Future Nurse: Zulually Guerrero

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When Zulually Guerrero was younger she moved from Mexico to Dequeen, Arkansas. She was born with a birth defect and went to the Children’s Hospital in Little Rock to get treated. Watching all the nurses working endlessly around her inspired her to become one. “I kind of took an interest there,” said Zulually. 

When Zulually isn’t studying for her next exam, she likes to have fun. She enjoys watching romance movies and listening to upbeat indie music. Like most people who live in a small town, she likes to walk around Target or TJ Maxx and do some retail therapy. 

Zulually is now in her second year of nursing school at Texas A&M-Texarkana (TAMUT) planning to get her Bachelors of Science and Nursing degree (BSN). Afterward, she hopes to move to Little Rock and work in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the children’s hospital where it all began.

Minding Mental Health in May

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It has been about two years since the Covid-19 breakout began and since then mental health and mindset awareness has gained more public attention than ever before. The CDC said, “Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.” And while the term mental health has been in common use, its importance nowadays seems to be highlighted by Covid-19. 

Mental Health Month was established in 1949 to increase awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness in Americans’ lives, and to celebrate recovery from mental illness. Unfortunately, back then there were no guidelines for how to live in a pandemic-driven world other than trying to hold on to faith and finding someone to talk to. Because almost everything we are experiencing is unscripted and uncertain, leading to more anxiety, fear, and depression. Since COVID-19, millions have fallen victim by being taken away from their loved ones causing mental and emotional damage.

Mental Health and Awareness month is hosted every year in May. And with it fast approaching it can give people a sigh of relief and help them acknowledge their weakness and fears. The National Alliance on Mental Illness said, “Now more than ever before, it is important for the mental health community to come together and show the world that no one should ever feel alone.”

From Grounds to Leaves

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There is nothing better than a fresh, hot cup of joe… Or is there?

Have you ever found yourself wanting more from your average cup of coffee? Do you love coffee but get tired of the same thing every day? Sure, you can try different creamers, syrups, and add-ins, but it’s still just coffee… Again.

I urge you to step out of your daily coffee routine and give hot tea a try. Coffee is surely a staple, but the versatility of hot tea is astounding. Hot tea can be found in an impressive variety of flavors to suit any mood or situation. Need a boost in the morning to start your day? Try a bright and citrus-y lemon ginger tea. Need help winding down at the end of a stressful day? Try a soothing vanilla chamomile tea. Feeling festive around the holidays? Try pumpkin spice in October or spiced apple cider in November. No matter the reason for drinking hot tea, there is surely a flavor to suit your taste.

For new tea drinkers, I recommend purchasing a sampler pack. This provides the opportunity to try various flavors without committing to a whole box of tea that might not suit your taste buds. Once you find a tea you like, try amping it up even more by customizing it to your preference. Try adding things like lemon, honey, or cream.

Hot tea also comes in a variety of caffeine levels ranging from maximum caffeine, for those difficult Monday mornings, to having no caffeine at all. This allows anyone to enjoy tea at any time of day (or night… I won’t judge).

In short, hot tea is easy to enjoy in any situation. Of course, it might never fill that special place in your heart that’s reserved just for coffee. However, it can be a delightful supplement for those days when you just want something different.

Big Day of Thanks

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Have you ever considered giving back to your community? Since 1982, the Texas A&M community in College Station, Texas has hosted what they call “The Big Event,” a volunteering effort that aims to lend a hand to a community that supports the university each and every day. Some efforts include raking yards, cleaning streets, visiting nursing homes, walking dogs, and so much more.

            In April of 2017, Texas A&M University – Texarkana (TAMUT) hosted its very own first annual Big Event with the tagline – Eagle Pride City Wide. The introductory event provided over 200 volunteers that clocked almost 1,000 hours of community service. This year’s Big Event is scheduled for April 9, 2022.

            Registration is now open to current, former, and future students, faculty, alumni, student family members, and community members not affiliated with TAMUT. If you would like more information on The Big Event, or want to sign up to volunteer, or have a project in mind for the TAMUT community, please visit The Big Event.

Pandemic Performances

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Basses thumping, speakers booming, bodies swaying to the rhythm: concerts are an adored pastime for a worldwide audience. There are events for any fan of any background. This sense of community and experience is so important to so many people, even amidst a pandemic.

As the world ends its second full year of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is easy to say that every soul has become restless in one way or another. So naturally, concerts are one way to release the pressure of this isolation. 

Joseph Hudack of Rolling Stone reports that some artists such as Elton John and Kacey Musgraves have hit the stage in recent months under the provision that all attendees wear masks, are vaccinated, or show a negative Covid test result within 48 hours before the show. While some events and acts require nothing of the sort, with Kid Rock declining to play at any venue with a mask mandate, Omicron continues to surge. 

