Month: October 2021

#Every1KnowsSome1 – Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2021(Content Warning)

| Michaela Martin

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). The National Network to End Domestic Violence’s (NNEDV) theme for 2021 is #Every1KnowsSome1. 

Domestic violence is an umbrella term that can encompass forms of interpersonal violence such as: 

  • Intimate Partner Violence (also known as relationship violence or dating violence) 
  • Teen Dating Violence 
  • Family Violence (including child abuse and neglect) 
  • Elder Abuse 
  • Stalking 
  • Physical violence 
  • Sexual violence 
  • Emotional and psychological abuse  
  • Verbal abuse 
  • Financial abuse 
  • Forms of intimidation, coercion, or threats 

It is important to remember that domestic violence is about power and control.  

Anyone can experience domestic violence, regardless of their background or identity. However, due to intersecting forms of oppression, marginalized and underserved communities tend to experience domestic violence at disproportionate rates. Black women and girls, Native and Indigenous women and girls, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people experiencing poverty, individuals with disabilities, and people at the intersections of each of these identities experience higher rates of violence.  

Everyone has a right to healthy relationships, safe communities, and freedom from violence. Although one person cannot do everything, everyone can do something. 

  • While it is not a comprehensive list, here are some ways to raise awareness during DVAM and year-round: 
  • Believe and support victims and survivors 
  • Practice active bystander intervention 
  • Educate yourself and others on healthy relationships and consent. Talking to your friends, families, partners, and community members about these topics can be a powerful way to spread awareness 
  • Learn about anti-violence movements, activism, and advocacy 
  • Participate in community events and demonstrations  
  • Volunteer for, donate to, and support organizations working to end domestic violence and support survivors 
  • Speak out in support of the cause and share information on social media 
  • Advocate for policy and social change 
  • Take a pledge such as the White Ribbon Campaign: https://www.whiteribbon.ca/  

If you or someone you know has experienced any form of interpersonal violence you are not alone. 

 

Community and Nationwide Resources for Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence: 

On-campus resources: 

What is Spiritual Well-being?

| Michaela Martin

The word “spiritual” refers to that core dimension of you – your innermost self – that provides you with a profound sense of who you are, where you came from, where you’re going and how you might reach your goal. You may not think much about spiritual well-being and what role it plays in your life, but its significance is stronger than you may believe.  

Spiritual wellness may mean different things to different people. For some, spirituality may be synonymous with traditional religion, while for others it relates primarily to the quality of personal relationships or love for nature. A foundation for spiritual wellness may be the sense that life is meaningful, and you have found your place in it. The search for meaning and purpose in human existence leads one to strive for a state of harmony with themselves and with others while working to balance inner needs with the rest of the world. 

To discover what spirituality means for you and how it can play an important role in your life, consider the questions below. Your answers may provide clues to enhance your own spiritual wellness.  

  • What gives your life meaning and purpose?
  • What gives you hope?
  • How do you get through tough times? Where have you found comfort?
  • What are your 3 most memorable experiences?
  • If you belong to a religious community, how are you connected to this group?
  • If you have survived losses in your life, how have you done so?
  • Describe a time or instance when you felt comfortable and that all was right with the world.
  • Describe a time when your life was filled with a sense of meaning or when you experienced a sense of awe.

Looking for support in your spiritual wellness? The Student Wellness Centers, free, peer to peer Wellness Coaching service can help. You can meet with a coach to reflect on the questions above and set goals to enhance your spiritual wellness. Additionally, there are many student organizations focused on spiritual wellness. You can search and find these on the Student Activities website.  

Is social media impacting your financial wellness?

| Michaela Martin

You probably already know that too much time on social media can affect your emotional wellness, but have you ever considered how it affects your financial wellness?  

With features like saving your credit card information on your devices, express checkout with Apple Pay and Facebook Marketplace or Instagram’s shopping feature, you are overloaded with many easy ways to spend and make purchases. Couple the accessibility with personalized advertisements, social media influencers and Tiktok trends, it’s hard to avoid unnecessary spending.  

With social media use and engagement only continuing to rise, it is important to understand how social media is affecting your spending and how you can make positive changes.  

  • Understand your current financial situation: Deleting social media isn’t the end goal, you just need to understand your current financial situation and how you are preparing for your financial future. Create a weekly or monthly budget to understand what you can and can’t spend and what you need. When looking to make a purchase from social media you can see if it aligns with your budget.  
  • Spend smarter: Try making a “wish list” for items you see on social media that you want to buy. Set a time frame, 48 hours or even a week. If you still want the item after your set time you can easily track it down on your wish list.  This timeframe will allow you to think more critically about the purchase and create the habit of spending on things you genuinely want or need.  
  • Influence your feed: Follow accounts that encourage your financial goals. Follow trusted accounts or hashtags who promote financial well-being. These accounts will provide positive reinforcement when navigating advertising or your friends post on social media.  

Looking to talk with a peer who can relate to the impact social media has on financial wellness? Schedule a free Financial Coaching session. Offered by the Student Life Student Wellness, trained peer financial coaches provide one-on-one coaching on the topics of budget creation and management, credit cards, student loans, and more. Learn more by visiting the Student Wellness Center website.  

Emotional Spending

| Michaela Martin

We’re not immune to the “treat yourself” mindset. After a rough day do you find yourself buying something new or enjoying an extra nice meal? When in moderation, this type of spending can help with coping with the stress of everyday life. When we end up relying on purchases to lift our moods it becomes a concern known as “emotional spending”. 

Emotional spending is a behavior that causes people to spend money whenever they experience negative or positive feelings, generally to fill an emotional need.  While there is a short-term mental health benefit to spending, too much emotional spending can impact your financial well-being and lead to increased stress. 

Most emotional spending is a pattern of behavior. When you start to recognize the behaviors, you can in turn disrupt them. Some behaviors may include:   

  • Spending beyond your means 
  • Withdrawing from conversations about money because it makes you anxious 
  • Accumulating more items during a stressful period  
  • Impulse buying  

Changing behavior takes time but there are strategies and alternatives you can try to prevent emotional spending. Strategies include: 

  • Make a weekly or monthly budget to help pre-allocate your finances. Free Financial Coaching through the Student Wellness Center can help. 
  • Limit the use of credit cards and removing stored card information to make it less easy to make a purchase from your phone/computer/tablet 
  • Limit exposure to ads on social media by reducing screen time 
  • Create a waiting period when making purchases. If you want something in the moment, see if you still want it in a few days? 
  • Talk to a Wellness Coach to identify positive coping mechanisms  

The Student Life Student Wellness Center offers free peer to peer coaching services. You can meet with a Financial Coach to discuss budgeting, credit cards, student loans, and more. Wellness Coaching serves provides stress management techniques, goal setting, communication strategies and more to improve your emotional wellness. Learn more and schedule a session by visiting the Student Wellness Center website.  

Financial Peer Pressure

| Michaela Martin

FOMO! The fear of missing out can occur when it comes to not attending social events or activities with friends. That fear can be even worse when the event costs money. You must remember, everyone’s current financial state and goals are unique to them and if you must decline an offer due to finances, are you prepared to discuss with your friends? 

Start the conversation with your friends by using one of these strategies:  

  • Be Truthful: Your friends will understand. You don’t need to go into details but letting them know you cannot afford an activity or event due to the price is acceptable.  
  • Suggest an alternative: What are other low-cost or free opportunities you can take advantage of to have a good time with friends. OUAB and d-tix are a great place to start.  
  • Use a goal: “Thanks but I’m saving for a study abroad trip”  

You may feel bad about having to decline events or tell your friends no, but ultimately you are taking charge of your financial wellness. Real friends will understand.  

Don’t forget that budgets are made to be flexible too. If you’ve done the hard work to ensure that you have savings, an emergency fund and a good budget, you may want to indulge in something that pushes your budget a bit. Is it a once in a lifetime opportunity or an experience you’ll never forget? It may be worth it for the memories and that is money well spent.  

Looking to learn more about budgeting, credit cards, student loans or other financial topics? The Student Life Student Wellness Center offers free, peer-to-peer, financial coaching. You can learn more and schedule an appointment online by visiting the Student Wellness Center website.  

National Coming Out Day & LGBTQ History Month Resources

| Michaela Martin

Celebrate National Coming Out Day on Monday, October 11th and LGBTQ History Month with Student Life! It is completely your decision when to come out, whether to come out, and who to come out to. Everyone’s experience is unique, and the Student Wellness Center is here to support you no matter what. Check out the following events and resources for National Coming Out Day and LGBTQ History Month: 

 

Events 

 

Resources