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Sleep disorders
HealtH Berry

HalaH al-HadHrami

4th year Medical Student, SQu

If you are encircled with a lot of work and responsibilities, the only solution you go for is to cut-off your sleep hours. In this case, you may develop some related sleep disorders or simply you may have sleep debt. What is sleep debt? Some students tend to skip sleeping hours especially during exams periods as they keep studying the whole night. Later on they find themselves sleeping for a long time as if they are compensating for their skipped sleeping hours. This is called sleep debt which may lead to many serious problems. What are the common sleep disorders? You may experiencea feeling where you are irritable and unable to concentrate. Sometimes this can lead to a serious sleep disorder such as insomnia, narcolepsy, and sleepwalking. Insomnia is the most common sleep disorderdefined as the inability to have enough amount of sleeping due

ISSUE 6, VOL. 4

to some life styles as the lack of physical exercise. In contrary, narcolepsy simply means excessive daytime sleepiness. People with narcolepsy have disturbed times of sleeping which may interfere with their daily activities. Sleepwalkers have the ability to do simple activities which can be done in a full state of consciousness. They are also able to react aggressively while they are sleeping. It has been shown that sleepwalking is related to immaturity of some parts in the brain and it is more commonly seen in children with affected parents.

Steps for better sleep

y Here are some steps that help to have better and effective sleeping: y Set a regular sleeping schedule. y Never oversleep. y Make sure that you have a good sleeping environment with a proper temperature. y Sleep in a dark room. y Avoid taking caffeine before sleeping. y Avoid taking heavy meals or even snakes before sleeping. y Avoid any source of noise. y Dont sleep next to any electrical device. y Keep regular exercise.

Hi there

inter has just left us and summer is in. No doubt temperature will increase as fast as days move nowadays. Thus walking long distances and being subject to sun are not preferred for your health. What about large spaces like at SQU? Can students walk from the college of Arts to the Cultural Centre, for instance? Last year we discussed the old bus system which wasnt as good as students and staff like. In this issue, team H!SQU takes you to know more about the new, puzzling bus transport system at SQU. He had the passion to wheel himself to the roads of success as he becomes the first Omani graduate from SIT institution. Samiya AL-Mamari spent great time talking and learning from the ambitious man, Hilal AL-Mamari an ex-head of ETS, in ORS. Sleep disorder, were sure most of you are facing such problems but do you know ways of overcoming it? Read more about it

with Halah AL-Hadhrami in health-berry. If you wish to be a writer, Shaima AL-Abri tells you a couple of historical tips through her article, Writers Spring. Often school teachers, whom a student hates, stick in a students mind forever. What if you become an instructor of a teacher whom you hated? Just Imagine, if Fatma AlAjmis creative imagination comes real. Take a cup of tea and enjoy reading!
H!SQU Team
Commitment is the stairway towards inner greatness. Mr. Wise

Bus fuss
R
to get over the previous ed and green routes! The unique transportation system applied at SQU s would get into their destinations in an transportation drawbacks. It was created so these student view of it? Team H!SQU effortless and neat way. How does this system work? What is the overall horizon about it. interviews some students and a bus driver to broaden the readers

are unfamiliar with the places that each route goes to. The administration could provide some buses for specific stations, but not many, to avoid traffic jams, he suggested.

move through SQU interiors. He further clarifies that the red and green routes cover all the possible areas of the university crossing the areas of G block and the main library.

www.englishsqu.net
Editorial Coordinators Ali Al Yaaqubi Sumaiya Al Kindi

HiSQU is brought to you by the English and Translation Society at SQU. Email your views / suggestions / articles to hi-ets@hotmail.com or hi@timesofoman.com

Zainab Al Ghammari, an English student says that the new bus system divides buses into two routes, the red route is dedicated for girls in complexes 1, 2 and 3 and the green route for girls from complexes 4 and 5. On the other hand, male students have certain buses that move through the red and green route. These routes have been decided by the admin of SQU. Majid Al Amri who is from College of Engineering, says this system allows students to

The Red, green route

The new bus system created some issues among SQU students. Majid Al Amri says: As a male student; we are not provided with many buses.He goes back with his memory by narrating a

Drawbacks of the system

story: I remember that in my first semester, I used to walk daily to my classes due to the late arrival of buses. Zainab Al Ghammari agrees with Majid that buses come late. She explains that the delays were due to reasons such as the limited numbers of buses, especially in the red route, because complexes 1, 2 and 3 are overcrowded and due to the drivers changing their shifts at 12 and 4pm. Maryam Al Kalbani supports the point of delays saying, the buses show up frequently in the morning period, but in the afternoon they rarely do so. There were many times when I stand for more than a quarter of an hour in the sun waiting for the bus!

