Get Your Eight Hours of Sleep

 Do you wonder why you sometimes have trouble sleeping?  Your diet could be the culprit.  Check out these eight foods that you want to avoid eating before bed.  This will help you get a better nights sleep.  You can learn more here.

 
Dark Chocolate
Nibbling on a piece of dark chocolate might cure a late-night sugar craving, but that sweet satisfaction might be short-lived. Certain dark chocolates, such as Hershey’s Bliss Dark Chocolate, have as much as 25 to 38 percent of the amount of caffeine found in a standard cup of coffee. That’s enough to keep a few people up tossing and turning.
All chocolate – even milk chocolate – contains caffeine, but an easy rule of thumb to follow is: The darker the chocolate, the more caffeine it contains. So if you can’t give up the craving, reach for chocolate with a lower percentage of cocoa.

Steak
Beyond raising cholesterol and increasing obesity risk, fatty foods that are high in protein, like steak, digest slowly and may disrupt our Circadian rhythm if eaten close to bedtime. What’s more, high-fat, high-protein diets have also been linked to sleep apnea, which can leave you tired and irritable throughout the next day.

Alcohol
The nightcap. It’s supposed to help you unwind and get some rest after a long day. However, time after time, studies have shown that while alcohol can help you fall asleep faster, it negatively affects your sleep cycle by reducing the amount of SWS and REM sleep – both of which are responsible for helping to repair and restore the mind and body – you receive per night.

Spicy food
Spicy food may not give you nightmares, but it sure can disrupt a good night’s sleep. Lying down after eating a heavy, spice-laden meal can result in heartburn and a restless night. Studies have found that eating spicy food prior to bedtime not only reduces the overall amount of sleep a person gets, but also raise core body temperature, which has been linked to poor sleep quality.

Decaf coffee
If you’re jonesing for an after-dinner cup of coffee, reaching for decaf instead of regular may not prevent the late-night jitters. Contrary to popular belief, decaffeinated coffee contains enough caffeine to disrupt sleep, particularly for those who are caffeine sensitive.

Broccoli or cauliflower
Being healthy by eating your veggies has a time and place, but it’s not before bed. Some roughage like broccoli and cauliflower contain tryptophan, which actually helps the body produce serotonin and regulates sleep. However, eaten too close to bedtime, vegetables with high amounts of slow-to-digest fiber can keep your body working well into the night while you’re trying to get some shuteye.

French fries
Some of us may dream about fried food, but high-fat foods like French fries can keep you from doing just that. Indulging in one or two fries before bed may not be enough to keep you awake, but eating an entire serving may push your digestive system into overdrive not to mention give you a bad case of heartburn -- both of which are enough to prevent a good night of dreaming.

Chili
Hot sauce. Beans. Beef. Oh, my! Chili is a five-alarm recipe for sleep disaster if you eat it close to bedtime. Hot sauce-induced heartburn and a disgruntled tummy thanks to the beans and beef will keep you from getting all of those precious 40 winks.

Fudge Pop Recipe

There are some great recipes that can help you beat the heat this summer.  This Classic Fudge Pop recipe is delicious, and it will be nice and cold even on the warmest days.  Keep reading below for the recipe, and you can check out Home and Gardens for more information.

Texas Tech Traditions

What Texas Tech traditions have you completed? The Raiders have a strong tradition of pride for their school. Take a look at these long standing traditions. You can find out more about the traditions by clicking here.

ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
Modeled after La Universidad de Alcala de Hernales in Spain, the Administration Building was one of the original campus buildings. The most recognized building on campus, it has three floors and a basement, twin bell towers, salle port, double wings and a courtyard. Among the offices in the "Ad Building" are the Chancellor's Office, President's Office and Board of Regents Office in the east wing and the College of Education in the west wing.

ARBOR DAY
When Texas Tech first started, most of the funds went towards the buildings, but the campus was lacking its landscape. Then, in 1937, president Knapp decided to dedicate one day every spring to beautify the campus. On the first day of this now annual tradition, 20,000 trees were planted. This Tech tradition still goes on today as student and teachers plant trees and beautify the campus on Arbor Day.

