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What’s your vacation destination situation? If funds are low or time is short, you may be resigned to not getting a summer break from your regular life. In that case, this word is for you: microtravel. Microtravel means experiencing your own town or state as a visitor or explorer would, putting aside your usual routine, and embracing discovery. (Yes, it’s pretty much the same concept as “staycation,” but without the hint of inertia.) Travel comes with health and wellness benefits, and our happiness comes from our experiences, not our stuff. Microtravel is a sure way to add to those experiences.

In a recent survey by Student Health 101, 63 percent of respondents said they’d had at least one microtravel experience or staycation. “It’s a blast if you plan it and don’t let yourself get stuck in the mindset that it’s just your town, there’s nothing to do there,” says Spencer R., a second-year undergraduate at the University of North Dakota.

6 motivations for microtravel

1. You won’t spend much money

“Staycations are tha bomb diggity. Cheap, low risk.” —Sal I., second-year undergraduate, Michigan Technological University

2. You’ll minimize travel stress

There’s little risk of flight delays or missed connections. And if the prospect of travel makes you anxious, this is a great way to start. “The best part is you’re already there, so you just get up, go, and explore!” —Paula L., first-year undergraduate, Clemson University, South Carolina

3. You can easily go solo or social

The logistics, time, and costs of microtravel are not too onerous, making it easy to team up with partners, friends, and family—if you want to.

4. Your discoveries will enrich your regular life

Those new eateries, friends, and activities—they’re keepers.

5. You’ll get to be spontaneous and flexible

Ever felt obligated to visit the ancient relics, or devastated that the volcano you came for was hidden in the clouds? When you’re microtraveling, the stakes are lower.

6. You can cherish your roots and your locality

Microtravel is a way to honor your family traditions (or make new ones) and explore your local heritage.

Your microguide to microtravel

Consider a quirky theme or idea

A theme or project can help shape your microtravel explorations. “[You] definitely want to get creative, because [when] you’re so familiar with an area it can seem pretty mundane. Think outside of the box and you can’t not have a good time,” says Jonathan M., a fourth-year undergraduate at The College of New Jersey.

Remember to do all the things

Microtravel means finally having time for that stuff you can’t usually do. “Keep a list throughout the year of places you want to go to but don’t necessarily have time to go to,” says Taylor S., a second-year undergraduate at Tulane University, Louisiana.

Seriously consider leaving home

When you microtravel, it’s vital to establish boundaries to protect against the distractions of regular life. That’s especially important if you’ll be based at home.

Got public transportation? Use it

Even if public transportation doesn’t feature much in your regular life, take another look at the routes and schedules (if you have access to them). Buses and trains can deliver you affordably to many adventures.

Plan your plan

Figure out your policy on planning. The risk of going planless is that the demands of routine life may encroach on your precious exploration time. On the other hand, spontaneity is a rare pleasure. “Planning or spontaneity can set the tone for the vacation and can present its own set of pros and cons,” says Cristophet C., a first-year graduate student at the University of California, San Diego.

Switch off when you can

To protect your downtime and your headspace, try a remote campsite or B&B beyond the reach of phone signals or wifi. You probably won’t get irretrievably lost in the woods—and a printed map (remember them?) is great for getting found again.

“If you are so in love with a town, it can change, and if you used to hate it, it can become the most beautiful city you have ever seen and experienced.”
—Callixte N., first-year graduate student, University of North Dakota

“I was so amazed by the old and the new that I have taken for granted for so long.”
—Emily L., third-year undergraduate, University of New England, Maine

“The key is to not think that this is what you’re doing because you can’t afford to do otherwise. You should be entirely into this and try to get the most out of it.”
—Elham M., graduate student, Clemson University, South Carolina

Students’ stories

“This was inside a sculpture in Madison Square Park. It’s easy for a native New Yorker like me to hide behind 8 million people and stay comfortable with where I am without ever leaving my neighborhood. But then I remember that I can always be a tourist in my own backyard, if I let myself.” —Persephone Tan, first-year graduate student, University of Pennsylvania

Follow us on Instagram and don’t forget to use the hashtag #Microtravel

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How do you feel about your body? And how is that perspective working for you?

Body weight and body image are among the most challenging and perplexing health and wellness issues we face. You may have noticed the tension between these two familiar messages:

• Being underweight, overweight, or obese may be problematic for our health.
• Controlling our weight is difficult and may be stressful. Our efforts may backfire and increase our risk of anxiety and depression, disordered eating, obsessive behaviors, and other health problems.

Why weight and health are difficult to navigate

In part, it’s because of the negative judgment attached to some body types. Some health experts say the medical focus on body mass index (BMI)—a person’s weight measurement divided by their height measurement—plays into this stigma. “Weight dissatisfaction” makes people less able to adopt healthy behaviors, according to a 2015 study in Current Obesity Reports.

How body image affects our health

On college campuses, these risks are evident. “There is this cultural belief that people have to be dissatisfied with themselves in order to make behavioral changes to improve their health,” says Sara Stahlman, marketing and communication coordinator of Campus Health Services at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “In fact, the opposite has been shown; people take better care of their bodies when they hold their bodies in high regard.” Many health care professionals agree. Stigmatizing body size makes people “sicker, poorer, lonelier, and less secure,” says Dr. Deb Burgard, a psychologist in California who specializes in body image, weight, and health issues.

How weight is (and isn’t) relevant

Some experts say we should take weight out of health advice altogether. Others say that is unrealistic because weight is related to health. The evidence seems to come down to this:

• Can body weight and size negatively affect our health? Yes, but it’s complicated. Body type/weight is one of many factors that influence our well-being. Someone of “normal” weight is not necessarily healthier than an overweight person.
• Is weight change a useful and effective goal? In practice, probably not, since focusing on weight may introduce other health-related risks. Other benefits of self-care—such as improved energy, stress relief, and pleasure—can be more consistently and positively motivating.

“We can reduce the likelihood of disease without ever talking about weight or BMI,” says Stahlman. This approach, she says, “gives everyone permission to feel good about themselves and good about their process of becoming healthier, even if their weight never changes. And when people focus on the process toward health—the behaviors they have control over—their risk of disease goes down.”

How can I care for my own health and support others?

“Those looking to improve any aspect of their health need a squad. A proper squad should include a medical and/or fitness pro; a friend to relax and have fun with; another friend who’ll throw shade if you let go of what’s been working for you; and, finally, an everlasting cheerleader.”
—Roslyn Mays (Roz the Diva), a fitness trainer and pole-dancing instructor, New York (to SH101)

Does being overweight or obese increase my risk of disease?

