Jolene is a recent graduate at UW Bothell and majored in Applied Computing with a minor in Business. Her favorite activities are going to concerts, snowboarding, and traveling. Her travel goals are to visit Spain, Greece, and Japan someday.
er·go·nom·ic 1: an applied science concerned with designing and arranging things people use so that the people and things interact most efficiently and safely— called also biotechnology, human engineering, human factors
What exactly does it mean to make your space more “ergonomic”? To me, it’s organizing and rearranging things that will optimize efficiency while working. Since going to school and working from home, I slowly realized the need to clean up my personal space and to get rid of a lot of distractions. Here are some essential items that every ergonomic workspace needs:
Having a footrest can reduce strain on your body as well as improving posture. Luckily, I live next to an IKEA and was able to pick up this DAGOTTO Footrest and it is life changing. It has reduced my usual back pain that I get from sitting for more than an hour.
This desk organizer doubles as a drawer and a stand for your computer monitor. It’s great for neatly keeping all your supplies within reach so you don’t have to go scrambling for a sticky note and pen. Also, if you choose to place your computer monitor on top of the desk organizer, it would improve posture by raising the eye level that you would normally stare at the screen.
Have you ever had so many cables and chargers dangling everywhere that it made the area off-putting? For the cables that you may need to charge your laptop, phone, and tablet, you can get one of these snazzy cable management organizers that stick to a flat surface to keep those tricky cables in one place and from falling down.
For those who are working from a laptop, you’d be amazed at how much a wireless mouse will make a difference in your workflow. This minimalistic mouse is sleek, compact, and easy to use. You can definitely see how much quicker it is to scroll through emails and switch between tabs.
– Photo provided by Amazon
There are also computer mice specialized in relieving hand pain and reducing hand trouble. This Logitech wireless mouse is designed to the shape of your hand. You can also customize the buttons to your specific needs.
Good lighting is essential to reduce eye strain. I ordered this desk lamp a year ago and it was a huge upgrade from my old lightbulb lamp. This desk lamp has 5 different light modes and adjustable brightness. It is also flexible and has a USB port behind the stand so you can charge your device while using the light. Being energy efficient is also a plus!
The benefits of a laptop stand is that it saves you some desk space and raises the eye level that you look at your screen. In doing so, it reduces slouching as well as neck and back strain.
– Photo provided by Amazon
Practicing Ergonomics
Hopefully you found some inspiration to decorate your space, but ergonomics is more than just changing your workspace. It can also be a lifestyle change! I started building better habits and found that I am able to get more work done. You may find that you are already practicing some of these habits!
Getting up to walk/stretch every hour
Remembering to correct your posture while sitting often
Looking away from your computer screen for 20 seconds every 20 minutes
Adjusting your computer monitor to raise your eye level
Setting your lights to a brightness and warmth level that works for you
Standing up while doing work
For a better breakdown of ergonomics, here’s a video from the Wall Street Journal that shows you how to arrange your desk and some easy exercises to do.
We’re all currently going through difficult times as we try to keep ourselves safe and healthy by staying inside and limiting our contact during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social distancing is a term you have most likely heard being used very heavily recently. It is a practice that helps slow the spread of the virus and is a recommendation that people stay at least 6 feet away from each other. In these times of uncertainty, we can still try to find things that bring us joy. Here are some things I’ve found to keep me entertained and connected with friends and family:
I’ve been a huge fan of Animal Crossing since I was kid! It’s a super fun game that you can find yourself spending hours on. Animal Crossing: New Horizons released just last month, but the impact it had was massive! Many players, including myself, found solace in Animal Crossing during this quarantine. It was a great way to be “outside” without actually being outside. In Animal Crossing, you get to interact with villagers and build/design your character, home, and island however you’d like to! I could go on and on about Animal Crossing, but if you’re still a little lost, here’s a 5-minute video from Nintendo showing you what the game is about. My favorite feature of the game is being able to invite and visit your friends. To be able to do so, you would need a Nintendo Online membership, which is $19.99/year for a single member. The Nintendo online family membership allows you to add up to 8 players for $34.99/year. If you’re looking to save some money, I would suggest getting the family membership since it is only $15 more to add a lot more people. If you’re not sure if it’s something you want to commit a whole year to, Nintendo also offers a 7-day free membership trial and memberships for 1-month and 3-months. Once you have the Nintendo online membership, you can have a lot of fun with friends and family hanging out on an island!
