Loneliness Considered Contagious??

Have you ever though that the feeling of loneliness would be considered contagious? Even though we may think that loneliness occurs when one is by him/herself and isolated, the feeling of loneliness can actually occur when we are with other people in our social networks. New research shows that loneliness can spread from person to person within the social networks they are involved in. The results were posted in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology as well as in a book called "Connected." The book looks at how obesity, smoking, happiness, and may other things can be spread from person to person.

Researchers have done studies about a group of people and their levels of loneliness. They also looked at the participants' friends and their levels of loneliness. They were able to study this group a couple of times through a span of a few years. By doing this, they were able to see how levels of loneliness had changed, and whether they had spread among the people in their social networks. The research shows that if you have direct contact with someone in your social network who is lonely, you are 52 percent more likely to be lonely too. At two degrees of seperation, such as a friend of a friend, you are 25 percent more likely to be lonely. At three degrees of seperation, the percentage moves down to 15 percent.

Dr. John Cacioppo, a psychologist, talks about how people like to be around others that they trust, like, and have strong bonds with. When an individual starts to question those bonds or if the trust may chance, we may feel lonely because those people aren't as present in our hearts and lives as they once were. We focus so much on interaction and strong friendships that when things change, we feel alone.

So, what do you think? Can you feel lonely even when you are around quite a few people from your social network? Is loneliness contagious? Do you think that it spreads easily?

College Requiring Physical Fitness for Graduation

Do you know what your BMI, or Body Mass Index, is? Do you know if that number is healthy on the scale for body mass?

For your information, a body mass index of over 30 is considered to be reflective of obesity. I've calculated my body mass index several times in my life, and I am technically "slightly overweight" according to the scale.

I'm sure most, if not all, of us have taken a fitness and wellness course at some point in our college careers and schooling. These health and fitness classes allow students to learn more about what it takes to live a healthy life. Exercise is a prime focus in these courses.

But, what if your body mass index determined whether or not you would be required to complete a physical fitness course in order to graduate? This exact situation is taking place at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. At Lincoln, students with a body mass index over 30 are required to participate in a fitness class called "Fitness for Life" where they are able to participate in water aerobics, Tai Bo, and aerobic dance. I'm sure several other activities are offered as well. Some students find the class and program to be just fine. It offers anyone the chance to learn more about physical fitness. In one way, I understand the need for physical fitness courses in college, but it also brings up controversial topics such as privacy. Students should not be required to take the course just because of their size and weight. I completely agree that a class should be required for every student, but placing certain students into another category seems kind of harsh.

Now, when I took fitness and wellness as a freshman, I took it in the summer as an online course. That sounds really weird, I know. It was somewhat strange having an online course that involved physical activity. I think I would have liked to experience from a face-to-face point of view. We were asked to calculate our body mass index as well as other factors that made up our physical fitness profile. All of the information that we gathered helped us to define what areas of fitness we wanted to work on, and the areas that we exceled in as well. I enjoyed some of the activities that we were asked to perform, and I wish that I continued my physical fitness activities more.

Now, I still run and exercise fairly often, but there are definitely things that I want to work towards. Currently, my sister and I are training for a 5K as part of the Fargo Marathon this spring. Do you have any physical fitness goals? What do you think about physical fitness courses and their requirements and activities?

Black Friday Shopping Up 16 Percent

Results from a new survey released on Tuesday show that Black Friday shopping is going to jump 16 percent this year. Approximately 57 million people have said that they are definitely doing their shopping on Black Friday compared to the 49 million people that shopped on Black Friday in 2008, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation. Along with those shoppers, another 77 million said they will wait and decide after seeing the weekend deals and sales.

So, what do you think about all of the sales, deals, and "doorbusters" that people seem to be obsessed with? Is it worth it to wait in line at 5 a.m. to get the greatest deals?

