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CAPS Presents – Stop Feeling F.I.N.E.

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As we inch closer to exam week, it is easy to feel F.I.N.E.—Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional. 

While the stress of exams and the holiday season might cause overwhelming feelings of needing to “get it all done,” it is important to remember that only so much can be completed in one day. College students are often faced with the temptation of pulling “all nighters,” assuming that the less sleep one gets, the better their performance will be on an exam. Instead, lack of sleep can actually decrease cognitive performance and memory, leading to more forgetfulness and mistakes while completing tests or papers. 

Rather than running on fumes, take a moment to consider taking care of yourself this exam season so that you can show up with a clear mind and put your best foot forward.

Here are some self-care tips to help you keep a sharp mind and positive attitude:

Work in shifts: Even if you are cramming, it’s hard to retain a large amount of information without giving time for memory consolidation. Consider taking short breaks between 5-15 minutes for every 45-60 minutes of studying/working.

Play study music: Music without lyrics can help break up the monotony of studying without being distracting. Consider free study tunes on YouTube, such as classical music, Chillhop or coffeehouse jazz.

Remember to eat: Being busy can easily turn into forgetting to eat, or eating too much junk food. Try to balance between the two by planning a break to go to the dining hall, or meal prepping. Even simple healthier quick snacks, like nuts, fruit, sparkling water instead of soda or protein bars can help keep you fueled and focused without the sugary crash.

Catch some Z’s: Resist the all nighter! Even a little bit of sleep is better than no sleep at all. If you find yourself having trouble overthinking while you try to sleep before an exam, try taking a moment to tense up your muscles, then slowly relax them. Do this for different muscle groups to help take your focus off of your thoughts. Or try paying attention to your five senses while taking slow, controlled breaths. Lastly, calming music or white noise can help with relaxation. Even searching “ocean waves” on YouTube and playing it while you fall asleep can be helpful.

Manage your worry: Some worry about exams is healthy and productive. It might help you to start studying NOW (*hint, hint*) as opposed to last minute. Unproductive worry comes when we have difficulty focusing on work or completing tasks. It might cause us to feel overwhelmed and lower confidence. Challenge the unproductive worry with helpful reminders that you will be okay, no matter the results:

“I studied as much as I could, now it is time to perform as best as I can.”

“My worth does not lie in any single course, assignment or test. I am still a good person even if I don’t perform as well as I would like.”

“Rather than overthinking, I am going to take this time to cope and reset so I can get in some productive study time later.”

We hope you find these tips helpful in navigating your end of semester to-do list. On behalf of CAPS, we wish you a successful end to your semester and a relaxing winter break!

Walking with Gratitude

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Halloween is over, so you know what that means … Christmas! Just kidding. In between these two widely celebrated holidays, there is a meek holiday called Thanksgiving. 

While the face of Thanksgiving has changed over the years, many continue to celebrate traditions of remembering things for which they are grateful. This may seem a bit cliché, but the process of gratitude can actually help with managing stress, anxiety and depression. That’s right—the age-old tradition of being thankful is, in fact, a coping skill.

This November, take a moment to practice gratitude to help get you back to living in the moment and being mindful of the good things. Here are some gratitude activities/ideas that you can practice:

Gratitude Jar/Box: Decorate a jar or a tissue box in whatever way you wish. Then, on strips of paper, write at least three things throughout your day that you are grateful for and place it in your jar or box. It can be something as simple as your morning tea or coffee or as grand as your best friend. Over time, you will have a jar full of many reasons to be thankful for what you have. If you are ever feeling down, you can turn to your jar and read a few notes to remind yourself of who, and what, is good in your life.

Gratitude Journaling: Take a moment, maybe 2-3 times per week, to write down things you are grateful for. Try these prompts:

  • I am grateful for my family because…
  • Something good that happened this week…
  • I am grateful for my friendship with_________ because___________.
  • I am grateful for who I am because…
  • Something silly that I am grateful for…
  • Something else I am grateful for…

Gratitude Rock: Pick a rock, or another small object, such as a shell or a button, that represents what you are grateful for. Be sure to pick something you like to make it special for you. Carry the rock around in your pocket, place it on your desk or maybe wear it on a chain. Whenever you see or touch it, let it be a reminder to pause and think about at least one thing you are grateful for—whether it’s the sun shining on you or being able to go to college. When you remove the rock at the end of the day, take a moment to remember what you were grateful for throughout the day. Repeat this in the morning when you put it on again, remembering what you were grateful for yesterday.

