Personally, I am more of a late night person rather than a morning person, so I was thinking does a lack of sleep really affect grades?  I never really believed that more sleep would help me improve my grades because I have always just been used to not getting a ton of sleep, but sleep really can benefit grades.  I wanted to try and learn more about this in order to allow myself to make more informed decisions about how I treat my body regarding the number of hours I sleep.  Simply put, the better night of sleep that you get, the better chance you will have to achieve good grades.

Even though it is not easy to get a good night sleep all the time, it is important to try and provide yourself with a reasonable bedtime.  Researchers from the McGill University and the Douglas Mental Health University Institute concluded that kids did better in mathematics and language classes when getting more efficient sleep.  Efficient sleep is basically getting a good night of sleep that is uninterupted and long enough (Locker).  A clinical psychologist, Reut Gruber setup an experiment that studied the sleeping patterns and academic grades of 75 kids that were between ages of 7 and 11 years old.  The results were an enormous increase in grades in mathematics and language classes when the kids had more efficient sleep (Locker).  This shows that parents should definitely make their children get in the habit of going to bed early.

If the kids who sleep well are excelling in certain subject areas, than what is happening to the kids who lack in the efficient sleep category?  These kids are typically tired throughout the entire day which leads to them falling asleep in class or being unable to concentrate.  An experiment was held that had a group of children get good nights of sleep for one week and bad nights of sleep for another week.  The conclusion explained by the teachers was that during the week where the kids did not sleep well, they had many problems trying to focus or even stay awake in class (National Sleep Foundation).  With knowing this study, parents should be getting their children in the habit of getting a good night of sleep every night.

Another study took 3,000 kids and followed their academic success.  The students who reported having at least a B, got 17-33 minutes more sleep on week days than kids who achieved a C at best.  The kids with lower grades were also found going to bed way later on the weekends than the kids who got B’s or better.  2.3 and 1.8 hours later on the weekend than week days respectively (National Sleep Foundation).  This pattern is also shown in college students.

Clearly sleep is a big factor in learning and performing well in school.  I am now definitely going to try getting more sleep every night of the week because I am up too late too often for no reason.  Everyone has experienced going to class after not sleeping much and it is most definitely difficult to learn and stay alert, which is the most important part of doing well in school.  With this being said, I do believe especially on weekends that there needs to be a combination of fun and sleep.

Technology is always rapidly improving in our lives, so it is extremely important for our generation to keep up with all of the changes.  We really never know what advancements will come about next, but there is always talk about what people think is coming next.  One possible idea that is on the rise is having driverless cars as an attempt to make the world safer.  This idea is very controversial because what if there is a problem with these cars and they begin to crash on there own?  The many pros and cons to this idea must be heavily weighed before an action is taken regarding the future.

The purposes of advancements in technology are always going to be to impact the world in a positive way by making everyday tasks easier and more efficient.  Driving is one of the most common everyday actions that most people in the world take daily.  If driverless cars came about, many common problems faced daily would be solved.  By not having to focus on driving, people will be able to multitask on the way to work or wherever they are going.  Also, the technology is supposed to make getting places more efficient and safer.  The computers and sensors involved should help people get from place to place without getting into accidents (Borroz).  Another benefit would be automated taxis in large cities.  With this, race or gender will not play a role in whether or not someone is able to get a taxi (Greenfield).  This If this idea works properly, a bright future is ahead for people when it comes to safe driving and getting to places quicker.

With all of the possible benefits if things go right with this technological advancement, comes negatives if this idea is not perfected.  Nicole Johnson, a social media journalist for the magazine CDW brings up some very good points.  She talks about how there could be software and legal concerns.  For example, what if the technology malfunctions and cars just start crashing left and right?  Who would be liable under the law if these accidents were to happen (Johnson).  These are issues that need to be figured out before the decision about whether or not this advancement is a good idea is made.  Also, this could very possibly hurt our economy greatly.  Going back to the automated taxi example; if we allow this too happen, thousands of jobs are being lost (Greenfield).  If these problems can be figured out, there might be a future in driverless cars, but if not, I don’t see them being a possible advance.

