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Check Your Wellness

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Whenever we run into someone we know, often the first question is, how are you doing? The standard reply is usually along the lines of good, fine, well, etc. Do you ever stop to think about it and answer honestly? I know I normally don’t.

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Ohio State’s Student Wellness Center splits wellness into 9 dimensions and there are many resources at Ohio State and in Columbus you can use to improve your wellness:

Emotional Wellness–Do you express your emotions in a healthy way? Can you identify your feelings?

Counseling and Consultation Service (CCS)–Free to students! CCS helps with stress management, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, life transitions, identity exploration, substance use, eating concerns, feeling overwhelmed, and academic adjustments.

Career Wellness–This can be about your job, your major, or your involvement. Do you enjoy the work you put into everything?

Career Counseling and Support Services (CCSS)–CCSS can assist with “personal concerns related to career decision making, clarification of career goals, exploration of career/major options, and guidance in development of necessary tools (resumes, cover letters, interviewing, personal statements).”

Dennis Learning Center–Can help with academic motivation, time management, and strategies for self-regulation, test-prep, test-taking, note-taking, and reading through academic classes they offer, one-on-one appointments, and workshops.

Tutoring Resources – Math, Physics, and Chemistry tutoring happens in both Younkin and the residence halls. The Math and Statistics Learning Center has tutoring for math and statistics classes. The General Chemistry Learning Resource Center has tutoring hours for general chemistry courses. The Department of Physics has tutoring hours for physics courses. The Economics Learning Center has peer tutoring. If you need help with a writing assignment The Writing Center and MARS (Mobile Assistance with Research Students) is available! When in doubt, talk to your professor or TA!

Social Wellness–Do you have a support system built on trust and respect? Are you sensitive and aware towards the feelings of others?

Have fun with friends, new and old–Dtix has a lot of discounts for cool places in Columbus. Ask people if they want to go to a Blue Jackets game, grab some Jeni’s, or go to Skyzone! Try to get people from your floor to go see one of the OUAB Flicks for Free on Wednesday nights or sing like nobody’s listening at karaoke night in Woody’s (the remaining karaoke night themes are Boy Bands, Taylor Swift, and Buckeye Spirit)!

Get Involved–Try going to different student organization meetings. All of the organizations are listed online where you can sort through by type and it has their contact information in case you have any questions!

Spiritual Wellness–This doesn’t have to relate directly to your religious (or non-religious) beliefs. Do you seek harmony and balance by  exploring the depth of human purpose, meaning, and connection? Maybe service is how you seek that balance.

Pay It Forward–Volunteer around Columbus with other Ohio State students!

Physical Wellness–Do you get an adequate amount of sleep, eat well, engage in exercise for 150 minutes per week, attend regular medical check-ups, and practice safe and healthy sexual relations?

The Student Wellness Center–Online resources can be found at link. You can sign up for a free nutrition counseling session on their site as well.

Group Fitness–Check out the group fitness classes offered by Ohio State.

Student Health Services–Schedule an appointment to get a flu shot or a check up. Complete your vaccination paperwork!

Financial Wellness–Are you aware of your finances? Can you manage them?

Scarlet and Gray Financial–Have a one-on-one meeting with a peer financial coach to learn more about banking, budgeting, and goal setting.

Intellectual Wellness–Do you try to learn new things and expand your worldview?

Ohio State and Columbus events–Dtix has tickets for different performances. The Wexner Center for the Arts has documentaries, artist talks, and performances. Ohio State’s Multicultural Center hosts events throughout the semester. Embrace your interests and your curiosity!

Creative Wellness–Do you value and seek out a range of arts and cultural experiences?

Off the Lake Productions–This is a student-run musical theater group at The Ohio State University who have multiple performances throughout the year. Get involved or just enjoy the show!

Search out events in Columbus and Ohio State–Dtix has tickets to concerts and performances throughout the semester. Explore the exhibits at the Wexner. Venture out to see local bands! Create something yourself. Whatever interests you, expand on that.

Environmental Wellness–Do you want to improve the environment? Do you appreciate the connection between nature and individuals?

Adventure Trips and Clinics – Go enjoy the outdoors with other Ohio State students! Or just chill on the Oval or visit a local park if that’s what you like.

Everyone’s wellness is different. The Student Wellness Center has an online assessment for you to assess your own. They also provide Wellness Coaching, a free service helps you become aware regarding your capacity to create the life you want to live, both now and in the future.

Bad Grade? Bounce Back in 5 Steps!

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Now that the first round of midterms is almost over, you’ve probably started to get your first midterm grades back. If you didn’t do as well as you expected on an exam, don’t be discouraged! Taking college exams is not an easy task, especially if you’ve never taken one before. Now that you are more familiar of how an actual college exam works, let’s take some time to reflect on how you can improve the next time around!

Here are some tips that I have found helpful after getting a disappointing grade on a midterm.

Talk to your instructor

Stop by office hours and go over your exam with the instructor. This is really helpful because you’ll be able to go over your mistakes and find out why your answers were incorrect. Make sure to ask questions and always ask to clarify a topic that you do not completely understand. Your professors are always willing to give you guidance on how to approach their class, so don’t be afraid to reach out to them!

Develop new study habits

In high school, you may not have studied much for midterms. In college, studying may require hours at Thompson Library, memorizing pages of notes and study guides. This is not always the most effective way to study the material. In my time as a college student, I’ve learned that it’s not about how long you study, but rather how well you study. The Dennis Learning Center in the Younkin Success Center has several student resources for effective study skills. You can also attend Use Your Brain! Memory Tools for Effective Studying (register through the First Year Success Series) if you want to learn a new way to study!