Mixed feelings arise on the idea and execution of concerts during this time, while some concert-goers view it as a social issue others see it as a health issue. There will always be people that attend no matter the circumstance. Old Dominion manager Tommy Garris had this to say, “I believe we’re all doing what we have to do, otherwise the industry dies.” Whether people choose safer routes for assembly or not, the show must go on.

Your Brain on Mindfulness

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When stress hits, how do you relieve it? If you’re a college student, you might say you play video games, binge your favorite TV show, or sleep. These are all excellent ideas when you’re bored, but they don’t necessarily resolve the issue, which is stress.

Stress is defined as “a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.” The word itself evokes feelings of anxiety and causes you to sweat. So why do we stress? According to the Mental Health Foundation of the United Kingdom, stress is often caused by new experiences, unexpected events, and even when we feel like we don’t have control over a situation.

While a healthy diet and exercise have been the fundamental ways to fight stress for years, mindfulness meditation is another way to achieve peace of mind. Psychologists J. Creswell and Bassam Khoury think of meditation as a way of training your attention to attain a mental state of calm concentration and positive emotions.

Mindfulness meditation can be broken up into two phases: attention and acceptance. The attention phase is about tuning into your surroundings and focusing on what is happening in the present moment. The acceptance phase involves monitoring your feelings and sensations without judgment. Instead of reacting to your thoughts or feelings, you accept them and let them go.

You can begin mindfulness meditation anywhere and anytime, whether through meditations or mindful moment practices like taking time to pause and breathe before replying to that text from your boss. Take your time, find a safe space, and breathe. Notice the breathes as you inhale and exhale. As thoughts come and go, recognize them and bring your attention back to your breath. You are now mindfully meditating and one step closer to a stress-free lifestyle.

Ice, Ice, Maybe

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Thursday, February 3rd, the city of Texarkana was expecting freezing rain and heavy snow. In preparation, the city covered roads and bridges with brine. Residents’ stocked food pantries with water and essentials. Most schools or businesses closed until further notice. “Out of an abundance of caution the Texas A&M University campus will be closed,” John Bunch, Tamut Communications Manager, said. Everyone hunkered down isolated, in their homes or dorms, and prepared for the worst. 

Texarkana was prepared and was due to what happened around this time last year. February 2021 was a chilling experience for Texans. Heavy snow obstructed many businesses and slippery ice made roads hazardous. Most people were trapped in their homes. In some severe cases, the power would go out or pipes inside the home would burst due to lack of insulation. 8 million people were under a boil water notice. Countless families would be without central heating or running water. Since most wouldn’t be able to go out they wouldn’t be able to buy groceries or drinkable water. The winter storm that occurred last year resulted in the deaths of 58 people. In Texas alone, there were at least 30 reported deaths.

However, all that happened was very cold rain. Was Texarkana prepared this year? Absolutely. It demonstrated the common phrase “It’s better to be safe than sorry.” Texarkana showed that it cares for its residents and is equipped for anything the weather has to offer. 

A Strong Start for Eagles Softball

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TEXARKANA, TX —- Kicking off the season strong: This is exactly what the Eagles Softball team did this month. To open up the season, the Eagles hosted Avila University of Kansas City, Missouri for a 4 game series on Saturday, February 5 at 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. The two teams met up again on Sunday, February 6 at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

On the 5th, Avila held the lead through all 7 innings, until the Eagles fought hard during their last at bat to put 4 runs on the board opposed to Avila’s 5. Anna Westberry and Lauryn Henson pitched for the Eagles. 

Shortly after the first game, both teams took to the field again to compete for the last game of the day. TAMUT took the lead in the 4th inning when Erika Richardson hit a home run to put 2 runs on the board. After 326 days out from an injury, Molly Harrison was released to play again. The first pitch of her first at bat, Harrison hits a homerun that adds another run for TAMUT. Speechless, all Harrison could say after her home run was “God is good.” 3 more strong innings played by TAMUT resulted in an 8-5 win.

Sunday morning the 6th, bright and early, both teams met at the field. This time, TAMUT was determined to win both games, which is exactly what they did. Game 3 and 4 of the series came and went, giving the TAMUT Eagles a reason to celebrate their opening weekend at Bramlett Field at Spring Lake Park. 

The TAMUT Eagles were back in action on Saturday, February 19, 2022 for a 1 day, 2 game series against Lyon College and Park University, then again on Saturday, February 20 for a 1 day, 2 game series against Lyon College and Park University. The Eagles looked forward to improving their 6-1 record this coming weekend at the Lyon College Tournament.

