I am a crafter. I craft any and all things because it is a great way for me to relieve stress, plus I am intuitively good at it. I usually give gifts and crafts all year long, but this past holiday season, I hand sewed 32 scarves from fabric that I handpicked myself (If I could have made the fabric myself, believe me, I would have). Granted, I spent about $300 on all of the supplies needed, which was a grip! But if you really think about it, I spent less than $10 per person, which is a preeeeeetty good.
As I finished the last scarf, I began to think to myself, “Why am I doing this?” Welp! The answer is simple—I love the gift of giving. Not only does it give me satisfaction to know that I am giving, but it makes it even MORE special that the item is personalized and specific for that individual. It truly does put me in great spirit.
So, what about you? How do you feel when you give the gift of giving? The Greater Good Science Center, based at the University of California at Berkeley, shares with us some ways that giving is good for you and your community:
- Giving makes us feel happy. Research shows that when someone gives something that is nice for someone else, it activates parts of the brain that is associated with pleasure, social connection, and trust. Endorphins are also released in the brain that creates an overall positive feeling.
- Giving is good for our health. Research has connected different forms of giving to having better health. Researchers think this is due to the act of giving, which decreases stress.
- Giving promotes cooperation and social connection. Several studies suggest that people who give are more likely to be rewarded by others and sometimes by the person you gave to. This helps create trust and a higher sense of interdependence.
- Giving evokes gratitude. ‘Counting your blessings’ can illicit feelings of gratitude, which research shows, is essential to health, happiness, and social connections.
- Giving is contagious. Giving inspires others to want to give. A study showed that when one person gives, it inspires observers to want to give later and to different people.
So, considering all of the health benefits and how easy it is to give—big or small—try to give often!
If you’ve been surfing around the internet lately, you might have come across the buzzword gratitude and it triggered some mental images of people doing yoga or holding hands, etc. I’m a huge fan of the idea of being thankful and accepting and giving appreciation. However, as a current UNC graduate student, I’ve seen (and experienced) that it’s often easier to express gratitude to others than to be kind to our own selves….
So, last semester, I started adding some ‘be kind to yourself’ practices to my everyday school-work routine, and I was not only feeling much less anxious day-to-day, but I was actually 100% enjoying school. I want to share some of my tips with you so that you can all be kind to yourselves and THRIVE this semester.
Photo: “Stabilo pen″ by jbid. Flickr Creative Commons.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING: These tips can lower anxiety, help you focus on your schoolwork, and allow you to get to bed earlier! However, please be realistic, flexible, and forgiving. Don’t stress. These are just suggested exercises. Like most exercises, you’ll get faster, better, and more comfortable with practice.
1. Set yourself a time to finish all of your homework by each night.
Allow yourself ample time to do all of your work, make time for meals, and give yourself at least 1 hour to relax and wind-down before going to bed.
2. Set yourself a time limit for reading assignments.
First, only read assignments that are due the next day. Second, give yourself a set number of hours to complete the readings (I give myself 2 hours). Third, count the number of readings you have to do. Fourth, set small goals for each hour (“I will read 2 articles for the first hour and 3 articles in the second hour”).
3. Only EAT while you EAT!
Take time to enjoy your meals and not think about school or work! Try not to do work, check emails, answer calls, or text while you eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Take this time to catch-up on Gilmore Girls on Netflix or to relax to some good music.
4. Schedule in fun time – and feel GREAT about it!
I remember my pre-med days as a UNC undergrad, and it seemed like my life consisted of studying, sleeping (sometimes), and eating. If I was doing something fun, I would feel guilty or feel that I should be spending my time doing something productive. Well, FUN IS productive! As long as you’ve figured out a good balance that works for you, sprinkling in some fun activities in your calendar will keep you motivated and hopefully minimize some stress.
5. Add a little color into your life.
I’m talking PENS y’all! I’ve started using colored pens for note-taking (and stopped bringing my laptop to campus). When I take notes, they look pretty and I enjoy looking at them. It’s that simple! If you enjoy what you’re looking at, you can pay attention and focus longer. It has made note-taking and studying way more fun for me.
Photo: “Stabilo pen″ by jbid. Flickr Creative Commons.
So, I hope that in addition to expressing gratitude for others, I hope you add some kindness to your own life.
I’d like to share with you my experience with prayer. Thank you so much for taking the time to read about my perspective.