Taking time to remember things you are grateful for can help bring focus off of anxious and negative thoughts. It can help you find a calm moment, which can help you better tackle your day-to-day life. Enjoy these gratitude activities or try some new ones you create on your own. Happy Thanksgiving!

CAPS Presents – Don’t Let Your Light Burn Out

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You’re busy, right?

Think of all the times you have used that as a reason to not do something.

“I can’t, I’m busy” or “I wish I could, but I’m busy” are phrases that are part of a typical college student’s vernacular.

Being busy is not a bad thing.

Many students thrive on having schedules, “to-do” lists, and several activities or responsibilities in which they are involved.

However, being busy can easily boil over into feeling stressed out, overwhelmed, or even burned out.

Many of us are familiar with feeling stressed or overwhelmed but burnout is a different type of feeling that many experience without knowing the lasting effects it can have.

Burnout occurs when you lose touch with the reasons why you are doing something in the first place.

You might feel apathetic, even cynical towards your work or people around you.

There is no clear cause of burnout, but the factors that influence burnout can include feeling overwhelmed or lacking control over your time, lack of social support, and school-life imbalance.

Feeling like you or a friend might be burned out?

Take a moment to reignite your flame.

Self-care is essential for managing a hefty course load along with other obligations, such as a part-time job, extracurriculars or volunteer work.

A great resource for students on-the-go is the Florida Tech Campus Wellness website.

It is loaded with resources to help you find and maintain balance and wellness.

Think of it as all of our campus resources packed into one site.

There are self-help resources for studying, career development, exercise, sleep, health, eating, and emotional wellbeing.

With the right resources, many students can make the minor adjustments they need to stay on track.

Campus Well is here to help connect you with those resources, whether from your phone, tablet, or laptop/ computer.

Take a moment to download the Campus Well app or visit the website and see how these easily accessible resources can prevent or reduce burnout and help you shine your brightest!

CAPS Presents: Lift Your Spirits

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Have you ever felt hollow or numb?

Have you ever felt like you were drowning while others around you kept afloat?

These are a few descriptions of how it can feel to have depression. Depression is often described as an emotional state (“I’m depressed” or “that’s depressing”).

However, clinical depression is a true mental health problem, which can be treated.

It’s normal to feel down or blue occasionally, but it’s important to note if you or a friend are experiencing more than regular sadness.

Remember, you don’t have to be “going through something” to have depression.

While people often feel sad after a break-up or a stressful life event, sometimes people experience depression without having any life stressors or triggers.

Some signs of depression might include feeling sad most days of the week, withdrawing from others, sleeping too little or too much and sometimes feeling irritable or agitated.

Curious whether you or a friend might have depression? Oct. 10 is National Depression Screening Day, and you may want to consider taking a screening to help make an informed decision about getting help.

CAPS offers free online screenings for depression and other mental health problems, which can be accessed by visiting our website.

Sometimes depression can cause you to have thoughts of wanting to die or feeling you/others might be better off if you were dead.

If you, or a friend, are experiencing this, do not wait to get help. For emergencies, always call 911.

You can also contact campus security at 321-674-8111 .

The following services are also available for 24/7 free and confidential support:
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK/8255 — suicidepreventionlifeline.org
The Brevard 211 Helpline: dial 211-or- (321) 632-6688 — www.211brevard.org
The Crisis Text Line: text “Home” to: 741741 — www.crisistextline.org

Consultation services are also available at CAPS if you have concerns for yourself or a friend.

While depression can feel like an uphill battle, having the right knowledge, resources, and tools can help to lift your spirits and get back to fully living your life.

For more information regarding CAPS’ services and support, drop by our center, call us, or visit our website.

CAPS Presents: Help Others and Yourself

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Many people enjoy helping others.

Aside from altruistic feelings, helping in the form of random acts of kindness, volunteering or civic service can keep you feeling engaged and connected with people in the community.

In many ways, helping others can lead to helping oneself in that it provides an opportunity to shift focus outward rather than dwelling inward on negative or self-critical thoughts.

Things like community service or volunteering can
also help build your resume and network.

Afterall, you never know who might have a connection that can help you out professionally or even personally.

Helping others can be as simple as offering to help a fellow student study.

It can also involve a larger commitment, such as regular volunteering commitments or donations.

