Our East Coast Trip will be fun and exciting, but it can be a challenge to stay healthy. Inevitably, heads will ache, tummies will hurt, and eyelids will droop as the trip begins to take its toll on the teenage bodies embarking on this trip (and perhaps on some adult bodies as well). Here are my suggestions for staying healthy:
SLEEP
- I know the switch to Daylight Saving Time has us all a little messed up right now, which really highlights how important sleep is for us. Get plenty of sleep the week leading up to Spring Break. The last thing we want to experience is fatigue and exhaustion before the trip even begins! If you are well-rested, it will help to counteract the less-than-perfect sleep you may experience when we’re on the red-eye flight out.
- Freaked out by your sleeping quarters? Get over it. Girls generally don’t have this problem, but boys sometimes get a little freaked out at the prospect of sharing a bed with another guy. If it makes you feel better, this was a very common occurrence for young men who were roommates in the 1800s (it may help you feel more connected to the history we’ll be exploring—even Abraham Lincoln shared a bed with his law partner, William Herndon). By trying silly things like sleeping on the floor, in a chair, or in the bathtub (boys actually do this!), you may feel slightly less weirded-out, but you won’t nearly get the same quality of sleep.
EAT HEALTHY, DRINK HEALTHY
- Drink lots of water. Some kids experience headaches around Day 2 or 3 of the trip, and often this can be attributed to dehydration. Unless your child is an athlete in training, the East Coast Trip often has far more physical activity (with all the walking) than your child is used to in an average day. Caffeine and artificial sweeteners both act as diuretics, drawing fluids out of the body faster than necessary. Instead of turning to Dr. Pepper or Diet Coke, encourage your child to drink water both at meals and in-between them. If you really need something sweet to drink, consider lemonade, Sprite, fruit juice or some other non-caffeinated beverage. If you really must have a Coke or Pepsi with dinner, match it with an equal amount of water.
- Eat healthy meals. “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” In that same spirit, we offer your child a variety of healthy eating options at each meal, but it’s up to your son or daughter to make those good choices. Day 2 or 3 of the trip is also the day that the stomachaches begin. While it’s not the most fun topic to talk about, constipation often is the cause. I encourage students to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and grains to “keep things moving.” And again, staying hydrated with plenty of water also prevents constipation. Finally, don’t blow your souvenir budget on candy and other unhealthy snacks; instead, it may be a good idea to pack granola bars, trail mix, dried fruit, or other healthy treats in your luggage.
- Eat light before the flight. Two years ago we had a student who was a little nervous about flying eat a large meal for dinner, followed by candy throughout the flight. Match this up with a little airsickness plus being a little anxious about the trip and—you guessed it—she threw up just as we were landing (in the seat right next to me, I might add). Stick to a light dinner before we depart, and then pack a little trail mix or some pretzels for the flight. Breakfast is the first item on our agenda after we land, so you can refuel once we’re back on terra firma. When we land in New York, it’s better to be hungry than be nauseous.
MEDICATION
The only meds that kids are allowed to keep with them are life-saving meds (asthma inhaler, epi-pen, etc). All other medications (prescription or over-the-counter) should be handed to the designated chaperone, along with any written instructions, right before we board the coach to drive down to the airport. If your child is taking meds on a regular schedule, it is his/her responsibility to come to us. We will do our best to keep track of who’s taking what, but it really helps if your child (who will be about seven weeks away from being a high schooler) minds his or her own schedule.
This is an important topic, so medication will be well-covered at our pre-departure meeting next Tuesday. If you have any questions about medication, please ask at the meeting, or contact Mr. Ippolito well in advance of our departure. And of course, please indicate any medication or food allergies on your yellow release form you recently received in the mail from USA Student Travel.
Just a quick reminder that our next student lunch meeting is tomorrow, 3/16, in Room D-6. Thanks for your help in getting your child ready for the big trip, and I will look forward to e-mailing you again soon!
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