“Weight is not a behavior, or a choice; it’s an outcome, and not entirely under our control. Genes exert an effect, as does the microbiome [micro-organisms in the body]. So there are problems with a focus on it, but there are problems ignoring it as well, as it does correlate with health risk.”
—Dr. David Katz, founding director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center at Yale University and president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (to SH101)

Why is body mass index (BMI) controversial?

“Science supports trying to control weight in general but it doesn’t support forcing every individual into the same mold of an ideal BMI range of 20–25. Fitness may be as important [to health] as fatness.”
—Dr. Harriet Hall (“The SkepDoc”), a family physician writing at Science-Based Medicine

What’s the risk in focusing on my BMI and weight?

“The stigma of [being] overweight—in the media, society as a whole and even the medical profession—can hold people back from getting help. The over-focus on shape and size can lead to unhealthy practices and even a sense of helplessness and hopelessness.”
—Dr. Ramani Durvasula, clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at California State University, Los Angeles (to SH101)

Is there a more effective way to set health goals?

“Healthy at any weight means an evaluation of one’s overall self and body, instead of just reducing oneself to a number. If a person feels that, at any weight, their choices promote their overall health and well-being (rather than engaging in unhealthy practices to ‘get the number down’), they can establish lifelong health habits.”
—Dr. Durvasula (to SH101)

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If an exam or assignment deadline is too close for comfort and your study session has become a brutal slog, you may feel you don’t have time for a workout. Chances are, though, a quick walk or 20 minutes on the basketball court is exactly what your brain needs.

Physical activity makes us smarter

Increasingly, research is indicating that exercise may give us a more powerful brain boost than anything else does. “Exercise is the single best thing you can do for your brain in terms of mood, memory, and learning. Even 10 minutes of activity changes your brain,” says Dr. John Ratey, author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain (Little, Brown, 2008).

Have you noticed the effects on your grades?

Exercise makes us better at simple and difficult mind tasks

A 2003 analysis of multiple studies, published in the journal Acta Psychologica, found that physical activity can improve our mental performance in various ways:

• Physical activity can make us quicker and more efficient at certain mental tasks, and sometimes more accurate too.
• Aerobic exercise improves our working memory and concentration. It helps us switch between tasks without making errors.
• The benefits of exercise can be seen in simple tasks (for example, speedier reaction times) and complex problem-solving tasks (like creative brainstorming).

Students: “How exercise improves my academics”

For the biggest brain boost, go aerobic and get coordinated

The improvements in mental performance come from aerobic activity. That’s any workout that makes us breathless or sweaty, like running, cycling, basketball, or dance.

The brain boost is bigger when we’re doing complicated aerobic activities that require coordination, rhythm, strategy, and concentration, like playing tennis or taking a dance class.

Smart moves

How to use exercise to raise your grades

• Incorporate aerobic (cardiovascular) activity into your regular schedule
• Try an activity that combines aerobic exercise with coordination or strategy, such as dance or a team sport
• For a quick brain break, do several minutes of jumping jacks, pushups, burpees, and other moves that get your heart pumping—or take a short walk or hit the stairs
• Circuit workouts will boost your brainpower while you work on strength or flexibility too
• If you’re physically fit, try high-intensity interval training (HIIT)

The following examples are methods that researchers have used in studies. Brain benefits are not exclusive to these activities. Try various forms of cardio and see what works for you.

For new ideas and a fresh perspective, take a walk

We think more creatively while walking than when we are sitting, according to a 2014 study involving college students. Walking helps with tasks requiring “a fresh perspective or new ideas,” according to researchers who published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition. Walking works outdoors or on a treadmill.

For brainstorming, get a half-hour of moderate cardio

In a 2005 study, 60 college students got 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise. They followed that with creativity tests measuring their brainstorming skills. The brain boost was effective for at least two hours after exercising. (Creativity Research Journal).

For creative thinking and problem solving—dance!

Twenty-one young women took a 20-minute dance class, and 16 did not, before undergoing three tests measuring their creative thinking and problem-solving skills. In the study, the women who had danced scored higher on all three tests than the women who hadn’t, Acta Psychologica reported (2003).

For improved focus, dance, play a team sport, or do a martial art

In a 2008 study, 150 teens were assigned to either a 10-minute activity involving more complicated, coordinated exercise or to a regular sports lesson. Afterward, the teens who had been engaged in coordinated exercise had bigger improvements on a test of attention and concentration than the others, according to Neuroscience Letters.

For better memory, work out strenuously

In a 2011 study, sedentary male students took a memory test. Then half of them rode a stationary bike, revving up the pace until they were exhausted, and the others were inactive. When they retook the test, the students who had exercised improved on their scores while the rested students did not, according to Physiology & Behavior.

Jason

Sonoma State University, California

“Cycling! Getting your heart pumping and blood flowing on the way up, and the rush and danger of coming down, make the mind and body better connected. I always feel better after a ride and feel like I could take on anything!”

Follow us on Instagram and don’t forget to use the hashtag #BrainBoost

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The evidence is clear: Sexual assault and coercion are common on campuses, and have been for decades. Why have we taken so long to see it?

In part, because most sexual assault does not look as we might expect it to. We may struggle with the notion of our classmate as a sexual predator, or alcohol as a weapon. Acts of sexual violence and coercion can be camouflaged by the college party scene and our own beliefs about sexual behavior. Many campus survivors resist the terms “sexual assault,” “rape,” and “victim,” even while describing experiences that meet those definitions.

In a random survey of more than 1,000 current or recent students, 25 percent of women and 7 percent of men reported at least one nonconsensual sexual experience in college, according to the Washington Post and Kaiser Family Foundation in 2015. Disabled, gay, bisexual, and transgender people face a higher-than-average risk, a White House report concluded in 2014.

Whatever we call sexual assault, it can have serious, long-term consequences for survivors’ academic success and physical and emotional health. That’s why colleges and the federal government are working to establish safer campuses for all.

What we think about when we think about sex

The 4-step bystander self-intervention

The risk of judgment makes it harder for survivors of sexual assault to speak up and more difficult for us to hold sexual aggressors accountable. We may not always be aware that our own comments and behaviors can reinforce barriers to addressing sexual violence. Here’s how to think about our own thinking. By Jaclyn Friedman, author of What You Really Really Want: The Smart Girl’s Shame-Free Guide to Sex and Safety (Seal Press, 2011).

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Is your parent or guardian helpful, hands-off, or helicopter? And what effect is that having on your college experience? Take our quiz, track your score, and click on the result for info and resources. Also check out students’ stories of parenting hits and misses.

Disclaimer: Expectations and norms around parenting, and the relationships between parents and their adult children, differ across cultures. In addition, parents and families have widely divergent access to relevant skills and resources influencing parenting styles and levels of involvement.

