings, new teams, new material to tackle. We can’t change these aspects of medical school, and frankly, even if we could, we shouldn’t because physicians are lifelong learners who consistently confront new beginnings. We can, however, learn how to manage the “Sunday Scaries.” Here are some strategies to ensure your Sunday’s stay rejuvenating!

  • Log out of social media - take the opportunity to reset your mind and stop comparing your experiences to others’. Center yourself in the present… your present!
  • Cultivate a relaxing environment - many people find scents like lavender or mint immediately transform their space and transport their mind. Invest in candles or essential oils to create your own in-home getaway.
  • Lean on friends who understand - you are not expected to go through this alone. If you don’t know where to start, drop by Student Affairs for resources. They have an open-door policy and are more than happy to listen.
  • Create a wind-down routine - exercising, cooking or baking, and indulging in a relaxing bath can be just the tickets to keep your mind at peace when anxiety tries to creep into your Sunday evening.
  • Turn in early - start the week well-rested. To practice good sleep hygiene, avoid alcohol and caffeine starting at least in the early afternoon, and employ screenless strategies such as journaling if you have trouble falling asleep.
Schedule Prep
  • Organize your notes and study materials from the previous week. Doing so is a good way to put your best foot forward for the new week!

  • Check Canvas. Briefly orient yourself to what lies ahead in an effort to lessen anxiety and make your schedule more clear and manageable.

  • Prepare for the next day the evening before (outfit, lunch, backpack, etc.) so that your mornings have fewer moving parts. Make a short to-do list if you need to! Some days are busy and need more preparation than others.

  • Outline your meals and exercise routine at the beginning of each week, and do your best to keep yourself accountable. If things change throughout the week, that’s totally fine!

  • Plan something fun to look forward to toward the end of the week! This could be meeting up with a friend, going out to eat, attending a concert/movie/sports game, or even just relaxing with your pet and turning on Netflix.
Meal Prep
Start the week off right!
The first step in approaching meal prep is choosing which overarching strategy you want to utilize. Below are two meal-plan styles between which you can choose!

Efficiency meal plan: This meal plan is less varied, but all you need to cook is one meal for the entire week. This plan is great for someone who wants to cook quickly and efficiently, and doesn’t mind eating something similar every day.

Varied meal plan: This plan is great for someone who doesn’t want to eat something similar every day and wants to learn to cook easy meals.

This Google Drive folder includes a weekly plan, recipes, and a full grocery list. 

Click here for more easy, healthy meal prep ideas.

Two meal prep apps that may help: Mealime [free] and Recipe Keeper [fee].
Study Tip | The Eck Teck-nique
  1. Break up studying into shorter study sessions (25-60 mins) with breaks in between (5-10 mins). Your brain can only focus for so long before it needs a break.
  2. Use timer apps to keep track of your studying time. For example, the Forest app keeps you from using your phone during studying. It also allows you to plant trees so the more you study, the more trees you can plant!
  3. Turn your phone on airplane mode to prevent distractions from any notifications.
  4. It's about efficient, quality study time! 
MS4 Advice

Coping with stress is one of the most important skills attained in medical school. It is essential to managing the demands of our future careers in medicine, but it is not meant to come naturally - handling stress requires practice. The technique that has helped me the most is creating lists. When my email is overflowing and I feel like I’ve overcommitted myself, I pause and write everything down. Things I can address immediately or later that day, I keep on the list and mark them off as I complete them. Things that require more time get put on my calendar to complete when they best fit my schedule. Breaking down my to-dos into discrete tasks helps me to realize that despite the fact that there are only 24 hours in the day of a medical student, I can accomplish the things I want to as long as I tackle them smartly!

| Ally Limmer, MS4
 SPOTlight | Study Spaces
  • Agora | Montrose | If you’re in for a long night, or maybe just a night owl, head to Agora for coffee and wine until 2 am. Parking is limited so plan ahead!
  • Fondren Library | Rice University Campus | Settle in for a long day of studying and get those university ~vibes~ among well-lit tables, cubicles, chairs, and plenty of outlets.
  • Slowpokes | Upper Kirby | With coffee, wine, food, giant windows, free wifi, and a Levy Park across the street - why would you not go here? 
  • Tout Suite | Downtown | If you need sweets (or real food) to sustain your studies, check out this well-known, lively coffee shop. Maybe bring your noise-canceling headphones.
BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
WELLNESS 5K | CLICK HERE FOR INFO
Houston Happenings

10.03-04: Styx, Smart Financial Center
10.04-06: Ari Shaffir, The Improv
10.04-11.03: Screamworld Haunted Houses
2225 North Sam Houston Pkwy W. Houston, TX 77038
10.04-05: Lizzo, Revention Music Center
10.05: 2019 Komen Houston Race for the Cure, Allen Parkway
10.05-06: J Balvin, Smart Financial Center
10.05-06: Korean Festival Houston, Discovery Green
10.05-06: Maze and Frankie Beverly, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
10.05-06: Tame Impala, White Oak Music Hall
10.06: 5th Annual Southern Smoke Festival,
Underbelly, Hay Merchant and Blacksmith
10.06: Chris Brown, Toyota Center
10.06-07: Wu Tang Clan, Smart Financial Center
10.08: Mumford and Sons, Toyota Center
10.09-10: Natalia Lafourcade, Revention Music Center
10.10: Billie Eilish, Toyota Center
10.10-11: Gloria Trevi, Smart Financial Center
10.10-13: 41st Houston Italian Festival,
Grounds of the University of St. Thomas
10.11-12: Drew and Ellie Holcomb, The Heights
10.11-12: Jon Pardi, White Oak Music Hall
10.11-12: Lil Duval, House of Blues
10.12-13: 2019 Bayou City Art Festival Downtown
10.12-13: Cody Jinks, Sam Houston Race Park
10.13: Running of the Bulls 5K Run/Walk, NRG Park
10.18: Bastille, White Oak Music Hall
10.19: 11th Annual Houston VisionWalk, Discovery Green
10.19: Screen on the Green - How to Train Your Dragon:
The Hidden World, Discovery Green
10.19: Logic, Smart Financial Center
10.19-20: Brick Fest Live LEGO Fan Experience, NRG Center
10.19-20: Pumpkin Patch Fall Festival, Russ Pitman Park
10.22-27: Cats, Sarofim Hall
10.23: Chance the Rapper, Toyota Center
10.25: Scream on the Green, Discovery Green
10.25-26: Anderson Cooper & Andy Cohen, Smart Financial Center
10.26: Houston HalloWeekend Pub Crawl 2019, The Dogwood
10.27: Zac Brown Band, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
10.30-31: [including Thurs-Sun in October], Houston Scream Fest, 1500 Elton Street
TAO | Therapy Assistance Online
The Student Health and Counseling Clinic is excited to announce a new wellness tool available to all students, faculty, and staff at UTH.  TAO (Therapy Assistance Online) is an interactive, self-guided, web-based program that consists of tools and educational materials to help you learn about and change how you think and feel. 
Brought to you by the McGovern Student Wellness & Resilience Committee
Newsletter Staff: Lauren Appel, Lauren Beal, Andrew Eck,
Ashley Ernst, Jay Garza, Ally Limmer, Kelly Masterson,
Malvi Mehta, Nisha Reddy, & Fatema Shipchandler
Questions, Comments, or Contributions to The Well,
please email MS.Wellness@uth.tmc.edu