By Lucy Stone | HealthWorks Peer Educator 

Wellness is often linked to nutrition, physical activity, and stress management but did you know that another vital part of your wellness, as a college student, is digital well-being. Many college students struggle to find a balance between screen time and in-person non-digital activities. According to the World Happiness Report, too much digital media consumption can contribute to lower levels of happiness and life satisfaction. To help increase your digital well-being try reducing your screen time by following these three steps:  

1. Go to the settings section on your phone and notice how much time you are spending on your phone and various apps.  
2. Set a goal and be specific about how much time you plan to spend on your screens each day.
3. Schedule alerts to pop up after you have exceeded your allotted screen time.  

By Emily Shanahan | HealthWorks Peer Educator 

 Are you taking classes this summer?  Are you struggling with time management? Here are 3 steps you can follow when trying to manage your time and class work. The first step is assessing how you spend your time. The easiest way to do this is to add your commitments (class, work, student org meetings, etc.) to a calendar.  You can also schedule in needed time to study, eat meals and take breaks.  The second step is to create an itemized “to do list” with all the tasks you need to tackle. The third step involves prioritizing your “to do list” by identifying the importance of the task and the deadline.  Put upcoming assignments and other important tasks at the top of your list.    

 Visit this link to find Study Skills and Time Management resources from Penn State’s DUSuccess to help you prioritize your assignments and activities.  

By Madeline Polkinghorn | HealthWorks Peer Educator

Summer is a great time to focus on your wellbeing! Think about going for a hike in the woods or a walk in your neighborhood, grab some friends for a picnic and relax in the sun. If the weather is too hot to handle, find some shade under a tree and try meditating, journaling, or enjoy an at home spa day. To further develop your mindfulness and resilience during the summer months check out Healthy Penn State. For more tips to help you enjoy the summer visit the Mental Health First Aid website.  

By Christine Woods | HealthWorks Peer Educator

The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) defines Body Image as “how you see yourself when you look in the mirror or when you picture yourself in your mind. It encompasses: What you believe about your own appearance (including your memories, assumptions, and generalizations), how you feel about your body, including your height, shape, and weight, and how you sense and control your body as you move.  How you physically experience or feel in your body.” It is common for many people to experience negative body image throughout their lives. However, it is so important to recognize that all bodies are good bodies! Check out NEDA’s Body Project and tips for building positive body image! 

Meal prep is a great way to ensure healthy eating throughout the week. The first step of meal prep is to pick recipes that are well-rounded and include lean protein, vegetables, and whole grains. Choose dishes that have a variety of colors and textures and easy to prepare. Then, make a grocery list for all the ingredients. Make sure to switch up recipes weekly so that your favorite recipe never gets old. Here is an easy guide to healthy meal prep!  

Health Promotion and Wellness is celebrating Eating Disorders Awareness Week on February 22 – March 4, 2021. We have a number of programs scheduled for the ‘week’ including a guest speaker, workshops focused on cultivating self-awareness, as well as body positive events.  Kimberly Dark, a performance artist, will perform You Don’t’ Owe Anyone Pretty on Tuesday, February 23 at 7:00 pm.  This performance will encourage you to think about the importance of your whole body and will help you shift away from the importance of appearance.  Dr. Elisha Halpin will lead two workshops (2/25 and 3/2 at 6:00 pm) with dancing, breathing and meditation which are designed to help you to find your inner confidence. To learn more about this week’s events and to get the Zoom links, visit Health Promotion and Wellness Events and Programs. 

Inspired by Dr. Bill Doan’s exhibition, The Anxiety Project, community art boards create an opportunity for reflection and expression.  The Penn State community is invited to respond to prompts through drawing, and/or written word.  Through artistic expression, we can process and share our experiences and perspectives, create a sense of community, connect with our common humanity and cultivate the well-being of the larger campus community.  Art boards are in the HUB, Collaboration Commons at the University Library, Webster’s Cafe downtown and online. 

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, you may be experiencing new stressors. From remote classes to life in quarantine, Penn State students are being challenged in many new ways. In response, HPW now offers Stress Management 101 on Canvas. This short, self-guided course will help you understand stress, identify your personal stressors, and develop skills to cope with and manage stress better. 

You may have found that sitting on Zoom all day is making you more tired than trekking your way around campus. Why you may ask? Processing information over video is different than in-person and video calls require you to focus more intently to absorb information. Click to read five research-based tips that can help make attending class by Zoom less exhausting. 

It’s a new year and a new semester—complete with new classes and a new schedule! You can help yourself stay on track by writing down all your assignments in a planner. Don’t let exams sneak up on you! Choose to write down when your exams are, and when assignments are due. Finally, make sure you’re taking the time to really invest in your courses and engage with the material. Use the time estimator tool to find out how you use your time during a week.