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What I Wish I’d Known as a First Generation Student

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I was the first person in my family to go to college.  I was excited to get started and my family was proud of me.  At the time, I didn’t even realize that being a “first generation student” was somehow different from other students on campus who had parents, brothers or sisters, or other family members who were familiar with the world of academia.  But it was – it meant that they knew some things when they got to campus that I had no idea about.  And I didn’t even know I was missing that information.  Here are some of those things I wish I’d known then:

 

  1. College is a fresh start. You will no longer be stuck in the same clique or assumed to have the same label you carried in high school simply because of your last name, where you grew up, or the way you dress.  Everyone in the freshman class is new here.  This is both good and bad.  You’ll need to put some effort into getting involved with groups on campus and making some new friends.  It’s tempting to go to class and go home; but it’s worth your time to get to know people.  It comes in very handy when you end up with a 2 hour break between classes and want a lunch buddy or someone to study with; if you miss a class and need to copy someone’s notes.  And you really do get so much more out of college if you know people and are involved on campus.  It doesn’t seem so much like work and just waiting out the semester as something fun to do.
  2. If you didn’t study or do much homework in high school – that is over. Even for the best students in high school, college will present challenges that require time and effort.  It’s important to know your own strengths and weaknesses and be aware that there will be classes that you feel like you put every spare minute into just to get by.  Luckily there will be other classes that come more easily to you and you won’t need to invest as much effort to do well.  But learn to study and develop good habits early.
  3. It’s ok to ask for help.  Your professors don’t expect you to know the material when you walk in the door – that’s why you’re taking the class.  Everyone (yes, everyone) struggles sometimes.  It is perfectly ok to admit that you’re lost, don’t understand the material, or just need a little extra practice.  You’re paying a bunch of money to be here and learn, don’t let the idea that you “should” be able to get this get in the way of doing that.  The more you work at it, the better it gets, but sometimes you need some assistance.  Find a tutor in the Learning Center, ask for extra help from the instructor, or gather some classmates to study together.
  4. Your professor’s office hours are for you.  Your instructors enjoy what they’re teaching and want their students to do well.  Office hours are an open invitation for you to come talk with the professors about the class – areas where you’re struggling, topics you’re especially interested in, or any other questions you may have.  Stop by and say hello.  They’re waiting.
  5. Take advantage of the services available to you on campus – it’s part of your tuition. Colleges come with built-in services to make your life easier and to help you succeed.  In fact, the university very much wants you to do well and schools like Ohio State are especially proud of their successful students.  To help you along the way there are dozens of folks on campus just waiting to help you with financial aid, figuring out your major and taking the right classes to get you done in four years, support you when you’re stressed out or dealing with personal crises, get your online, figure out your budget and transportation issues, find a job or internship, and more.  Have a problem or concern?  There’s likely someone on campus whose job it is to help you work it out!  And now, many campuses (including OSU Lima) have programs specifically for first generation students.  Not sure who that would be?  Start with the Student Wellness Center (Galvin 107A), they know about all of these services and can help you go in the right direction.
  6. Balance is important – work, family, school, personal & social time, homework. Your life has many pieces and it’s best if they can fit together in a nice, workable way.  It doesn’t always happen, or happen easily, but it’s important to figure out the balance that works for you.  There is no right answer here.  Taking a full course load isn’t right for everyone.  Working full time won’t work for everyone.  It’s tempting to look at your class schedule and see all the open blocks of time as time that you could be at a job (or with friends or gaming or anything else).  But remember that homework has to fit in there somewhere too.  Very few students can manage to work full time and go to school full time successfully.  There is financial aid to help if you can’t work full time to pay for school (just remember to only use what you need, because if you’re taking out loans, someone will come asking for that money back eventually).
  7. You should know how to check into the requirements for your degree and where you stand in the progress toward the degree yourself. You can look up the requirements for any program on the department’s website.  Know the difference between the General Education (GE or Gen Ed) requirements for your program and the requirements for the major.  They’re not the same thing.  You can look all this up online on your own.  And at any time, you can run a degree audit to see which classes you have completed and which classes you still need to finish up.
  8. Things will change with your family.  This is one of the things about transitioning into college that no one talks much about, and is especially true for first gen students.  After a while, it may see that you have more difficulty communicating with your family; they may feel that they don’t understand you as well; there is a growing divide between you.  This transition happens for all students, but for those whose parents went to college, they have a better understanding of what their child is going through and what it is like to be a new college student.  Remember that these challenges don’t have to be permanent and that it doesn’t mean your parents don’t love and support you.  It just means that you’re in a position they have never been in.  Being patient with each other as you figure out your new, more adult relationship is vital.

