Mental Health by the Month
Recommendations for Staying Sane During the Academic Year
August
In all areas of life, one of the best ways to avoid misunderstanding, stress,
and falling behind is to be prepared! This is especially true at the
beginning of the academic year.
Weed It Out
Whether you are a residential or a commuter student, if you're really on the
ball, you can use the time before the semester begins to weed out and minimize
your clothing and other material goods. For traditional freshmen, this can
help with the transition from living at home. Give items to
your younger siblings or donate them. Less stuff means less to pack and
transport. Nontraditional commuter students will also benefit from
minimizing and simplifying. It can give one a sense of a fresh
start and there will be less clutter during midterms and finals.
Residential Students
Read your
Residence Life Handbook ahead of time so that you will know what to expect,
what to bring, and what not to bring on
moving day.
Whether you are a freshman or a returning student, remember that family members
assisting with your move will be feeling ambivalent about your move to campus.
Try to afford them some patience and kindness. Write off any siblings'
crankiness as an expression of their anxiety for you leaving.
It would be super-thoughtful if you sent a thank you card to the people who
helped you move.
Get Organized!
Winging it is not Plan A. Whether its digital or hardcopy, write down all
of the deadlines and test dates from your syllabi in one application or planner.
Do this before the end of week one and you'll feel in control. Use this
planning strategy so that you will know what to read before you get to
class and participate in discussions.
Mr. Hart sure wishes he had
done the same.
Make Textbooks a Priority
Be responsible and get your
textbooks ahead of time so you do not fall behind while waiting on
backorders. This is especially true for online and accelerated classes.
People who delay ordering their books report feeling lost and disorganized and
professors may not accommodate late or inadequate work.
Check out the Park University Fitness Center
Physical exercise is a big component of managing stress, anxiety, and
depression. If you've maintained a workout plan over the summer, or if you
need to get started, go to the
Fitness Center. Besides workout equipment and a half-court, there are also
intramurals and
wellness programs/fitness classes. Contact Brian Ciolek at
bciolek@park.edu or (816)584-6463 for
further information.
Relevant Reading
If shoestring is your kind of budget, get any of these used (which is the
only way they are offered now!):
Dollars and Sense for College Students: Or how
Not to Run out of Money by Mid-Terms by Ellen Braitman and Celeste Sollod
(1998).
Financial Basics: Money-Management Guide for Students by Susan Knox (2004)
Getting Through College without Going Broke: A crash course on finding
money for college and making it last from the Students Helping Students Series
(2005)
Research Just for You
Another reason to be the designated driver:
College men not
impressed with female heavy drinkers.
"Now You Know and Knowing is Half the Battle"
Murray Bowen defined the construct called triangulation. It means when
two people experience anxiety or a conflict between them, they will bring in a
third party to siphon the excess anxiety without making constructive changes.
Mature, differentiated people will avoid triangulation if possible. For
you, this means directly speaking to your roommate or professor if there is a
problem. It means not venting to your best friend about your significant
other (and your S.O. will appreciate that). It means handling the problem
rather than expecting your parents to bail you out. It also frees you from
having to listen to people gossip and gripe about others. Practice
detriangulation and your relationships will have more clarity and less drama.
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