Author: Kayla Tomak

2016/2017 Retrospective

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Four awesome things and four sucky things from my junior year

Math minor

I officially declared and officially finished my math minor! My math class was hard, and at the beginning of the semester I thought about dropping it, but I pushed through and I made it out with a B, which is a grade that I am extremely proud of!

This was probably one of the biggest highlights of my year just because of the struggles I went through in my math classes previously. I started out as a math major, and after getting a couple Cs in my courses and really struggling to stay motivated, I realized math wasn’t for me. This was hard to come to terms with because I felt that by not completing my math degree, I was failing myself. I had always based my self-worth on my intelligence and math skills, and to suddenly feel like I wasn’t good enough took a toll on my self-esteem. By completing my math minor, I was able to reassure myself that I am intelligent and that I can succeed.

Volunteering

I completed 50 hours of training and started volunteering for the Suicide Hotline in Columbus! This is something I have been trying to do for over a year, but it never worked with my schedule. Finally, I felt comfortable enough in my own mental health and had the ability to fit it into my schedule.

Several years ago I needed a suicide hotline, and now to give back, it feels as if I am helping my 15-year-old self get through those tough times. I see myself in every caller, and it just makes the experience of volunteering that much more meaningful to me.

Involvement

I was re-elected onto the executive board of Pride OSU and will now serve as the Vice President of this student organization. This student org. has given me so many great friends and a better confidence in who I am.

Freshman me was so nervous about coming out of the closet, and Pride OSU gave me a place to really figure out myself and feel comfortable that it is okay to be gay. Having a space that I didn’t have to pretend made all the difference when I decided to come out to my other friends and my family.

Summer plans

I decided to go to Europe for a month this summer. Bought a plane ticket to Paris for May 4! Having summer plans made getting through this semester just that much easier since I always have something to look forward to.

Relationship issues

I had been in a relationship for over 5 ½ years until just last month. Overall, it was a difference in values that ended our relationship. We had just each changed too much in different directions to make it work anymore. But I think that the timing of it was perfect. I had so many people that were supportive and I have so many things to look forward to. I have always been a very independent person, so I have a lot of things that I did on my own that gave me a sense of self-worth. Break-ups are almost a universal reality, but they don’t have to be all that bad. In some ways, this was a sucky thing, but it also was an awesome thing, too.

Money issues

Okay I will totally own up to the fact that I am bringing my own money issues onto myself. I mean, I am taking a month-long vacation to Europe. Mainly, this has been a challenge for me because it is the first big purchase that I have had to budget for. Budgeting is hard. I also have to think about what my finances are going to look like for my senior year of college and then what that means for my post-grad education and career. It feels like the rest of my life is right in front of me. And that’s scary.

Self care

With depression, suddenly even the littlest things like showering and doing laundry become arduous tasks. One missed class becomes two, which becomes three, and suddenly the grades are dropping. Self-care is hard to keep up on, but it is so important. I’ve learned that the best self-care is preventative: setting up things in advance to make sure any breakdown is a minor one.

Just school in general

We can all agree that school is difficult. And sometimes life gets in the way, whether it’s a family emergency, a really bad case of the sniffles, or several professors conspiring to make all your assignments due the same exact day (ya feel?). From my experience, junior year has the most difficult classes and is the last year that grad schools will see grades from, so the pressure to do your best is the highest.

5 Tips for Getting Through the Winter

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Some people have their own favorite tips and tricks to make life a little more manageable in the winter. Most people know the simple ones: wear a winter coat, a hat will keep your ears warm, drink hot chocolate, etc. Here are some tips based on lessons I learned the hard way during my first year!

Strategically plan your walk.

Did you know that University Hall and Dulles Hall are connected through their basements? Walking from your North Campus residence hall to Scott Lab? Cut through the lobby of the Physics Research Building to let your nose warm up a bit.

University Hall Snow

Toes still cold even with doubled up socks? 

Another pair of socks won’t typically help. Invest in some winter boots, and look for ones with traction on the soles so you don’t slip. If they aren’t waterproof, look into buying some waterproofing spray to keep your toes extra toasty.

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Find yourself repeatedly applying Chapstick?

Put it on right before you walk outside. It will create a protective barrier between your cracked lips and that pesky cold. But keep in mind that overdoing it with the Chapstick may just lead to you needing it more! I find that applying it before going outside, rather than after, is a good, happy medium.

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Invest in warm gloves.

Think heavy-duty gloves. Mittens just won’t cut it unless you keep your hands in your coat pockets the entire time. I have never found a good pair of smartphone-friendly gloves that are both warm enough for the walk across campus and allow me to reply to a text message. Keep me posted if you find an efficient pair. (:

kitten mittens

 

Check the weather and your email before you go to class!

Sometimes, the weather may be especially bad and you will need to double up on your clothes. Other times, your professor may have difficulty getting to class and cancel it or the university may be closed completely. Trust me, you will not want to walk all the way to class to find out no one else is there.