Maryam Al Kalbani, a Medical student assures that the system has some good aspects or otherwise we wont have it here. Using the new bus system, students no longer have to walk long distances at the university; for instance, walking to the Language center. She adds I would proudly say that moving from-to various places inside SQU has become easier and enjoyable. Majid Al Amri believes this system has benefited students as it reduces the use of cars inside SQU; therefore, solving the parking issue to some extent.

Strengths of the system

As a driver at SQU, Marhoon Al Badri believes that its his duty to take male students around the university. He says: Although a huge number of students use my bus for transportation, many students prefer to walk to their targeted places. They feel its quicker due to the fact that, at most times, roads are crowded. Moreover he explains that the systemis working well despite the fact that students dont like it. Being late to lectures is the students fault because if they arrive early near the bus stop, they will reach early, he explains. Marhoon thinks that first year students havent yet adapted to the new system since they

Drivers! What do they say?

To improve the system

Zainab Al Ghammari believes that improvements can be feasible. She suggests offering more buses for both the routes in and off campus. In addition, SQU can create new routes instead of the current ones which will eventually save time. In contrary, Majid Al Abri says that small enhancements can make a huge improvement in the system. He further supports providing suitable shelters to protect students from the sun as they wait for buses.

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A trip of a Lifetime
Britain cant be Once I dreamt of being on a Oman and compared. I was impressed plane travelling to nowhere ed by the range i-travel with a confused feeling of and overwhelm of services and the imposing joy and worry. The plane left alya al-SHbibi I was enjoying the college of education, engliSh me in a place where I havent buildings. weather and the Englishs hosseen before. The place was teeming with people and my pitality. In contrary, a thing that eyes were moving here and y e at everything I made me sad is that nobod there to glanc knew my lovely Oman. When migh t enco unte r. Everything asked me about seemed different to me: new ever anybody my country, I said with great faces, different language and a enthusiasm Oman! But that strange weather. not last very As I walked, I became more enthusiasm did ssion cold till I was about long as their facial expre and more said that they have never heard to scream and suddenly, I I had to tell them heard a sound from a long dis- of it. Then about Dubai and that it is one tance saying: Alya wake up! of the Gulf countries. At the You are in London. exactly which Yes my dream has finally end, they knew in. I am in England, part of the world Oman lies come true, One new thing I was forced Great Britain or the dreamreading maps. land as they call it. The funny to learn was Wherever we went we had to thing that Ive faced from the wise we would first step in England is that get a map, other get lost. Gradually, I started to their summer is as cold as our about the imOmani winter. I am not joking. change my mind portance of maps. I was about to cry because of And I said, since people the extreme cold. dont know Oman, I can show From that moment, I knew my country and that I was opening different the English avoid embarrassment. Howchapters of experiences as a trip I have it was a movement from the ever, after such figured that we need to quit extreme east to the extreme west. From hot weather, con- using maps. Indeed, we have to create servative people and a great n our to cold weather, free our own maps to desig heritage right path to the future. That people and a glorious country I enjoyed and - as they say the empire on was a trip which benefited from and now I can which the sun never sets. such a trip I was comparing everything say proudly that was a trip of a lifetime. to Oman but unfortunately,

Teaching My Teacher
JUST IMAGINE

Fatma aL-ajmi
College of Arts And soCiAl sCienCes, english

Imagine you are a lecturer at SQU. You had to teach your own school teacher, who is planning to complete her/his studies, and whom you hate the most. What would you do if Fatma ALAjimis dream comes to reality?

Well, I might be annoye d first time I see her in my the yet I would treat her fai class, should know that I was rly. She careless student as Im not a now a lecturer, and I would adm it to her jokingly: I didnt rea like you when I was at sch lly yet that does not mean ool, you now. Ive grown up.I hate ally, young students alwGenerays blame their teachers; how as we get older, we figure ever, that they are only trying out to help.