1. What do they say when they drop you off at college?

• A: Drop me off—are you kidding? I got myself here.
• B: “I can’t believe we have to work with that hippy professor this semester.”
• C: “I’m just a phone call away, honey.”

2. What do they send you in  the mail?

• A: Three perfect papers meeting your assignment requirements, starched and pressed.
• B: The Ultimate Student Guide to Student Stuff.
• C: Invoices for your tuition and 18 years of groceries.

3. What happens when they come see you for dinner?

• A: They take you for a delicious meal and spend the whole evening saying they’re proud of you, with a brief nudge to dab the sauce off your chin.
• B: They follow you to your grimy student kitchen and stand there looking hungry and expectant.
• C: They bring a basket packed with organic superfoods, to be washed down with a bottle of breast milk.

4. What happens to your laundry?

• A: Your parent drives 60 miles a week to bring you pristine bed linens and a batch of new outfits, including your underwear (ironed and folded).
• B: You wear everything two or three times then eventually drag it to the laundromat.
• C: When you call your guardian, they explain with endless patience what washing machines are for and where to put the quarters.

5. When you don’t get the grade you think you deserve, what happens?

• A: You finally get hold of your folks, and they mention that your hometown Blisterin’ Burgers still has an opening.
• B: They encourage you to make an appointment with your professor to discuss what went wrong and how to address it next time.
• C: You attend a high-powered meeting in a nearby skyscraper with a team of their top lawyers, to which your professor has been summoned.

6. At your graduation, you expect them to…

• A: Show up on time, have clean hair, and applaud in the right places.
• B: Have a limo drive you all up to the stage, then accompany you to the podium, modestly acknowledging the applause.
• C: Attend Uncle Eli’s barbecue instead. It’s been arranged for weeks.

Add up your score

• A=1,  B=3,  C=2
• A=3,  B=2,  C=1
• A=2,  B=1,   C=3
• A=3,  B=1,   C=2
• A=1,  B=2,  C=3
• A=2,  B=3,  C=1

Click on your score

• 6–9
• 10–13
• 14–18

The hands-off parent

If you scored 6–9, your parent or guardian seems pretty hands-off. You’ve likely been prepping your own dinner and attending your own parent-teacher conferences since 2005.

This is a lighthearted quiz and not diagnostic. For some families in some situations, hands-off parenting can work. But if you’ve experienced parental neglect, you’re not alone: Neglect is the most common form of child maltreatment, according to a 2012 report by the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child.

Growing up with uninvolved parents can lead to anxiety and stress, delayed social and emotional maturity, academic struggles, and/or substance abuse. Recovery involves building your resilience skills.

When you could use support, consider reaching out to your campus counseling center or clergy.

Resilience tools: American Psychological Association

The helpful parent

If you scored 10–13, you may be one of the lucky ones: Your parent or guardian is helpful. They strike the balance between supporting you and promoting your independence.

Not surprisingly, supportive relationships between parents and their adult children are linked to well-being and health. Three out of four young adults say they get along a lot better with their parents now than they did in their mid-teens, according to theClark University Poll of Emerging Adults (2012).

Some tension between parents and their adult children is typical, but many families are able to work toward mutual understanding and solutions, according to a 2009 study. “Avoidance doesn’t work as a strategy for dealing with conflicts. It appears to make things worse,” said lead researcher Dr. Kira Birditt of the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research.

Worksheet for resolving family conflict: Clemson University

The helicopter parent

If you scored 14–18, you appear to have a helicopter parent or guardian. That might feel OK when they’re doing your laundry, but not when they’re choosing your major. True helicopter parents can undermine “the higher education goal of helping young adults develop the ability to think for themselves,” according to the George State University Law Review (2013). Among college students, helicopter parenting is associated with higher levels of depression, suggests a 2013 study in the Journal of Child and Family Studies.

But hold up—the evidence is mixed.Helicopter parenting is uncommon, according to the National Survey of Student Engagement, 2009. And although grown children who received intense support from their parents perceived it as too much, they also reported better psychological adjustment and life satisfaction in a 2012 study (Journal of Marriage & Family). That’s because parental support often meets real needs. Hands-on parenting is particularly important for students who are the first in their families to attend college, says the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (2012).

• 7 tips for dealing with helicopter parents: Campus Circle
• First-generation college students: I’m First!

How my parent set me up for success

“I got a DUI and I paid for my lawyer, fines, and a new car. They have taught me that they will be there for me, but I need to fix my own problems or I will never learn.”
—Third-year undergraduate, University of Kansas

“My parents encouraged me to be my own advocate during difficult times. In junior high and high school, they encouraged me to talk to professors and administrators if I ran into problems, instead of them getting involved right off the bat.”
—Second-year graduate student, University of Wyoming

“My dad got me into whitewater kayaking at age 12. I continued to learn and practice and eventually train professionally to paddle deadly rivers, which has given me the confidence that nothing life throws at me will ever be too much.”
—Fourth-year undergraduate, University of Wyoming

“My mom was abused by my father, so her being able to get out of that situation and stand strong helped me.”
—Student, certificate program, Hancock College, California

“My mother always had me check into appointments, even when she was there. That has really helped me learn how to talk to people I don’t know, and it has surprisingly helped me be more comfortable at job interviews.”
—Third-year undergraduate, University of Wyoming

“Since I was 17 (I am 26) I have done my taxes on my own. My dad told me from the beginning that it’s my responsibility, no one else’s, to keep track of my finances. I keep track of my financial records online, and I also make/keep copies of any important documents.”
—Third-year graduate student, Northern Illinois University

Parents who could not always step up

Hands-off parents may lack emotional or behavioral skills, financial means, or other resources.

“I did not have the fortune of a family member who had been through college, so the entire experience was alien to me. I have no idea what I’m doing; I have no guidance.”
—Third-year undergraduate, University of Wisconsin–Platteville

“My mom only encouraged me to be ‘normal’ or socially acceptable. Honestly, I developed an [emotional health disorder]. I was never prepared for anything.”
—Third-year undergraduate, Lander University, S Carolina

“My parents raised me to be agreeable. Now I have trouble dealing with people when they’re taking advantage or asking me favors that I don’t want to do.”
—First-year graduate student, University of Manitoba

“My mom kicked me out when I was 16 years old. I learned how to take care of myself.”
—First-year undergraduate, Wake Technical Community College, North Carolina

“My parents unintentionally instilled racist prejudices in me.”
—Second-year undergraduate, University of Wisconsin–Madison

“I wasn’t raised to handle emotion. In my family we either cry alone in a locked room and then pretend it never happened, or we suppress it entirely. Living away from home and starting a new life requires much more than common sense and financial responsibility. One’s internal self takes a beating.”
—Undergraduate, University of California, Riverside