Every so often I have a lazy day off during which I kick back and neglect all my responsibilities. The day usually consists of watching TV shows, playing a game, eating some food, playing my guitar, etc. I move from distraction to distraction, the whole time with an empty feeling nagging at me. I feel like something is missing, so I look around for something to fill the emptiness. Eventually I realize that all these physical distractions are just not cutting it. The solution for me is always a spiritual one.
I believe that humans are both material and spiritual beings. I believe that when our bodies die, our spirits continue to grow and progress. In my short life, I have come to the belief that our lives in this world are similar to the life of an embryo in the womb. An embryo grows limbs and organs and prepares for life after birth. Similarly, we are growing spiritual qualities and faculties for life after death.
As an embryo, we were only marginally aware of the world beyond the womb. Luckily in the womb we do not have so many things distracting us from our process of growth. I often get distracted by the multitude of material pursuits available to me. I am consumed by a lifestyle of consumption. I forget that I am growing and preparing for life after death: the continued life of my soul. This is what happens to me on those lazy days off.
My solution to this lifestyle of consumption is the active pursuit of opportunities to develop myself spiritually. Through my actions at work, at home and in my studies, I strive to develop spiritual qualities like patience, forgiveness and generosity. I have found, however, that some of the most potent activities for developing myself spiritually are praying and meditating.
Prayer is like food for the spirit. It nourishes my spiritual appetites and rejuvenates me, giving me energy and awareness. Prayer is like a ladder for the soul, aiding me in my growth towards the Great Unknown. Prayer brings harmony back to my life and gives me direction. It is like a conversation between my spiritual self and the Celestial Being. It is a time when I can forget about my physical needs and feed my hungry soul. Prayer motivates me to bring my life in chorus with creation and to strive to fulfill more coherently, my goal of preparing for the continued life of my soul.
I’d like to share a prayer that is dear to me.
“O God, guide me, protect me, make of me a shining lamp and a brilliant star. Thou art the mighty and the powerful.“
I hope my experience is helpful to others. Please let us know about your experiences with prayer and meditation a join us by engaging in dialogue about spiritual health.
Welcome (back) to Carolina! It’s a brand new year with new classes, new opportunities, and possibly new friends. Maybe you’re ready to hit the ground running or maybe you’re a bit anxious about all of these changes. Either way, Student Wellness is here to help you find your way. Specifically, we want to make sure that you know what resources are available and nearest to you for two reasons:
- If you know where helpful resources are NOW, then in times of need, you’ll know exactly where to go (or where to direct your friends)!
- We want you to become familiar with what resources this fantastic campus has to offer. I can tell you from personal experience that I WISH I knew these places existed, and I found out about them…4 years too late!
image from 5kmissionpossible.com
It’s time to WIN PRIZES! Here’s how to play:
- Below you’ll find some of my favorite Carolina hotspots, split up by location.
- Visit at least 1 spot in each location category (South Campus, Bell Tower, Old Well)
- Take a selfie in front of the building or sign or whatever is accessible for you.
- Post that photo to Instagram or to the Tar Heel Wellness Challenge Facebook Page with #THWC for a chance to win a $20.00 gift card for UNC Student Stores!
- Come visit us at Student Wellness Services on the 2nd floor of the Campus Health (James A. Taylor) building, show us your pics, and EVERY PERSON will leave with a prize – whether it’s a pair of rockin’ sunglasses, a sweet notebook, or a surprise!
Jani’s Favorite Campus Hotspots
Visit each center’s website for some great online resources!
image from housing.unc.edu
Near the South Campus Dorms…
The Learning Center
SASB North
This center has a great supportive environment. They connect you with peer tutors, academic coaches, study groups, and learning disability and accessibility resources. They can also help you out with test prep!
The Writing Center
SASB North
Folks at this center edit and proofread papers and even help develop your unorganized thoughts into a full essay. They send a notice to your professor to let them know you’re taking advantage of their resource, you really care about the work, and you take it seriously. In my experience, this really helped boost my grades.
LGBTQ Center
SASB North
This is a wonderful place to meet great people. The center also has a resource library and a cozy, safer space to relax in. You do not have to identify as gay, queer, bisexual, etc. to enjoy this space!
Accessibility Resources and Services
SASB North
This center hooks you up with alternative testing conditions, provides assistive listening devices, provides means of alternative format course textbooks, and more. As someone who gets panic attacks and an increase in my anxiety in high-stress situations, I wish I took advantage of these services as an undergrad. You can BET I’m going to as a graduate student!
Rams Head Rec Center
Near Morrison and Rams Head Dining Center
This gym has group classes throughout the day, exercise equipment, and a climbing wall.