When it’s more than just the “Winter Blues”

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While some of us are in a winter wonderland this time of year, many people are not excited about the cold, slushy winter weather. It’s normal to feel a little gloomy when the weather is bitter, but for some people, the winter gloom is a depression that can have a serious impact on wellbeing.

Seasonal affective disorder, also called seasonal depression, is a type of depression that changes with the seasons, with symptoms usually appearing around the shift from fall to winter and disappearing over the warmer months of the year. As a result, winter feels like a dreadful season, plagued with feelings of hopelessness, depression, irritability, and low energy.

For college students, seasonal depression may interfere with school and work performance. With spring semester beginning mid-winter, this can be a huge problem for some students! Even those who do not experience seasonal depression may have mood changes and may be more irritable during the winter. It’s difficult to feel excited about classes when you have to trek through inches of snow to get to them!

If you know that you tend to experience seasonal depression or mood changes in winter, there are a few things you can try that may help alleviate the symptoms.

  1. Plan ahead of time – this year, up your self-care starting in fall. Get into a regular and adequate sleep schedule, exercise daily, and eat healthy to keep your body happy and give yourself a mental boost.
  2. Use bright light! 10,000 lux broad-spectrum lights can improve seasonal depression. This works because it mimics sunlight, which is reduced in the fall and winter. Since light has been shown to be helpful for many people with seasonal depression, special light therapy boxes are available to buy online (expect to spend around $50-$100). Keep your curtains open to let in as much natural light as possible, too.
  3. Stay connected with your friends and family. It’s easy to isolate yourself, especially during the winter season. Try to spend lots of time with loved ones who help you feel happy and loved. Doing fun outdoor winter activities with friends and family can expose you to more sunlight, too!
  4. Make an appointment with your doctor or a mental health professional, as therapy and antidepressant medication are other options that can help treat seasonal depression. Don’t be afraid to come to Counseling Services for help!

Avoid telling yourself that seasonal depression is just a case of the “winter blues.” Depression is a serious illness that you shouldn’t have to tolerate. Winter can be gloomy, but with help, it doesn’t have to feel hopeless.

WHY IS WINTER BREAK SO HARD FOR MANY STUDENTS? (AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.)

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Classes are done, finals are complete, time for break!  It sounds great – nearly a month without sitting through classes, stressing over homework, trying to juggle school with work, friends, life.  But each break between semesters seems to bring challenges for many students.

 

While all that down time sounds fantastic, it quickly becomes a double-edged sword.  Students often find that by the end of a long break, like winter break or even summer break, they feel worse than when it began.  And this issue probably affects more students that we realize … because who wants to complain about time off?

 

So why do long breaks have the opposite effect from what we expect?  There are several possible reasons.

 

First, you spend an entire semester, 16ish weeks, building a level of activity and stress then suddenly it’s just over.  After your last final, there is a near absence of stuff to stress about in most cases.  It’s a sudden drop in anticipation, worry, and stress levels, which equates to sudden shifts in stress hormones in the body and sudden changes in brain chemistry.  All of that sometimes leaves you feeling like a balloon someone has just let the air out of.  Taking a break is fantastic after all of that work and stress – in fact, it is absolutely necessary.  However, after about 2 days of this, you start to notice the lack of activity and stress to which you’ve become accustomed.

 

Second, what we do with our down time can have a huge impact on our mood and day-to-day behavior.  If you go into break with no plan, or a plan to do a whole bunch of nothing, you may run into problems.  When we’re bored, there are a handful of passive activities we easily turn to.

