This month we would like to recognize Mira Daljeet, DMD 2018, for all the hard work she has done for the FUNdraising Committee by naming her the November Member of the Month! Mira is currently the vice chair of the Fundraising Committee and has been doing an amazing job balancing both her school work and responsibilities as vice chair. We were extremely impressed with her hard work in organizing the toothbrush sale in the medical school this past month, as well as sorting and distributing the apparel. We asked Mira some questions about her involvement with ASDA and life outside of Dental School, here's what she had to say: 

Where are you from?
"Toronto, Ontario" 

What do you enjoy most about your committee?
"Raising money for our ASDA chapter allows BU students to do so many things. It's great to contribute to sending people to leadership conferences and other fun and rewarding ASDA events."
 
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
"I watch way too much TV. Everything from your high quality Game of Thrones to your guilty pleasure Bachelor. My friends and I have Monday night Bachelor viewing parties. My all time favorite will always be Friends though! I'm also a huge basketball fan. I love watching games and am obsessed with my fantasy team. Go raps go!"

What is on your bucket list?
"Travelling to Europe and Asia once I graduate. Greece and the south of France are at the top of my list. Also sitting courtside at a Raptors game!"

What is your most memorable ASDA moment?
"Driving around in a golf cart and being on 9th hole patrol at the annual golf tournament last year was my favorite ASDA fundraising moment. It was a really fun event and we're very excited for this year's tournament!"  

Any last thoughts or comments?
"Happy Holidays everyone!"

Congratulations Mira and thank you again for everything you do for our Chapter! The FUNdraising committee wouldn't be as fun without you :) 

           ​November and December can be difficult months for anyone to remain healthy, let alone a busy dental student. The combination of holiday cheer and final exam stress can spiral into excess eating and less time dedicated to working out. It’s easy to get caught up in the holidays, enjoying pumpkin spice lattes, turkey dinners, and Christmas cookies. Pair that with the cold weather making us more lethargic and less likely to exercise, and we’re setting our bodies up for failure. I often hear from fellow dental students who say they just “don’t have time” to exercise, and although our schedules are brutally hectic, making the time to care for your body and mind should be at the top of everyone’s holiday “to do” list.
            To put things into perspective, the average person consumes about 3,000 calories on Thanksgiving Day alone! Couple that with holiday parties and late night snacking in the library studying, and it can become quite easy to put on a few pounds. Balancing all of the unhealthy, excessive eating with exercising can do wonders for the maintenance of our bodies.  Here are a few fun ways to burn off those pesky holiday calories:

Yoga/stretching: 179 calories burned per hour
Strength training (light): 215 calories burned per hour
Dancing: 344 calories burned per hour
Walking (briskly): 358 calories burned per hour
Shoveling snow: 430 calories burned per hour
Bowling: 215 calories burned per hour
Group aerobics: 465 calories burned per hour
Stationary cycling: 501 calories burned per hour
Circuit training: 573 calories burned per hour
Cross-country skiing: 573 calories burned per hour
Running (5 mph): 573 calories burned per hour                      
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            Physical activity isn’t just beneficial to our bodies. Taking the time to sweat can also help our brains perform more efficiently and reduce stress. An article from The Scientific American states, “Research shows that when we exercise, blood pressure and blood flow increase everywhere in the body, including the brain. More blood means more energy and oxygen, which makes our brain perform better.” The article also touches on how working up a sweat enhances our mental capacity because the hippocampus (the part of the brain critical for learning and memory) is highly active during exercise. Another recent study even concluded that students who exercise perform better on tests than their less physically active peers.
            So, whether your motivation to exercise stems from a desire to burn off those holiday calories or to get your mind ready for that final exam, just get out there and sweat!

This is meant to be a brief discussion on a very important three digit number which when mastered will open so many doors but when ignored will make your financial life more difficult than it needs to be.  It is important to have a disclaimer that I am not a financial professional and to please follow up with your own research.  This is not meant to be financial advice but an open discussion regarding your FICO score.

At its most basic definition, your credit score is a numerical representation (ranging from 300 – 850) which shows what your creditworthiness is.  The information from which this score is derived from is your credit reports from the credit bureaus.  What these companies do is “Collect information about where you live and work, how you pay your bills, whether or not you have been sued, arrested, or filed for bankruptcy.”  (usa.gov/credit-reports).  The three companies are Equifax, Experian and Transunion.  The numeric representation of your credit history and the way that it is weighted is as follows:  Payment history: 35%, Amounts owed: 30%, Length of credit history: 15%, How many types of credit in use: 10%, Account inquiries: 10%. 
Now that you know what your FICO score is and where the information is derived from let’s talk about something that is applicable right now! 

The first question to be answered is, what is my credit score?  First things first is to get your credit report directly from the credit bureaus once a year for free.  (Annualcreditreport.com)  This is crucial not only to monitor your FICO score but also what is actually seen on your credit report in case something comes up that is incorrect or fraudulent in nature.   A second popular way that recently has emerged is for your credit card company to show you what your credit score is along with your monthly statement.
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As a dental student, the financial resources at our disposal are less now than what they will hopefully be in a couple years.  With that being said, one definite step that can be taken today and for the next couple years in order to put you in a better position for the future is understanding your credit score, what it is derived from, and what you can do right now to maintain it and develop it appropriately.