The Crimson

The only student-run newspaper at Florida Tech.

You are here: Home / Archives for mental health

mental health

Mindfulness Mondays in March

by Leave a Comment

Natalia Velásquez, M.S., Outreach Coordinator | Student Counseling Center, Division of Student Life

Florida Tech’s Student Counseling Center welcomes you to join us in the practice of “being in the now” and sharing in the experience of mindfulness. 

Every Monday in March, we will be providing information about what mindfulness is and how you can practice it, as well as offering a brief mindfulness activity for you to engage in throughout the week whenever you want to check in with your body and mind, notice what is coming up for you (thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations), and offer kindness to whatever your experience in the present moment.

You can find these activities every Monday on the Student Counseling Center Instagram.

Mindfulness is defined as the “awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and nonjudgmentally” by Jon Kabat-Zinn, the creator of mindfulness-based stress reduction. 

Mindfulness can help us cultivate the ability to be more attentive to the present moment, both internally and externally, in order to reduce the amount of time we spend in the past and/or future. The present moment is all we have right now, and mindfulness can help us be more in tune with ourselves and engaged in our lives. 

For example, have you ever checked the time at the end of the day and said to yourself “Wow, where did the time go and what have I been doing all day?” 

I guarantee you, the majority of us, if not all, have had this very relatable experience called “living on autopilot.” 

Autopilot is normal, and sometimes very helpful, especially when we have a lot to get done in a short amount of time. However, can you imagine what it would feel like to look back on your life when you are 80 years old and think the same thought? Scary! 

Thus, mindfulness allows us to notice what we are experiencing in the present moment. We might be experiencing thoughts such as “I am going to rock this test,” “I am not good enough,” or “I miss my family” and feelings such as excitement, anxiety, and sadness. 

This could also be bodily sensations such as increased heart rate, steady breath, or teary eyes and even outside experiences such as the warm sun, beautiful palm trees, and loving people around you. Whatever your experience, it is okay. This greater awareness provides us with information on how we might want to live our lives in the most meaningful way possible, in this very moment. 

A major way to practice mindfulness is through regular meditation practice. Typically, meditative practices include sitting or lying down in a comfortable position, closing one’s eyes, and bringing attention to internal experiences, like breathing, for a few moments every day. 

However, there are many additional ways to practice mindfulness and we encourage you to try them out and choose the best way for you! To learn more about mindfulness, follow the Student Counseling Center throughout the month of March where we will be sharing different mindfulness meditation practices via our Instagram page every Monday: instagram.com/fltechstudentcounselingcenter


If you find yourself in need of additional support, please reach out for help! The Student Counseling Center is here for you! Our center provides a variety of mental health and wellness services to assist you and other students in successfully reaching personal, academic, and career goals. Please take a moment to visit our website: https://www.fit.edu/counseling-and-psychological-services/ to learn more information about our services and support, as well as resources for psychological health and well-being. Be the healthiest Florida Tech Panther you can be!

Spread Love to All (Including You)

by 2 Comments

Natalia Velásquez, M.S., Outreach Coordinator | Student Counseling Center

As Valentine’s Day quickly approaches, many of us begin to reflect on the significant beings in our lives that we love very much. This may include a partner, close friend, family member, pet animal/plant, and even ourselves (yes, don’t forget yourself!) with whom we would like to share feelings of gratitude and love. 

Many times during this holiday, we focus much of our thoughts/emotions on romantic love and lose sight of platonic, familial, and self-love; therefore, we encourage you to reflect on both those in your life with whom you would like to share a kind gesture towards, as well as yourself! 

Although this holiday only comes once a year, we challenge you to practice offering yourself and others gratitude and love this Valentine’s Day (and everyday), as this is a great way to enhance your and others’ emotional well-being. Please take a moment to practice checking in with yourself and how you want to spread love to many this year!

For partners, close friends, and family members, you may feel that typical greeting cards, candy, and flowers is the move; however, we encourage you to offer significant others the gift of true connection in conjunction with fun holiday traditions. This may be something like cooking a nice meal, going on a nature adventure, or engaging in another mutual self-care activity. You may put your phone away for the day and share with others at least three things about them for which you are grateful (e.g., their calm presence, humor/laughter, energy, beautiful mind) and why it means so much to you. 