From the results of the survey, about 10.3 percent will get to stores as early as midnight to shop for the best deals, while another 28.8 percent decided to start around dawn, between 4 and 6 a.m. Aside from the people shopping at those horrendous times, 28.2 percent said they would most likely shop between 7 and 9 a.m. Do any of those hours seem appealing during a long weekend? I understand that people want to get shopping done. As a college student, I feel differently now because I enjoy my precious hours of sleep. What category would you fall into if you were to go shopping on Black Friday?

Many stores such as Toys R Us, Kohl's, JCPenney, Herberger's, and Macy's will have amazing deals that start very early in the day on Friday. Walmart is also adjusting time in order to get more people through their stores. Of their stores, 810 are not open 24-hours a day on a normal basis, but they will be open all night for Black Friday.

Another topic that this article brought up was the option of online shopping. Retailers have great offers online as well as in their stores. From the individuals that were surveyed, 27.6 percent said that they would shop online. I definitely use this option more now than I used to. Last year, I did most of my shopping online. I find it so much easier to view items online and not venture out into the weather and crowds in order to shop.

So, after hearing these statistics, what do you think? Are they what you expected? Do you think they will rise even more in the future years? Also, what kind of shopping experience do you prefer?

Also, check out the video on preventing Black Friday deaths!

Wheelchair Rugby Builds Confidence

Have you ever thought about what life is like as a quadriplegic? Just ask Talbot Kennedy or his coach and occupational therapist, Amy Bohn.

Talbot Kennedy became a quadriplegic on his last day of high school when he tried a trick on his trampoline which ended in disaster. After landing on his head and injury to his upper neck, he was paralyzed from the chest down. Now he is in a wheelchair, but he keeps active by playing rugby with other quadriplegics. Kennedy is part of the Smash Rugby team at a rehabilitation hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, and the team participates in tournaments as part of the United States Quad Rugby Association.

Occupational therapist and coach, Amy Bohn, says that "They learn to live again, and learn to live in a different way but realize that there's life after their injury, and they can do all the things they before."

Kennedy is embracing his new "family" of friends that he participates with. He is still able to be an athlete even though he can't do the same activities as he did before. Working hard and working together as a team has really helped boost his confidence. He will be the first to tell you that rugby is not an easy sport at all. The full-on contact with other players creates a tough and intense environment. By doing this, they get a great cardiovascular workout because they still have to strengthen themselves.

I feel that Kennedy is very inspiring to anyone who has dealt with a serious injury that affects them in some way physically and emotionally. He is still able to be independent, live alone, go to college, participate in athletics, and build up a new life once again. "You get so much confidence in yourself by doing this. ...It's a wonderful sport." Kennedy expresses "I don't know where I'd be without it." He really is an amazing person, and I admire is hard work and determination during such a hard time in his life.

Life is Precious

With all of the new movies that have been advertised in the last couple of months, one film has stood out to me. "Precious" is a new film based on the book “Push” written by an African American poet and writer known as Sapphire. The main character of the movie and book is Precious, an overweight 16-year-old African American girl living in Harlem. She portrays a troubled teen that goes through an extremely harsh life with her father and mother as well as society. Precious must endure intense feelings of rage and sorrow as she is pregnant for the second time by her absent father and abused by her mother. This movie focuses on the feelings of any person that has been degraded or underestimated.

Several popular actors and actresses are involved in the movie. Precious’ character is actually played by newcomer Gabourey Sidibe (pronounced SIH-deh-bay). Sidibe learned about the role from her mother who is an R&B singer. After reading through the script for the audition, she spoke with the director Lee Daniels who instantly asked her to be a part of his film. Other actresses in the film include Mo’Nique who plays Precious’ mother and Mariah Carey who plays the welfare caseworker. Many people know Mo’Nique for her comedic acts, but this film just shows how diverse Mo’Nique really is.

Reviews for the movie are quite diverse. Comments range from praise of the film to criticisms about whether or not a movie should portray such harmful stories and images. From comments that I have seen about the movie, I get the impression that it is very emotionally charged and moving for viewers.