Tip: To get from South Campus (first-year dorms) to Mid Campus (classes) the fastest – walk to Morrison, find the path that starts behind the dumpsters and goes through a wooded area. The path exits at the Campus Health Building (James A. Taylor Building)!
image from unc.edu
Near the Bell Tower…
Women’s Center
Stone Center
This is a great place to chat and connect with people who are passionate about gender equity work. There are also tons of interesting classes, lectures, and performances hosted here throughout the semester.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
3rd floor of Campus Health Building (James A. Taylor Building)
CAPS offers a range of mental health services from 1-on-1 counseling to group therapy.
Campus Health Services
1st floor of Campus Health Building (James A. Taylor Building)
Feeling under the weather? See a doctor at CHS for free. You can also visit CHS for anything from a pelvic exam to immunizations.
Healthy Heels Shoppe
Basement of Campus Health Building (James A. Taylor Building)
Get everything you need from prescription refills to popular over-the-counter meds and nutrition bars.
Student Wellness Services
2nd floor of Campus Health Building (James A. Taylor Building)
This is the greatest spot on campus 😉 But for real – we offer a supportive, safer, and non-judgmental environment for conversations around health and well-being. We connect you to peer education groups, campus student groups and resources, or trained staff that can discuss an array of topics from HIV testing to microaggressions to decision-making to active bystander skills.
Student Rec Center
Near Student Stores, the Football Stadium, on Stadium Drive
This is another gym on campus that has fun group classes and equipment. It’s very easy to stop by between classes.
The Study Abroad Office
FedEx Global Education Center, up McCauley Street
The building itself is awesome with a lovely café and cozy study spots throughout. Advisors connect you to programs around the world depending on your interests, major, and goals. They’ll also work with you on how to transfer classes back to UNC for course credit. For example, I learned how to pick classes strategically at Dublin City University in Dublin, Ireland to count towards my Environmental Sciences and Engineering BSPH degree. I ended up not having to take some required courses at UNC and was able to take some fun electives my senior year.
image from unc.edu
Near the Old Well…
Academic Advising
Steele Building, Near South Building and Saunders Hall
Do you have a hold on class registration because you haven’t seen your academic advisor? I suggest you visit advising on a regular basis, not just before registering for classes!
Career Services
Hanes Hall (NOT HANES ART CENTER!), across from Saunders, near Carroll Hall (School of Journalism and Mass Communication)
Don’t wait until senior year. This is a great place to come chat about your passions and they’ll help connect you with jobs and internships throughout your time at UNC to figure out what you like and don’t like.
The Office of Scholarship and Student Aid
Pettigrew Hall, North Campus across from the Franklin Street Post Office
Whether you’re an undergraduate or professional student, you can visit walk-in hours to ask advisors financial questions or to get info about financial aid and scholarship options.
SO, start clicking away, snap some pics, and get hashtaggin’! I hope to see you all in our office soon J
Jani
Just about 10 years ago, I was fresh out of undergrad, and, like many of you, trying to figure out my place in the world. I was working for a cytogenetics company, but I knew that I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life working in that field. While it had its interesting moments, it quickly became boring and uninspired.
I started to ask myself those age old questions: What would be my career path? What are my values? What’s important to me? Because I didn’t have a great way to answer that, I turned, once again, to higher education, and applied to graduate school. Well, little did I know at the time, I’d leave the program to which I was accepted during the first semester after realizing that it just wasn’t for me. Dropping out of grad school was literally, without a doubt, one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make.
Frustrated, confused, and STRESSED OUT, I needed to figure what my next move was going to be. In the midst of scrambling to apply for any job I could get, I came upon an advertisement for the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program at Duke Integrative Medicine. The words “stress reduction” jumped off the page. I had almost no knowledge of mindfulness or meditation, but I did have curiosity and time on my hands. I was skeptical that it would do anything to help me, but I was willing to at least give it a shot. So, I registered for their 8-week foundations program. It required a lot of time and effort, but it is still one of the single greatest set of skills that I’ve learned in my 32 years on this Earth. I still practice every single day. I’m not one to use these words lightly, but it changed my life in ways that I could not imagine at that time. Since that time, I have given a talk about mindfulness and its benefits to the Spina Bifida Association of the Carolinas, created a Youtube video, was a research coordinator for a study examining the biological, physiological, and psychological benefits of mindfulness meditation, and am even developing a mindfulness workshop for UNC undergraduate students over the summer in collaboration with Student Wellness.