 

Often, we think – and think, and think, and think.  And for many people, too much time stuck in your own head with your thoughts often takes a downward turn.  We start to analyze all of our flaws, the things that are wrong with our lives, what we should’ve done differently on those exams, how our lives aren’t where / what we want them to be by now, and on it goes.  We fairly quickly notice a downward shift in our mood from doing “ok” to feeling, “blah,” to sad, and sometimes all the way to depressed.  Not good.

 

Another frequent passive activity is hanging out on the couch scrolling through social media pages.  We see all the amazing things others are doing, the fun times they’re having, the accomplishments they’ve achieved, and we begin to feel bad about ourselves.

 

Closely related to the social media binge is the streaming video binge.  Whether your site of choice is YouTube, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, or another, it’s so easy to get hooked on a story line and realize you’ve just spent the last 7 hours sitting on the couch, eating chips, and watching TV (or the laptop).  This leaves you feeling physically stiff, mentally fatigued, and low on energy.  This is definitely not restorative down time.

 

If you’ve had a major stressor in your personal life during the semester, sometimes those are put on the back burner and not really dealt with because we’re so busy with school.  These can catch up with you during break.  Be prepared to bring out your best coping skills and use them so you’re not ambushed by this.  Also, if you’ve lost a loved-one any time in the last year or 18 months, the break (with the lack of things to keep you busy and big holidays) can be a very difficult time.  Knowing this in advance can sometimes buffer the impact we feel when those emotions and memories creep up on us.

 

Finally, a sometimes-unexpected fact can make winter break less enjoyable:  changing relationships with family.  As you go through college, you move from being a “kid” – a teenager under full parental supervision – to being an adult, but it doesn’t happen overnight.  It’s a process and it doesn’t always happen smoothly.  You may encounter more power struggles about curfews, house rules, and developing your own independence.  This can be even more pronounced if you’re the first person in your family to go to college because you may feel that your parents just don’t understand what’s going on in your life now (and your parents may feel the same way).  These changing relationships are normal and if you keep that in mind, it may make the process a bit easier.

 

So what can you do to avoid this month-long downward spiral?  Here are some tips:

 

  1. Social media gets everyone’s “good” side.

When people post to social media, they usually post the best parts of their lives – fun times with good friends, pics that are most flattering, and the most brag-worthy achievements.  It’s much less common for people to post failures, pics from first thing in the morning before they’ve brushed their hair or teeth, or boring nights sitting alone at home with nothing to do.  Keep that in mind as your browse.  Avoid the temptation to compare everyone else’s “A side” to your “B side.”

 

  1. Make a plan.

As you’re wrapping up the semester & exams, think about what you’d like to do over break.  Allow yourself some free time (a good Netflix binge is ok once in a while – just not for a whole month), but also plan some active time.  Check in with friends ahead of time to see when they’ll be around so you can plan something.  Get out of the house!  Go to the movies, out to dinner, walk the mall, anything that gets you up & out the door.

 

  1. Spend time with people.

It’s important that you not spend the entire (or even most of the) break alone in your room or apartment.  Find some people to be around – spend time with family, reconnect with friends you don’t have a chance to see during the regular semester, find a way to make some new friends.

 

  1. Get active.

If the weather allows it, outside time is great.  Some sunlight, especially in the winter, can do wonders for your mood.  Be sure to keep up with whatever your regular routine of exercise has been, or use this time to create one if you haven’t been active.  Moderate-intensity exercise improves mood, improves your thinking, decision making, and memory, and helps you sleep better.  Workout with friends – bonus points for social interaction & exercise at the same time!

 

  1. If you’re really struggling, ask for help.

Sometimes the break, the holidays, the time alone can be extra difficult.  If you’re dealing with an anxiety disorder, clinical depression, or grieving the loss of loved ones, the break may be even worse.  If you’ve tried making a plan and getting out of the house and it’s just not helping; if your mood or anxiety are getting worse or you’re feeling desperate or even suicidal, it’s time to ask for help.  You don’t have to be miserable.  It is ok to ask for help.  Talk to someone – your parents, a trusted friend, a therapist.  There are several national hotlines you can call, or even text, to talk with someone 24 hours a day.  Here are some:

Crisis Text Line:  Text 741-741 any time and a live, trained crisis counselor will text you back.