Driverless cars are a great idea in which would satisfy many wants of consumers if it can be created correctly.  There are just so many aspects of this possibility that aren’t known yet, which means it will not be part of everyday life until everything is figured out.  As cool as it would be, I just do not believe that people will trust them enough to be completely about switching to them in the near future.

In a previous blog of mine, I found that swallowing gum really had no negative impact on the human body and it is more appropriate to swallow gum in some situations.  This blog led to unanswered questions of where the gum actually goes and what happens to it once it is swallowed.  So what does happen to this swallowed gum?  The answer is that it travels all the way through the digestive system like any other food would would, even though many rumors will say that it will stay in the body for years.

Although chewing gum is categorized as a product that can not be digested, it is extremely rare for it to actually get stuck in your stomach.  The gum might not actually be broken down, but it will be pushed out of the stomach just like any other piece of food would.  Stomach muscles will push the gum out with no problem by contracting and relaxing (Swaby).  This has been proven to be true through many medical studies.

David Milov, a pediatric gastroenterologist “tells the magazine Scientific American that he can say ‘with complete certainty’ that gum does not stay in you for seven years (Clark).”  He goes on to show that 3 of the 4 key parts of gum are actually able to be broken down and the last part excreted from the body just as any other food substance (Clark).  This proves that swallowing gum is not a big deal and will simply pass through the digestive system.

With the fact that swallowed gum simply passes through the digestive system comes certain exceptions in extremely rare cases.  For example, a four and a half year old boy had become addicted to chewing gum and since he didn’t know any better, he would just swallow it each time.  Doctor’s ended up having to remove all of the pieces that got backed up inside of him.  This sort of scenario has really only happened with young children (Swaby).  Older people simply know better not to swallow many pieces of gum everyday, aside from the occasional accident.

Aside from these rare cases, swallowing gum will not cause you problems, so if it happens to you, don’t freak out.  It is proven that gum will be able to pass through the digestive system with  ease as long as the amount is relatively insignificant.  In general, a good idea would be to try and not make a habit of swallowing gum on a regular basis and just keep gum out of the reach of young children until they are able to know not to swallow it.

In my last blog, I talked about the many benefits that Pre-Workout provides to intense weight lifters when it is not being abused.  With these benefits come some negatives that are just unavoidable and others that can come about when it is abused.  Many types of Pre-Workout have not been researched enough to determine some of the possible long-term problems that can arise.  Researching the Pre-Workout that you plan to use is extremely important when weighing the positives and negatives regarding your body.

Although there are many negative effects that come with consuming Pre-Workout, the 3 main effects are dehydration, kidney damage, and high blood pressure.  Some other minor effects would be headaches, stomach aches, insomnia, and nausea (Maternowski).  For these minor effects, certain precautions can be taken in order to minimize them.  One of the most precautions is going to a doctor and making sure it is safe to take.  Everyone is different and one person could take something and be fine, while another person could obtain issues (Marsh).  If you learn to be smart and safe with Pre-Workout, you should be able to minimize the risks that accompany the benefits.

The main ingredients of Pre-Workout are creatine and caffeine (discussed in my last blog), which are they key components of becoming dehydrated when too much is consumed.  Because creatine allows your body to store water in your muscles, it takes more water to replenish all of the other parts of the body.  Studies also show that urination is more rapid because both ingredients are known as “diuretics” (Maternowski).  With this being said, there are plenty of ways to make sure your body is staying hydrated.  Obviously drinking plenty of water throughout the say and during your workout is a must, but eating fruit is a good way to keep up electrolytes.  Also, being aware of urine color is an easy way to determine levels of dehydration; dark yellow urine means the body is dehydrated (McDermott).  Staying hydrated is very easy to do with a little bit of effort and will help your body’s health greatly.