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If you have any helpful tips for getting through the winter, be a pal and share them in the comments!

Football Disappointment

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Singing Carmen Ohio after a home game

Singing Carmen Ohio after a home game

After clinching the 2014 National Championship title for football (and sooo many other sports, too!), I had high expectations for our football team this year. I was hoping that I would be able to witness TWO National Championship titles. But, even the first game against Virginia Tech showed that our team needed a lot of improvement in order to get to that title. And yet, no big deal–we improved last year enough to win, and we would do it again this year, too! And, hey, at least this year we beat Virginia Tech. We could do it.

Unfortunately, as the season went on and we improved, it showed that we weren’t improving fast enough. And that effect culminated during the Michigan State game. I was crushed watching those last thirty seconds and that ball flying through the goal posts. It didn’t seem real for us to lose because I hadn’t witnessed a Buckeye loss in so long.

Some of you may have come to Ohio State for the school spirit, traditions, and the excitement surrounding our football team. Some of you may also be Cleveland Browns fans and are just excited that the Buckeyes can gain 6 points in a way besides two field goals, as my roommate (and Cleveland sports fan), Madeline, says. Some of you may not care about football…at all.

Whether or not you are a football fan, we can all celebrate the successes of our fellow Buckeyes. Let’s celebrate Braxton’s spin move against Virginia Tech, Zeke’s countless runs for first downs, and our quarterbacks’ complete passes (thank you JT and Cardale). Let’s celebrate Women’s rowing for their 2015 National Championship. Let’s celebrate Asia Doss, who plays Women’s Basketball, who has been honored for this week’s Student-Athlete Spotlight. Let’s cheer on Men’s basketball this Saturday against Connecticut. Let’s cheer on our football team at the Fiesta Bowl.

As great as our disappointment is in not making the college football playoffs and being ranked #6 (first world problems, amiright?), let’s be grateful for what we do have. Let’s cheer on all of our Buckeyes in to reach their goals and ace their finals. Good luck to all of you.

When Stress is Too Much

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School is stressful. And having a little bit of stress in your life is good—it keeps you motivated and makes life interesting. But too much stress can be unhealthy. And other times, stress is a symptom, not the problem. So, when is stress too much to handle and when is it time to figure things out? Well, let’s take a look at a couple indicators of when you might need to take your stress to a doctor.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, and what I say should not be used as a reason to NOT go to a doctor. If you have any question about it at all, it is better to get it sorted out as soon as possible!

Symptoms

Here’s the real deal: typical stress has a lot of the same symptoms as many other underlying causes. Take clinical depression, for example (I am EXTREMELY passionate about depression). Both stress and depression share the symptoms of feeling bad about yourself, avoiding others, feeling overwhelmed and a lack of control, and becoming easily agitated or moody. A lot of other physical health issues have similar symptoms, as well. So, how do you know whether stress is the problem or if stress is just a symptom? My general rule of thumb for this is if you experience five differences between your normal self and your “stressed out” self, you should see a doctor. For me, if I am experiencing a difficult time sleeping, a lack of motivation, an agitated mood, and two other symptoms, I know that I need to go to my doctor! Once again, this is not all-encompassing. Even if you have just one symptom, you still have reason to go see a doctor. Always check with your doctor if you have any concerns.

Time period

Stress is usually dependent on the stressors of your life. These stressors may include family or social pressures, upcoming midterms or assignments, a lack of sleep, etc. But when the stress lasts even after the stressor is gone, you might want to take a closer look at it. My general rule of thumb is two weeks, but this is just a recommendation. If you notice any of the symptoms talked about previously that last more than two weeks, check with your doctor!

How it affects your daily life

Especially regarding mental health, a big factor in treatment is how your life is affected by the illness. But for anything in life–if you notice a decline in your grades, a decline in enjoyment in fun activities, or a decline in your social life–it may be a reason to check with your doctor. Stress should only impact your life in minor ways. In my experience, the agitated mood I used to get would negatively impact my relationships with everyone I interacted with on a daily basis. And when I realized that I was losing my friends because of my mood, I realized I needed to make a change!

And finally…

Whether the issue is stress or something more, there is help available! Check out the many resources the Counseling and Consultation Services has to offer by going to their website or by going to Let’s Talk, which offers free and confidential drop-in consultations in the Lower Level Meeting Room at the Union on Thursdays from 2:30-4:30. Or go to the Wilce Student Health Center for a check-up and overall health care. You can make an appointment online, by phone, or in person. Maybe you just need some time to relax and destress or learn about stress and time management. If this is the case, you can check out the First Year Success Series to register for a session, and get credit for your survey class!

Being stressed out in college is normal–but not a reason to deny yourself help if you become over-stressed or if you need some time to de-stress. Being proactive and listening to your body will benefit you in the long run, especially if something else is contributing to your feelings of stress. Put your wellness in a professionals hands. Your future self will thank your present self.