COVID-19 Testing Troubles

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Let’s pretend you woke up this morning with a sore throat, a headache, and body aches. You are needed at work, but you work at a nursing home. Sure, it may just be allergies, but it could also be COVID-19. Since you work in close quarters with at-risk elderly patients, you decide to be cautious and get tested for COVID-19, just to be safe. However, all medical offices near you are booked until the end of the week, and at-home tests are sold out everywhere. Do you risk it and go to work anyway? This is a scenario people are faced with regularly right now.

As infection rates rise and fall, the chaos continues. Controversy arises from conflicting opinions regarding all things COVID-19. Should we get vaccinated? Should we wear masks? Does social distancing actually work? The opinions and ideas vary across the nation. Amongst the confusion, one thing remains true: people are still contracting COVID-19 everywhere. The demand for COVID-19 tests is at an all time high. We test when we feel symptoms. We test when we are exposed. We test before traveling. We even test when we are in recovery and need to know if it is safe to return to normal life. In short, massive quantities of COVID-19 tests are needed every day.

During a time of such increased demand for COVID-19 tests, the citizens of the United States have received some good news. According to VOA News, “The Biden administration will soon require health care insurers to cover the costs of up to eight home test kits per person per month.” Under normal circumstances, this would be greatly beneficial to the United States.

However, it is incredibly difficult to get an at-home test right now. Jennifer Avegno, New Orleans Health Department Director, says, “We placed an order for tens of thousands of tests almost a month ago, but have yet to receive it.” The national shortage of tests is causing an abundance of setbacks, and unfortunately, it is unknown when the issue will be resolved.

For the time being, there is an official U.S. Government website that offers four free at-home COVID-19 tests to be shipped to you. While waiting on the shortage to resolve, be sure to visit COVIDtests.gov – Free at-home COVID-19 tests to order your free tests. Fingers crossed you don’t need more than four before they are replenished!

December 2021 Graduation

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December 2021 Graduation Ceremonies Scheduled

DegreeWorks completed? Check. Cap? Check. Gown? Check. A&M Texarkana seniors are going down their graduation list for anticipated December 11, 2021 graduation ceremonies. They will be held in the Patterson Student Center at 9:00 am and 11:30 am.  “The graduation ceremonies will be divided by majors and is a ticketed event,”  says Karen Duke at the Registrar’s office. Two ceremonies with an estimated 118 graduates each ceremony are scheduled to ensure safety and social distancing measures 

Graduation ceremonies are slowly returning to pre-pandemic schedule as the university continues to follow precautionary measures. The graduation commencement committee is made up of faculty and staff, they concur on venue, time, date, and crowd size. Starting at  9:00 am the first graduation ceremony will include Applied Arts & Sciences, Adult and Higher Education, Counseling, Curriculum and Instruction, Elementary Education, Education Administration,Educational Leadership, English, General Studies, History, English, Language, Arts and Reading 7-12, Psychology, School Counseling, and Sociology. The 11:30 am graduation ceremony will finish out with the following majors; Accounting, Business Administration, Biology, Biology Composite Science 7-12, Criminal Justice, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Instructional Technology, Kinesiology, Kinesiology EC-12, Mathematics, Mass Communication, and Political Science.

Each graduate is allocated up to six tickets for their family and friends and live streaming will be available.  Since TAMUT is following state and federal guidelines for social distancing, seating is limited, thus the six ticket limit per graduate. Upon entering the Patterson Student Center, seating is first come, first serve, there is no reserved seating. The graduation ceremony will be live streamed which is important because of ticket constraints. Nubia Sanchez, prospective graduate said, “I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to get  a higher education and be the first in my family to get  a bachelor’s degree.”

Caps and gowns for Bachelors or Masters degree may be purchased at Eagle Central  Bookstore.  The deadline for ordering has passed so it is just what the store has in stock at this point. Eagle Central Bookstore on the main campus can be reached at (903) 334-6620 for more information. There are several other regalia a graduate can buy such as a class ring, photographs or an engraved brick in front of the Eagle Landing to commemorate this momentous occasion.. Cords from different clubs are given out per club and honor sashes are given the day of graduation. Students should check their ACE email for any last minute changes or updates regarding graduation. Students may also contact the graduation office by email at graduation@tamut.edu for any more information.

 When the Patterson Student Center became used for graduation ceremonies, it allowed an opportunity for family and friends to see places become a reality of where the graduates took classes, studied, learned, forged friendships and committed to finishing an educational goal. Brooklyn Stephens said, I am so thankful to have been given the opportunity to attend such an amazing university close to home. A&M has given me the chance to achieve my dreams while being near the ones I love.”