Any way that you help, large or small, can have rippling effects on the community and on yourself.

This week consider ways in which you can reach out to help others.

Make time for a simple phone call or message to a peer who seems down.

Stop to hold the door open for a stranger.

Donate items to those in need.

Or, give your time and skills to a larger cause, such as mentoring or other forms of service.

You can also find new ways to get involved through visiting the Office of Civic Engagement’s website: www. fit.edu/civic-engagement.

Helping others also involves acknowledging and accepting help ourselves.

If you are in need of support, reach out to friends, family or others within the community, such as an instructor, advisor, supervisor and/or clergy.

Consider seeking professional help as well.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) can help students learn how to work through life’s challenges, heal emotional pain and develop the necessary skills to lead healthy and balanced lives … and help you get back to helping those around you.

For more information regarding CAPS’ services and support, drop by our center, call us or visit our website.

CAPS Presents: Health and You

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Nowadays, many people talk about self-care.

But what does “taking care of yourself” actually mean? Taking medicine when you feel sick? Eating ice cream because you are sad? Making your own doctor appointments?

Maintaining good health and caring for yourself includes many moving parts.

At times it can feel overwhelming to know where to start, or even whether you need to do anything to maintain your health.

After all, if you feel more or less okay, that means you are fine, right? Not necessarily.

Generally, it is good for everyone to see their primary care doctor once per year for a check-up to screen for and prevent illness.

Dental cleanings are generally recommended every six months to prevent gum disease and cavities.

Regular exercise coupled with healthy, balanced eating habits can help to prevent heart disease, type II diabetes and obesity.

And if you are aware that you have a chronic illness, such as diabetes, hypothyroidism or bipolar disorder, it is good to keep your regularly scheduled appointments with your provider.

Sometimes managing your health can be stressful and overwhelming, especially if this is your first time dealing with a condition without significant help from relatives.

The first step is to talk to someone who might be able to help you better understand your body and mind so that you can reach your personal, academic and career goals here at Florida Tech. After all, knowledge is power.

Holzer Health Center – provides a variety of health and wellness services. Website: www.fit.edu/health
Phone #:321-674-8078
Location: beside CAPS (at the corner of Country Club Road and University Boulevard)

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) – provides a variety of mental health and wellness services.
Website: www.fit.edu/ counseling-and-psychological-services
Phone#: (321) 674-8050
Location: beside the Holzer Health Center (at the corner of Country Club Road and University Boulevard)

Want more information and resources about how you can maintain your own health?

Come to the Florida Tech Health & Fitness Expo on Wednesday, Sept. 11 from 10:00-2:00 at the Clemente Center! There will be raffles, prizes and samples as well as several tables with plenty of information on health, fitness and wellness.

Be sure to also stop by the Holzer Health Center and CAPS tables for helpful resources and information about maintaining a healthy mind and body!

CAPS – The Panther’s First Semester

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Whether this is the first semester of your freshman year of college or your final “first” semester of graduate school, the start of a new academic year can come with so many new and different things.

Some might be exciting, like meeting new roommates; while others might be challenging, like repairing a suffering GPA.

Regardless of what experiences come your way, it is important to find a balance between school, work and your social and personal life.

A great way to start the new academic year is to establish a daily routine.

While classes naturally create a routine, there are many other areas of your life that could benefit from some structure.

Setting aside certain days or times for things, like hanging out with friends or catching up with family, can be just as important as scheduling time for studying.

Having an exercise routine can also be helpful and more than just managing weight.

Regular exercise can help manage stress, anxiety and depression.

Eating regular, well-balanced meals at around the same time each day can further help with overall physical and mental health.

Additionally, taking time to relax can help balance out the stress of studying, working or dealing with social/ extra-curricular demands.

Give yourself the gift of setting limits on where and how you spend your time.

It might seem like extra work now, but it will pay off when October hits and you find yourself not wondering where all your time went.

If you find yourself having difficulties that cannot be resolved with setting routines and engaging in self-care, reach out to someone for support.

You can also visit Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), where a variety of mental health and wellness services are available to assist students so they can successfully reach their own personal, academic and career goals.

We also offer weekly counseling groups, including Mood Matters on Mondays, a group on managing depression and anxiety; Let’s Talk on Tuesdays, which explores ways to improve relationship skills; Proud To Be Me on Wednesdays, which provides support for LGBTQ+ concerns; Understanding Self & Others on Thursdays, which explores personal identity and interpersonal success; and Emotional Flexibility on Fridays, which provides a variety of stress management techniques.

