Back to School in Lincoln, NE – 2018

How is it possible that summer break is almost over already? *Sigh* Well, it’s officially time to complete all of the items on the “Back to School” checklist, from shopping for the necessities to medical check-ups and any other preparations that pertain to you or your kids. Whether you’re in the age range of a college student or a parent who is getting everything in order for a Kindergartner all the way up to a high schooler, there are actually some basics that would pertain to anyone. Let’s get into a few of those!

B2S Basics: Check-Ups

It’s probably time to get into your doctor’s office for that annual physical if you haven’t already.

Kristina Saunders with Honor Health & Wellness advises, “Physical exams are a big part of the back to school season for our clinic. Starting the school year out with an exam to ensure health screenings and immunizations are up to date is one of the first things parents do in preparation for the upcoming school year. Physical exams are required for children entering kindergarten and 7th grade in Lincoln Public Schools. In addition, children who plan on playing sports are required to have a sports physical prior to participation. The sports physical is a vital component in ensuring your athlete is healthy and aids in identifying any current and/or potential for injury or medical complications that could impact overall health and wellness.

Additionally, non-traditional college students should also have a physical exam to make sure screenings and immunizations are up to date. Non-traditional students often have responsibilities in addition to school, including families and employment. High stress can lead to illness. Taking preventative steps at the beginning of the school year can help prevent missing classes and compounding stress later in the school year.

It is especially important for children with asthma and allergies to have a physical exam prior to the beginning of the school year. The primary care provider will update asthma action plans to provide both families, children, and school health personnel with detailed instructions on how to identify asthma exacerbation and assist a child if one does occur at school. Requesting rescue inhalers for both school and home use is a good way to make sure your child is prepared in the event of breathing difficulty in any environment. Additionally, children with allergies that could lead to potential life-threatening situations including food allergies should discuss the use of epi-pens with their healthcare provider and request prescriptions for both home and school.

Back to school physicals are a great time to review safety with children and parents. This includes traffic safety and the use of helmets when biking. It is also a good time to discuss what a child should do if approached by a stranger.

Taking the time to discuss study habits and stress management is important at the beginning of the school year too. Once school begins, we all become busy trying to keep up with sports, homework and daily life. Developing a plan for transportation, study times, meals, and unexpected illness at the beginning of the school year helps to decrease stress levels for families.

The beginning of the school year can be especially stressful for children as they develop new relationships in the school environment. It is important to discuss with your child how to handle bullying. Keep the lines of communication open. Encourage your child to discuss the events of the day with you and help your child identify specific teachers and school personnel they may go to if they are feeling threatened at school.

At the back to school appointment, we discuss the importance of developing a routine prior to school starting. This includes eating healthy meals at scheduled times, reevaluating screen time that often creeps up over the summer, and reestablishing bedtime routines. Meal times are a good way to teach healthy eating habits. Studies have shown that taking the time to eat a family meal in the evening has decreased the incidence of depression, substance abuse, and disordered eating. It helps improve the child’s self-esteem, school performance and overall well-being.

Ensuring children have 5 servings of fruits and vegetables and at least 3 servings of low-fat dairy per day will help decrease incidence of obesity. It is also a great time to catch up on the day’s events and plan for upcoming activities. Kids are often more active in the summer. It is important to incorporate additional physical activity outside of school hours. Planning evening walks, swimming lessons, sports participation will help instill lifelong habits that will reduce illness later in life.

Reestablishing bedtime routines can be a struggle for families. We become accustomed to staying up later; we all know the struggle of getting our kids out of bed when they have not had adequate sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following guidelines for sleep:

• Infants 4 to 12 months should sleep 12 to 16 hours per 24 hours (including naps) on a regular basis to promote optimal health.
• Children 1 to 2 years of age should sleep 11 to 14 hours per 24 hours (including naps) on a regular basis to promote optimal health.
• Children 3 to 5 years of age should sleep 10 to 13 hours per 24 hours (including naps) on a regular basis to promote optimal health.
• Children 6 to 12 years of age should sleep 9 to 12 hours per 24 hours on a regular basis to promote optimal health.
• Teenagers 13 to 18 years of age should sleep 8 to 10 hours per 24 hours on a regular basis to promote optimal health.

Honor Health & Wellness is offering school and sports physicals for $35. We also take Medicaid and most commercial insurance. Same day scheduling for school/sports physical and acute illness is available.”

