August/September 2006
Download the full newsletter as a pdf
- Creating Balance in College (Cover Story)
In college, there are no more curfews, no one telling you to “clean your room” or asking, “where are you going?” Leaving your friends and family at home and being on your own can present many challenges and emotions. The transition can arouse feelings of excitement, nervousness, stress and anxiety. - Navigating the Dining Halls
All the options available in the dining halls can be over-whelming. Follow these steps to navigate your way through all the options. - Communication 101
Becoming a clear communicator means effectively conveying your thoughts, ideas, needs and wants. Communicating clearly helps you manage your time and your life, to feel good about yourself, and to build trustworthy relationships with others.
CREATING BALANCE IN COLLEGE
By Charlene Woods, Intern
In college, there are no more curfews, no one telling you to “clean your room” or asking, “where are you going?” Leaving your friends and family at home and being on your own can present many challenges and emotions. The transition can arouse feelings of excitement, nervousness, stress and anxiety. To deal with the change, you have to learn early on how to balance academics with the time you spend socially and alone. Learning to find this balance is a crucial life skill that many only begin to develop in college but will also be valuable later on in life.
Balancing Academics
While workloads are often overwhelming you will also have a lot of free-time. It’s easy to procrastinate. It often takes a semester or two to become skilled at knowing how much work to do and when to do it. Learning to balance academics with your social life is very important.
- Go to your classes everyday
- There are always going to be temptations to not go to class, but go; some thing’s are not worth getting behind for.
- Many professors take exam questions right out of the notes that they give you. If you can’t attend class, get notes from a classmate.
- Your syllabus is your best friend
- Read your syllabus many times.
- Bring it to every class so you can note changes the professor makes about due dates or readings to be completed.
- Manage your time wisely
- Organization is one of the first steps in managing your time. Use an organizer to write down all due dates throughout the semester, plan social time around your academics.
- Try to avoid “all nighters,” they NEVER work! When your body and mind are tired you might be able to get the work done, but it won’t be your best.
- Don’t let friends pressure or distract you into not studying.
- Set goals for yourself that you know you can achieve
- Learn how to prioritize your responsibilities.
Balancing Your Social Life
Making friends is very important for experiencing college. Make sure to be open to meeting new people. Making time to go out or just hang out with friends is important. You don’t want to get overly consumed in your academics.
Roommates
- You and your roommate should set up guidelines that you both agree to about what you can expect from each other, from having friends in the room, to what time you want for “lights out.”
- Get to know each other’s likes, dislikes and different habits. Everyone is different and getting to know your roommate’s habits will help to make a better living environment for both of you.
Making new friends
- Walk around on your floor with your roommate and see whose door is open and simply stop in and introduce yourself.
- Get to know people in your classes! It’s always nice to have someone who you can get the notes from if you miss a class or to study with before an exam!
- Learn about all of the organizations you can get involved in on campus and events you can attend.
- Join Peer Education! It is a great way to meet new friends and get involved with important issues on campus.
- Commuters, look into the commuter assistants in the MUB. They plan events and programming just for you!
- Make time for friends
- Schedule your days and weeks so you can meet up with your friends, whether it’s for lunch or dinner or some time to unwind and just hang out.
- Take study breaks and walk down the hall or walk to your friend’s place to see what they are up to.
- Stay connected with friends and family at home
Taking Care of Yourself
Taking care of your physically and emotionally is just as important as learning to manage your time academically and socially. Learning how to take care of yourself will help excel at academics and have energy to have fun with friends.
Catch Some ZZZs
- Sleep is crucial for good physical balance. Make sure you are getting plenty of sleep, at least 8-9 hours a night, for most college students.
Staying Active
- Exercising and healthy eating habits will help you manage the impact your emotions have on your mind and body. Exercising releases endorphins, natural substances that help you feel better and maintain a positive attitude. Try to fit in at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day.
- Check out a pedometer and walking routes in Durham from Health Services and go for a walk!
- Visit the UNH Visitor Center and sign out a Cat Cycle, for free!
- Go to the gym
- Take a class at Campus Recreation
- Take a FREE Yoga class
- Check out an exercise video from the Resource Library in Health Services.
Eating Well
- Your body needs the right amounts of food and drinks to supply nutrients and energy to the body.
- When you can, read the labels and find out what is in the foods you are eating. Try to avoid foods with a high percentage of saturated fats and refined sugar.
- Eat your fruits and vegetables; they nourish your body with B vitamins and minerals to deal with stress.
- Learn how to navigate the dining halls
Relax and Manage Stress
- Make sure you take healthy breaks. Schedule yourself some quiet time where you can relax.