When it comes to kidney damage, creatine is the ingredient in Pre-Workout that would be the lone cause of this.  Creatine is a naturally produced substance in the body, but an excess of creatine will lead to the body lowering its production of creatine and possibly kidney failure (Maternowski).  The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (JISSN) conducted a study on “Young healthy males who regularly engaged in resistance training for at least 1 year and were ingesting a high-protein diet” that determined whether or not creatine will hurt the kidneys of these men.  The overall conclusion was that 3 months of working out on creatine did not affect the kidneys in a dangerous way (JIISN).  This experiment is either correct or a false negative.

The most long-term effect of using Pre-Workout is high blood pressure; this is said to be a possible result from Pre-Workout because of caffeine.  Caffeine is a stimulant drug which has the purpose of raising blood pressure and heart rate.  This is not necessarily an issue, but intaking caffeine right before a vigorous session of exercise can cause an issue because both caffeine and exercise raise blood pressure (Maternowski).  In 2006, The Journal of the American College of Cardiology had a sample of people drink 2 cups of coffee before working out.  Their blood pressure was taken before and after working out, which led to the conclusion that the caffeine had no effect until after exercising; there was a 22% reduction of blood flow (Mueller).  This really proves that caffeine mixed with vigorous exercise can ultimately lead to high blood pressure.

Pre-Workout clearly has many positives and negatives, which allows it to be controversial depending on who is asked.  Now it is your time to decide.  Do the positives outweigh the negatives?  Will you decide to use Pre-Workout or not?

Pre-Workout is a supplement that many people take before working out in order to have a better workout and produce a body image that they are happy with.  This topic is extremely controversial, but many sources that do not agree with the null hypothesis believe that Pre-Workout is very beneficial to the consumer and  can really help one’s physical appearance.  I have taken it before and I do believe that there are many benefits of the product, especially for people who know how to use it correctly and have specific goals for their appearance.

When Pre-Workout is consumed, strength, speed, and endurance can be improved greatly which will ultimately lead to looking better.  Ingredients such as creatine, are included because it will allow the user to perform tasks at higher weights, look bigger, and gain muscle mass (Protein Works).  An even more common ingredient in most types of Pre-Workout is caffeine.  This allows for working at a solid pace for longer periods of time without getting tired as quickly than you would without the caffeine.  A study at Yale University allowed top athletes to perform a grip test without caffeine, and then again with 200 mg of caffeine in them.  The results were clearly not due to chance simply because every individual performed better with the caffeine intake (Protein Works).  With this increase in strength and endurance, Pre-Workout absolutely benefits users in critical ways.

Many gym-goers simply love getting a “pump” which is “an almost instant improved appearance to your muscles by increasing their size and vascularity (Protein Works).”  The main ingredient in all types of Pre-Workout that allows this to happen would be Arginine Alpha-ketoglutarate (AAKG), which allows for more blood to come to the muscles, making them look bigger (Protein Works).  When this happens, motivation to work harder will increase because of the fact that your mind believes that bigger muscles will be able to lift more weight.  According to coach Dresden Archibald, there are 3 characteristics of a weight lifter involving the mind.  These are risk-taking, concentration, and perseverance, which can all be helped when consuming Pre-Workout.  Lifting weights is very psychological; if you really believe you can lift something, then you simply will (Archibald).

Motivation is extremely key in the act of working out and even just physically getting to the gym.  Without Pre-Workout, some people cannot even get to the gym or are just too tired from their day to workout.  Even if you can get to the gym, so many people need that next level of motivation in their daily routine.  This is most common in men who want to gain size as quick as possible (Marsh).  These men are more likely to use Pre-Workout because weight lifting is a hobby where an individual can easily lose motivation.  Seeing physical gains on your body is going to take much longer than many other goals; that is just simply how it works (Archibald).  Pre-Workout will allow this motivation to increase, especially when it gets difficult to see results.

Sticking with certain hobbies isn’t always easy when your motivation feels like it is at an all time low.  For lifting weights, using Pre-Workout is clearly a way to boost motivation shown through many studies.  Clearly any product that is abused and used in incorrect ways can impact the user in a negative way, but if it is used properly, Pre-Workout can really be a great advantage in getting better results and keeping a good attitude.

Throughout the first 18 years of my life, swallowing pieces of gum whether on purpose or just on accident has occurred many times.  I’m sure this has also happened to most other students at least once.  Have you ever been in a situation where there is no place to dispose of your gum properly and you face a very difficult decision of what to do with it?  If your answer is yes like mine, then learning that swallowing gum is not unhealthy could save you from this specific awkward situation.

Many would believe that swallowing gum is unhealthy, which could be true, but the amount of gum you would need to swallow for this to happen would have to be a very excessive level (Templeton).  Swallowing an occasional piece of gum is not enough to be harmful to the body, which leads to the conclusion that swallowing gum is perfectly acceptable.  The swallowed gum will not be broken down in the body or provide the body with anything nutritious, but it will not become stuck in the body unless a very rare scenario comes about (Templeton).  In some situations it is ultimately a better idea to swallow a piece of gum, rather than take alternative action.

Think about it, if you are in class and the taste of your gum is so unbearable that you cannot focus and there is no way to dispose of it, you need to do something.  By swallowing your gum, you are not allowing yourself to take negative action such as sticking it under a desk.  How would you like to be the one that has to scrape gum off of desks and chairs?  My guess is that you would not be very excited about it.  By swallowing it, you are helping another person greatly without even affecting your body in a negative way.

The same ideas apply at restaurants.  It is so easy to just stick your gum under the table before eating, but this can really create problems in the lives of others.  Many restaurants make the waiters and waitresses actually crawl under the table before they leave and scrape the gum from tables.  According to Rob Gunther, who is a waiter, “Every single night, there’s at least one wad of chewed up gum stuck under one of my tables (Gunther).”  The fact that each piece of gum takes approximately 2 minutes to clean up, really makes for a difficult end of a night as a waiter (Gunther).  In most restaurants, there is not an easy way to dispose of chewed gum respectfully, so swallowing it is a fine way to make someone else’s night a whole lot easier at a low health cost.

Another situation where gum should be swallowed is when you are outdoors and there is nowhere to throw it out.  80-90% of chewed gum is just thrown on the ground or on a sidewalk (CustomMade).  This percentage could be reduced greatly if more people swallowed their gum instead.  Throwing a chewed piece of gum on the ground outside opens problems to other people.  I know that I absolutely hate stepping on a piece of chewed gum and I think many others would agree with me.  Also, chewing gum is not biodegradable, which means that it must be cleaned up which can be very expensive (CustomMade).  By swallowing gum in this situation instead of throwing it on the ground, you save your community by making people feel cleaner and happier, and you will end up saving the community a large amount of money.

The fact that swallowing gum is not unhealthy makes it a viable option in situations where you would otherwise be affecting the world in a negative way.  Why would someone want the feeling of hurting others on their conscience?  By sacrificing being a little bit uncomfortable when swallowing gum, the positive externalities being created should most definitely make up for it.

Allergies affect many people across that world which can really make life very difficult sometimes, especially with allergies to frequent parts of life.  There are many different types of allergies that are caused based on the individual dealing with them.  Even though there are some areas of this topic that are still trying to be figured out, there are some aspects that are definite.  One of these aspects is that the immune system and genetics are two of the main determinants of who gets certain allergies and who does not get them.

Most people tend to believe that the physical object or thing that they are allergic to is what causes allergic reactions, but this is not true.  In fact, it is really the individual’s immune system that creates these symptoms.  The body ends up going after whatever you are allergic to because it believes that the allergen is posing danger to you (Johnson).  When this happens, the immune system sends out cells to stop the danger, which causes side effects in areas such as the nose, skin and lungs.  These side effects are happening here because chemicals like histamine are released, which will typically lead to swelling or itchiness (Ramsey).  The reason that the body is tricked into thinking these allergens are harmful could very well be because of the genetic makeup of the individual being affected.