IMALIVE Online Crisis Chat:  https://www.imalive.org/

National Suicide Hotline:  1-800-273-8255

 

Winter break is a great time to recoup from the busy semester; however, without a plan to make use of your time, you’ll find yourself wondering where the time went, and may end up feeling more down than before the break began.  Stay active, get engaged with other people, and have a great break!!

 

Xmas_break

7 Last-Minute Tips for Nailing Finals

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It’s almost time for final exams.  Stress runs high, sleep runs short, and note cards are everywhere!  Here are some last-minute tips to help you through:

 

  1.  Take it one exam at a time.

If you have several exams to prep for, consider how much effort you need to give each one.  You will find that some classes / subjects come easier to you than others.  Or some final exams just don’t require as much of your energy to score well.  However, you will also find that some require as much attention as you can give them.  Make a plan for how much time you should be spending on each, then approach them one subject at a time, beginning with the exam that comes first.  Once you’re ready (or that exam is done), you can then move on to the next subject.

  1.  Find a partner.

If you work with another student to study for exams, and you can stay focused on the material, there can be a lot of benefit.  Talk about the material that confuses you, quiz each other, or better yet, find someone who doesn’t know the material and teach it to him/her.  If you can explain, in your own words, what the material is about so that someone who hasn’t had the class can understand it, you’re in good shape.

  1.  Sleep.

You must.  Sleep is necessary for long-term memory formation and accurate recall.  Not getting enough sleep will make it harder to focus on what you’re studying, take longer to get the material into memory, and mean that the information will be less accurate when you recall it from memory later.  On top of that, it will increase your stress level, your frustration level, and your cravings for high-sugar / high-carb / high-fat foods.

  1.  Take breaks.

Yes, I said it.  You cannot study non-stop, even for final exams.  After about an hour, your attention starts to wander and you won’t retain much of the information you’re trying to study anyway.  Take a break, get up, move around, check out what’s going on online, have a snack, and then go back to it.  Set a timer to remind you if necessary.

  1.  Turn off distractions.

That being said, when it’s study time, it’s study time.  Turn off the phone, shut down the browser windows with social media sites that call your attention, turn off the TV, and get rid of anything that distracts you.  Use an app to lock down the phone for a specified period of time, or a program that restricts the websites you visit on your computer during certain time frames if you need the extra help.  Also, know yourself … if music or some type of background noise actually helps you focus better, you should leave those on; however, if it’s distracting – get rid of it!

  1.  Get rid of worry.

Worry is not your friend.  Most of us know that worrying by itself will not change the outcome of a test or class grade.  Worrying about which questions will be on the exam or what material to spend the most time on will not change the content of the exam.  But we still do it – mostly because it feels like we have some control over the situation, when really, we don’t.  So use the energy you would’ve spent on worry to focus on things that will improve your outcomes – ask your instructor about what material to focus on or which specific topics will be on the exam.  Pay attention and when you notice yourself beginning to worry or get stressed about something, take a step back and ask:  “Is there anything I can actually do about that?” (Like asking for more information, spending some more time studying, asking for help from a tutor) – if there’s nothing your can do, set it aside.  Remind yourself that worry only uses up time & energy better spent actually studying.  If there is something you can do, do it.  In the end, worry and stress will only interfere with your ability to understand and retain information.

  1.  Take care of yourself.

It is important to sleep, take breaks, and tell worry to take a hike.  But taking care of yourself extends to other areas as well.  Eat well – be sure you’re including enough healthy protein and veggies, while limiting the amount of processed sugars and bad fats; and be sure to include healthy fats like fish, olive oil, avocado, and others.  Stay active and get some exercise.  It can be hard to convince yourself to exercise when you’re tired and stressed from school and / or work, especially if you have so much more to do.  But it’s important and in the long run will improve your mood, increase circulation (including to your brain, which will improve overall cognitive performance), and help you feel better physically.  It’s worth it.

 

#StressLessWeek

 

Why Do We Continue to Host National Depression Screening Day Every Year?