For pets, set your intention to buy a gourmet dog cookie, a can of wet cat food, or a new toy. as Enjoy a meal/play break with your fur babies as you tell them how much they mean to you. For plants, set your intention to buy special plant food, new fertilizer, or an additional plant friend and enjoy tending to the beings that bring you and the world life as you thank them for everything they do (have you heard that talking to your plants keeps them strong?!).

Advertisement | Campus Dining

Please don’t forget yourself! Practice offering yourself feelings of love and compassion by writing down at least five personal strengths or self-affirmations (that you believe in!) in a creative way, such as coloring in a dot journal or arranging photos in a collage. Hang them up somewhere you will readily see them. 

Using one of these strengths/self-affirmations, practice giving yourself a hug while you remind yourself (out loud!) how amazing you truly are! And remember, if you start having unhelpful thoughts during this exercise (e.g., “I don’t deserve this,” “I am not good enough,” “This is lame.”), notice it, take a deep breath, watch the thought float away as if it were a stream on a river, and get back to the work! You might be pleasantly surprised by how you feel after doing this every day for a week, a month, or even a year.

If you find yourself in need of additional support, please reach out for help! The Student Counseling Center is here for you! Our center provides a variety of mental health and wellness services to assist you and other students in successfully reaching personal, academic, and career goals. Please take a moment to visit our website: https://www.fit.edu/counseling-and-psychological-services/ to learn more information about our services and support, as well as resources for psychological health and well-being. Be the healthiest Florida Tech Panther you can be!

Valued Resolutions for a Happy New Year! | Student Counseling Center

by Leave a Comment

Natalia Velásquez, M.S., Outreach Coordinator || Student Counseling Center, Division of Student Life

This past year was filled with many changes, some incredibly challenging and others quite exciting. While many of us have likely experienced both of these extremes and many more in between, I think most of us can agree that we were ready for that refreshing feeling associated with the beginning of a new year. 

Typically, people often take this time to reflect on the previous year and resolve to make some kind of change in the new year; however, many times resolutions are difficult to initiate and maintain throughout the year. One way to produce meaningful change in your life is to 1) clarify your values, 2) create small goals towards your values, and 3) commit to actively living by your values on a daily basis, despite unhelpful thoughts/emotions that may arise.

Values are like a compass. They can help guide you towards your own unique meaningful life. Values are a direction that you choose to go in based on what you care about most in your life; therefore, there are no “right” or “wrong” values and everyone’s values will be different. They are about action and how you want to “be” and “act” in the world, not how you want to “think” or “feel” on a daily basis. Values are not a destination you want to achieve. 

Think about values as yourself wanting to travel west. West is not a place that you can reach; but, you can travel in that direction. From Florida, you can go to Texas, then California, then Hawaii, then Japan, then Spain, etc. and you will continuously be traveling west. 

Hence, whether you are prioritizing self-care (e.g., exercise, study breaks, pizza nights), challenging yourself to be more assertive of your needs/wants with others (i.e., “I feel [insert feeling word] when you [insert a specific description of your needs/wants]”), or offering yourself greater compassion (e.g., “I am doing the best that I can in this moment, and that is good enough”), try your best to align your resolutions with the direction of your identified values.

If you find yourself swaying from your values from time to time (or traveling north instead of west), non-judgmentally acknowledge it and guide your intentions/actions back to your valued path. 

For example, I personally value connection. However, I am also an introvert, so sometimes talking with people causes me anxiety. Although these thoughts and feelings may arise and I may want to hide out in my room alone, I still choose everyday to live by this value by checking in with friends and family, creating friendships with new people, greeting people at the grocery store, and helping clients in therapy. 

For more information on Valued Resolutions, including Values, SMART Goals, and Committed Action, click here.  