Do you miss watching movies with your friends and family? I sure do. It wasn’t until I saw a video on the popular mobile app, Tik Tok, with over a million views that I found out about Netflix Party. It’s a great way to watch movies with others simultaneously! There is also a chat sidebar where participants can send messages and it will be displayed. All of you and your participants need is a Netflix account. It works by downloading the Netflix Party browser extension from their website.
Host directions
If you are hosting a Netflix Party, you would first select a movie or show that you would like everyone to watch. Once selected, you should see the “NP” icon in your browser turn red. Click it, and it will generate a link that you can send out and invite your participants to. As your participants click the link, you can see them join in the chat bar. Whenever everyone is ready, just click play and enjoy!
Viewer directions
If you are a viewer, you would also need the Netflix Party browser extension. After downloading the extension, just wait for your host to send out the link and once they do, click on it and you should be tuned in.
Also worth a mention is Hulu’s recently released Hulu Watch Party feature that allows up to 8 people to watch a synchronized show or movie similar to Netflix Party. Currently, only those with a Hulu No-Ads plan are able to access this feature. Luckily, I have the plan and was able to test it out with my friends and I. You’re able to start a watch party from the details page of a show/movie and send out the link to people you want to watch with. There is also a sidebar where you and the participants can chat. I’m very excited to be able to watch some of my favorite shows that are exclusively on Hulu with my friends.
Sometimes just getting together and seeing each other’s faces is just enough to help us get through these hard times. Many of us had to put our normal lives on hold and adjust to these new conditions. As a college senior, I’ve had a lot of memorable events and simple things like taking graduation photos with my friends canceled. Although it feels like the world has suddenly stopped, I do appreciate that I have more time these days. It allows me to reconnect with those I’ve lost touch with. Zoom and Discord are great platforms I’ve used to talk to my friends and family.
Zoom
By now, many of us are familiar with using Zoom for school and work as we transition out of our traditional means of doing things. Zoom isn’t just “all work and no play”. You can also utilize it to see friends and family to get together and catch up. It’s also extremely funny when everyone is able to change their virtual background. Zoom has since upped their security to ensure that it is safe for its users to use.
Discord
Discord is one of my favorite platforms because of how easy it is to use. Similar to Zoom, you can also voice call and webcam with others, but they have other features that allows you to create servers, which is essentially one big group chat where you can talk and message to all members at once.
Another one of my favorite activities to do with friends and family is getting together to play Jackbox Party! Jackbox Party is unique because they have their own twist on traditional board games. You can buy and download Jackbox Party Packs, which each include 5 different types of games. You can play Jackbox Party Packs on MacOS, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. My friends and I found the easiest way to play together is for each person to have a computer/laptop available as well as a smartphone.
How it works
The host would use a screensharing platform like Zoom or Discord to share their screen of Jackbox Party and the participants would be able to view the screen while using their smartphones to play. These are just the methods I’ve used. The great people at Jackbox also made a post on How to Play Jackbox Games with Friends and Family Remotely.
Another one of my favorite games to play is Spyfall. It’s a free browser game that everyone would enjoy. Once the game starts, one individual in the group has been giving the role “Spy” and no location, while the other players are given various roles related to the location. For example, the location could be “University” and the various roles could be student, administrator, and janitor. The location is the same for all players who are not the Spy. Rounds are timed so all players must take turns to ask questions to try to decipher who knows the location and answers can’t be too revealing. Once the timer ends, all players must vote who they think is the Spy and players can defend their position. Location and roles are still to be kept secret at this stage. Votes must be unanimous. If the real Spy is casted out, they have once chance to guess the location. If the guess is correct, the Spy wins. If another player who was not the Spy is casted out, the Spy wins. Full details on the rules can be found here.
To those of you reading this, I wish that you are happy and healthy while we all try to get through this stressful times together. Hopefully these activities can help you destress and provide a little happiness in your day. Check out Robert’s previous blog post, Activities for Home, for more fun things to do!
I definitely struggle to stay awake during lectures and motivated to complete everything I planned out for the day. Every now and then, I treat myself to a Starbucks coffee when I feel like I have a long day ahead of me. Here are some other ways to help you stay awake and alert throughout the day:
Caffeine
Coffee
Like I mentioned above, coffee is my go-to drink for when I’m feeling drowsy. My usual coffee order is a caramel macchiato with an extra espresso shot. That roughly equates to 150mg of caffeine. Over my years of being a sleep-deprived student, I’ve found that I’m quite susceptible to caffeine so I used a caffeine calculator to make sure that I don’t consume above my limit. Consuming too much caffeine may result in dizziness, headache, insomnia, other symptoms, and should not be a replacement to natural rest.