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Each year, Ohio State Lima Counseling Services hosts National Depression Screening Day on our campus.  2015 will mark the 7th year!

Some years we have screened as few as 12 students.  Some years, as many as 280!  Regardless of the number of students screened, we feel strongly about continuing the tradition every year.  Why?

Many college students struggle, some with day-to-day stresses and difficulties, others with mental illness, and still others with major life changes or traumatic events.  National Depression Screening Day is one avenue for OSU Lima students to know that help is available and where to find it.  Once students show up to NDSD, they know where the Counseling Services office is if they need it (now or in the future); and hopefully see that it’s a welcoming environment (and not at all scary).

When students participate in NDSD, they have the choice to complete the checklist in anyway they wish.  Sometimes this checklist form is an easier way to communicate that things are not going well.  Sometimes we don’t even realize how much we are struggling until we’re asked these specific questions.  The checklist often informs people that maybe some help would be good.

But one of the largest reasons we do NDSD is to raise awareness of mental health and to reduce the stigma around seeking help.  We typically have over 200 students participate in this event each fall.  That many people gathered in the lobby of Galvin Hall makes a commotion – and we hope that every student on campus sees this and realizes that coming to Counseling Services just isn’t that big of a deal.  We hope that it helps to dispel the myth that therapy is only for people who are “crazy.”  We hope that students learn a little bit more about maintaining their own mental health and that it’s ok to ask for help.  We pass out lots of information to students who come through NDSD screenings and we hope that some of that informs their own decisions about attending to their mental health and being aware of how their friends and family may be feeling.

If National Depression Screening Day on the Ohio State Lima campus

  • helps one student ask for help who might not have done so on his/her own, or
  • intervenes in one student’s thoughts of harming him/herself, or
  • causes one student to reconsider what it means for him/her or others to come to therapy, or
  • gives one student the information or resources needed to help a friend who is struggling or in crisis …

then we have served our purpose.

For all these reasons, we feel passionately about continuing to host this event each and every year on this campus.  We hope to see you this year!

 

National Depression Screening Day 2015

Thursday, Oct 8

10:00-2:00

Galvin 107

 

 

Make This Your Best Year Yet!

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MAKE THIS YOUR BEST YEAR YET!

Whether this is your first year on campus, or you’re nearly finished, get the semester started – and keep it going – on the right foot, with good academic & personal habits, to make this your best year yet.  Here are some helpful tips!  (Want more?  Check out Study-Hack.com)

 College Success Basics:

As with most things in life, finding your way in college means finding strategies that work for you.  Being a successful student is about much more than just your IQ score.  In fact, intelligence only accounts for a small percentage of college success.  Below you’ll find some recommendations to consider, but know that you may have to experiment with strategies that fit you.  There is no right or wrong way to study, manage your time, or take an exam, as long as the end result leaves you feeling healthy and fulfilled.

Blog Posts_College Success_Study Smart Tips

Know what’s expected

It’s important to be clear about what your instructors expect from you.  First thing’s first:  read the syllabus – from beginning to end.  It’s full of important information about the class.  You should find the text and what you should be reading when; the assignments and projects you’ll be completing; the exams you’ll be taking; and more.  If you’re unclear on any of it, ask your instructor for more details or clarification.  Still not sure?  Ask more questions.

How much time should you expect to spend outside of school on homework?  Well, the State of Ohio says you should expect to spend about 2 hours outside of class for each hour you spend in class.  So if your class meets for a total of 3 hours per week, you should be spending 6 hours per week at home on that material.  This includes reading, studying, preparing projects and papers, completing homework, etc.  But this is just a guide.  Everyone is different.  We each have strengths and weaknesses.  If you’re very strong in a subject, you may not need as much time for that class.  However, if you’re not so strong, you may need more time.  And there will be weeks where you don’t have the full amount of time in the required work, and other weeks where there will be more.

And be sure to check your email and any other method of communication your instructors have said they will use (such as Carmen).  Instructors will almost always use your OSU email to send you information, or post it in Carmen.  You should get in the habit of checking both regularly.  If you’d rather not have several email addresses to check, you can have your OSU email forwarded to another account.

