By Adam Sachs, RD, Campus Dietitian

The COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak has dominated the news and seems to be on everyone’s mind. It is important to listen to facts and experts on this topic when looking for new and updated information. Food preparation and diet can be one of largest factors to staying healthy and preventing the spread of disease. Make sure to use caution and follow some of these guidelines to adjust your diet and food preparation techniques

When preparing any type of food WASH YOUR HANDS FIRST. Especially if you are preparing food for others. Avoid touching your mouth, eyes or nose when preparing food. Make sure to clean and sanitize your work space and use clean utensils and equipment. Be very aware of food expiration dates, and the status of fresh items in your fridge. If anything appears or smells spoiled, it is safest just to throw it away. Remember to clean as you go during meal prep. It is also a great practice to prepare meals in large batches. Portions of these meals can be frozen and saved for later dates.

If you are eating out or getting food from a restaurant try to get take-out or delivery if possible. Many restaurants may also be dealing with shortages for certain ingredients or be unable to store everything, so be prepared to be flexible with some of the menu items.

There are also some diet and lifestyle changes we can all make to ensure that our immune system is functioning a peak performance. Make sure to get plenty of fruits and vegetables. Fresh, frozen, and even canned can all be equally nutritious. Many fruits and veggies contain vitamins and minerals that help to boost our immune function. Citrus fruit, tropical fruit, and cruciferous vegetables contain lots of vitamin C, which supports healthy immune function. 

Also look for foods high in Zinc. Nuts/seeds, eggs, dairy, shellfish, and legumes are all a great source. Also make sure that you are consuming enough fluids. The average adults needs about 60-90oz of water per day, so try to meet that minimum if you can. Lastly, make sure you are getting an adequate amount of sleep. Sleeping fewer than 6 hours per night for three or more days has been show to suppress immune function. Taking regular naps, and avoiding screen time before bed can help to boost your sleep time and quality.

It is likely that social media is a part of your daily routine and a main way that you stay socially connected to friends and family.

But perhaps you don’t know some of the more unique ways social media can help maximize your overall college experience.  If that’s the case, let us highlight three ways you can use social media as a college student:

Connect with UMBC Offices and Organizations

Many UMBC offices and organizations have their own active social media accounts. You can follow a UMBC office or organization to learn more about the services they provide or exciting opportunities they have for students. And some, like our office, welcome DMs (direct messages) from students regarding any questions or concerns you may have.

Check out some of these UMBC social media accounts:

UMBC Life

UMBC Campus Life

SEB (Student Events Board)

Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships

Career Center

UMBC Athletics

Network with potential employers

Whether you are on the hunt for an internship, job, or exploring graduate school opportunities, following the social media accounts of places you’re interested in can tell you a lot about its mission, values, and community. This can give you some insight into whether or not a place would be a good fit for you. Some companies and organizations might even use their social media accounts to advertise employment opportunities.

If you are preparing for an internship or job interview, the information you gather from social media can then be used to show that you’ve done your research and have a working knowledge of the company or organization’s practices and current ventures.

Having a LinkedIn account is a great way to connect with professionals working in the field you are interested in. Using LinkedIn, you can message professionals to set up informational interviews (i.e. - to learn about how they entered into the field or to learn more about their job). You could also use a site like LinkedIn to join interest groups and participate in online discussions related to your field of interest.

Learn more about LinkedIn and how you can use it effectively as a college student here.

Gathering Survey Data/Assistance with Class Assignments

Do you need to conduct research for your class? Whether posting qualitative questions you want students to respond to, or sending out a survey link, social media can help you get responses from a larger group of people in a shorter amount of time – just be sure to check ahead of time to make sure your professor is okay with you using this method to gather information!

Additionally, if a class assignment requires community-based work or research, you can use social media to help you connect and network with local organizations that may be able to assist you.

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Bonus:

Check out this UMBC course!

MCS 355 – Social Media: Networking and Mobility; pre-requisites are MCS 101 or 222 and ENGL 100 or equivalent

This course is designed to encourage students to critically engage with the growing role that social media, online networks, and mobile communication technologies play in their understanding of self and community, sociability and privacy. Students will reflect on the centrality of collaboration, networking, and participation in social media technologies. Assignments and readings will require students to interact with core questions surrounding the emergence of social media and the impact of living increasingly mediated lives. Special attention will be paid to the centrality of writing in a digital world, even as the platforms for composition, editing, and publication have changed.