More information regarding CAPS’ services and support can be found by visiting: www.fit.edu/counseling-and-psychological-services/

We are here to help you achieve your goals and be the happiest and healthiest Panther you can be.

CAPS – The Panther Gives Back

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Panthers are often thought to be dangerous and fierce creatures who only care for their own survival.

However, Dr. Mark Elbroch, lead scientist for Panthera’s Puma Program and ecologist who spent 15 years studying panthers, found that there is actually a compassionate side to big, carnivorous cats.

There is even an instance in which one of these fierce animals helped raise a baby baboon after its mother died!

The point is, we Panthers like to help each other out.

We care about each other.

Altruistic acts, doing things for others simply out of a desire to help, have been shown to activate important reward centers in the brain and relive negative thoughts and feelings within ourselves.

We often attempt to be empathetic and help each other out when we can, but sometimes we may not know exactly what can be done, or how our efforts can benefit most people.

With Earth Day on our minds, there are many simple ways to help both our environment and those around us.

Here are some ideas for expressing our gratitude for Mother Earth and our fellow Panthers:

Keep Our Beaches Clean!

We at Florida Tech are lucky to have beautiful beaches so close to us! Let’s do our part to keep it that way! Whether you volunteer for the many local “Adopt a Beach” cleanup efforts, or even just pick up that empty bottle from the sand and place it in a proper recycling bin, we can help make our beaches that much cleaner and safer for ourselves and the lovely creatures that call the beach home.

Be an Environmentally Conscious Consumer!

There are a number of ways we can help our environment just by changing our day-to-day consumer behaviors. For example, consider reducing your plastic use as many animals can die as a result of getting entangled or starve by consuming plastic they mistake for food. Cutting the plastic rings around soda bottles and cans before throwing them out and using paper bags or bringing your own reusable bag to your local grocery store, are some ways to help keep our environment safe just by slightly shifting your daily routine!

Simple Acts of Kindness!

Helping out our neighbors doesn’t have to be a grand gesture; even small, random acts of kindness can be something that immensely brightens someone’s day. Paying for the car behind you in the drive thru is a simple act that can help make someone’s morning just a little bit better. The best part is that these efforts are often contagious! When we offer a helping hand, it inspires others to do the same. Some other examples include leaving change in a vending machine, letting someone in front of you in line, or even just giving a nice compliment to a someone you know or a stranger!

Whether it’s something large or small, simple or more challenging, every act of kindness can help you better our world in your own way.

Caring about each other and the world around us makes everyone feel better, including ourselves.

The more people who choose to partake in this kindness, the more benefit for our world as a whole.

We at CAPS and the overall Florida Tech community want to make the world a better place, so let’s work together and be the change we wish to see!

CAPS – The Panther Sees Its Reflection

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Who are you? How do you define yourself?

These questions are often asked of us as part of a “meet and greet” for class or other activities.

When we are asked questions like this, we might be caught by surprise at how difficult these questions are to answer.

While we sometimes get lost in the lives of others and readily offer advice in times of need, it seems more difficult to look inward at ourselves.

We may offer the common advice of, “You cannot expect others to love you without loving yourself first,” while not taking time to carefully consider what this phrase really means to us.

How do we love ourselves? Perhaps part of this is taking time to determine the aspects that influence who we are and matter the most to us.

Here is a quick, 3-step exercise to explore what we value in life and, in turn, what influences who we are and who we want to become:

Values Exploration Exercise

  1. Review the list of sample value words and phrases below. As you look at them, identify the ones that are most important to you and those you connect with the most.
    If you know of additional words or phrases that also fit you, be sure to add them to the list!
    Consider not selecting values because they are socially acceptable or desirable, but instead listen to your intuition and gut instinct to identify those that truly apply to you.
    After your initial review, revisit your choices and narrow them down to 8 to 10 that are most important to you.
  2. Once you have finalized your value choices, list them in order, with 1 being most important and 10 being least important.
    Save this list to refer to in the future.
  3. Get specific about what your top values mean and how you will honor them in your life.
    For example, a value of creativity might mean spending time painting or making music regularly.
    What would your top three values look like if they were present in your world?
    How would you know if you were living in accordance to them?
    What steps could you take to honor them more?
  4. Consider the statements/questions below to further guide you in exploring this.
    – I value ____. This means I ____, _____, and _____. Do I perceive there is a gap in how I am honoring this value? If so, how do I plan to close the gap?