Tea
If you’re not into coffee, many teas have caffeine as well! Black tea contains 60-75mg of caffeine per cup. The amount of caffeine is also dependent on how long you steep the tea so steep longer for more caffeine. Drinking tea also has some health benefits like lowering the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and overall calmness. My usual cup of tea consists of green tea with a little bit of honey.
Surprisingly, to help you stay awake throughout the day, waking up early and giving yourself adequate time to get ready can help you in the long run. Common breakfast foods like eggs, oatmeal, and yogurt are full of nutrients and vitamins to start the day. Although grabbing a quick cup of coffee or a sugary pastry saves time, it might make you crash earlier in the day if you do it too often. Building this habit will help you approach the day with a better mindset.
Carry snacks
Speaking from personal experience, getting hungry in the middle of the day can definitely throw off your focus and make you lose motivation! Most of the time, it’s because we are running low on energy. I find a banana, sliced fruit, and carrots with hummus to be good pick-me-ups throughout the day. Also, granola bars, trail mix, and fruit snacks are some of the best snacks to have with you at all times because they’re non-perishable and are still okay after being smacked around the bottom of a backpack or bag.
Stay hydrated
This is so important! Drinking enough water throughout the day really does wonders. A symptom of dehydration is lack of energy, which can lead to sleepiness. Definitely something you do not want to feel in the middle of the day. Although this amount is different for each person, a good guideline is for adults to drink 8 ounces of water 8 times a day. This can easily remembered by the “8 by 8” rule.
Be eco-friendly and carry a refillable water bottle when you’re out on walks and running errands!
Lifesum
I use a free app called Lifesum to track my meals/snacks, water, and exercise. I really like how it’s easy to use and the user interface is really appealing! You can also sync the app with your mobile device so that it can track your steps. By using Lifesum, I was able to manage my diet and make sure that I build a habit of keeping my energy up throughout the day. Lifesum is available on iOS and and Android to download.
Sleep plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy life. It is recommended that adults get 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. Here are some of the things that happen during a sleep cycle:
Tissue growth and repair
Energy restoration to the brain and body
Growth hormones essential for development are released
Support for daytime performance
Naps can reduce feelings of sleepiness, but be careful not to overdo it. An ideal nap duration is 10 to 30 minutes. You should consider other factors when deciding to take a nap, such as not napping for too long or too close to your bedtime. These will impact your regular sleep schedule and how you’ll feel after the nap.
Mindfulness Techniques
What exactly are mindfulness techniques? They are simple practices you can do to focus on what your body is feeling and sensing in the current moment by doing simple breaths and stretches. According to the Mayo Clinic, these techniques can benefit you by reducing stress, pain, insomnia, and other conditions discussed on their website.
There are many benefits to exercising including improvements in your physical and mental health. By including daily exercise into your schedule, it will greatly improve how you go about your day.
Morning workouts: Exercising in the mornings sound dreadful, but once you build the habit it can help you establish a routine. Just the fact that you took the time before your usual schedule to exercise gives you a sense of achievement and with this mindset, it will motivate you to tackle your day of to-do’s. Morning workouts will also force you out of bed so that you do not oversleep and feel groggy.
Evening workouts: This is my preferred time to exercise because it is the last thing I do before I get to go home and relax! I get to exercise the built up stress from the day away and have some self-reflection time while I’m running on the treadmill. Exercising at this time is great for night owls, like myself, who have trouble sleeping at night because it’ll tire you out just enough that you’ll fall asleep easier.
These are just some of the things you can do to stay attentive throughout your day, but more importantly, it is dependent on how you set yourself up before the day even starts by building healthy habits and doing things in moderation. Hopefully the content I’ve written above helps you get through the day in a healthy and productive way.
Throughout the school year, you can often find me and other students on campus in the library doing homework or catching up on studying. Most of the time, I am able to pile through a decent amount of work, but there are some days where I feel unmotivated and distracted. There are hundreds of studies that show how your environment greatly affects your productivity. Changing the scenery of your study sessions can give you a change of pace that will help you feel refreshed to get back to grinding. Here are some of my studying alternatives to the library:
Top Floor of the Activities & Recreational Center (ARC)
When other study spaces on campus become crowded, I can always find a spot to study on the top floor of the ARC. This floor is a multipurpose area where students can hangout, study, eat, or simply unwind before their next class. I like studying here because there is a lot of natural lighting, a lot of outlet plugs, and others who are also being productive. Because it is such a big floor, the noise level is spread out to create the right level of background noise. The ARC has many different purposes aside from being a great study space so be sure to check out what’s going on at myARC.