“My family is messed up. Mom’s been in and out of jail, and my dad pays me child support but other than that doesn’t talk to me.”
—Undergraduate, University of Lethbridge, Alberta

The highs & lows of helicopter parents

“My parents rescue me when I’m upset or overwhelmed, so I’ve never had to deal with a crisis on my own. Gee, that sounds pathetic.”
—Fourth-year undergraduate, Fleming College, Ontario

“I wasn’t allowed to choose exactly what I wanted when I first entered college. My mother thought I wouldn’t excel at the majors that interest me. I dropped out after a year since I didn’t know why I was there. It was my mother’s way or no way.”
—Second-year student, Empire State College, New York

“My parents expect me to act like an adult but treat me like a child.”
—Fifth-year undergraduate, Portland State University, Oregon

“Time management is extremely difficult. I’m so used to being told what to do. When [I’m] given a list of tasks and about 18 hours a day to do them, it’s hard to get things done.”
—Fourth-year undergraduate, University of Massachusetts Amherst

“Children in my family are not allowed to move outside of the parental household until after marriage. It has been difficult for me to move across states and into apartments by myself. Because of this fear that’s been instilled, I feel that I can’t necessarily take care of myself, even though I do.”
—Third-year graduate student, University of Delaware

“My mom is a businesswoman and very good at getting what she wants. Sometimes when I’ve been in trouble, I’ve used her to get out of it.”
—Second-year undergraduate, Trent University, Ontario

“We were upper middle class, and I think it was just assumed that money issues would not be anything I needed to worry about. This was a blatant disregard of reality. It led me down the primrose path to credit card disaster.”
—Third-year undergraduate, Empire State College, New York

What tasks do you not feel prepared to handle?

Source: Student Health 101 survey, March 2014.

In our survey, students said they were unprepared for certain demands. They most commonly cited:

• Taxes
• Personal finances
• Student loans
• Health insurance
• Medical appointments
• Car troubles
• Choosing major/courses
• Cooking

“I was never taught how to handle my own finances independently, so I commonly call my parents to inquire about money, taxes, loans, etc.”
—Fifth-year undergraduate, Missouri University of Science and Technology

• How to figure out your finances: National Endowment for Financial Education

In what situations do you call home for support?

Problem & percentage who admit to calling home

• Financial struggles — 60%
• Physical health issue — 45%
• Emotional health issue — 36%
• Choosing a class or major — 33%
• Domestic tasks, e.g., laundry or cooking —32%
• Need job or internship — 31%
• Bad grade or missed deadline — 24%
• End of a close relationship — 15%
• Difficulty meeting people or making friends — 10%
• Reprimanded by faculty or administration — 5%
• Arrested or other legal trouble — 3%

Source: Student Health 101 survey, March 2014

Get help or find out more

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Where the money goes is a brutal mystery—unless we plan and track our spending. In a recent CampusWell survey, 91 percent of students thought keeping a budget would help them better manage their personal finances. These six concepts are the key to making sure you’ve got the dough for pizza night, spring break, or grad school. To put them into practice, use a digital tool like Mint.com or your bank or credit union app.

EXPERTS

• BRYAN ASHTON, BSBA, assistant director, Student Life Student Wellness Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• LARRY PIKE, CFA, financial planner and principal of Client Priority Financial Advisors LLC, Needham, Massachusetts

1. Know the importance of a spending plan

“The biggest challenge to budgeting is the idea that because students have limited resources, they don’t need to take steps to take control of their finances. They do.” —BA

2. Know your current spending

“The most important step is to understand where your money really is going. If you can’t get a handle on your spending, it will be difficult to take control and make changes.” —LP

3. Know which choices you want to prioritize

“Some choices or goals aren’t strictly financial but have significant financial implications. How much should you allocate each month to meet these goals?” —BA

Examples of spending choices or goals

Maybe your short-term goal is to have enough money for late-night pizza tomorrow. What could you do throughout the month that will help ensure that you get your pizza splurge and make it to February without going into debt?

4. Know your wants vs. your needs

“The key is to be realistic about what you need versus what you want. The greatest value in making a budget is seeing where your actual dollars have gone. Then we realize how much of our spending is discretionary.” —LP

5. Know the cost of convenience

“Eating out is more expensive than making your own meals, and buying coffee is more expensive than brewing your own. This is where any student has the ability to really affect their budget.” —BA

6. Know how to use your bank accounts to your advantage

Use your checking account for your current costs. Keep larger sums in your savings account for future expenses. This way, you won’t spend your tuition money on pizza.

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Opposites Similarities attract. In relationships, we tend to get along better with people like us—a whole lot of studies prove it. But there are lots of ways we can be like each other, and in romantic compatibility, some of those ways are more important than others. Researchers have tried to figure out what matters most. To check out your relationship checklist, click on the criteria.

But first, various disclaimers:

• Shared traits and experiences can bring us together and help us navigate long-term relationships, according to research. This does not mean that partners who have less in common with each other are doomed. Many couples handle differences successfully. There’s also the question of how we define difference (for more on this, start clicking).
• Our priorities vary according to what kind of relationship we’re looking for. If we’re looking for something brief, we won’t care that they want zero kids and we want six.
• The research is based largely on heterosexual couples. The main conclusions apply to long-term same-sex relationships too, research suggests.

Do you both laugh at the same stuff?

What you say
Are you both laughing at (or scorning) the Judd Apatow movie? And does it matter? Yes. Students see sense of humor as the most important shared trait in relationships. In our survey, 67 percent of women and 62 percent of men said
this is “pretty important.”

What the research says   
Maybe. Shared humor seems important for compatibility. It might matter most to women who are evaluating men, according to a 2005 study: In heterosexual relationships, women want men who make them laugh, and men want women they can make laugh. (Beautiful symmetry there. The research doesn’t say how this plays out for gay couples.)

Takeaway  
A skeleton walks into a juice bar: “I’ll have a smoothie. And a mop.”

Are you as smart and educated as they are? Should you care?

What you say
It depends on what we mean by brainpower. In our survey, only 18 percent of students considered an IQ match “pretty important.” Education level was rated higher. Twenty-five percent of students rated similar education level
as “pretty important” and 42 percent said it “seems to help.”

What the research says   
Science seems undecided on whether an intellectual match matters. But what if you’re getting a PhD and they’re not sure they want a degree? Matched education matters far more to us than it did to our grandparents, for whom sex roles were more traditional and defined. The trend for people of similar education levels to marry each other has increased economic inequality by 25 percent since 1960, according to a recent study.

Takeaway  
Education level tends to correlate with our attitudes and life goals.
Again, it’s really about compatible goals and values.

They can’t get into Lorde. Deal-breaker?

