Spring Break
Feel the heat, avoid the burn
Editorial Board
Issue date: 5/16/08 Section: Forum
Ladies and gentlemen of the class of 2008: wear sunscreen. If we could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.
Baz Luhrmann was just as right in his 1999 Top 40 hit as he is today (although this year the good weather came later than usual).
Thursday we finally got what we have all been waiting for: nice weather. Yesterday's high reached 88 degrees, and today's is expected to reach 99.
Arriving in Week Seven (along with midterms, finals preparations and graduation plans), spring fever is finally starting to run rampant.
Yesterday, if you went to class, you might have noticed an abundance of empty seats in classrooms. We suspect the shirtless men and the women in bikini tops were out soaking up Vitamin D instead of knowledge, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
But the sun can be dangerous if you overindulge.
Because summer is coming quickly, it is important to remember that even if you want to get that golden glow, you should also protect yourself from ultraviolet rays with sunscreen.
It is basic knowledge that minimal clothing is preferred when it comes to cooling off without air conditioning and while working on a suntan, but there are some precautions that should be taken.
Skincancer.org gives several very simple tips on how to protect yourself.
Their website advises that you seek shade, especially between 10 and 4 p.m.; avoid burns; cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses; apply one ounce of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours; avoid UV tanning booths and use sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day.
Yes, wear sunscreen!
The medical dictionary defines Sun Protection Factor (SPF) as "a number on a scale for rating sunscreen" that refers to "the product's ability to screen or block out the sun's burning rays."
So please, trust us on the sunscreen. Sunburns are painful, not necessarily attractive and very dangerous.
As stated on Skincancer.org, sunburns (and tans, for that matter) result from DNA damage, which is what causes skin cancer. This is why it is so important to make sure that you take care of yourself while outside.
Also, make sure to drink plenty of water.
On campus there have been - and will be - plenty of outdoor events. At these events, it is very easy to lose track of time, and when this happens so can sunburns and dehydration.
So go forth, enjoy the weather and stay safe.
But try not to miss too many classes - finals are right around the corner.
Editorials serve as a means for Barometer editors to offer commentary and opinions on issues both global and local, grand in scale or diminutive. The views expressed here are a reflection of the editorial board's majority.
Baz Luhrmann was just as right in his 1999 Top 40 hit as he is today (although this year the good weather came later than usual).
Thursday we finally got what we have all been waiting for: nice weather. Yesterday's high reached 88 degrees, and today's is expected to reach 99.
Arriving in Week Seven (along with midterms, finals preparations and graduation plans), spring fever is finally starting to run rampant.
Yesterday, if you went to class, you might have noticed an abundance of empty seats in classrooms. We suspect the shirtless men and the women in bikini tops were out soaking up Vitamin D instead of knowledge, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
But the sun can be dangerous if you overindulge.
Because summer is coming quickly, it is important to remember that even if you want to get that golden glow, you should also protect yourself from ultraviolet rays with sunscreen.
It is basic knowledge that minimal clothing is preferred when it comes to cooling off without air conditioning and while working on a suntan, but there are some precautions that should be taken.
Skincancer.org gives several very simple tips on how to protect yourself.
Their website advises that you seek shade, especially between 10 and 4 p.m.; avoid burns; cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses; apply one ounce of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours; avoid UV tanning booths and use sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day.
Yes, wear sunscreen!
The medical dictionary defines Sun Protection Factor (SPF) as "a number on a scale for rating sunscreen" that refers to "the product's ability to screen or block out the sun's burning rays."
So please, trust us on the sunscreen. Sunburns are painful, not necessarily attractive and very dangerous.
As stated on Skincancer.org, sunburns (and tans, for that matter) result from DNA damage, which is what causes skin cancer. This is why it is so important to make sure that you take care of yourself while outside.
Also, make sure to drink plenty of water.
On campus there have been - and will be - plenty of outdoor events. At these events, it is very easy to lose track of time, and when this happens so can sunburns and dehydration.
So go forth, enjoy the weather and stay safe.
But try not to miss too many classes - finals are right around the corner.
Editorials serve as a means for Barometer editors to offer commentary and opinions on issues both global and local, grand in scale or diminutive. The views expressed here are a reflection of the editorial board's majority.
Note: writers will not reply to comments.
Be the first to comment on this story
Comments by registered users are approved by default.