B2S Basics: Style Points

The fun part of going back to school is definitely rocking a new look! No matter how young or old, there’s not a student around who doesn’t feel confident and ready to take on the new school year with a brand new hair style. Even simply cleaning up and giving new life to your current signature look can be just the personal transformation you need to get started on the right foot. This time around, trust the professionals at Ovation Salon to have you leaving with a fresh, modern ‘do.

Likewise, dressing the part is always an important aspect of being a student in school. This may simply be new outfits that are classroom appropriate, but it could also very well include professional or dressy attire for events outside of it, such as practicums, job shadowing, extracurricular activities, and so on.

Here in Lincoln, right about now students are descending back on campus in droves. Especially if you’re attending UNL, it’s quite customary to get new Husker gear to show your school spirit and to be well prepared for any and all of the upcoming sporting events. Rachel’s Boutique is an excellent place to find Husker apparel, accessories and jewelry – and not just for college students, but for fans of all ages.

As for what’s on trend, Cherie Travis with Rachel’s Boutique offers the following ideas: “New this year, it’s no surprise that anything “Frost” will be in high demand, and at Rachel’s, there’s a stylish bracelet that a lot of ladies have had their eye on. Also, keep in mind that everyone who attends sport events or concerts will need a clear plastic bag, and Rachel’s has a selection of quality bags that will last for a long time. Personal safety while on campus is also something to take into consideration. We carry a line called Blo Vintage, which allows you to fashionable wear a whistle that can alert others if you’re ever in danger. If you’re looking for the newest jewelry line to hit stores, we’ve just introduced one called Waxing Poetic and have a great selection of pieces in the store. Rachel’s Boutique will be hosting a Joseph Ribkoff open house and trunk show on August 8 from 3-6 p.m., which is a great opportunity to select your own styles from samples that are both fashionable and functional. We’ll also be having a fall kick-off event on August 16th featuring the newest Brighton jewelry and accessories. Let us help you pick out staple pieces that you can mix and match to dress up or down, as well as some great accessories to tie your new looks together!”

If there’s one specific back to school shopping item that’s universal for all ages of students, it’s getting a new pair of shoes (or several). Local athletic footwear authority Ann Ringlein with Lincoln Running Company offers some insight on choosing your shoes, along with some helpful news!

She explains, “We want purchasing shoes to be a pleasant experience and we believe to do that you have to LOVE your shoes! Here is some information that may help you to understand shoes and why we suggest certain styles.

Different shoes for different sports and activities? YES!

Running Shoes:

These shoes are built for speed, cushion and support for moving forward. The uppers are built with mesh and synthetics overlays for lightweight-ness and just the right amount of support. The midsoles will have added cushioning agents to help prolong the life of the shoe. These shoes definitely are technical and need some guidance in choosing the correct shoe for your foot. Running shoes that are stiffer in the midsole will be more of a supportive shoe, while those that are more flexible will be for those who need less support.

Walking Shoes:

These shoes are built for stability and support for forward motion. In walking your heel will strike the ground first with each step, so the heel will be built up for that support. The uppers are usually synthetic leather for support and for fashion.

Cross Trainers:

These shoes are built for a ‘little bit of everything.’ There is cushioning and support for the forward motion of running and walking, yet there is lateral support built in the upper for sideways motion. These shoes will last so much longer for workouts that require lateral movements. Wearing a running shoe for these types of workouts wears the shoe out and doesn’t provide the stability you need.

Foot Type:

Your foot shape helps us determine which shoes to bring out. There are no hard and fast rules but generally flat feet need more of a stability shoe, neutral arches are good in neutral shoes, and high arches need very cushioned shoes. Again, this is not ALWAYS the case, but we will be able to evaluate and suggest the proper shoe for you.

If the shoe fits, wear it!

When you come in for shoes be sure to let us bring out several different pairs. Everyone’s foot is different, that’s why we have so many shoes on the wall…but there is one just for you!

Also, let us measure your feet. It is not unusual to go ½ – 1 size bigger in athletic shoes compared to your dress shoes. If you are able, come in for shoes at the end of the day, since feet swell with body heat and are always bigger then, similar to the end of a workout.

Finally, the shoes need to feel good in the store. Don’t let someone convince you the shoes will ‘break in.’ Instead, what usually happens is your FOOT breaks in and that is not good!

Take good care of these puppies!

The shoes that is, because they will take care of you IF you take care of them!