What you say
Yes, music matters. In our survey, 21 percent said it’s “pretty important,” and a further 47 percent said it “seems to help.”

What the research says   
Yes. A 2006 study showed that college students socializing online asked about music preferences more often than all other conversation topics combined. That’s because music works pretty well as shorthand for our personality and values. When people share our music tastes, we like them more.

Here’s how music tastes influenced heterosexual attraction, according to a classic study (1989): (Note: These are not objective findings on musical genres.)

• Heavy metal: Makes men more attractive, women less attractive*
• Classical: Makes women more attractive, men less attractive
• Country: Makes all of us less attractive

* The late 1980s were the era of heavy metal. Don’t expect the same effect today.

How well do your music tastes reflect your personality? Take the quiz.

Opposites attract: Yes or no?

What the folklore says             
We like the idea that opposites attract and help us meet each other’s needs. In a 2008 study of college-educated adults who were using a dating website, 86 percent said they wanted a complementary (different) partner rather than a similar one.

What the research says   
Not so much. In fact, we tend to choose partners like us—people we consider similarly attractive, who have compatible values, and who share certain characteristics, experiences, and even genes. This conclusion is based on decades of research and applies to long-term gay relationships too.

In a recent study of people using the dating website eHarmony, “of the 102 traits in the data set, there was not one for which women were more likely to contact men with opposite traits,” wrote researcher Emma Pierson in FiveThirtyEight this year. “Men were a little more open-minded.”

Exceptions
When both partners are OK with traditional gender roles, opposites can be more easily accommodated (because different education levels don’t matter so much). Science has also identified the following opposite pairings that seem to work:

• Night person + morning person
• Person who attracts mosquitoes + person who doesn’t
• Person with a good sense of direction + directionally challenged person

These three are brought to us by 23andMe, a website covering genetics research.

Can a (social) butterfly land on a wallflower?

Here’s what we mean by personality: Introvert or extrovert?
Conscientious or sloppy? Agreeable or grouchy? That sort of thing.

What you say
Maybe. One in three of our survey respondents said matching personality traits are “pretty important.”

What the research says   
Maybe. Matching personality traits appear to be less important than some of the other stuff—at least initially. That might be a good thing: “[P]eople seem to want to find partners whose personalities are similar to theirs, but for some reason fail to do so,” according to a 2005 study. Apparently, there’s a gap between our perception and reality: If we like someone, we think their personality is closer to ours than it actually is. In long-term relationships, a personality match seems to matter more.

Takeaway  
How partners interact with each other is vital—and probably more important than a personality match. Prioritize the personality traits that contribute to positive interaction: kindness, reliability, and emotional stability.

Are you seeing it the same way?

What you say
You rated this low. In our survey, fewer than one in five students said shared values are “pretty important.”

What the research says   
Yes. Shared core values are the game-maker, and opposing values the deal-breaker.
We are attracted to people whose attitudes and values match our own, and those relationships last longer. Core values vary from person to person, but tend to include:

• Religious beliefs
• Ethical issues; e.g., attitudes relating to honesty and fidelity
• Attitudes relating to money, spending, and saving
• Political perspective
• Family plans; e.g., do you want kids?

Takeaway  
Cherish your values and be alert for a potential partner who will cherish them with you. How you treat each other is also key. Among the shared values you’re looking for, prioritize kindness, respect, and thoughtful communication.

Do you like doing the same things?

What you say
Shared hobbies and activities ranked “pretty important” to more than a third of the students who took our survey. A further 51 percent said shared activities “seem to help.” You ranked this well above similar politics, worldview, values, or IQ.

What the research says
Maybe not so much. Of course, a shared interest might be how you meet. Many close relationships start with two people repeatedly running into each other—which could be on the soccer field. Alternatively, once you’re in a relationship, you might join your partner on that hike into the Rockies and learn to like it.

Takeaway  
Although it’s important to spend time together, the relationship doesn’t necessarily have to be about your thing for Grand Theft Auto or their determination to make it to Everest base camp.

Does your voting really matter?

What you say
Is it a problem if they vote for the libertarian and you’re all about the liberal? You say no. In our survey, fewer than one in ten students thought a shared
political perspective is “pretty important” in relationships. More than one in three said it’s “hardly relevant.”

What the research says
Yes. Politics matter very much—more so than looks and personality, according to a 2011 study. Relationships that involved a shared political perspective lasted more than twice as long as those that didn’t (5.83 years vs. 2.30 years).

Takeaway  
Regardless of whether or not we vote, political affiliation tends to represent our core values. And values matter a lot for compatibility.

Do they have to be as hot as you?

What the research says  
We value physical attractiveness a whole lot. Here’s how that works:

• We tend to pair up with people we think are about as attractive as us. This is known as the matching hypothesis.
• We’re tempted to think physical appearance means more than just physical appearance. In a classic study, undergrads rated more conventionally attractive people as kinder, more sensitive, more outgoing, more interesting, and more modest than their less conventionally attractive counterparts.

Takeaway
What if they’re good-looking—and also unkind, insensitive, and boring?
Or the other way around? Just saying.

You’re from the south side. They’re from the north side. What of it?

What you say
No. Only 16 percent of students in our survey said this was “pretty important.” Maybe we don’t like to think we’re judging people on where they’ve come from. Or that we’re being judged.

What the research says   
Yes. This might be because socioeconomics has a lot to do with our education level, political perspective, and values—which are all important for compatibility. Of course, it’s possible to derive shared values from different socioeconomic experiences, and some couples do well at this. Again, the research captures generalities, not individuals.

Takeaway  
Be aware that it might be difficult to meet in the middle.

What if I worship Jesus and they worship Marduk?

What you say
Yes. Thirty percent of students who responded to our survey rated shared ideas about religion as “pretty important,” and almost as many said this “seems to help.”

What the research says   
Yes. Relationships are more likely to thrive when they’re founded on a shared belief system. Couples who share a religious faith have more harmonious and enduring relationships (in general) than do partners of different faiths. When only one of the two is religious, relationships tend to struggle.

Takeaway  
In case you’re wondering, Marduk was the ancient Babylonian god of magic.
Chances are you won’t run into a Marduk worshipper.

Must we both be faithful to the idea of being faithful?

What you say
You didn’t tell us about sexual fidelity specifically, but students taking our survey ranked “ideas about sex” as the third most important shared factor in compatibility.

What the research says   
Yes. Fidelity is highly valued by men and women. It rated above looks, family commitment, and wealth and status in a study of 1,000 people age 18—24.

What the relationship expert says  
Sexual fidelity is the right choice for many couples, and sexual promiscuity generally isn’t, says Dan Savage, the media pundit. But if you’re in it for the long haul, sometimes “monogamish” is a more realistic goal. Note: Only if both partners sincerely agree. No pressure.