Sh at ha AL -S ub hi Col leg e Of Scie nce s, Che mis try

Sura Malki College of Sciences, Bio-technolo gy At the beginning, I would treat her in a gracious way, but I wont let her pass my course in her first attempt. She would have to fail at least once and then repeat it again with me. However, if I hated the teacher without any clear reasons, I would fully ignore her in the class. Indeed, she would never get an A with me, even if she gets fullmarks in the tests.

Tariq AL-Su leiman i College of Sciences, Computer Sciences I dont really remember detesting any of my school teachers, yet if it was so, I would forget everything that happened and start a new page with him. I would treat him respectfully as he is one of the reasons that Im in this position now. Therefore, he would be superior to any other students in the class.

Writers Spring
Try to do what you love, to love what you do.
The great Greek philosopher Epictetus said that College of eduCation, english if you wish to be a writer; write! It seems that most of the famous writers have applied this principle, maybe unconsciously, to begin their writing journeys. They start writing down whatever comes to their minds even before realizing that they are writers. However, these random pieces of writing dont emerge from the blowing wind. Indeed, its said that writing reflects the writers personality. A number of classical writers such as Mark Twain, Alexandre Dumas and Charles Dickens based their novels and plays on their personal life. Those writers have faced a lot of hardships during their life which shaped the themes that they wrote about. For example, Great Expectation and Oliver Twist show the poverty

From ETS to SIT

ors

Shaima al.abri

SAMIYA AL-MAMARI

College of Arts And soCiAl sCienCes, english

He believes that extracurricular activities are the place where students can discover the hidden creators inside them. He never knew himself to be better before he joined the English and translation Society (ETS). Hilal ALMamari, an ex-head of ETS and the Academic Director of school International Training (SIT) study abroad program in Oman, talks to Samiya ALMamari about the milestones of his life so far.

Study Journey

Hilal AL-Mamari was born

in Saham, Al Batinah north in 1982 and graduated from Yaroub bin Balarab Secondary School. In 2000, he joined SQU as a media student, but he transferred to English literature. In his fourth year, he became the vice president of ETS and its president in his fifth year. Hilal graduated from SQU in 2005 and got a scholarship to Australia to complete his master degree from the University of Western Sydney. In 2006-2007, he worked as an English teacher in Sohar College of Applied sciences. As he seems a man who doesnt like to stop at a particular stage, he went to the US, Vermont in fall 2008. There he taught Arabic through the Fulbright, which is a program

provided by the American Department of States. After one year, he went back to the same place and obtained a second Master degree in the international education from SIT Institute. He finished in summer 2011 and returned to Oman where he works now as an academic director of SIT, a study program in Oman.

Good moments

One of my great moments was when I received the students delegation to Germany in 2003. Another moment which I wont forget at SQU is when I got elected as the president of ETS in 20042005. It was that position which made me discover my skills as a leader. There were

also moments when I felt really proud to be Omani as Ive represented Oman in the Arab youth dialog on woman issues in 2005 and 2006 in Egypt, Syria and Tunisia. Moreover, I wont forget the day when SIT Institute raised the Omani flag announcing its first Omani graduate.

a lot; I have been to many countries such as Australia, US, Germany, Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, Jordan, Qatar and UAE. I believe that reading is a must for everybody, so I like to spend my spare time reading both Arabic and English literature.

Try to do what you love, to love what you do. Often be open to change so you can change the world And Always stay ambitious.

For your eyes

Leisure Time

Philosophy

I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. Besides, I love travelling

I believe that there are three bases for anyone to succeed in his or her life:

Students activities are the place where I discovered my talents and abilities, so I recommend students at university not to miss out this chance.

and betrayal that Charles Dickens himself had. Some writers may not have this kind of wretched and dramatic life, but that doesnt prevent them from producing a piece thats worth reading. The others life and the situation in the society become the sources of inspiration for those writers. Their novels, poems or plays are the mirror that carries for the readers their simple experiences which they may have never noticed. The Arab spring becomes the Arab writers inspirer these days in all kinds of writing. They tend to write about patriotism, loyalty and freedom. In the annual TV competition Poet of the Million that has started a few months ago, most of the poems talk about the previous topics. The life itself is the spring that satisfies the writers thirst.