Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
placeholder article
placeholder article

Tips for Giving Blood

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Allison Goldberg
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Vanessa Meuir
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Mizzou chapter.
October is here, and Homecoming is in the air! The Mizzou Homecoming Blood Drive begins this Monday, Oct. 3 and will continue through Thursday, Oct. 6 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. According to the American Red Cross, blood donations are low this year due to all of the natural disasters that have occurred recently. That means donors are in high demand. Mizzou’s blood drive is the biggest in the nation, and the steering committee hopes we can beat our own record this year by collecting more than 4,800 units of blood. Giving one pint of blood can benefit three people. We all know giving blood is incredibly helpful and rewarding, but at the same time it can seem scary. Thinking of needles and blood gives a lot of people butterflies in their stomachs and keeps them from showing up. Have no fear, collegiettes™! Here are a few tips on how to stay calm and realize giving blood is not so bad after all!
  • Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated makes your veins expand, so it is easier to give blood. It also makes you less likely to pass out or faint. And try to stop drinking coffee at least an hour ahead of time because it can raise your temperature and dehydrate you.
  • Don’t exercise right before giving. If you work out immediately prior, you’re already going to be out of breath and more tired. Then you’re more likely to feel sick or weak while donating.
  • Consume a lot of vitamin C. Vitamin C strengthens your immune system and keeps your body feeling it’s best. You can get your fix by having oranges, strawberries, spinach, broccoli or sweet potatoes. You can even drink some Emergen-C,which contains 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C.
  • Eat a hearty, healthy meal. Steer clear of fatty and greasy foods because they’ll leave you feeling exhausted and sluggish. Try eating red meat to increase your iron levels as well.
  • While giving blood, ask to squeeze a stress ball. Not only will it distract you, but it will also help your blood flow better and faster.
  • Get a good night’s sleep the night before. Eight or more hours of sleep will keep you energized and make you less likely to pass out.
  • Go with a friend. Talking to her will make you less likely to think about the blood. It might help to have a hand to hold, too!

For more information and to make an appointment, go to donateblood.com.

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar
Allison Goldberg is a junior at the University of Missouri double majoring in strategic communication journalism with an emphasis in PR and marketing and psychology. In Columbia, she is a member of Zeta Tau Alpha women's fraternity executive council and is a Rent the Runway campus rep. During her spare time you can find her shopping, spending time with her friends and family, running outside or reading a fashion magazine. Allison has interned at a social media firm, BCV Evolve in Chicago for the past two summers. She hopes to work for a fashion PR firm in Chicago or New York when she graduates and eventually travel to South America.
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar
Vanessa Meuir is senior majoring in magazine journalism and English. She was born in St. Louis, MO and raised in Columbia, MO where she now attends school. In addition to her involvement with Her Campus Mizzou, she works in Mizzou's athletics department and serves as a writing tutor for students on campus. She has gained most of her journalistic experience while writing and blogging for the Columbia Missourian, a local newspaper, and Vox magazine, a student-run campus magazine. She also gained some publishing experience while interning at The Missouri Review, a literary magazine. When Vanessa is not working or in class, she enjoys maintaining a personal blog that comments on reality television, spending time with her five roommates, reading and dabbling in amateur photography. Among her favorite things are diet coke, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Disney Channel and fuzzy socks.