On behalf of the Student Counseling Center, we wish you a Happy New Year and a successful start to the new semester! If you find yourself in need of additional guidance, please reach out for help! We are your counseling center and here for you in providing a variety of mental health and wellness services to assist you and other students in successfully reaching personal, academic, and career goals. Please take a moment to visit our website to find out more about our services and resources for psychological health and well-being. Be the healthiest Florida Tech Panther you can be! 

‘Tis the Season to Share Compassion

by 1 Comment

Natalia Velásquez, M.S., Outreach Coordinator | Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)

In times when we might feel disconnected and divided from others more than usual, it can be helpful to practice compassion for ourselves and those around us.

Compassion involves 1) noticing the suffering that you or someone else might be experiencing, 2) responding to the pain (the word compassion literally means “to suffer with”) with feelings of warmth/care and a desire to help in some way, 3) offering understanding and kindness when you or others’ make mistakes rather than judging or criticizing harshly, and 4) realizing that suffering (e.g., failure, imperfection) are part of the shared human experience. If the latter reality is denied, suffering tends to increase and manifest in other forms, such as stress and anxiety, whereas if this reality is accepted with kindness, greater emotional calmness has a greater chance of being experienced. 

On the other hand, self-compassion begins with the acceptance and awareness of your present moment experience, as it allows you to intentionally provide kindness to yourself during times of perceived inadequacy. The self-accepting view is that your “negative” thoughts and emotions are just another part of your experience and maybe even signify that you have gone/are going through tough times. Self-acceptance involves taking a broader view of yourself and works towards a kinder, more compassionate position in which you accept a difficult part of your history and/or current experience. 

This helps to provide stability in life, as self-acceptance is not based on your perceptions of successes or failures but rather a value of how you might aspire to treat yourself and others. Therefore, rather than fighting the difficult experience in a desperate attempt to feel better, practice choosing to make room for it, accepting that it’s there, and moving towards what would make your life meaningful. 

With that said, self-compassion can be very challenging for many of us, even more challenging than having compassion for others at times. Having compassion for yourself means that you accept your humanness, as things will not always go as planned, and that’s okay. The more you practice opening your mind and heart to this reality instead of struggling with it, the more you will be able to feel compassion for yourself and your fellow human beings in the experience of life. 

Self-compassion involves 1) accepting that difficult life experiences are inevitable and offering gentleness, warmth, and understanding towards yourself during these times rather than self-criticizing, 2) recognizing that suffering and personal inadequacy are part of our common humanity rather than being something that “only happens to me,” 3) being willing to non-judgmentally observe your negative thoughts and emotions with mindful awareness rather than ignoring the pain or over-identifying with the thoughts/emotions. 

Thus, self-compassion encourages you to be kind to yourself in the midst of pain, such that you might ask yourself “What do I need right now?” and actually listen/act on whatever that might be in the present moment. For example, due to the current pandemic, many students might be experiencing the inability to go home or be with family during the break/holidays, which may lead to greater stress/anxiety, disappointment/sadness, and loneliness/isolation. If you find yourself experiencing similar difficulties, this is the time to practice extending compassion to yourself and others! 

To cultivate self-compassion, practice the following steps: 

  1. Pause without reaction.
  2. Take deep breaths for approximately 30 seconds.
  3. Notice judgmental thoughts and associated feelings.
  4. Provide a positive self-affirmation (i.e., “I am doing my best in this moment”).
  5. Ask yourself: “What do I truly need in this moment”? This could be:
    • Taking a break from constant homework/studying during finals week. 
    • Scheduling a virtual pizza night with a friend/family member. 
    • Snuggling your dog/cat while you watch a movie. 
    • Planning a whole day of self-care during break.  
    • Cooking/Decorating for the holidays and scheduling a Zoom tree lighting. 
    • Or whatever else comes to mind (remember, no judgement)!