ANDERSON, DONNY
While also arguably owning the most nicknames - "Stinnett Stingray," the "Golden Palomino" and "Donny Wonderful" - All-American Donny Anderson also held many of Texas Tech's football records when his legendary career ended with the 1965 season. He finished fourth in the 1965 Heisman Trophy race. Anderson later played nine seasons in the NFL, including on both of Green Bay's Super Bowl champion teams in 1967 and 1968. He scored a touchdown in the '68 Super Bowl against Oakland.

ARTIFICIAL TURF
The current carpet, installed in 2006, is the sixth different surface covering the Jones AT&T Stadium floor since Tech switched to turf in 1970. The current surface is known as Fieldturf. The old astroturf was removed and sold to the public.

BANGIN' BERTHA
Saddle Tramps carry Bangin Bertha, a bell on a trailer, to all home football games and homecoming events. Bertha was designed in 1959 by Saddle Tramp Joe Winegar, and was donated by the Santa Fe Railroad. Bangin' Bertha is considered a spirit-raiser and a big tradition at Texas Tech.

BLARNEY STONE
On St. Patrick's Day in 1939 Texas Tech University unveiled that they had discovered a piece of the Blarney Stone. According to the legend the stone was discovered by a group of petroleum engineers while they were on a field trip. After doing tests it was discovered that the stone was a piece of the original Blarney Stone. The stone now lies on a stand in front of the old Electrical Engineering Building. It is said that seniors that kiss the Blarney Stone upon graduation will receive the gift of eloquent speech.

BOWLING
Texas Tech made its 27th post-season appearance in 2003 in the EV1.net Houston Bowl. Head Coach Mike Leach has led the Red Raiders to four bowl appearances in his first four seasons on the South Plains. Texas Tech has been bowl eligible for 11-consecutive seasons and is only one of three schools in the Big 12 Conference to be bowl eligible in each of the league's eight seasons.

CAROL OF LIGHTS
To celebrate the holiday season Texas Tech holds an annual event called the Carol of Lights. The event starts off with the Texas Tech University Combined Choirs performing selections of classic holiday songs at the Science Quadrangle. When the lighting ceremony commences, Students as well as those who came for the show stand in awe as over 25,000 red, white, and orange lights illuminate the 13 buildings surrounding memorial circle.


This tradition started in 1959 when Harold Hinn came up with the idea and provided the funds to cover the science quadrangle and the administration building with lights. Unfortunately students were away on Christmas break and did not see the display. The next year the Residence Hall Association created the Christmas Sing, which is now known as the Carol of Lights. Today, the Carol of Lights is one of Texas Tech's favorite traditions.

CAWTHON, PETE
Texas Tech's third football coach, Pete Cawthon had quite a friend in his corner. Notre Dame's legendary Knute Rockne was among those who recommended Cawthon for the job as Texas Tech's head football coach. Cawthon's squads posted a 76-32-6 record in his 11 years as head coach. Cawthon left Texas Tech in 1940 and later coached professionally in Brooklyn and Detroit. He also served as athletic director at Alabama. He died on Dec. 31, 1962, and is the subject of a book called "Tender Tyrant," written by Etta Lynch in 1976 and published by Staked Plains Press, Inc.

DAVIS, DR. J. WILLIAM
The "father of the national letter of intent," Dr. J. William Davis was chairman of Texas Tech's Athletic Council. He devised the form that insured coaches could not pirate another school's recruits. The measure was adopted in 1964 by the College Commissioners Association. Under the "Davis Plan," as a news service dubbed the program, major conferences agreed to honor each others' letters of intent; that is, agreements by high school athletes to accept an athletic scholarship from a particular school. A national letter of intent, embracing all NCAA members, failed to pass at the 1962 NCAA convention, when smaller colleges opposed the plan. Davis served as Southwest Conference president, NCAA vice-president and was a member of the NCAA Infractions Committee.

DOUBLE T
An image study in 1989 brought out loud and clear that to Texas Techsans the Double T represents tradition, pride and school identity. Historical evidence suggests that Tech's first football coaches, E.Y. Freeland and Grady Higginbotham, are the originators of this campus trademark, first using it on letter sweaters. No campus symbol is so readily identified with Texas Tech as the Double T.