Takeaway  
You can agree either that sexual fidelity is vital, or that it’s overrated. If you disagree, tread carefully.

Which compatibility factors divide men and women?

Student Health 101 survey, October 2014. 1,600 students answered this question.

Which similarities do students overestimate and underestimate?

In our survey, students tended to overestimate the importance of…

• Specific leisure activities
• Personality traits

Students underestimated the importance of…

• Political views
• Worldview, values, and ideas
• Education level
• Socioeconomic background

Student Health 101 survey, October 2014. 1,600 students answered this question.

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The flu spreads rapidly among students—and so do myths and misunderstandings about what the flu means for them and how to avoid it. We asked a leading expert on vaccine safety to answer your questions about the flu and the flu vaccine. More than 800 students participated. The questions revealed many false beliefs about the safety and effectiveness of the flu vaccine, the science behind it, and its relevance to students.

Unreliable info

Many college students think they know more about the flu vaccine than is actually the case, according to a study published in Risk Analysis (2012). Students’ “knowledge” relies heavily on dubious sources, like social media and anecdotes.

Your risk

Everyone is at high risk of catching the flu because the influenza virus is so contagious. The flu hurts students’ academic performance and grades. Teens and young adults are disproportionately prone to serious (including life-threatening) flu complications.

Why are young adults at relatively high risk of serious flu complications?

The influenza virus can kill in three ways:

1. Directly—it reproduces in the lungs, sometimes leading to pneumonia.
2. Indirectly—it sets the scene for a bacterial superinfection, such as Staphylococcus aureus, on top of the pneumonia.
3. The influenza virus can cause an overwhelming immune response that lowers blood pressure and leads to a condition similar to sepsis (a blood infection that can cause organ failure). This accounts for the relatively high death rate among otherwise healthy teens and young adults. Essentially, people die at the hands of their own immune system. You get some time to recover from the virus, but if it’s not looking good, you get culled from the herd. From a group perspective, this has benefits.

Expert Paul Offit, MD, professor of vaccinology and professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

#1. Does the flu shot work?

How effective has the flu vaccine proven to be through empirical research?

• The influenza vaccine as a shot, across all age groups, is 65 percent effective at preventing moderate to severe illness caused by influenza.
• For young, healthy people with stronger immune systems, its effectiveness is higher than 65 percent. For young children, the live attenuated nasal spray is 80—90 percent effective.
• It’s not a perfect vaccine, but if you don’t get it, your protection is 0 percent.
• The influenza virus changes every year, so immunization doesn’t protect you year after year.
• In the last two years we’ve seen the same predominant strains, so the vaccine functions like a booster and the effectiveness has been higher.

With the flu vaccine
At least 65 percent protection

Without the flu vaccine
0 percent protection

#2. Am I at risk?

If I never get the flu, why should I get the vaccine?

Reasons to get vaccinated:

• You might be the person who gets very sick from the flu
  Every year more than 200,000 people in the US catch influenza and 20,000 are hospitalized. An influenza pandemic is most dangerous for the very young and very old. Teens and young adults are also at elevated risk of serious complications.Natural infection (also called the wild type) is uncontrollable. The young adults who died in the 1918—19 flu pandemic were overwhelmed by their own vigorous immune response. The vaccine provides a controlled immune response.
• Your immunization protects people who can’t get vaccinated
  The US population of 315 million includes 500,000 people who can’t be vaccinated. That’s because they are undergoing chemotherapy or immunosuppressant therapy, or are less than six months old. They rely on herd immunity (the immunization of the population) for protection from disease.
• Everyone, regardless of health status, is susceptible to the influenza virus
  If I took your blood and separated the serum and sent it to a lab, the chance that you’re going to have antibodies directed against several influenza viruses is about 100 percent. No one gets to young adulthood without at least a mild influenza infection.

#3. Which flu strain?

Is it true that the flu vaccine is just a guess as to which strain will hit this year, and could be wrong?

• Usually the guess is right on the button.
• The influenza vaccine protects against the four influenza strains considered most likely to predominate in any given year.
• Each year we usually have four predominant circulating strains: one H1N1, one H3N2, and two B types. Scientists developing the vaccine take an educated guess based on the strains circulating in South America, since those strains usually sweep across North America.
• Last year all four of the predominant strains were in the vaccine.

#4. Can the flu shot backfire?

Why do some people get the flu after getting the flu vaccine? Can the vaccine cause the flu?

• The flu shot can’t possibly cause flu, because it’s not a live virus.
• The nasal spray is a live attenuated vaccine, weakened so that it can’t cause infection. Those viruses can’t reproduce at body temperature, survive in the lungs, or cause the flu.

Why some people might believe they’ve caught the flu from the vaccine:

• The vaccine is usually given at the start of the influenza season, when they might be exposed to the virus in any case—e.g., the student coughing next to them in class or at the health center.
• The vaccine takes 7 to 10 days to become fully effective. During that period, they can continue to be exposed to the virus and/or develop symptoms.
• What they’re calling influenza is actually another respiratory virus.

#5. Are there side effects?

How often do adverse effects occur, and are they permanent?

• The flu shot can cause pain and redness at the site and sometimes a low-grade fever.
• The nasal spray can sometimes cause mild upper respiratory symptoms, like sniffles.
• These days even people with severe egg allergies can get the flu vaccine. Vaccines are made in eggs, and in the past they could become contaminated. Now there is so little contamination, that risk has gone.

#6. Could I have natural immunity?

I like to think my body can take care of itself. Can it?

• There are two ways we can become immune to a specific organism:
  • Natural infection
  • Immunization
• You’re not going to have natural immunity before you’ve been exposed. The vaccine provides the same immunity that’s induced by natural infection without your having to pay the price of natural infection. “Natural” is not always good. Smallpox is natural.
• People who put their faith in “Mother Nature” must have had pretty mean-spirited mothers.

#7. Do healthy habits help?

If I take care of myself by exercising, eating a healthy diet, and hand washing, am I protected against the flu?

• Healthy habits like exercise and good nutrition do not strengthen your immune system or protect you from infection.
• Frequent, thorough hand washing can reduce your exposure to infections that spread via contaminated surfaces. If you’re exposed, hand washing won’t protect you from developing symptoms. And remember, the influenza virus is airborne.
• Your natural immune system can only do so much. Franklin D. Roosevelt was a vigorous, active, healthy, wealthy man who exercised and ate the right food. At age 39 he came into contact with the polio virus and was paralyzed for the rest of his life. If he’d been offered the vaccine, I’m sure that would have been his choice.
• Caveat: Healthy behaviors could in theory provide a limited immune boost via the placebo effect. Feeling good about your healthy lifestyle might help protect you from stress. Stress can raise your blood pressure and affect your immune system.