Manage your time effectively

You have a lot to do.  Going to class, keeping up with the reading and homework, keeping track of papers & projects, as well as any extracurricular activities, clubs, or groups.  If you work, have children, or other commitments in addition to school, managing your time becomes even more challenging.  Here are some ideas:

  • Find a planner or calendar that fits your lifestyle.  If you’re always online, maybe an app is your best bet.  If you prefer low-tech, maybe a paper calendar works better.  Either way, the system will only work if you use it and remember to check it regularly (at least once a day).
  • Use reminders.  Set an alarm on your phone, use an app, send yourself an email, or put up a sticky note.  Whatever method you use, reminders can be a really handy way to keep up with deadlines and the little details that sometimes slip our minds.
  • Map out your week.  Draw out a visual plan for your typical week, with a column for each day and the times down the left side.  Now mark off the times you know you’ll be in class, at work, or any other consistent activity on your schedule.  Add in time that you’ll do homework or study, but be specific.  When will you do math homework?  When will you study for biology?  And of course, leave some time open for fun!!
  • Create an assignments spreadsheet.  Once great way to do this is in Excel, where you can make a column for the assignment name, due date, class, and any other information to keep track of.  Put in all the important dates (big & small) for all of your classes.  You can now sort all of them based on class name, due date, or otherwise.  This can be really handy when you’re balancing several demanding courses.  Also consider including your own pre-due dates.  For example, if you have a paper due in 4 weeks, you may enter your own assignment on the list, giving yourself a due date for the rough draft in 2 weeks, then the final paper in 3 weeks and a deadline to take it to the Writing Center for review with a tutor.

 Take care of yourself

It is so important that you take the time to take care of yourself during college.  It’s easy to put off going to the gym or taking the time to cook a healthy meal when you have a pile of homework waiting for you.  It can be tempting to take the quick & easy fast food dinner & just get to work; or to stay up just a little later to get in some more study time before the exam.  But those strategies often don’t pay off in the end.  Here are the basics:

  • Get enough sleep.  During early adulthood we still need 7-9 hours of sleep per night.  Yes, every night.  If you’re not getting enough sleep on a regular basis, you will notice a whole host of problems.  Sleep deprivation can reduce frustration tolerance, attention, concentration, and emotional stability.  It also causes us to crave foods that are high in carbs and sugars – not good if you’re trying to avoid the ‘freshman 15.’
  • Exercise.  Yes, you’ve heard it before, but it’s sound advice.  Even if you only have time to take a quick walk (or park in the furthest possible parking space from your building), exercise helps to keep you in good physical shape, reduces stress, and improves mood.
  • Learn to manage your stress.  If you find yourself stressed out all the time, take a look at the things that are causing you stress.  Are they really worth worrying about?  Sometimes they are, but worry and anxiety never solve the problem.  Come up with a strategy to tackle those situations head on.  When you do get stressed, find coping skills that work for you – time with friends, taking a break, or just a few minutes of deep breathing.
  • Eat well.  It can be hard to figure out how to eat a healthy diet on a tight budget, but with some practice, it can be done.  If you’re not sure where to start, do a little research and make a plan for healthy meals.  Bonus if you can prepare meals or snacks ahead of time so they’re ready before you’re starving.

Need more help with these areas?  The Ohio State Lima Student Wellness Center is open for Coaching.  Just check the hours on the Facebook page, posters around campus, or the door of the Wellness Center.  Stop in & ask one of the Coaches for some suggestions or more information.  You’ll be glad you did!

What if your teachers knew …?

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Over the summer, Ohio State Lima Counseling Services office (LCCS) began a project aimed at connecting our faculty and our students.  And so far, the results have been exciting!!

Every year Kyle Schwartz, a third-grade teacher in Denver, Co, asks her students to fill out index cards anonymously completing the sentence, “I wish my teacher knew …”  This year, she began posting some of her students’ thought-provoking, sometimes poignant responses on Twitter.  She gained attention from around the world, and other teachers have tried her project in their classes as well.  It has been a way for Ms. Schwartz to learn about her students, feel connected to them, and for them to feel that they are cared about as individuals.  You can check her out yourself on Twitter @kylemschwartz or read some of the news stories linked below.

