It’s been a tough trimester for everyone, and one can feel the tension and stress as we dive into week 14. To persevere through the two weeks of in-person and online final exams, NUHS held a tie-dyeing event to decorate free NUHS shirts. It was an awesome way to splash shirts with pops of color and relax in between classes. It gave us a chance to stop thinking about which exam was coming up and just enjoy everyone’s company. Moments like this allow us to break out of the classmate/student role and actually get to know each other better as well as integrate with students in different trimesters. This was the perfect stress reliever. If you notice countless students wearing tie-dyed NUHS shirts in the next days, now you know why!

Tie-Dying NUHS shirts during lunch

Anyone who studies in the Annex building has seen the ping pong table nestled in the middle of the first floor. And anyone who goes to the Annex has probably noticed that my tri, specifically 4-5 of us are constantly running over to play a quick game in between classes or study sessions. We’ve become quite competitive at the game. For us, it’s become our source of “letting off steam” and stress. With a 9am-6pm school schedule, smashing a little white ball over the net to the competitor’s side with a crisp topspin has kept us sane this trimester.

Left to Right: Pete and Jared – Unbeatable kings of the Ping Pong!

In a previous trimester, Dr. Gantzer taught us about Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT). It’s the concept that calories can be burned simply by going about your day. “NEAT includes the energy expenditure of occupation, leisure, sitting, standing, walking, talking, toe-tapping, playing guitar, dancing, and shopping” as explained by Dr. James Levine, MD, PhD in a Nutrition Reviews. Our basal metabolic rate (BMR) takes 60% of our energy balance, while thermic effect of blood (energy for digestion) takes about 10%. This leaves a remaining 30% of thermogenesis activity (purposeful movement) of our human energy balance. Playing ping pong is our way of completing our NEAT for the day… however, at the intensity that we play, it’s probably considered a full-blown sport. Apologies to anyone that has had to practice orthopedic assessments or setting up adjustments on us after we’ve played a sweaty game!