DOUBLE T BENCH
Located in the courtyard behind the Administration Building, this special bench was given by the seniors of the class of 1931. It was an announced tradition that no freshmen were allowed to sit on it.

DOUBLE T SADDLE MONUMENT
Before the football team goes out onto the field they touch the sculpture of a saddle. The saddle was dedicated by the Saddle Tramps to Double T, one of the many Masked Rider Horses that served proudly over the years.

DYKES, WILLIAM TAYLOR
Better known as "Spike," Texas Tech's 12th head football coach, Dykes posted a record of 82-67-1 in his 13 years of leading the Red Raiders and is the school's all-time winningest coach. He got his nickname from a Dick Tracy character from the World War II era. He was named the Southwest Conference's coach of the year three times and was the first coach to receive the honor from the Big 12 Conference. He took over the Tech football program in 1986 in December before the Red Raiders battled Mississippi in the Independence Bowl. He is Tech's all-time winningest coach in Southwest Conference games and led the Red Raiders to a school-record four-consecutive bowls entering 1997. He was born in Lubbock, went to high school in Ballinger and graduated from Stephen F. Austin in 1959. He was a high school head coach at Coahoma, Belton, Big Spring, Alice and Midland Lee. He was an assistant under Darrell Royal at Texas, and also coached at New Mexico and Mississippi State. Dykes came to Tech as defensive coordinator in 1984.

FIGHT SONG
The Fight Song was written by Carroll McMath, and updates the Matadors, Tech's original name for the athletic teams, to the Red Raiders. The spirited song is sung at many of Tech's sporting events.


Fight, Raiders, Fight! Fight, Raiders, Fight!
Fight for the school we love so dearly.
You'll hit'em high, you'll hit'em low.
You'll push the ball across the goal,
Tech, Fight! Fight!
We'll praise your name, boost you to fame.
Fight for the Scarlet and Black.
You will hit'em, you will wreck'em.
Hit'em, Wreck'em, Texas Tech!
And the Victory Bells will ring out.



FREELAND, E.Y.
Texas Tech's first football coach, E.Y. Freeland was hired in June 1925. He compiled a 21-10-6 record for four seasons from 1925-28.

GATOR BOWL
Tech claimed a 35-13 win over Auburn in the '54 Gator Bowl, which marked the first televised game ever for the school. The contest also gave birth to another long-standing Texas Tech tradition. Riding a horse named Blackie, Tech student Joe Kirk Fulton, wearing Levi's, red shirt, red and black cape and a black cowboy hat, led the team onto the field. Thus the "Masked Rider" was born. Most recently, the Red Raiders staged a thrilling, fourth quarter came-from-behind win over the No. 20 Virginia Cavaliers in the 2008 Konica Minolta Gator Bowl.

GOIN' BAND FROM RAIDERLAND
The Goin' Band from Raiderland - is one of the largest spirit raisers on campus and among the finest bands in the country. The original band in 1925, numbering only 21 members, was dressed in matador uniforms. In recent years, the band's 400 members have returned to variations on that original look. The Goin' Band performs at home and away football games, parades and at other special events. Following home games, devoted fans stick around to join the band in their traditional march out of Jones SBC Stadium, through the engineering key, around the circle, by the Administration Building and ending at the band parking lot behind the Music Building. The band was the 1998 recipient of the prestigious Sudler Trophy as the nation's top marching band.

GUNS UP
The sign can be traced back to L. Glenn Dippel, a 1961 alumnas of Texas Tech. He and his wife Roxie were living in Austin and faced the daily presence of the “Hook ‘em Horns” hand sign used by University of Texas fans. So, the Dippels decided to retaliate. They looked to mascot Raider Red and his raised guns for their inspiration and in 1971 developed the Guns Up hand symbol. The Saddle Tramps and Texas Tech cheerleaders immediately adopted Guns Up and a new tradition was born.

HEISMAN TROPHY
Five Red Raiders have finished among the top vote getters in the race for college football's most prestigious trophy. Texas Tech's Byron Hanspard garnered 251 points in 1996 to finish sixth overall in the voting. Donny Anderson posted Tech's all-time highest finish in the Heisman voting when the running back received 408 points to finish fourth in 1965. E.J. Holub finished 10th in the 1960 Heisman ballot with 117 points. Quarterbacks Kliff Kingsbury and B.J. Symons finished ninth and tenth, respectively, in the voting in 2002 and 2003.

