NatNews

You may have heard that people need at least eight cups of water per day, but that number is likely higher than one imagines. According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, experts recommend that women drink approximately 11 cups of water per day and that men drink roughly 16. Not all of that fluid intake has to come from plain water, though—fruit-flavored and vegetable-flavored water also count toward the suggested amount. Certain fruits and vegetables contain water that helps with consumption amount, as well.

Dallas-area resident Jeremy Crum, who recently started running with the White Rock Running Co-op, drinks at least one gallon of water per day—a practice that he said has proven to be quite beneficial to his daily lifestyle.

“Since increasing my water intake, I’ve noticed that I have more energy throughout the day,” he said. “My energy would normally fall off pretty quickly after running or working out. The increased water has helped me get through that as well as make me feel full for longer after meals without the urge to snack throughout the day.”

And he’s not alone in this feeling. Earlier this month, Dallas resident and WRRC member Becca Finke added drinking a gallon of water to her daily routine, and like Crum, she’s noticed more of a pep in her step and better eating habits.

“I feel more clear-headed and energetic from drinking a gallon of water a day,” she said. “It also keeps me from snacking or drinking anything else that could be considered harmful, like coffee and soda.”

Water plays a key role in many of the human body’s functions. Crum said the benefits he has seen from his increased water intake are both mental and physical, specifically when it comes to running.

“I have been able to increase my mileage more and more while preventing exhaustion and cramping,” he said.

For those who struggle with drinking an adequate amount of water every day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends carrying a water bottle with you and refilling it throughout the day, adding fruit to your water to enhance the taste, opting for water when eating out, and freezing water so that you have ice-cold water with you during the day. For Finke, though, how she gets her water each day is not as important as why.

“There are too many reasons why water is good to drink throughout the day,” she said. “Flushing waste, regulating body temperature, cushioning joints, aiding in digestion, helping in weight loss—the list goes on and on.”

The nearest star to Earth, Proxima Centauri, is 4.2 light-years away.

In more recent years, especially as workplace dynamics have changed following the pandemic, some people’s wardrobes have become a bit more lax, particularly when they are working from home on a more regular basis. While many individuals enjoy being able to wear whatever they want during the workday—even while in the office—others prefer to don more traditional business attire.

Dallas resident Paige Ryder, a field strategy senior associate, said that she is grateful to be able to wear business casual clothing in the office, something that is considered somewhat of a treat when working for a bank, but she changes it up a bit when working remotely.

“When I work from home, I wear business attire from the top and leggings for pants,” she said. “I still want to look professional but be comfortable.”

Like Ryder, Dallas resident Elizabeth Cruz, a corporate controller who prefers to be “put together but not stuffy” when she works in the office, said she opts for cozy apparel but to a different level.

“When I work from home, I usually look like a bum,” she said. “If I need to be on video, I do at least put on a shirt that doesn’t look too bad. I like to be comfortable at home.”

Unlike Ryder and Cruz, however, Dallas resident and consulting manager Dan Sullivan likes to dress up a bit no matter what his setting is.

“Whenever I head to the office, I always don professional attire, which is basically the ‘business casual’ look of slacks, a button-down, the occasional sport coat if I’m in the mood, and some type of non-sneaker shoe,” he said. “I usually wear something similar when I’m working from home because it’s a mental reminder that, buddy, you’re working, so let’s save the menial at-home tasks for later.”

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When it comes to what people should wear when working in the office, Cruz said she believes it depends on what is on a person’s schedule on any given day.

“I think most places should have a ‘dress for your day’ dress code,” she said. “I think if you have important meetings or are meeting with clients/people outside of your office, maybe you dress a little nicer. However, I don’t think people should be super casual to the point that they wear yoga pants and T-shirts.”

Similarly, Ryder does not wish for her office policy to be so relaxed that individuals are sporting loungewear or sleepwear.

“I personally don’t know if I would want to go into the office and see people wearing sweats,” she said. “I feel like there needs to be some level of professionalism in the place of work. If not, I would rather just work from home.”

And Sullivan said he is much more traditional in his views on workplace dress code policies.

“Call me old school, but I don’t really feel ‘casual’ days at work are necessary anymore,” he said. “Let’s be honest, it’s not like we have to be formally dressed, anyway, so I don’t think it’s too much to ask to keep the denim and sneakers in the closet until the sun goes down.”

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Luka Doncic, Christian Wood, and Spencer Dinwiddie are probably future NatNews readers

Tuesday, January 24: National Compliment Day
Friday, January 27: International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Saturday, January 28: WRRC Saturday run at Taco Joint
Saturday, January 28: Too Cold to Hold race at Norbuck Park