– Photo provided by the Activities & Recreational Center (ARC)
Quantitative Skills Center (QSC)
Being a computer science major, I often get stumped on my code and need some help in debugging. The QSC is a great place to get help from their wonderful tutors who are knowledgeable in different subject fields like math, biology, computer science, business, etc. They really take the time to help steer you in the right direction so that you can come up with the solution yourself. It’s also a common place to find and meet up with classmates to work together. For some, they find that working with others increase motivation and focus. It’s also really beneficial to study with classmates because if you don’t know something, they might and vice versa! More information can be found on the QSC website.
Whether it’s a Starbucks or a little shop in the city, the smells and sounds of a coffee shop set the mood for what is about to be one of the most intense work sessions to come. If I ever feel like I’m starting to lose energy, I can just grab a cup of coffee to refuel. Also, some people prefer studying with background noises to help them be productive. The sound of people coming in, placing orders, and having conversations can actually create a relaxing ambience for productivity.
Not able to go to a coffee shop, but still want to feel like it? Coffitivity.com is a free website that plays you ambient noise as if you’re sitting in a cafe. Also, this Spotify playlist was created by Starbucks and is the same music they play in their cafes.
Your Room
Studying in our own personal rooms can either be really beneficial or the worst decision ever made. We usually associate our rooms as a space where we can unwind and relax. Although that sounds great, this can feed into the temptation that getting any work done is impossible and that you should just take a nap or watch a quick episode of your favorite show before embarking on a study session that we both know will never happen. On the contrary, your room could be a great study space because it makes you feel comfortable and relaxed. If I have a huge exam coming up, I will stress for days about what, when, and how I need to study. I tend to make better decisions and plans when I am calm so that I can create a study schedule that will optimize my time until the exam date. Ultimately, this can be a great study alternative, but beware of getting too comfy!
Finding a good study place is different for everybody. Some like silence and some like noise. My words of encouragement is that you should go explore these study environments and find what makes you work at your best so that you can ease the stress from school and free up more time to do other things that make you happy!
Recently, the UWB/CC Campus Library has expanded its video game selection by now including games from the latest generation of consoles such as the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch! I grew up playing video games and even though I’m a lot a busier as a college student, I still try to work in some gaming time every now and then to relieve stress. Some of the video games that I’ve enjoyed are now available to check out in the library and here is my experience playing them.
Red Dead Redemption 2 was one of those “don’t judge a book by its cover” situations for me because I wasn’t totally drawn to the whole Wild West cowboy idea at first, but, boy did it really fool me. It threw me on a long emotional roller coaster where the storyline and gameplay really makes players invested in how they make choices because they are consequential to the main character development of Arthur Morgan. What I also liked about the game is its attention to detail. Who doesn’t love a game with a ton of customizations? You can customize clothing, weapons, and even your horse. There are a ton of things to accomplish aside from main missions on this open-world map. It’s a ton of fun! This is definitely a game that is worth the time and effort playing!
Playing as your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is a nice and lighthearted game if you’re looking for something that you can easily pick up and play for an hour at a time. Being a computer science nerd, I really appreciate the swing mechanics that the developers used in the game. It makes swinging through the city of New York seamless and extremely satisfying! You also get to unlock different Spider-Man suits that come with unique abilities and the option to upgrade gadgets. Like most games, there are side missions that you can do to gain experience points and to progress the story. Easily one of my favorite games of the year.
Out of all the Legend of Zelda games, Breath of the Wild is the “wildest” one I’ve played. See what I did there? I’ll try my best to summarize this super packed game into a paragraph. First off, the visuals and soundtrack of the game is unlike any other game Nintendo has done in the past. The map in this game is huge. As you travel, you will enter across different climate regions with dynamic weather where you can discover hundreds of shrines and find Korok seeds needed to upgrade your inventory slots. In the game, you play as Link and you’re trying to recollect your past and defeat Ganon in order to free Princess Zelda. There is so much more to this game than I am trying to put into words so I hope that you just check out the game for yourself and have a great experience.
Overall, I am looking forward to more games that will be added to the collection in the future and hopefully with more games I’ll be able to share my new experiences in a future blog post! If you find yourself on campus needing a break, you can come to the ARC Gaming area located on the first floor across the street from the library where you can play video and board games.