HOLUB, E.J.
Texas Tech's first consensus Division I All-America at center and linebacker, Lubbock native E.J. Holub was named to the Southwest Conference's Hall of Honor in 1994. Holub went on to a 10-year career in the NFL, playing for the Dallas Texans of the AFL and the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. He achieved an NFL first as the only player to start on both offense and defense in two separate Super Bowls. He was also inducted into the Texas Tech Athletic Hall of Honor in 1977 and is a member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.

HOMECOMING
Held each fall Homecoming brings back Tech-exes and fans to join with students for a bonfire and pep rally, parade, open houses, awards programs, and float competitions. Homecoming dates back to 1930 when Texas Tech lost 20-6 to Hardin-Simmons. A highlight of Homecoming is election of a queen, the first being Suzanne Matteson in 1954.

INSTANT REPLAY
The Sept. 18, 1965, Texas Tech game against Kansas - a 26-7 Tech win - was the first intercollegiate football contest to use instant video replay (Ampex). Robert "Daddy Warbucks" Walker, a Texas Tech grad, pioneered the equipment used by coach JT King to review plays immediately. However, the new twist was eliminated by the NCAA in 1967 because the technology was too costly for some schools.

JONES AT&T STADIUM
Completed in 1947 and named for former Texas Tech president Clifford B. Jones and his wife Audrey, Jones AT&T Stadium originally seated 18,000. The first game was played on November 29, 1947, with a 14-6 Texas Tech victory over Hardin-Simmons. Following the last game of the 1959 season, the stadium was widened to the east for additional seating and the playing field lowered to a depth of 28 feet. Successive additions in 1969 and 1972 took the stadium to its current seating capacity of 50,050. In 1979, the Lettermen's Lounge was completed on the north end of the stadium. A large Double T scoreboard was added on the south end, and athletic department offices were renovated and expanded in 1990. Texas Tech celebrated the 50th anniversary of the stadium in 1997. West side renovations were recently completed and include the addition of a new press box, club seats and luxury suites and increased capacity.

LAMB, ARCH
The founder of the Saddle Tramps in 1936, Arch Lamb was head cheerleader when he formed the all-male booster organization. The group was founded based on three principles - spirit, service and leadership. The Texas Tech legend passed away in March 2004.

LETTERMEN'S LOUNGE
Found on the north end of Jones Stadium on 4th Street, the Lettermen's Lounge holds memorabilia of Tech's most prominent athletes. Meetings and meals can be held in the facility, whose windows look right out onto the football field. It is connected to the Athletic Ticket Office and was constructed in 1979.

MASCOTS
Texas Tech has had several, including the current Masked Rider. The first, a black calf, was donated to the team after Tech's first victory, a 30-0 decision in the third game of 1925. The calf was branded with the winning score and later slaughtered and barbecued for the team with the idea that the hide would be tanned and placed in the trophy room. However, the hide did not retain its hair and thus was lost. One accomplishment the calf made during its one-year reign was that no opposing fan and was ever able to ride it without being thrown. This became a regular performance during halftime at Tech's first games.

MASKED RIDER
The Masked Rider is the oldest and most popular mascot of Texas Tech University that still exists today. Originally the Masked Rider started as a dare in 1936 and was then called the ghost rider, because no one knew the rider's identity. These ghost riders circled the field at home football games and then disappeared.


The Masked Rider did not become an official mascot until 1954, when Joe Kirk Fulton led the team out onto the field at the Gator Bowl. Fulton, wearing Levi's, red shirt, a black cape and mounted on a black horse awed the crowd as the team made one of the most sensational entrances ever.


Today the Masked Rider, with his or her guns up, leads the team out onto the field for all of the home games. The Masked Rider is one of the most visible figures at Tech.

