Health

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

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.
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.
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?
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.

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!

CAPS – The Panther Sees Its Reflection