Genetics are an extremely important factor of whether or not one will obtain allergies, even though specific allergies are not passed on from generation to generation.  The chance someone will have allergies is determined by the parents having allergies or not.  There is a 33% chance of being allergic to something if one parent has allergies and this number more than doubles if both parents have allergies at 70% (Johnson).  A person’s current state of health can also  have an effect on what they become allergic to.  Whether someone has allergies or not is ultimately left up to luck in a sense and cannot be controlled, but can be treated.

The body’s immune system and genetics are both at fault for creating allergies for some people to deal with.  Obviously some allergies are worse than others, but anyone with an allergy should most definitely learn about it and be ready to take precaution at any time.  Allergies most definitely hold people back from doing some things that they would like to be able to do, but there is always other alternatives or ways to treat whatever allergies they have.

Exercise should be an extremely important part of everyone’s life in order to stay healthy and feeling good about themselves.  Lifting weights is one of the main categories that falls under exercise and most of the people who do lift weights are looking to gain muscle.  Many studies suggest that putting protein into the body after a workout is a great way to put on more muscle mass.  I love to lift weights and even though it is a slow process, I definitely believe that a protein intake after each workout will increase results over an extended period of time.  Factors such as age, diet, and type of exercise affect the amount of protein consumption after exercising.

As people grow older, certain substances affect the body in different ways than they did at a younger age.  When it comes to protein intake, older individuals are going to need a higher intake in order to allow the protein to do its job and build muscle.  One of the primary reasons for this is because older individuals are most likely not eating as much as young adults.  Studies show that “As a result (of taking in less protein), older adults may lose muscle mass and strength and eventually experience physical disability (Deutz).”  This shows that enough protein will allow for older people to retain more muscle and stay healthier, whereas younger individuals will likely not need as much protein.  Younger muscles are still developing and can absorb a lesser amount of protein, while still helping gain muscle.

Diet is one of the most important aspects of exercise and needs to be taken serious for the best possible results.  Would you like to achieve the best results possible?  If so, then your diet must consist of the right amount of protein in the right ways because protein is what rebuilds muscle tissue.  Because of the fact that the body cannot hold on to protein like it can with other macronutrients, consumers must take in more protein from outside sources that are healthy.  The best examples of good sources of protein that will lead to lean muscle are fish, beans, poultry, nuts, and whole grains (Osterweil).  The consumers must still worry about the amount of protein to take in on a daily basis, which can differ based on who you ask.  According to The American Dietetic Association, an individual should take in about .36 grams of protein for every pound that individual weighs rather than the popular theory of 1 gram per pound of bodyweight (Bergeron).  This amount will differ among people because everyone is unique.

There are different types of exercise, so along with this comes different amounts of protein intake for a diet of each one.  Aerobic exercise such as running, biking, and walking should be accommodated with 5% to 15% of total energy used.  The amount of protein will slightly differ solely based on the amount of time and effort put into the workout (Campbell).  Another type would be anaerobic exercise, or intense exercise for a lesser amount of time.  The amount of protein that should be consumed for this exercise along with weigh training is about 2 grams of protein for every kilogram of weight (Campbell).  By understanding and following these guidelines, one can push themselves to be the best they can possibly be.

Everyone should ultimately be participating in some sort of physical activity, but I believe that weight training can be very rewarding.  If done right, you will put healthy foods into your body that will give you the right amount of protein for your unique self.  With a little bit of patience, positive results will come about, which will create a drive to work even harder and make you feel more confident on a daily basis.