I have watched other movies that reveal the horrors that sometimes occur in our society. Other controversial films such as “Boys Don’t Cry” featuring Hilary Swank are extremely hard to watch because of the content, but those movies are very moving at the same time. Even though the film touches base with so many controversial and harsh topics, I am quite interested to see it.

What are your feelings about “Precious”? Would you be interested in seeing the movie? Have you seen other controversial movies?

Employers' Top Ten

What do you think employers look for when they are hiring new employees? What important factors can you bring to the table when looking to join a company?

A recent article from CareerBuildern.com and CNNLiving website describe the top ten reasons why employers want to hire you and what they are looking for. A recent study from CareerBuilder and Robert Half International showed that multitasking (36 percent), initiative (31 percent) and creative thinking (21 percent) are the most important personal characteristics in a job applicant. It is important to have knowledge of the company and what they want before going into the entire interview process. Knowing what they are looking for can help you get the position.

During the survey, six workplace experts chose the ten most common reasons why employers hire employees. These reasons are in no particular order.

1. Long-term potential
2. Ability to work well with others
3. Ability to make money
4. Impressive resume
5. Relevant work experience
6. Creative problem-solving skills
7. Strong online presence
8. Multitaskers who thrive on variety of projects
9. Enthusiasm and initiative
10. Good cultural fit

One of the most interesting reasons that I found was having a strong online presence. In today’s society, social networking is becoming extremely important. Having a presence on social networking sites has its positives and negatives. Social networking allows employers to see any content that is placed about you. This means that content needs to be kept appropriate. On the other hand, showing that you are involved in social networking can help employers see you in another role apart from the face-to-face aspect alone.

All of these factors can determine whether one person would be hired over another. Which characteristics do you think you need to work on personally? Which ones are already your strong areas? Good luck in all of your job searches and interviews!

Heroes in Our World

Who would you consider to be your hero? Is it a celebrity? A family member? A fictional character? Superman?

CNN is bringing out the Heroes of 2009 to show the world what ordinary people can do in our world and society to help those around them. Reading the stories of these remarkable people shows how anyone can make a difference.

Brad Blauser works in Iraq helping disabled children. He provides Iraqi children and their families with pediatric wheelchairs. Blauser states that “Disabled children – they’re really the forgotten ones in this war.”

Roy Foster, a veteran, works with the sheriff’s homeless unit in Palm Beach, Florida. At the Stand Down House, approximately 900 veterans have found shelter and a safe place to recover.

Doc Hendley is a bartender whose organization, Wine to Water, provides clean water and sanitation systems to people all over the world in developing countries. Funds are raised at wine tasting events.

Andrea Ivory volunteers with the Florida Breast Health Initiative, or FBHI, to educate women about breast cancer and breast health. They have provided more than 500 mammograms to eligible women.

Betty Makoni, founder of the Girl Child Network, has helped rescue at least 35,000 girls from abuse. She has helped those young girls find a new community where they can speak out and share their stories.

Jorge Munoz in Jackson Heights, New York feeds home-cooked meals to many homeless men and women 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Hot food, coffee and hot chocolate make a world of difference for the people who need just one meal for now.

In the Philippines, Efren Penaflorida, uses his pushcart classroom in order to provide an alternative to gang membership. Children and teens are able to learn and find another way through his Dynamic Teen Company.

Budi Soehardi and his wife have founded the West Timor orphanage in Indonesia where they watch over 47 children. They are able to care for the children who don’t have mothers or are abandoned in the very poor areas of the country.

In New Orleans, Derrick Tabb offers free tutoring, instruments and music education to more than 100 students through his program, The Roots of Music. He is able to keep them away from the drug dealers and gangs that are in the area.

Jordan Thomas who lost his legs in a boating accident has founded the Jordan Thomas Foundation. He has raised more than $400,000 in order to pay for life-changing prosthetics for children in need.

All of these people have made such a huge impact on their world and the people around them. I only hope that I can work as hard as they have and make my own difference. What would you do?