You might be wondering at this point, “Mindfulness? What is this dude talking about?” Well, I’m glad you asked! Mindfulness is simply paying attention to the present moment with intention, without judgment, and with an attitude of acceptance of present moment experience. It could be something as simple as focusing on how your breath feels, noticing that you’re feeling tired, noticing how the warm sun feels on your skin. You don’t need to do anything about your experience, you just need notice it and then simply turn your attention to whatever comes next.
Even if it’s not a life altering experience for you, there is mounting evidence to suggest that mindfulness can be beneficial to physical health, like reducing blood pressure and enhancing our immune system. There are also mental health benefits like reducing anxiety, depression, and stress, and an increase in overall wellbeing. Here are just a few articles on the subject:
Brown University Health Education:
http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/common_college_health_issues/mindfulness.php
Helpguide.org (in collaboration with Harvard Medical School):
http://www.helpguide.org/harvard/mindfulness.htm
Greater Good – The Science of a Meaningful Life at UC Berkeley
http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/mindfulness/definition#why_practice
So, you really want to increase your mindfulness and start enjoying all of these health benefits, but aren’t really sure about how to do that? Well, I’ll give you a hint, it starts with an “m” and ends with “-editation”. That’s right, meditation! You might be saying to yourself, “but I thought meditation were just for people who wear dreadlocks and play in drum circles or for monks?” The good news is that you do not have to be part of a special group to start a meditation practice. You can practice alone or with a group of friends. Here are a couple of simple meditation practices to get you started:
Credit: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=12572&picture=meditation-by-the-lake&large=1
Despite what this picture might suggest, you don’t have to be near a lake or even have your legs in lotus position! Here are some simple steps to begin:
- Find a comfortable place to sit, whether it’s in a chair, on a mat, on the floor, just wherever works best for you.
- Make sure not to have your back too rigid and straight, but not so relaxed that you’re slouching. You should sit in a dignified manner.
- You can keep your eyes open or even half open. You can also close them if that’s comfortable, but this may encourage you to fall asleep.
- Now, bring your attention to the sensation of your breath. Notice how the cool air feels as it enters through your nostrils.
- Now move your attention down to your chest and belly. Notice how the chest and belly expand out with each inhalation, and contracts or flattens out on the exhalation. See if you can count at least 5 exhalations.
- If you notice that your focus starts to drift away from your breath and to your thoughts, for example, just notice that this has happened and slowly, without any judgment, bring your full attention and awareness back to the sensation of the breath. Just be sure that you don’t beat yourself because your mind wandered.
- Try and keep your attention on the breath for just 10 minutes. It’s not easy, but keep at it!
Another simple exercise that you can do is a walking meditation. You can do this as you’re walking between classes, or anywhere on campus, and no one has to know that you’re doing it (unless you want them to know):
- Bring your attention to your feet, and notice what it feels like to have them firmly on the ground. You may notice how your shoes and socks feel on your feet.
- While lifting each foot and leg off the ground, try to notice how it feels to lift your foot and leg into the air.
- While alternating each foot and leg, notice the experience of your weight shifting as you move forward.
- Bring your awareness to your upper body and pay attention to your arms as they swing and any other motion you feel in your upper body as you walk.
Use a wheelchair? No problem! You can do this too!
- Bring your attention to your arms and hands as they move back and you get ready to push your wheels.
- You may notice how the muscles in your back squeeze together or how your shoulder muscles stretch.
- Notice what your hands feel as they grip your wheels.
- Finally, see what you experience as you start to push your wheels. You may feel the muscles in your biceps and triceps flexing and stretching. Don’t worry if you don’t notice this. Just bring your full attention to what you do feel.
You’re now on your way to having your own mindfulness practice. Now, go out there and start giving your attention to each moment! You never know what you might discover.
Dennis Carmody is an MPH candidate in the Health Behavior department at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. He is currently enjoying his summer practicum with the great folks at UNC Student Wellness.
Get ready to stretch, flex, and maintain inner peace – all at once! By doing yoga, you are taking part in a mind and body practice begun thousands of years ago. Numerous scientific studies tout the health and wellness benefits of practicing regular yoga. We wanted to see what all the hype was about, so we headed outside to get our yoga on! Unlike machines, weights, or a gym membership – doing yoga is free. You can do it almost anytime, anywhere.
Yoga requires very little equipment. In fact, most poses can be done with only a yoga mat. Yoga, as with any exercise regimen, should only be performed if you are well enough for physical exertion. Remember – you do not have to do anything you do not feel comfortable with! Check out the following popular poses, gathered from the web.