Genetically modified organisms otherwise known as “GMOs” are  living plants or animals that are created by engineers using any genetic combination necessary (Non-GMO Project).  These are generally created for a positive reason, such as attempting to cure a disease or benefit humans in some way.  With these benefits, there also many risk factors or negative aspects to this whole process.  GMOs can ultimately cause health issues in humans, impact our delicate environment in poor way, and can even infringe on our individual rights as citizens of our country (Non-GMO Project).

Being artificially made, it is frequently questioned whether or not humans should put GMOs into their bodies.  Think about it, would you really want a living organism that was made in a laboratory inside your body?  Throughout many different parts of the world, GMOs are found to be very unsafe because of the chemicals they are composed of.  Since corporations can make profits off of these GMOs they do and will use them, but one of the best ways to stop this is for American consumers to stop buying these products and find alternatives.  This will make these corporations lose money and stop using GMOs (Non-GMO Project).  Specific health risks are possibly becoming allergic to soy and other foods that are not genetically modified.  Tests on rats were also conducted and showed that rats who were fed GM foods obtained liver and reproductive issues (Natural Revolution).  Many of the female rats who ate GM soy had babies that died within the first 3 weeks of being born, clearly portraying negative effects of GMOs.

The Earth’s environment is constantly being damaged already by processes such as the burning of fossil fuels, hydro fracking, and people smoking tobacco products.  If we add GMOs on top of all the issues already presented, we are only hurting the future of this world.  More than 80% of GMOs are created for tasks such as killing weeds and farming.  “The long-term impacts of GMOs are unknown, and once released into the environment these novel organisms cannot be recalled (Non-GMO Project).”  Along with this, the use of these GMOs by farmers also means that they will most definitely end up in the food that we eat, unless we are careful.

As citizen’s of the United States, each individual has rights that should be protected by our government, but when it comes to GMOs, they are not protected.  These GMOs specifically infringe upon our right to know that the food we buy is healthy and grown right.  According to a Mellman Group poll from 2012, some 91% of consumers (clear majority) throughout our country would like to know if GMOs are present in the food that they buy.  Also, another poll taken by CBS and The New York Times stating that 53% of Americans questioned would purchase better food options if they knew the foods that had GMOs in them (Non-GMO Project).  This definitely shows that consumers have the correct mindset and are taking their health and the health of the environment into consideration when they make decisions about purchasing food.

Although GMOs are supposed to be beneficial, there are clearly a very large amount of consequences that come with it.  Ultimately, GMOs should not be used because of the fact that they cause health problems, affect the environment in harmful ways, and encroach on our rights as citizens.  I believe people should have the right to know what is being put in there food and body in order to make the best decisions for their life.  If we can make it so GMOs are not used, the world will be impacted for the better.

For many people in this country and across the world, caffeine plays a significant role in everyday life and is used for many reasons.  I know many college students including myself use caffeine in order to get through the school day without falling asleep, or to stay awake in order to do school work late at night.  While it can be very convenient and helpful to use when needed, there are negative effects of too much caffeine.  Too much might lead to health issues regarding blood pressure, sleep, and the heart.

Although it isn’t quite clear how, caffeine does affect blood pressure, but it affects certain people more depending on many variables.  The amount and how often one drinks caffeine is a huge factor.  For example, people who drink caffeine all the time are going to have a higher blood pressure than people who drink a minimal amount.  This is especially the case in heavyset men that are over the age of 70 (Sheps).  Drinking caffeine is also riskier for people that naturally have higher blood pressure than normal.  To minimize these risks, these people can go to a doctor and get input from a professional about how much caffeine they should drink on a daily basis.  The result will probably be to try and limit the daily intake and see
how it goes (Sheps).

Abusing caffeine in the wrong ways will lead to negative effects in sleep patterns.  “They consist principally of prolonged sleep latency, shorter total sleep time, increases in light sleep and shortening of deep sleep time, as well as more frequent awakenings (coffee&health).”  Based on the amount of caffeine a person drinks throughout the day, these effects differentiate between each person.  Tests were conducted to see how caffeine affects young adults compared to middle-aged adults.  These tests showed that caffeine affected both groups in a very similar way (coffee&health).  To really diminish these effects on sleep patterns people should stop drinking caffeine completely if possible, otherwise they should drink a minimal amount per day.