#8. What about the long term?

I’m curious whether the more times you get the vaccine the less effective it is for preventing the flu. Also, does the flu vaccine allow the virus to mutate and become stronger?

• No. Getting the influenza vaccine every year does not reduce its effectiveness over time.
• You cannot “use up” your immune response. Every day we each make one billion new antibody-producing cells, to add to the “memory cells” from past immunizations. That’s why we don’t die from the germs we’re exposed to routinely. This is also why we can safely handle vaccinations.
• Viruses don’t work like bacteria. The measles vaccine was introduced in 1963, mumps in 1967, rubella in 1969, and polio in 1955. Those viruses haven’t mutated away from the vaccine. To mutate away from the vaccine, the virus would probably have to undergo a series of changes that would be lethal to the virus itself.
• Influenza virus mutation is an ongoing process related to the way the virus replicates. It has nothing to do with the influenza vaccine.

#9. Do we have enough data?

I’ve heard the flu shot is still in the new stages of medicine and we can’t be sure of its safety—or that it’s a ploy to make money for pharmaceutical companies.

• How much more data do you want? We have a population of 300 million people. Every year, two-thirds of the population gets the flu vaccine. We have 60 years of evidence. Vaccines are the safest thing we put into our children.
• The flu vaccine was introduced in 1947. Each year it targets a varying combination of influenza strains. It is manufactured in an identical process each year, and therefore its safety profile doesn’t change.
• Does the vaccine work? Yes. The conspiracy suggestion is a straw man issue. Yes, vaccines are made by a for-profit industry. But the issue is not “Are people making money from vaccines?” The issue is its effectiveness.

#10. What about the other ingredients?

Is it true that the flu shot contains mercury and other ingredients associated with health problems?

• The type of mercury used in vaccines is different from environmental mercury. It is eliminated from the body 10 times more quickly. The amount is trivial—less than you’re exposed to every day, assuming you drink anything made from water. Babies are exposed to more mercury every day in breast milk or formula than they’d ever get from a vaccine.
• When a Congressman says, “I have zero tolerance for mercury!” that’s someone who needs to find another planet to live on.
• Formaldehyde is used to make sure the virus can’t reproduce itself. Formaldehyde is a by-product of human metabolism, and circulates in your bloodstream at levels far greater than you would ever get from the vaccine.

Why students value the flu vaccine

In a recent CampusWell survey, 61 percent said the flu vaccine was either “very important” or “somewhat important” in protecting them from the flu. 1,700 students answered the question.

I’m a nurse. The myth that most are scared of is that if they take the shot then they will get the flu. This is not true. The shot can, however, make you feel a little on the “blah” side.
—Lisa M., second-year student at University of Tennessee Martin

People are getting so mistrustful of medicine that they’re not getting flu shots, increasing everyone else’s risk. Herd immunity is best for everyone.
—Alaine W., second-year student at Moorpark College, California

To think vaccines are all just government scams is uneducated. Doctors and nurses across the world have to get them, and they are taking care of you, the jerk who chose not to get vaccinated. Do everyone a favor and do the smart thing. Vaccinate yourself and your children.
—Emily R., second-year student at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary, Canada

Propaganda is being circulated by alternative medicine quacks and media sensationalists making bogus claims. Vaccines in general have become a symbol of distrust for modern medicine. It would be sad if it weren’t so ridiculous.
—Eric S., fourth-year student at the College of New Jersey in Ewing Township

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The benefits of sleep have been unarguably established by science. Restful nights are strongly associated with happiness, healthy weight maintenance, reduced risk of chronic disease, and having a tolerable personality.

Students present like budding narcoleptics, says William C. Dement, a leading sleep expert, in his book The Promise of Sleep (2000). Still, that doesn’t stop you from knowing what you should be doing to get a better night’s sleep. In a survey for Student Health 101, 1,200 students ranked 10 of the most common sleep strategies from least to most helpful. Then you told us what we’d missed.

How would you rank these tips?

#10 Medications & supplements

More than a third of respondents ranked prescription medications the least useful of our 10 options. That might be because zolpidem, the most commonly prescribed sleep drug, is associated with dangerous behaviors like sleep-driving and that ridiculous email I sent my ex at 4 a.m. Science has yet to bring us a medication with the side effect of sleep-writing an awesome statistics paper.

You also said “no” to over-the-counter sleep aids, like melatonin, valerian, and antihistamines. Their safety and effectiveness have not been well established. Melatonin seems to have modest benefits and antihistamines can help temporarily. Melatonin is somewhat protective against nuclear radiation, so there’s that.

#9 Sleep apps

Our students don’t use them much, but many people swear by sleep management apps.

Sleep Cycle tracks your sleep habits, helps you identify unhelpful behaviors, and wakes you up gently.

Sleep As Android lets you know when you’re not getting enough zzzs and what you’re muttering in your sleep (but do you want to find out?).

Apps make your phone your bedmate, which might be problematic for those of us with compulsive technology habits.

#8 The beautiful day you just had

Less than 5 percent of you said a beautiful day is what best helps you sleep. Three times as many said it was your least helpful sleep strategy.

Is this because students don’t have beautiful days? “Bedtime stress and worries were the main predictors of sleep quality,” concluded a study in Sleep Medicine (2012). Charlotte Brontë put it more eloquently: “A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow.”

If your angst is keeping you up, try consigning it to paper: Keep a pad and pen by your bed.

#7 Conscious relaxation or breathing exercises

Relaxation exercises can ease physical tension and mental activity and help us fall asleep more quickly.

Techniques include progressive muscle relaxation (tensing and relaxing), consciously relaxing different body parts, and visualization.

Just over 1 in 10 of you ranked this in your top 3 of our sleep solutions. Free guided relaxation exercises are available online.

#6 No alcohol and/or caffeine in the evening

“Take coffee then—this juice divine shall banish sleep,” wrote the French poet Maumenet long ago. No argument there. Caffeine lasts in your system for eight hours—and some of the most common coffee brands and energy drinks are very high in it.

But our survey respondents seem confused about alcohol. Some commented that alcohol helps them fall asleep. Maybe—but it disrupts the later stages of sleep and leaves us groggy the next day. [The legal minimum age for consuming alcohol is 21.]

In a 2007 study, the combination of not enough sleep (four hours) and one or two drinks severely impaired students’ performance on a driving simulator: 35 percent had accidents.

A quarter of respondents ranked avoiding caffeine and/or alcohol before bed among the top 3 of our 10 sleep strategies.

For a video on how alcohol affects sleep, CLICK HERE. 