Sample Value Words and Phrases:

Accomplishment; Accuracy; Achievement; Acknowledgment; Action; Adventure; Aesthetics; Affluence; Authenticity; Authority; Balance; Beauty; Collaboration; Community; Connectedness; Contribution; Courage; Creativity; Curiosity; Elegance; Empowerment; Excellence; Fame; Fitness; Focus; Forward the Action; Free Spirit; Freedom to Choose; Full Self-Expression; Fun; Growth; Harmony; Honesty; Humor; Independence; Innovation; Integrity; Intimacy; Joy; Lack of Pretense; Leadership; Learning; Loyalty; Nature; Nurturing; Orderliness; Participation; Partnership; Peace; Performance; Personal Power; Play; Precision; Productivity; Recognition; Risk Taking; Romance; Self Reliance; Service; Spirituality; Success; To Be Known; Tradition; Trust; Unique; Vitality; Zest

Looking inward and exploring our identity is often a challenging journey.

There are entire philosophies dedicated to the questions of “Who am I?” and “What is my purpose?”

These are lifelong quandaries, and the journey of discovering them may be just as important as the answers you come to.

Please join us at our “How to Explore Like a Panther” event taking place on Wednesday, April 3rd from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. in Evans Hall, Room 202 to discuss the exploration of your identity with other inquisitive students like yourselves, and begin your own personal journey of self-discovery.

CAPS – The Panther Springs Into the Break!

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So, here we are, Spring Break.

We’ve been in college a while and we’ve heard “Panther Pride” enough to truly understand our greatness.

We’ve been around the college block and have heard the warnings about partying before, we get it…right?

Well, Spring Break is a different beast.

Although we Panthers are fierce, we must apply our cunning intelligence in order to understand our limits and what to expect while venturing into Spring Break.

Regardless of whether we’re sticking around Melbourne, going home, or venturing to one of those “wild Spring Break spots” (emphasis on the wild), we need to be aware of how to party smart and, most importantly, stay safe!

Here are some tips on how to tame your Spring Break party instincts:

Know Your Boundaries and Plan Ahead!

Before you go out, identify your limits.

When you are not under the influence and making clear-headed decisions is the best time to consider what you believe your personal boundaries should be.

Tell a loyal friend about these decisions, hold yourself accountable and realize that these are the aspects that you decided would make your Spring Break ideal.

Consider questions like: Do I want to drink tonight? If so, how much? Do I want to have sex tonight? If so, do I have protection?

Tell someone you trust and try to remember that when someone brings these things up, they are acting in your best interest, according to your own boundaries.

Your friends want you to have fun, but they also care about you!

Deciding beforehand and making others aware of these boundaries will make it easier to make the choices that you will be happy with after the party is over.

Be Aware of Your Surroundings!

Always keep an eye on your drink.

If you go the bathroom, take your drink with you!

Date rape drugs can be put into any beverage, including non-alcoholic drinks.

Do not drink from open beverage sources like punch bowls, pitchers or tubs.

It is also important to remember that while drugs being slipped into drinks is something you should be aware of and guard against, alcohol itself is the most common date rape drug.

Avoid binge drinking, which typically occurs after 4 drinks for women and 5 drinks for men in about a 2-hour period.

Remember you can feel the effects of alcohol in as little as 10 minutes so, go slow, and monitor how you feel before getting another drink.

Binge drinking can lead to irreversible consequences that may negatively impact the future you are working so hard for.

Watch the Weather!

Even when you think you know your limits, drinking in the sun can shift those quick.

Make sure you are eating enough and staying hydrated, regardless of how much you plan on drinking, but keep in mind that your body may process alcohol differently when in the sun.

Hot weather and alcohol don’t mix.

You feel the effects of drinking faster when the temperatures climb and the water’s warm.

Despite the media and TV’s portrayal of what an ideal spring break is, this “ideal” is different for everyone, and binge drinking is not safe for anyone.

So try to remember this article when you step out into whatever adventure this Spring Break holds for you.

For more tips on learning safer and more effective ways to make sure your Spring Break is one to remember, please join us at our “How to Party Like a Panther” event taking place on Wednesday, February 27th from 7:00- 8:30pm in Evans Hall, Room 202.

Enjoy your break, have fun, but most importantly, stay safe!