The effects of caffeine in the heart are somewhat unclear still, but are
being studied in depth.  Some experts believe that caffeine in moderation is not a huge deal to the health of the consumer, but can cause withdrawal symptoms (American Heart Association).  Over the course of an extended period of time, a study taking place in Spain concluded that as long as caffeine intake is no more than 400 mg on a daily basis, there will be no increase in the risk of coronary heart disease (Food Insight).  This conclusion allows consumers to be able to drink some caffeine without worrying about heart problems.

While caffeine helps people become productive and get tasks done, I believe that the negative effects relating to blood pressure and sleep patterns outweigh the positives.  Being a college student, I have used caffeine to help me get through certain days.  With this being said, it has definitely made me feel even more run down after not sleeping well.  It might seem cliche, but I do believe that the saying “everything is good in moderation” applies well to caffeine.

Athletes at all levels are constantly playing their sports while injured.  One of the more common injuries that athletes play through is a concussion.  Playing a sport with a concussion is tempting because the athlete might feel fine, but they are really putting themselves at an even higher risk.  By continuing to play, these athletes are susceptible to long-term effects that can impact the rest of their lives for the worst.  This happens with young children, high school and college students, along with professional athletes who should all learn to be safer when it comes to returning to action.

When it comes to young children from ages 8 to 14, it’s not so much that they are too stubborn to sit out, but more often than not these children cannot tell when they are concussed.  This is not good because young brains are still developing and multiple concussions could cause permanent damage.  Studies show that a good percentage of these kids could not tell that confusion, nausea, and sleep disturbance were possible symptoms of a concussion.  “I am hit in the head and have a headache, it is OK to continue to play, as long as I didn’t lose consciousness” is believed by about 63% of these young athletes (McAllister-Deitrick). This is clearly an issue that needs to be dealt with, which can be done by making these children more knowledgeable about concussions at an earlier age.

Athletes both in high school and college have many motives to continue to play through a concussion.  These range from individual pressure and even the feeling of being unstoppable.  The pressure of wanting to pull through and play for your team and school and be great enough that some players will do anything not to get caught with a concussion.  For example, Chris Coyne was a senior captain for his high school football team and suffered a concussion, but did not let his athletic trainer or coach find out (Hoffman).  He ended up with 6 total concussions over the next year, which ended his football career forever.  Just like a typical teenager he felt as if he would be fine and nothing would happen to him, but his situation ended awfully.  All he had to do was sit out for a longer period of time to let his concussion heal and he might still be playing today.

Professional athletes tend to put a lot of wear and tear on their bodies throughout their careers.  Many of these athletes (most of whom are in the NFL), have suffered concussions multiple times.  After they retire, these individuals are shown to have more symptoms of depression (Didehbani).  A very good example of this is the former NFL star Junior Seau, who had many concussions throughout his 20 year career.  All of these concussions caused him to become diagnosed with a brain disease that made him depressed.  Last year, he was found dead after shooting himself, which led to increased concern about concussion protocol in football (Avila).

Concussions are a very serious issue with athletes of all ages and all skill levels.  Although these athletes have their reasons for playing through a concussion, none of these reasons are worth the long-term affects that multiple concussions can have on their bodies.  It is better to be as safe as possible when a head injury comes about rather than wishing you took more precaution when it’s too late.

Hi, my name is Tommy and I’m a freshman. I’m from Hopewell Junction, New York which is 4 hours from here.  I am currently in the Smeal College of Business and would like to major in either finance or marketing.

I am taking this course because I really did not enjoy science classes in high school such as biology and chemistry.  I would also rather need to think about things critically rather than memorizing loads of information.  I am not going to be a science major because of the fact that I never enjoyed it, but also because I would rather spend my time interacting with other people instead of doing all sorts of research and testing.