Make use of the resources on campus

Ohio State has so many resources on campus. The university wants its students to succeed above and beyond and it is only fitting that we use these resources to our advantage. Check out these campus tutoring centers (if you haven’t already) for help with subjects that many students study in their first year.

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Hold yourself accountable

Too often we place the blame on the professor with a different accent, or on our friends for distracting us, but we need to be the one to take responsibility for the disappointing grade. Placing the blame on someone or something else is counterproductive because then you will never be able to recognize how you can do better in the future! If you do get a bad grade, it’s okay to be upset about it, but then try to find ways to improve yourself. The best way to deal with a bad grade is to put in the effort to do things differently and to strive even harder the next time for the grade you feel like you deserve.

Stay motivated

Getting your first bad grade on an exam can make you rethink a lot of things in life: your major, your career choice, and maybe even your time here at Ohio State. Don’t fret! Everyone struggles with staying motivated at one time or another…I know I still do! Just know that we can get through this together! I found this article about staying motivated in college to be helpful.

The most successful students are the ones who ask for help when they need it! Don’t be afraid to ask for help and support, whether it’s from your professor, your TA, your RA or even your Peer Leader. Just know that together, we are all here to help you pave your path to success! Stay positive, work hard and make it happen!

The Four Things I Didn’t See Coming During My First Year

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Before beginning my first year at Ohio State, I was aware of many new changes: more responsibilities, a new city, a whole new living environment, larger classes and, of course, independence. However, there were many things that I did not anticipate.

Now a ripened old senior, I hope to share a few tidbits of advice with the newest Buckeyes. I have included four problems you may not expect to run into your first year and my tips for finding a solution.

Problem: Transportation without your own car

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Perhaps Stow, Ohio isn’t bursting with things to do but my chipped and dented Honda Accord got me where I was going. For those of you who used to drive around town, dancing from your seat and blasting music from your beloved high school vehicle, be ready to say goodbye to your wheels (unless you are a lucky commuter) and say hello to the three Cs of college transportation.

Solution:

COTA: Bus transportation to the Columbus area–take the #2 to travel down High Street!

CABS: Your bus system to get you around campus–use the mobile app, OSU BUS, to find nearby routes

CARPOOLING: Need to go home for a long weekend? At such a large school chances are someone in your residence hall is from the same area or state as you, so make friends and save your parents some driving!

Problem: Balancing the little things

Often the simple things–the ones you overlook–are the most difficult to balance. Get ready for the BIG DADDY of the little things: TIME MANAGEMENT.

With new opportunities every day, so many fun things to do, and great people to meet, you may find that it is hard to follow a regular schedule. My recommendation? Take time to make trips to your favorite dining hall with friends, go for walks on the Oval, join a club or attend your campus events; however, find balance between studying, socializing and SLEEPING (in class is not the solution).

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True story: By not taking time for our health, my roommates became susceptible to illnesses and my brief bout with mono from high school came back full force to strike even harder in college! Taking time to rest could have saved me from falling asleep on my calculus final!

Solution:

Create a healthy schedule and set aside a reasonable amount of time every night to sleep. Make this a priority! If you risk starting your homework at midnight, be prepared for the exhaustion to take a toll on your body, immune system and your effectiveness in school.

Problem: Living with roommates “in sickness and in health”

One of the biggest adjustments I had to make in college was when I became ill and had to make an appointment to the doctor for the first time by myself. I was sick, lonely and absolutely TERRIFIED.

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Preventative Solutions:

  1. Be prepared for small living quarters! The common cold can spread very quickly if you aren’t diligently washing your hands and avoiding shared drinks and food.
  2. Exercise, get plenty of sleep, and eat balanced and nutritious meals.
  3. Hand sanitizer.

Proactive Solution:

Don’t be afraid to make an appointment!

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When I called ahead and made an appointment at the Wilce Student Health Center, I was warmly welcomed by the ladies at the front desk; they called me “baby” and I never wanted to leave (I may form attachments easily). I met with a wonderful doctor, received my diagnosis and was soon on my way. If you need a prescription, you can even pay at the full-service pharmacy using your BuckID cash!

Problem: Schoolwork overload

One thing that I was totally unprepared for was the amount of work I would be faced with in college.

In college, your schoolwork becomes your full-time job. Although you may only be in class for about 15 hours per week, the amount of material and homework you are expected to cover tends to amount to at least 40 hours per week. That means an average amount of 5-8 hours of additional studying every night.

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How can you succeed?

Solution:

1. BE PREPARED, BUDGET YOUR TIME: Know what is expected of you and keep up with your assignments! Make schoolwork a priority during the day and between classes so that you have more time to relax during the weekend.

2. FOLLOW THE SYLLABUS: Unlike high school where you might have had a rough outline for what you will learn during the year, college professors tend to follow the assignments and readings on the syllabus PRECISELY. You will not be reminded of the work you are expected to be completing; instead, you’ll use your syllabus to track those deadlines. You will be expected to come to lectures prepared, meaning half of the learning process is expected to take place during your own time.

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3. SEEK OUT RESOURCES: Struggle with learning things from simply reading or by yourself? Do not fear! At a large school, there are ENDLESS opportunities for you to get help. However, it falls on your shoulders to seek them out and actually show up.

  • Group study sessions: learn from your peers!
  • Office hours: weekly meeting times set aside by your professors to speak directly with them!
  • Free tutoring: in mathematics, chemistry, writing, etc. and in your own residence halls!

I hope you are as eager to begin your journey as I was and that these solutions lead to a successful first year!

With Buckeye Love,

Regina