McMURRY
Texas Tech played its first football game on Oct. 3, 1925, against McMurry. The game ended in a controversial 0-0 tie. The referee ruled that time had expired before Texas Tech's Elson Archibald made his apparent game-winning 20-yard field goal. The decision came much to the dismay of the players and fans who were in the midst of a wild celebration. Reports after the game explained that the referee was getting revenge on Texas Tech because he was not named the school's football coach.

NEIMAN-MARCUS
The Dallas-based department store drew the wrath of Texas Tech fans after the school's attempt to join the Southwest Conference was denied in 1952. Red Raider fans were so angry that many cut up their Neiman-Marcus charge cards and mailed them to the store. Legend has it that Stanley Marcus got involved and helped sway SMU's vote toward Tech's favor.

NFL
From Donny Anderson to B.J. Symons, Texas Tech has made its mark on the National Football League. Twelve Red Raiders have been drafted in the last eight NFL drafts, including two second round selections. In the 1990s, 15 Red Raiders were drafted by the NFL. Carlos Francis and B.J. Symons were selected in the 2003 draft.

College on a Budget

 College can be rough on the wallet.  However, even with limited funds you can still have fun.  Check out these great ways to save money in college and stay within your budget.  You can learn more at ecampustours.

Since you don't have a lot of cash flow in college, you need to learn how to be thrifty with your money. Here are some tips for surviving on a college budget.
 
Walk or ride your bike to classes. By doing this, you won't have to spend as much money on gas or car maintenance. You also won't have to shell out a bunch of money each semester for campus parking fees.
 
Get good grades. Having good grades can save you money on car insurance. Check with your insurance company to see what grades they require for the discount.
 
Look for free or cheap entertainment. Stop spending ridiculous amounts of money at your local movie theater. Many campuses host free movie nights throughout the school year. You could also set up a netflix account and watch movies in your dorm room or apartment for cheap. Check out sites such as Groupon and DealChicken for deals on movies, food, travel, etc. Instead of going out to clubs every weekend where you have to spend money on cover charges and beverages, save your cash by attending art openings or free student concerts. Stay away from shopping malls when you are bored; you'll be too tempted to make purchases. Instead, keep yourself busy by going for a long walk, playing sports, having a picnic with your friends, etc.
 
Don't pay for a fitness club membership. Most campuses have fitness centers that are free to students. If your campus doesn't, buy some hand weights and take up running, biking, swimming, etc.
 
Use coupons. For every item that you purchase, check to see if you can use a coupon for it. This includes groceries, clothing, electronics, etc. If purchasing items online, you should first visit sites such as ultimatecoupons.com or couponchief.com to check for online coupon codes. In addition to discounts, some sites, such as Ebates, offer cash back and will mail you a check based on your purchases. If your mom is a coupon clipper, have her send some in your next care package.
 
Get free Internet access. Many campuses offer free wireless access. If you have a desktop, some colleges provide their students with free or discounted dial-up accounts. If you need faster service, head to your campus computer lab.
 
Purchase a laundry rack. Using a laundry rack instead of a clothes dryer will cut your laundry costs in half. Plus, your clothes will last longer and look better.
 
Buy your textbooks online. Websites, such as Amazon and barnesandnoble.com, offer cheaper textbook prices than your local bookstores. In some cases, you may save more than 50% by purchasing books online. You can also save money by renting textbooks at sites such as chegg.com and campusbookrentals.com. Added bonus: you bypass the whole standing in line thing.
 
Be smart about credit. If you use a credit card, make sure you have cash to pay off the balance every month as not to accrue interest. If you get into debt during college, those credit card woes will be with you long after graduation.
 
Get a free checking and savings account. Look around your community for banks that cater to students. Make sure there are no attached fees for ATM withdrawals, online banking, funds transfer, etc.
 
Don't shop for groceries when hungry. You'll end up spending way more than you originally intended. Make a list and stick to it!
 
Carpool. Going home for the weekend or for a holiday? Carpool with other students from your hometown. Gas doesn't seem that expensive when you split the cost.
 
Don't forget about financial aid. Remember to research scholarships and grants.
Your college years can be a financially rough time. With a little planning and a lot of willpower, you can survive on a college budget.

Happy Fourth of July!

We hope everyone has a safe and happy Fourth of July!  What are your exciting plans for the holiday?