With this week of Spring Break & Beyond focusing on "Being a Friend" and social well-being, we thought we'd share some info about how to nurture your friendships. Here are some helpful tips, presented by the Mayo Clinic…
Whether you are staying on campus, going home, or going to a new destination, it's never too early to start thinking about spring break safety. Make this year's spring break memorable by having fun and helping yourself, your friends, and others stay safe and healthy. The CDC has recommended a few key guidelines that we wanted to share. Find more tips on this week's Spring Break & Beyond…
By now, you may have found our second collectible postcard for Spring Break & Beyond by visiting us or the Office of Student Enrichment on the second floor of LaFortune. The featured topic of the postcard this week is Spending Wisely which connects us to our financial well-being piece of the Wellness Wheel pie. Have you thought much about your financial well-being before? If not, check out this article…
Thinking about your next dining hall meal and wanting to add your own personal flair? Consider trying this featured recipe utilizing ingredients that already exsist at NDH/SDH.
While takeout restaurant burritos are delicious and made with natural and generally nutritious ingredients, their large size and generous portions of meat, cheese, and sour cream add high levels of sodium, fat, cholesterol, and carbs. To make a lighter alternative right on campus, make sure to watch those particular toppings and focus on loading up with vegetables. …
For some, the holidays can be a stressful time. This article from Psychology Today suggests that much of our holiday stress stems from perfectionism. We often will hear phrases along the lines of, "I have to find the best gift," (perfect presents), or "No need to bring anything, I've got it all covered" (perfect host). This year, instead of aiming for perfection, we encourage you to be better than perfect…
Have you noticed yummy soaps in your main Hall bathrooms and in other places around campus? McWell is sharing these suds with you in hopes that you will take a moment to remember how important handwashing is, in honor of National Handwashing Awareness Week. Regular handwashing, particularly before and after certain activities, is one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid getting sick, and prevent the spread of germs to others. It's quick, it's simple, and it can keep us all from getting sick. Handwashing is a win for everyone, except the germs. …
Today, December 1, is World AIDS Day - a day to acknowledge our progress in HIV prevention and treatment around the world and renew our commitment to a future free of HIV. To read more information from the CDC, click here. …
According to Kevin Eikenberry, blogger for SuccessConsciousness.com, expressing gratitude can make you a happier person, but there are advantages beyond happiness. Adding gratitude to your attitude can improve your relationships, productivity, health, and even your sleep. Here's what the research tells us:
As the days get shorter and the chilly weather rolls in, we all want to curl up in a blanket and hibernate until spring rolls around. But making time to get outside in the sun, even when it’s cold out, could have bigger mood benefits than you might realize.
Courtesy of the JED Foundation.
If you've found recent political campaigns and the election to be emotionally challenging and dramatic, here are a few tips for you to manage the stress. Click the Jed Foundation link for descriptive details:
In these last few days of the election, it feels like the air is thinner, and like the stakes have never been higher. According to the American Psychological Association, the election is a source of "significant stress" for 52% of Americans. Another poll, from the University of Minnesota, found that 93% of people surveyed agree this is the worst election ever.
If you haven’t been swept up in the adult-coloring craze yet, find a few pencils and try it with the mandala (below), a Buddhist symbol of the universe. Feel relaxed? It’s probably not just because you’re getting back into kindergarten brain.
Coloring, especially with complex, geometric patterns, can be its own meditative practice because it involves repetitive motion and enough structure to let you detach from stressful thoughts.
…Students in school are rarely given opportunities to rest and reflect on the knowledge they’ve acquired, but a new study suggests that giving the mind a little targeted downtime could be a highly effective way to boost learning.
The brain mechanisms that are engaged when the mind is resting and reflecting on previously acquired information can boost future learning, according to research from the University of Texas at Austin, recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
…Spending time on campus over Fall Break? McWell will be open, but will close earlier than usual. Next week (October 17-21) we will only be open until 4:00pm Monday-Friday. Stop by and visit us!…
October 10 is World Mental Health Day, as recognized by the World Health Organization, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health. We're celebrating with you by sharing 31 Tips to Boost Your Mental Health…
In our modern lives, there are so many things to keep track of: making healthy meals, being physically active…
This year's flu shot recommendation includes one major change.
The McDonald Center for Student Well-Being was higlighted in The Observer on September 16. Learn more about our scope of work by reading the article here!…
Be on the lookout for McWell and our Health Hut this fall on Mondays (when weather agrees) from 11:00-1:00. You'll find us near the dining halls sharing information and hosting activities that pertain to the various dimensions of well-being! We look forward to seeing you there.…