#5 No computer use before (or in) bed

Electronic gadgetry is the vicious enemy of sleep. The blue wavelength light emitted by our tablets, laptops, and phones suppresses melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep cycles.

Many sleep disorders are probably related to evening or nighttime light exposure, sleep experts say.

Almost a third of our respondents ranked avoiding electronic screens before bed in their top 3 of our 10 solutions.

#4 Exercise Regularly

Physical activity helps us sleep—as confirmed yet again by the Sleep in America poll from the National Sleep Foundation. Even light exercise helps.

And although we’ve traditionally been advised not to work out in the evening, evidence from that poll suggests the timing of our workouts might not matter. More than 4 in 10 students who took our survey ranked this in the top 3 of our strategies.

#3 Dark and/or cool room at night

The lightbulb has many fine qualities, but wreaks havoc on our sleep. Having the lights on after dusk suppresses melatonin and disrupts sleep cycles. It might also raise blood pressure and the risk of diabetes, says a 2010 study.

Air temperature matters too. A room that’s too hot or too cold can interfere with your body temperature cycle through the night. The right room temperature varies: try 65°F, and be ready to adjust it up or down. Forty-five percent of our student respondents put this in their top three of our sleep strategies.

#2 A super-comfortable bed

The Princess and the Pea, the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, taught us that even minor physical discomforts can be a fearsome impediment to sleep.

While it’s hard to buy the princess’s story that the pea left her “black and blue all over,” the general point holds: We sleep better in a comfortable bed than on broken glass and porcupine spines.

Half of our student respondents ranked physical comfort in their top three sleep solutions. The poet Rupert Brooke wrote of “the cool kindliness of sheets, that soon/Smooth away trouble” (The Great Lover).

#1 Get up at a consistent time each day

“The single most important thing a person can do to set the body’s clock is to wake up at the same time every morning,” says Dr. Stephen Amira of the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School. For his video on maintaining a consistent wake time, CLICK HERE.

Fifty-six percent of our survey respondents ranked this in their top 3 of our 10 sleep strategies. As many students pointed out, the key is a consistent sleep schedule in general: going to bed and getting up at the same times each day. The painful piece is matching weekend and weekday wake-ups. Weekend disruption is likely to keep you groggy through the week.

Other popular sleep strategies

Recommended by students

• Sensible consistent bedtime
• Reading
• Journaling
• An orgasm (or several)
• Soft music or ambient noise
• Getting coursework done early
• Prayer or meditation
• Active days
• Aromatherapy
• Hot bath or shower
• Pillow talk
• Less partying
• Herbal tea

Recommended by our experts

• Strategic afternoon naps of 20–30 minutes
• Diaphragmatic breathing combined with neck and shoulder massages

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“Look at what happens to you on a bicycle. You pedal. You make decisions. You experience the tang of the air and the surge of power as you bite into the road. You’re alive!”
—The late Richard Ballantine, from New York, founder of the assertive cycling movement

Cycling is quick, cheap, environmentally blameless, and great for the legs and heart. Local and state governments are encouraging us to ride our bikes to school or work. As this timeless student activity re-emerges in the modern world, the key is not aerodynamic bikes and snazzy gear, but the skills to safely navigate campus and public roads.

That’s a daunting prospect in our car-centric cities. Typically, cyclists are expected to hug the gutter, and cycling accidents are cited as evidence that cars and bikes cannot co-exist. Increasingly, though, cyclists are re-occupying the roads.

How? By claiming our space in the lanes and following traffic rules just as we would when driving cars. This is the central principle of assertive cycling, also known as effective or mindful cycling. And it turns out the middle of the lane is the most visible—and the safest—place for cyclists to be.

This approach is key to biking in traffic, experts say. “I loved cycling, but about eight years ago I was finding road traffic so miserable I was thinking of giving it up,” says Keri Caffrey, who has since co-founded CyclingSavvy, a cyclist training program based in Orlando, Florida.

Then she discovered assertive cycling. “One day I moved out into the lane and it felt really weird.  It took about a month for anyone to honk at me, but only a week for me to say I would never again ride in the gutter. If you love riding a bike, this is life changing. All your problems go away.” Her CyclingSavvy training program is now available in 17 states.

Assertive cycling: what it isn’t

Ignoring road rules
Many American cyclists don’t  respect the rules of the road. “Police officers don’t hold cyclists accountable,” says Kirby Beck. Dashing across red lights might seem an exciting route to the lecture hall, but it’s also a route to the emergency room.

Cycling in gutters and on sidewalks
“The worst possible place a bike can operate is on the edge of the traffic system, because it makes them invisible and irrelevant,” says Keri Caffrey. “The four leading crash types account for probably 95 percent of all bike crashes. All four are exacerbated or caused by riding on the edge of the road.” On sidewalks, pedestrians move unpredictably, and cyclists are unsafe at driveways and intersections.

Right hooks
The motorist passes the bike then turns right across the cyclist’s path.


Left cross
The motorist turns left across the path of the oncoming cyclist.


Drive out
The motorist pulls out of a driveway and into the path of the cyclist, who is likely screened by trees and other obstacles.


Sideswipe
The motorist tries to pass without giving the bike enough space.


Cyclists’ risk of having an accident declines as they gain experience. The risk to cyclists also declines as more people take to their bikes and drivers become better at sharing the road.

Use caution when cycling in bike lanes
Bike lanes make us feel safer, but their effectiveness is controversial. “Don’t trust your safety to paint—there’s no guarantee that the planner or engineer had any clue what he was doing,” says Kirby Beck. Typically, bike lanes are too narrow to allow vehicles (especially buses and large trucks) to pass safely. Bike lanes are associated with accidents at intersections, because cyclists are awkwardly positioned and difficult to spot. Stay vigilant.

Assertive cycling: what it is

Biking safely and confidently involves a skill set that enables you to position yourself in ways that motorists expect and respect, while keeping your distance from their mistakes. In addition, it gives you the confidence to overcome drivers’ occasional disapproval.

Follow the rules of the road
“The best way to be traffic-safe on a bike is to obey the rules of the road for drivers of vehicles,” says John Forester, a cycling transportation engineer in Lemon Grove, California, who pioneered this approach. “In-traffic skills are easily learned. The difficulty is the psychological strain of escaping from society’s taboo against cycling in traffic.”

Overcome your fear of the road
We’re scared of getting into the lane because bikes in traffic are exposed and slow, says Keri Caffrey: “But when you take away all the crashes caused by being invisible and irrelevant, there are tremendous advantages to being exposed and slow.” Road cyclists are visible. Drivers see them ahead and change lanes, avoiding the dilemma about whether there’s room to pass. Road cyclists have no blind spots. And at their slower speeds, cyclists can process more information than drivers can, allowing for greater control of their environment.