• Yoga will be covered by Kathleen Monday 12/12 at 7am.
• Zumba will be replaced by Yoga with Jasmine Monday 12/12 at 12pm.
• Core and More will be covered by Jasmin Thursday 12/15 at 4pm.
• Zumba will be replaced by Cardio Party with Jasmin on Friday 12/16 at 12pm.
• Please note: This Friday, December 16th is the last day of Group Fitness Classes. We will close out this fall session with a special event called Yoga Nidra. 

Electronic time sheet submissions and approvals for the period ending 12/10/16 (Payroll 12) are due by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, December 14, 2016.  

A reflection of what self-care really looks like for each of us, especially during finals, by Women’s Center student staff member Prachi Kochar.

It’s a common refrain that we’ve all heard, especially around this time of year. “Don’t forget to take care of yourself during finals week!”, “Remember that self-care is important!”, and so on. But what does taking care of yourself look like? Does it look like buying yourself your favorite drink at Starbucks? Does it look like going to the gym for a hard session on the treadmill? Does it look like sleeping in an extra hour? Does it look like going to the movies with your friends? Simply put, there is no easy “yes” or “no” answer to these questions. Self-care looks like what is right for you at this point in time. And self-care does not always fit into a neat little box of “Do this and you’ll feel great!” Self-care can be an ongoing process, a process that is sometimes painful and sometimes exhilarating. And it is something that everyone has their own interpretation of, which can be incredibly overwhelming – googling “what does self-care look like” yields over 29 million results!

Besides these yummy cupcakes, what does treating yourself look like?

For me, self-care can take the form of sleeping in a few hours and giving my body and mind the time to rest and recover from stresses. It can also take the form of waking up early and going to the gym for a 7 AM yoga class or going for a run. Sometimes self-care means showing up for all of my commitments, even when I am tired, and sometimes it means saying “no” or “I can’t do it.” Sometimes self-care means pushing myself to finish all of my assignments when I am not feeling my best so that I will not be thrown into crisis mode later when all of my commitments pile up. What is most important is that I take stock of how I am feeling, mentally and physically, and do not become upset at myself for not being able to do everything, but also recognize that sometimes it is necessary for me to push myself to take care of myself. In other words, self-care sometimes involves doing the hard things and showing up for yourself.

More wise words from Parks and Recreation!

As you might be guessing, self-care involves a large amount of self-reflection – taking stock of your feelings, needs, and wants. This can be difficult for many of us, especially in our fast-paced world where we are praised for chugging caffeine and pushing past our human limits. However, it is necessary to know yourself in order to take care of yourself.

Ask yourself:

What stresses you out? When do you feel most stressed out? Is it those papers that you always seem to leave to the last minute? Is it the way that the dishes pile up in the sink during a busy week?

What can you do to reduce these stresses?

This may consist of creating a detailed schedule or setting aside a specific block of time for completing particular tasks. It may also consist of doing little things to reduce your stress during periods of time that you know will be particularly stressful for you. Remember some of the self-care methods I mentioned at the beginning of this blog post? Doing something like eating your favorite food, getting a workout in, or putting on a facemask with some cucumber slices can be great ways to reduce stress during these periods of time, but no one can tell you exactly what works for you.

And finally, show up for yourself! But don’t be afraid to ask for support from those around you – and don’t be afraid to reach out to others. If you notice that a friend is stressed or going through a rough time, you can reach out to them.

Taking care of yourself is an ongoing process that is not always easy, but you can do it. As we head into finals week, good luck, and don’t forget to take the time to take care of yourself, whatever that looks like!

Resources

• What Nobody Tells You About Self-Care
• The Self-Care Revolution
• An Interactive Self-Care Guide
• “Twice As Good”: On Being a Woman of Color and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Perfectionism
• Treat Your Body Lovingly: A Twelve-Step Program
• Self-Care for Thanksgiving

 The UMBC Cyber Defense Lab presents

Lexumo Tech Talk: Continuous Open Source Code Security

Dr. Richard T. Carback III
Lexumo, Inc.

11:15am Friday, 16 December 2016, ITE 237, UMBC

Host: Alan T. Sherman (*protected email*)

The UMBC Cyber Defense Lab (CDL) meets biweekly Fridays 11:15am-12:30pm in ITE 229, for research talks about cybersecurity.

The post Talk: Lexumo Continuous Open Source Code Security appeared first on Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.

Hebrews 11:1-2 (NIV) - “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.”

Chapter 11 of Hebrews is notably referred to as “the Hall of Faith;” the author gives a very canny definition of faith before going at lengths to illustrate the biblical characters that lived out the faith. First there is a sense of looking forward in the definition of faith: “what we hope for” is a longing for the promise and “what we do not see” is an aspect of the not yet part of the eschatological reality of the kingdom. Then comes the urging of the author for the believer to put his/her confidence in that hope, and to be absolutely certain despite the seeming lack of immediate evidence. This confidence is enough to move one to action, and assurance to place all investment of life into the promise of the gospel.

And, this faith in Christ ultimately points us towards the glory and acknowledgment by God,  just like how “the ancients were commended for.”

As you recall from the message, how the brothers and sisters in the Tajik Church responded in faith despite the severe persecution and attack, let us also respond in faith that gives us confidence in the hope and assurance that one day we will all be standing before the Lord, singing his glory and being acknowledged by the Lord.

Response and prayer: Lord, I ask you for faith -  faith in Jesus so I will walk confidently with hope and certainty of my calling to live for your glory. Like the ancients, I want to be acknowledged by you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Sing in response: “The Awesome God You Are” by Matt Redman

https://youtu.be/wGUP4fD0ZaE

-MK