Wear your running shoes only for running. Wearing them for other sports will just break them down sooner.

Don’t take your shoes off and on without untying them! Probably my biggest pet peeve! Doing this really breaks down the heel counter and can cause heel irritation and shoe wear.

If your shoes get wet running be sure to stuff the toes with paper towels. This helps absorb the moisture and retains the shape of the toe box.

Don’t wash your shoes in the washing machine! Being submerged in water that long can really cause the midsole to lose cushioning, and who doesn’t want cush? If you feel the need to have clean shoes, scrub them up by hand with cold water and some liquid detergent.

Heat is the worst on shoes! Never dry your shoes, or leave them somewhere hot! In the sun, in your car, near a heat vent…all bad!

Remember the number 400 miles. That is the maximum number of miles you should expect out of your shoes. After 400 miles you need to replace them to stay injury free!

If you’re gearing up to go back to school, come see us for your footwear at Lincoln Running Co., 1213 Q St.”

Specifically for athletic shoes for the various sports, if you have a student athlete who needs a new pair for the upcoming season, Play It Again Sports is an excellent place to check out.

“We have a large assortment of new and quality used athletic shoes to outfit your kids as they go back to school,” says Diane Hesson with Play It Again Sports. “We’re also stocked up with equipment for the fall sports seasons – softball, football, volleyball, and youth soccer being the main ones. Shop early so you don’t miss out on the best selection! Play it Again Sports is YOUR neighborhood sporting goods store and our mission is to provide the best quality for the best price. We not only carry a large assortment of new and quality used sporting goods but also a great variety of fitness equipment – staying active is so important for your health, and to do your best in school you’ve got to stay healthy!”

B2S Basics: New Supplies

This is another one that we’re all familiar with in the weeks prior to the first day of school. There’s the pens and pencils, the notebooks, the highlighters, the organizers, the day planners – and so much more. Be sure to check out your local Sam’s Club for some great deals on items in larger quantities, enough so that you might be set for the entire school year. One less thing to worry about later on down the line when you’re busy with assignments, tests, projects, extracurricular activities, and also trying to have a social life.

It’s also a great place for teachers to get their classroom supplies for the same reason – plenty on-hand to go around!

B2S Basics: Tech Support

There’s not much a student does these days without the assistance of a computer or electronic device. If you don’t have what you need right now, there’s still time to get set up and ready to go, no problem.

With so many options, how do you know what’s right for your needs? Simple – take the guesswork out of it and ask a professional to help you decide! We did just that to provide some helpful advice for our readers.

“Depending on what fits the needs of the student both a desktop or laptop computer are vital for school,” says Justin Nolte with EXTREME PCs. “With communications and homework being done over computers, computers are vital today for schooling. Laptops are great for the ability to be portable in the classroom and back home. ​Desktops can have their advantages, as they are more upgradeable and have a longer life span compared to a laptop. Laptops have a lot of restrictions on what can be upgraded due to their small form factor compared to desktops.

What is great about desktop computers is the ability to upgrade components easily should you need more power out of them for changing classes, etc. Students who will be taking general classes and need a computer for general use can cut costs down by only selecting what they need. Later if they decide to go into area such as graphic design, video editing, auto cad, architecture, engineering or a number of other professional uses, a desktop can easily be upgraded to fit any of those needs.

When looking at computers, remember to look at total cost of ownership and be cognizant of down time. Several big box companies require a system to be mailed in for repair. This can result in significant downtime with the loss of ability to do school work or other things on the computer, and oftentimes extra costs in shipping back and forth to the repair center. At EXTREME PCs, we offer systems with LIFETIME Warranties so no matter what the issue is that comes up, parts or labor are covered for the life of the system. Additionally, we are local, so if you’re having an issue with any of our systems, bring it by and we can turn it around within 24 hours should a repair be needed.

There’s always great back to school sales this time of year, and EXTREME PCs have several going that can be taken advantage of by anyone. ​We will offer $200 off select desktops and laptops and $10 off any computer service, or you can choose to double your RAM, double your hard drive storage, or increase your monitor size free of charge. Additionally, we offer financing with 0% interest for 12 months with approved credit! All EXTREME desktop systems come equipped with a LIFETIME Parts and Labor Warranty. No matter what comes up in the life of the system, it is covered!”

Good luck to all of the students returning back to school (and the parents too!) – here’s to the best school year yet!