Many students do not eat breakfast in the morning. There are numerous side effects to this decision, including a drop in blood sugar levels. If one does not eat in the morning, glycogen, a form of glucose that stores energy, cannot restore quickly, and insulin levels will not be stabilized. That person will end up feeling even more hungry, irritable, and fatigued. The metabolism will also slow down. When one does not eat food for long periods of time, especially skipping breakfast, the body will try to store as many calories as possible in case of a period of starvation. Hence, the body turns the glucose in the muscles into fuel, wasting them away.
Flu season is here, and, for most people, this means the annual flu shot. According to the CDC, during the 2016-2017 season, the flu vaccine prevented 5.3 million people from contracting influenza and reduced the chance of having to go to the doctor for the flu by 40%-60%. In 2017, 80,000 people died from a flu-related illness. However, if the flu vaccine is the best way to avoid getting the infamous influenza disease, why do only 60% of children and 40% of the adult population receive a flu shot?
The blaring echo of noise in the Minnetonka gyms cannot distract the high school’s Varsity volleyball team from their goal: winning. As they push for every single point, they come out victorious once again and maintain an 18-4 winning record. Despite many injures, grueling practices, and many other obstacles, the Skippers fly high above the net and continue to play the game that they love.
Cross country running can be a brutal sport. When asked what it was like, one runner replied, “I’m too busy panting to think about it.” Demanding workouts, rampant injuries, and chaotic races make it a very challenging sport. Despite all of this, Minnetonka excels at it.
Sleep is something that all students need. According to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, adolescents are recommended to get approximately eight to ten hours of rest every night, yet it’s usually not their highest priority. The most common response received when asked how much sleep a student receives in a night was 6.5 hours or even less. The cause for the lack of sleep is mostly due to the vast amount of homework, studying for tests, and procrastination.