To cultivate compassion for others, practice the following steps: 

  1. Start with yourself! Regularly provide self-compassion. 
  2. Actively listen to others (e.g., be present and validate their feelings) in difficult times without imposing your beliefs or trying to fix the difficulty for them. 
  3. Offer a gentle touch, such as holding a hand or giving a hug (if appropriate).
  4. Affirm others by providing praise and encouragement, highlighting strengths/talents you see in the person, and offering support and comfort in difficult times.
  5. Show kindness through your actions without expecting anything back (e.g., giving a compliment, making a donation, volunteering, helping someone advocate their wants/needs in a challenging situation, and/or paying for someone’s meal behind you in line). 

If you find yourself in need of additional guidance, please reach out for help! Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is your student counseling center and we are here for you! CAPS provides a variety of mental health and wellness services to assist you and other students in successfully reaching personal, academic, and career goals. Please take a moment to visit our website: https://www.fit.edu/counseling-and-psychological-services/ to learn more information on how to request services and find resources for psychological health and well-being. Be the healthiest Florida Tech Panther you can be!

Feeling Depressed? You Are Not Alone.

by 1 Comment

Natalia Velásquez, M.S., Outreach Coordinator | Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental health conditions in the United States, affecting approximately 14.8 million adults every year. It is a common, yet serious, mood disorder that can affect one’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. 

Depression that is left untreated can result in severe functional impairments that may interfere with one’s ability to adequately engage in everyday life, such as school, work, socialization, and even taking care of oneself. Although the prevalence of depression is relatively high, approximately 35% of individuals who experience depression do not receive treatment, even though there are many evidenced-based treatments that can help to improve depressive symptoms and emotional well-being. 

Up to 80% of individuals who are treated for depression show an improvement in their symptoms generally within four to six weeks of beginning treatment. Depression is highly treatable with counseling, medication, and lifestyle changes, such as exercise, nutrition, sleep, social support, and stress reduction. 

National Depression Screening Day is celebrated in October during Mental Illness Awareness Week to increase awareness and education on depression and its effective treatments, to offer individuals the opportunity to engage in screening for depression, and to connect those in need of mental health treatment to helpful services and resources.  Just like any other illness (e.g., heart disease, diabetes, etc.), health screenings can provide helpful information regarding the first signs of a serious illness and can guide individuals to receive professional consultation and treatment, if needed. 

If you, or someone you know, are experiencing any of the following symptoms, please consider taking the free depression screener available on the Florida Tech CAPS website at: https://screening.mentalhealthscreening.org/floridatech

  • Persistent sad or “empty” mood
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
  • Fatigue or loss of energy
  • Sleeping too much or too little
  • Reduced appetite and weight loss, or increased appetite and weight gain
  • Restlessness or irritability
  • Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
  • Thoughts of death or suicide

The depression screening will consist of answering a brief questionnaire about yourself and your thoughts/feelings, and then receiving an explanation about your mood and behaviors, as well as gaining access to informational materials about what you can do to help yourself and how to get help from a professional. For additional information on depression, please visit the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) websites. 

NIMH: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/index.shtml 

SAMHSA: https://www.samhsa.gov/data/all-reports?keys=Depression&sort_bef_combine=search_api_relevance+DESC

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/depression-anxiety.html

If you find yourself in need of professional help after taking the screener, please reach out for help!  Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is your student counseling center and we are here for you! CAPS provide a variety of mental health and wellness services to assist you and other students in successfully reaching personal, academic, and career goals. Please take a moment to visit our website: https://www.fit.edu/counseling-and-psychological-services/), which includes information on how to request services, as well as many other resources for psychological health and well-being. Our services are highly utilized and encouraged, so that you can be the healthiest Florida Tech Panther you can be!

Social distancing, isolation and stress: what it’s like and how to manage

by 1 Comment

Irritability. Sadness. Loss of appetite. These are a few signs and symptoms individuals may experience due to social distancing and isolation, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 

“Feeling lonely or isolated can be a crippling sensation,” Erika Pobee-Mensah, the outreach coordinator for Florida Tech’s Counseling and Psychological Services, said in an email.

According to the SAMHSA, signs of stress include: increased irritability, trouble sleeping, or having difficulty communicating; physical signs like headaches, loss of appetite, or being easily startled; and emotional signs like feelings of guilt, anger, and overwhelming sadness.

This stress can lead to changes in sleep or eating patterns, worsening of chronic health problems, and increased use of alcohol, tobacco, and other substances, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Pobee-Mensah said that students may alleviate feelings of anxiety by scheduling time to worry, and pursuing alternative behaviors like classwork, exercising, or playing music outside of that scheduled time. 

Gianna Petrazzulo, a junior studying biomedical science, said that it has been difficult to adjust from going out regularly to staying inside most of the time.

Petrazzulo has found some positivity in social distancing; she’s used her extra time to do things she enjoys, like creating art and playing video games. 

“I feel like I have a lot of time on my hands to focus on myself,”  Petrazzulo said, “it’s rekindled my creative side.”

To alleviate outbreak-related stress, the CDC also recommends establishing a routine of well-balanced meals and regular sleep and exercise. 

Pobee-Mensah stated that many individuals are experiencing feelings of grief during this time of isolation, whether it be due to the loss or illness of a loved one, or the loss of work, income or social interaction. 

“Whatever grief or loss you can identify, it is important to give yourself time to grieve and express these emotions,” Pobee-Mensah said. “Allow yourself to cry, to scream into a pillow, to call up someone and vent, or to write about how this pain feels.”

In addition to reaching out to friends and family, Pobee-Mensah said students may benefit from virtual socialization methods such as group chats, or multiplayer gaming. Gaming engagement has seen an uptick; concurrent users of gaming distribution service Steam exceeded 24 million multiple times between April 12 to 18, according to the Steam Database. 

The CDC advises taking breaks from news consumption relating to the pandemic, including the use of social media. The National Alliance on Mental Illness further advises managing how one consumes information; the organization states that “false information spreads very easily on social media and can have serious consequences for individual and public health.”

The SAMHSA advises making time for conversation unrelated to the outbreak, in addition to sharing emotions related to the outbreak and exchanging reliable health information. 

“Take a moment to put your doubts aside and reach out to friends or family,” Pobee-Mensah said, “Strike up a conversation with an old friend you haven’t spoken to in a while.”

The CDC states that those at higher risk for serious illness, including older adults and people with underlying health conditions, may experience higher stress levels. These individuals may become concerned that regular medical care could be disrupted.

As many individuals experience feelings of anxiety, stress, and grief, Pobee-Mensah advises staying connected: “If you are in need, ask for help from family, friends, or your local community.” 

This article was edited to correct the spelling of a source’s name. The previous version displayed “Petravvulo” where the article now reads “Petrazzulo.”

Summertime coping

by Leave a Comment

By Erika Pobee-Mensah, M.S., Outreach Coordinator, Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)

In wrapping up this topsy-turvy semester, there is a long three month stretch on the horizon. Being mindful that ordinary summer plans might look different this summer, we want to offer some ideas on how to beat boredom and cope with the difficulties that might arise from being at home more frequently. While some students live independently or with friends, many students have preemptively moved back to their family homes. Even those with great family/roommate relationships can run into conflict after spending too much time together. Here are some tips for coping with spending more time at home and ideas for how to keep yourself engaged in activities while social distancing.

Find a space of your own. Having an area for yourself can help to create some distance from others when you need it. Perhaps your space is your bedroom. If you do not have your own bedroom, perhaps your bed, desk, a comfy bean bag chair, or a cozy corner of a shared bedroom will suffice. Wherever your space is, make it your own by adding a few “feel good” items or decorations, such as inspirational quotes, a journal for jotting down your feelings, a soft blanket or pillow, a scented candle, books/magazines that you enjoy reading, printed pictures of friends/family members, and/or posters/pictures of celebrities, characters, or TV shows you like. This will help give you a special space in which to unwind.

Practice healthy communication. Try using “I” statements when expressing yourself. For instance, “I am worried about my upcoming exams. I’m wondering if we can brainstorm ways to keep the house quiet while I’m studying” or “I feel frustrated when we argue about cleaning. I want to do my part in keeping the house clean—can we create a plan that works for everyone?” Also practice active listening by taking a moment to remain quiet and allow other people to express themselves. Show you are listening by nodding, a simple “mm hm” and making eye contact. Avoid trying to make someone feel differently–accept how they feel, while also acknowledging your emotions. 