This year, we wanted to try something similar with our students.  We know our students come from a variety of backgrounds and have diverse family situations, interests, and motivations for being on our campus.  We also know that it’s important for their academic success to be engaged in the campus community.  To that end, Counseling Services has planned several outreach programs for the upcoming year to facilitate engagement.

But first, we needed the faculty’s help!  We asked our faculty to set a good example and to also be engaged in the campus community in this way.  We gave them each an index card and and asked them to complete the sentence “I wish my students knew …”  They could leave the card anonymous, and it could say anything they wished to communicate to students.
0824151311-1Our goal was for all of our faculty to take a moment to consider something (or more than one something) they’d like students to know.  Something about them, about teaching, about surviving college, something they wish someone had told them when they started this journey.

Well, our faculty did not disappoint!!  They shared with us personal stories, their love for teaching, and much more.  We’re posting these bits of insight and wisdom on our Facebook page with the hashtag #iwishmystudentsknew.  Keep an eye out for them.  We’ll also use them in student events that we conduct throughout the year.

Now it’s the students’ turn.  During Autumn semester, we will be collecting similar cards from students and sharing their responses with faculty, administration, and the larger campus community.  These will show up under the hashtag #Iwishmyteacherknew.

Want to see more?  Check out our Facebook page to keep up with what your teachers have to say, and what other Lima Buckeyes are saying.

 

 

More about Kyle Schwartz’s project:  (search: I wish my teacher knew)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/

http://www.today.com/news/

 

Welcome to Wellness at Ohio State Lima

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Welcome to the new Ohio State Lima Wellness blog.  Here you’ll find all kinds of great information about maintaining – and improving – wellness in all areas of your life.

WHO WE ARE – 

Ohio State Wellness is the home for both the OSU Lima Student Wellness Center and the OSU Lima Counseling & Consultation Services.  We are a part of Student Life at Ohio State Lima and both have the over-arching goal of improving students’ lives – not just their academic performance, but helping them live happier, healthier, and well-informed.

Student Wellness Center – the SWC is a student-led program that provides many key services for OSUL students.  The SWC is manned by trained student volunteers who have extensive knowledge and experience working with all 9 dimensions of wellness.  

  • Wellness Coaching – Our SWC Wellness Coaches offer one-on-one peer coaching for other students.  Coaching meetings can be related to any area of wellness, but common topics include study skills, stress management, time management, getting involved on campus & making new friends, budgets and managing financial aid money a semester at a time, and tips & tricks for healthy eating on a budget.
  • Outreach Events – Throughout the year, Wellness Coaches plan and implement a variety of events aimed a improving student wellness in some way.  Past events have included cooking demonstrations for eating healthy on a budget, recyclables trade-ins for seedlings, free balloons for National Random Acts of Kindness Week, finger painting, hula hooping, and many more!

 

Lima Counseling & Consultation Services – LCCS is the Ohio State Lima office for student mental health.  We provide services such as assessment, diagnosis, brief psychotherapy, consultation, and referrals for students with a wide-array of mental health concerns.  Students seek services from LCCS for reasons as varied as homesickness, clinical depression & suicidal thinking, social anxiety, test anxiety, ADHD, relationship concerns, grief & loss, coming out issues, and many others.

  • All services are completely free for currently enrolled Ohio State Lima students.
  • All services are confidential – our clinical records are kept separate from academic records and we don’t talk with parents, professors, or anyone else about who comes to counseling or what happens during counseling.  There are some legal exceptions to this, such as when an individual is a danger to him/herself or others.

 

 HOW TO USE THE SERVICES – 

To see a Wellness Coach, check the hours posted outside the door (or on our Facebook page) for times that a Coach is available, and just walk in.  You may also email lima_swc@osu.edu to schedule an appointment.  

To participate in outreach programming from either SWC or LCCS, watch for announcements on Facebook (SWC or LCCS) or postings around campus for information about topics, dates, & times.

To see one of the therapists / counselors at LCCS, you may call, email, or stop in to make an appointment.