Downward Dog
1. Begin this pose on all fours, with your hands below shoulders, and knees under the hips.
2. Slowly move your hands forward and spread your fingers apart.
3. Move your body into a V-shape by curling your toes and pressing your head inward. Your knees should be bent slightly, with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Tree Pose
1. Stand on one leg and position the sole of the other foot inside the other thigh. Maintain a forward-facing body throughout.
2. When you have balanced yourself, bring your hands in front of you in a prayer pose.
3. As an alternate, extend your hands above your shoulders, reaching fingers to the sky.
Cobra
1. Lie on the mat facing downwards. Place your thumbs directly underneath your shoulders. Extend your legs together behind you, with the tops of the feet on the ground.
2. Flex your pelvic muscles, tuck your hips inwards, and flex your glutes.
3. Raise your head and shoulders up and outwards into the cobra pose.
To take full advantage of yoga, perform these poses in a peaceful environment. Take your water bottle along, and sip regularly to stay hydrated. For an added bonus, practice deep breathing with 7 full counts on the inhalation. Stretch before and after doing these poses to keep your muscles supple and healthy.
Bring your yoga habit back to campus! Campus Rec offers several yoga class opportunities per week taught by trained fitness instructors. Check out the UNC Camps Rec Calendar and find a free class to attend!
March is Women’s History Month, and March 8th is International Women’s Day. In honor of the day, and the month, here’s a quick look at some famous women throughout time who embodied the eight dimensions of wellness. Enjoy! 
Cultural– Virginia Dare- As a North Carolinian I feel obliged to write about North Carolina culture, and who’s one of the most famous women in NC culture? It’s got to be Virginia Dare! She was the first person born in the Americas to English parents. While this is note-worthy, what’s even more interesting is the story of what happened to her. To this day, no one knows what happened to the colony where Virginia was born, but there’s plenty of legend and lore surrounding The Lost Colony, and the mark it left on history.
Emotional– Rosalynn Carter- Rosalynn Carter is the wife of President Jimmy Carter, and a renowned advocate for mental health. Throughout her husband’s political career Rosalynn defied traditional first lady roles and fought to promote positive change, awareness, and stigma reduction in the mental health field. She created The Carter Center Mental Health Task Force and hosts the annual Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy.
Environmental– Wangari Maathai- A tireless fighter, Wangari Maathai was a prominent environmental activist from Kenya. Founder of The Green Belt Movement, Wangari advocated for poverty reduction and environmental conservation through tree planting. Wangari was the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.
Financial– Suze Orman- Tired of the stereotypes that women don’t know anything about finances and can’t handle their money? Enter Suze Orman. After barely graduating college, she was working as a waitress when she decided to open her own restaurant. After being swindled by a broker, Suze decided she could do the job just as well or better than the man who swindled her. She taught herself everything about finances, and is now one of the most successful financial advisors in the world.
Intellectual– Toni Morrison- One of the most influential American novelists of all time, Toni Morrison wrote several critically acclaimed novels and stories about the experience of black Americans. Included in her works are-The Bluest Eye, Tar Baby, Beloved, and Song of Solomon. In 1987 Toni became the first black woman writer to hold a chair at an Ivy League University (Princeton University), and in 1993 she became the first black American woman to win a Nobel Prize.
Physical– Kathrine Switzer- Ultimate bad ass. In the beginning days of the Boston Marathon no woman had ever run the race because the distance was believed to be too long for a woman’s body to handle. Kathrine read the rules, and seeing no rules against women entering, entered with her initials and started the race. Around mile 4, she was attacked by a race official who tried to take her number and eject her from the race. With the help of her training partners, Kathrine was able to finish the race and went on to become an international advocate for female runners.
Social– Erin Pizzey – Women have been providing each other shelter from domestic abuse since the beginning of time, but Erin Pizzey was the first person to start a formal organization to protect these women. Erin started what is now known as Refuge in 1971 in London as a place where abused women could and take shelter with their children. Despite facing death threats and intimidation, Erin continues to open shelters and advocate internationally for survivors of domestic violence.
Spiritual– Ingrid Mattson- Women historically have not been at the forefront of religious movements, but Ingrid has created waves of change within the Muslim community as a prominent religious leader and interfaith activist. After converting to Islam in her twenties, she went on to receive her doctorate at the University of Chicago, and has continued to teach and chair Islamic Studies programs at universities in both the U.S. and Canada. Ingrid continues to advocate for a greater dialogue between faiths as a way to increase partnerships and understanding.
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