Compromise. Focus on facts and simple adjustments that can be made that are realistic to your situation. Maybe you have young siblings who cannot stay quiet during the daytime. You could use headphones to block out noise, spend time outside on a patio or take a walk, or even crack the windows of a car and sit inside to take a phone call to get some privacy. Additionally, offering to help around the house might be worthwhile in maintaining peace. Doing chores, caring for the family pet, or playing with your siblings to give your parents a break can help other house members decrease their stress. Less stress equals more harmony.

Stay engaged. If you are looking for ways to beat boredom, consider creative ways to stay busy. Perhaps you could take a summer job in an essential field, such as food delivery or grocery stores. Try looking into volunteer opportunities that might still be available, such as through food drives with local community centers or churches. This could also be a great time to explore a new hobby or business pursuit (perhaps practicing code or working on a Youtube channel). Additionally, spending quality time by yourself and engaging in self-care can also be important. 

Stay connected. Set up virtual hang outs with friends/family until you can spend time together in person again. Take a moment to check in with old friends with a text, phone, or email. While social media can be a great way to connect, avoid it if you find yourself feeling worse due to self-comparisons or becoming upset by other peoples’ posts. Now can be a great time to get creative with socializing—perhaps try a drive-in meet up with a friend while social distancing in your cars. Or, break up the monotony of homelife by engaging in a family activity or a fun game with your roommates.

However your summer looks, we hope these tips are helpful in navigating changes while still enjoying some summer fun! On behalf of CAPS, we wish you a successful exam week and a happy summer break.

Resilience: We Got This

by 1 Comment

Erika Pobee-Mensah, M.S., Outreach Coordinator, Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)

Resilience is defined as the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. Some of us are fortunate to naturally have this characteristic. These are people who might be able to overcome relationship difficulties, school and work stress, or even more trying difficulties, such as a traumatic experiences, fairly well without prolonged emotional distress. Conversely, some people have limited resiliency. These are people who might ruminate and overthink about what went wrong, constantly asking “why is this happening to me?” These thoughts can make people feel helpless and worsen overall well-being. While some of us find it more difficult to be resilient, we can certainly develop skills to build up our resiliency, similarly to the way we exercise to build muscle. It takes daily practice and regular reminders, but with a combination of motivation and skills, even those who find it very difficult to overcome hardship can build up their resiliency. 

The American Psychological Association identifies four main components to resilience: connection, wellness, healthy thinking, and meaning. Here are some ideas on how to start building these components:

Connection: It is important to continue to prioritize your relationships with others. Difficult times can often cause us to retreat from social interactions. Thus, being able to combat this tendency is important to foster meaningful connections with other people, which can help build resilience. Make a point to reach out to friends, family, and loved ones.

Wellness: Remember to prioritize taking care of yourself, physically and emotionally. Eat nutritious meals regularly, stay active most days of the week, and practice mindful activities such as journaling, yoga, or prayer/meditation. 

Healthy Thinking:  Practice identifying irrational thoughts, or thoughts that are not based on facts, and challenging them with more rational thinking. Sometimes we find our irrational thoughts come from realistic fears or concerns related to an upsetting event.  Practice accepting the fact that the event occurred and acknowledging that circumstances that led to it cannot be changed. Then, spend time focusing on the things you can change that are in the present (i.e., the way you cope with your experiences moving forward).

Meaning: Gaining a sense of purpose/meaning can be helpful in fostering your own self-worth when overcoming an adverse experience. Finding meaning can come through helpful charity work, connecting with others through providing or seeking emotional support, or sometimes making career choices that support a deeper cause. 

While changing the way you cope may be difficult at first, building resilience can be helpful in overcoming future difficulties and improve your overall wellness. Take a moment to practice some behaviors that support your resiliency. And remember…we got this, and we are in this together! For more information on resiliency, visit: https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience


CAPS Presents – Stop Feeling F.I.N.E.

by Leave a Comment

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

by Leave a Comment

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!