- Don’t forget to do the things you enjoy- watch a movie, listen to music…
- Make an appointment at Health Services for an individual meditation session with a Wellness Educator/Counselor.
- Pick up a Reflections Mediation CD in Health Services, Room 249. CD is FREE for students.
- Make an appointment at Health Services for a 50-minutes massage for only $35/students.
The transition into college may take more than the first semester. It is an exciting and new phase in life, which despite all the challenges can be fulfilling academically, socially and personally. College life provides an opportunity to try new things. Some of these new things may become an important part of your life; others will be may be a one-time deal. Remember, each experience, whether positive or negative, provides you with the ability to learn something new and develop your unique character. You will be able to get the most out of college if you learn to balance your academic, social and alone time early on. Start balancing and take advantage of the great experiences college has to offer!
NAVIGATING THE DINING HALLS
By Suzanne Sonneborn, Nutrition Educator and Maria Larkin, Nutrition Counselor
GET THE LAY OF THE LAND…
Before you put anything on your plate, walk through the dining hall and survey all the choices. For first-year students, the myriad of options available can be over-whelming. You can also check out http://www.unh.edu/dining/menus/menus.html to see seven days of the cycle menu at each dining hall. Don’t feel you need to sample many foods at one time since an item will appear again on the cycle.
TAKE TIME TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF…
Plan time in your schedule for meals. Get yourself to the dining hall to nourish your body and brain. Take only the amount of food you would have eaten if you were at home.
IF YOU CAN’T FIND SOMETHING, ASK...
If you can’t find something that appeals to you, ask a dining hall attendant for available alternatives. Chances are that you could get a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or other basic items. If you are following a special diet or have dietary restrictions, arrange to speak to the dining hall dietitian, Rochelle L’Italien, to discuss options.
FOR GOOD MEASURE…
Include at least one serving of fruit and/or vegetable, a protein source (eggs, meat, milk, fish) and a starch (bread, pasta) or two every time you eat.
Navigating Your Kitchen…
Not every student eats his or her meals in the dining halls. If you are trying to figure out how to plan a meal, shop and prepare food for yourself, the Good Eats Cookbook can help. To obtain other excellent nutrition resources for college students, visit the Office of Health Education and Promotion in Room 249 of Health Services.
COMMUNICATION 101
By Dawn Zitney
Becoming a clear communicator means effectively conveying your thoughts, ideas, needs and wants. Communicating clearly helps you manage your time and your life, to feel good about yourself, and to build trustworthy relationships with others.
- Know what you want to say
- Ask yourself what it is you want: Gaining a full understanding of what you want to say will help you deliver your message.
- Practice what you are going to say in advance: Say it out loud to yourself or someone else. Don’t be afraid to change your message in the process.
- Stay focused: Don’t bring up things that happened in the past.
- Listening is crucial
- Show that you are listening: Make eye contact; don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask the other person to repeat what he or she has said.
- Be polite: Don’t interrupt; take turns talking.
- Be respectful: Respect what the other person is feeling and/or thinking.
- Keep an open mind: Don’t be afraid to change your mind about what you first thought when you started the conversation.
- Say what you mean
- Be direct and give examples: Help the other person understand what you’re trying to say.
- Be Honest: Show how you really feel.
- Use “I” statements: Talking in “I” statements helps you clearly explain what you need and how your feel, without placing blame on the other person. Example: “ I feel frustrated when you’re late. I want you to be on time.”
- Pay attention to you body language: The way you move your body and hands speak just as much as what you say.
- Don’t be afraid to say that you are sorry if you say something that is hurtful or wrong.
- Make sure you understand
- What do you both want: Ask the other person what he or she needs, and be clear about your needs.
- If you don’t understand, ask: Don’t be afraid to ask the other person how he or she is thinking and feeling. Don’t try to guess on your own.
- Repeat what the other person says: A great way to make sure that you understand someone is to repeat what the person has just said, in your own words, e.g., “What I hear you saying is...”
- Action and closure
- Before the conversation ends, make sure you both understand what the other has said.
- Summarize: Restate what each of you has said, to make sure that there are no misunderstandings.
- What will happen next: Make an agreement about what will happen next as a result of your conversation.
- Closure: You may not both agree with one another, but make sure you are both satisfied with the conversation. Don’t be afraid to start the conversation again, at a later time, if necessary.
If you feel you are struggling with a situation and need further assistance on communicating clearly, you may contact the Office of Health Education and Promotion, Health Services, for an appointment call (603) 862-3823.
Accredited by: