Singin' the Winter Blues

It was the week of finals, and I could find no place to study. The library was packed solid; the coffee shops were noisy and distracting. My room was no longer an option – I just could not focus on studying when my desk was a mess, but I had no time to clean because I had finals to cram for. In the scheme of life’s problems, this was not life or death.

But, in that moment, it was enough to unhinge me a bit.  Or at least put me on edge.  Fortunately, I was able to find a quiet and dimly lit place to study (I have weird study preferences) and thankfully managed to keep my anxiety and restlessness under control.

This month is Health and Wellness Month, which makes it a fitting time to talk about challenges young people face when at college. At this point you may want to ask, “But Nina, what do health and wellness even mean?” Good Question! According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, health is defined as “ the condition of being sound in body, mind, or soul; freedom from physical disease or pain.” Wellness is defined as “the quality or state of being in good health.” Our bodies, our thoughts and our emotions all influence each other greatly. There is never one without the other. Even in their definitions, they relate.

The logical question to follow, then, is what are the biggest hazards to health and wellness in college.

Healthline News addressed this issue with an article titled “5 Biggest Dangers Facing College Freshmen” which you can access here. According to this article the most significant obstacles to wellbeing among college students: stress, prescription drug use, STDs, Alcohol-Related Injuries, and Poor Nutrition and Lack of Exercise. Who knew we had so many issues! I feel like the stress and poor nutrition/exercise thing is something that I can definitely see.

According to “5 Biggest Dangers Facing College Freshmen,” 80% of college freshmen do not exercise regularly. Of course, there is the “freshman 15” phenomena. There have even been a few cases of scurvy, the disease caused by a vitamin C deficient diet that used to afflict sailors and pirates. It is of utmost importance for people to develop good eating and lifestyle habits in college – not only to maintain good sleep habits and grades, but for our physical and emotional well-being here and now.

In many ways, I have felt the stresses of college life first hand. Before freshmen year, I moved from sunny and arid Arizona to Seattle. You can probably image how much of an adjustment that has been for me! A new climate, a new political atmosphere, and many, many people I had never met before. And I absolutely love it! However, with the academic rigor of pursuing a nursing degree, and my personal tendency to take on more than I can handle- I can definitely empathize with the stress that plagues so many college students.

            As easy as it is to get in a rut and feel overwhelmed, I have found in my life that it sometimes the smallest steps taken that help to pull me out. Lately, that has looked like me going into one on of my friend’s dorm rooms and lying on the comfy rug she has on the ground. Not saying anything. Not doing anything. But the thing is, it actually helps! For you, it probably looks different: music, enjoying the great outdoors, even filing papers at work – it can all make a difference.

There are times when these little tricks to deal with stress don’t work, when life builds up and collides and it seems too much. It is OKAY to ask for help. It does not have to be anything large or life changing. I have gone through this many times, and have had good people come alongside me and help support me. You can as well. These small steps may not save lives, not immediately. However, they help us live each minute, each day.

If you feel like you might need someone to talk to about the little or the big things, Teen Link is a convenient and ready resource for you. Teen Link’s number is 1866-833-6546. The cool thing about Teen Link is that it is answered by high schoolers and college students so you get to talk to someone who knows what it is like to go through all of this stuff.

...like Cats and Dogs!

When parents and teens get into fights it is normally about things they do not see eye to eye on. Whether it is about if you can go out, wear a certain outfit, or miss school because you did not finish all of your homework, there always seems to be an argument. Think about all of the fights you have gotten in with your parents and read this survey.

Thousands of parents and teens took a survey and now it is your time to guess the right answers:

What percentage of Parents and Teens agree on these issues?

Clothing: 16%, 21%, 43%, 65%, 78%

Sex: 24%, 46%, 55%, 70%, 100%

Religion: 3%, 15%, 30%, 59%, 74%

Friends: 10%, 33%, 55%, 66%, 74%

Politics: 5%, 23%, 48%, 59%, 78%

Work: 13%, 35%, 58%, 67%, 80%

Education: 25%, 48%, 60%, 72%, 81%

Drugs: 24%, 46%, 59%, 68%, 83%

What do you think? 

The results may surprise you:

Clothing: 65%


Sex: 70%


Religion: 74%


Friends: 74%


  Politics: 78%       Work: 80%


  Education: 81%   Drugs: 83%

All of the results are the first or second highest percentage. Now, this does not mean your parents and you agree on all of these things, but it shows you that you and your parents may not be so different. There will always be fights and disagreements, but maybe you both agree in some way with each other. Anyways, think about this survey and share it with others. You learn something new everyday!

Here's an article addressing WHY you may be fighting with your parents.

Some additional links with tips on how to talk to your parents:

General Tips on talking to parents and adults

How to have a Talk about the Tough Stuff

Tips to consider when you're already fighting about things

Talking to Parents about Sex

If you begin to feel like things will never get resolved - that you and your parents just cannot work through your differences - consider mediation as an option. A neutral third party might be able to help you both to understand each other and find some middle ground. This can be an adult you both trust like a neighbor or a teacher. If you can't agree on who that person is, there are family counselors who can provide that role and in some areas, mediation programs that can provide BOTH adult AND youth mediators to create a safe and even handed approach to finding a resolution. Call Teen Link (866-833-6546) to see what can help you best in your situation

Thanks,

Teen Link :)

It’s that time again, midterms are here.

One of the most dreaded time of the quarter/semester is back again. It’s the grade that can make or break you in a class. So this time, let’s study right. Whether its your midterm week or you are coming closer to you finals here are some study tips that may help you improve your test scores.

Keeping Yourself Alert

Red Bull, coffee, or tea? Many wonder which will help them concentrate the best while trying to study for a big test. Although drink preferences vary research has shown that green tea is the best drink to have while studying. It packs the perfect amount of caffeine to help keep you alert but also doesn’t cause you to have the jitters or become too hyper to concentrate.

As far as snacks go try and stick to healthy foods. Nuts are said to improve your brain power and mood. Fruits are also said to help boost your brain power. Avocados increase blood flow to your brain which will definitely improve your study session.

Cram Studying vs. Studying Over Time:

Both have they’re advantages and disadvantages. If possible, do both. This will be the best way to retain the knowledge but also have it fresh in your mind. However, many times we find ourselves in a place where the test is suddenly two days away and we haven’t reviewed our notes or opened our book.

Here are some tips to help with cram studying:

1. Find out what’s on the test:

There are many ways to do this. First off, if there is a study guide or practice test available, USE IT. This will be the best way to find out what the professor thinks is important and get an idea of what will be on the test.

2. Get organized:

Trying to take in all of the information at once can be extremely overwhelming. A good way to avoid this is to break up what you have been working on into multiple sections and try to tackle one at a time. If you do not think you have enough time concentrate on what you think is the most important or what the professors has emphasized the most. Lastly, organize your time. A study at the University of Kansas showed that it is best to take a 10 minute break every 50 minutes while studying.

3. Flashcards:

Flashcards are a great way to help you memorize important vocabulary, events, or people. If you have time this will definitely help you. Work on the hardest flashcards early while your mind is still fresh and alert. Create a pile of cards you know, this will allow you to focus on learning what you don’t know and allow you to see the progress you're making.

4. Take it easy:

Keep a positive attitude! Every minute you are  studying you're closer to mastering the material and aceing your test. Make sure to get a decent amount of sleep (at least 8 hours) to keep your mind fresh and ready for the exam!

The Internet Guide to College Admissions!

Overwhelmed by the college application process? It seems like everyone is, and for good reason! In these tough times of academic pressures and social expectations, we at teenlink understand that you’re going through a lot in your quest to find the ultimate school and wanted to make the process just a little bit easier. Here are some college-y websites, broken down and profiled teenlink-style to benefit you and your college search to the MAX! Best of luck!

***Also, before you get carried away, a quick not about those “academic pressures and social expectations”---don’t stress out too much. Period. Seriously, whether or not you get into your “dream school”, or whether or not you even have a dream school, you’re likely going to be just fine at whichever school you end up at. And, if you’re not happy, here’s a little nugget of glorious information; you can always transfer! So, keep an open mind while filling out that online common app. And getting in those teacher recommendations and know that wherever your college search takes you, it’s your education and you can make it an amazing experience at the most unlikely of places!

If you’re still stressin’ (that’s ok, there’s a lot to think about!), remember you have your counselors and advisors at school, parents, guardians, friends, teachers, coaches, and of course TEENLINK to talk to about whatever’s on your mind with the whole finding a school process. You’re definitely not alone in your search for figuring out what that next step will be in your education! So, talk it out!

COLLEGE RANKINGS

Rankings are rankings, and can be as subjective as you want to personally consider them, but they are still sometimes sorta kinda fun to check out. US News brings us rankings that include highest acceptance rate, Best liberal arts, Best engineering programs, A+ schools for B students, Up and coming schools, Academic programs to look for (such as internships or studying abroad). If you want to know how the schools are ranked, the methodology is broken down and easy to find. A quick search feature can help you narrow down which schools would be the best fit for you, including the cost and location.

EXPLORING OPTIONS

If you’re on the prrrrrrrrrrrrooooooowl for a school that’s a perfect fit for you, take collegeprowler into consideration as your personal guide in determining which schools might be good options. The site is easy to use, with the ability to let you browse for schools and save them for future use, including comparing them with other schools that you prrrrrooowl into. One of the fun, most straightforward components of the site is it’s entertaining “Best and Worst” lists, which give down to earth, realistic overviews of the school. The schools are also ranked in categories including campus strictness, housing, parking, safety, transportation, weather, girls/boys, nightlife, local atmosphere, academics, campus dining (this could be much more important than the later…hehe). If you choose to create a personal account, you have the option of selecting which rating categories matter most and then get matched to schools that fit your preferences. Sweeet deal!

COLLEGE CLIFFS’ NOTES!

Brought to you by the glorious site that provides desperate, struggling (or smart and skillful, depending on how you look at it) students with Sparknotes comes “Sparkcollege,” a resource that hosts tons of articles ranging from topics such as admission, test prep, and a detailed segment on financial aid including the lingo to know and the FAFSA form. The site also shares with us detailed profiles of schools, including admissions requirements, what’s considered important factors, academics, campus life and a “students say” section. A handy component of the website is the “College Adviser Blog” with entries on everything from dropping out of band to letters of recommendation, in the format of a “Dear Abby” column.

FOR STUDENTS BY STUDENTS

This website (Student Review) might seem a bit strange to navigate at first, but it’s a gold mine featuring interesting articles such as “college is what you make of it, or is it?,” reviews on education quality, social life, extracurricular activities and overviews of schools. It also has helpful reviews by students which give personal accounts and opinions on various schools. The site also includes a “perceptual rankings” feature, ranking the schools in various ways based on votes by site users. The site wouldn’t be complete without a life at and after college section, as well as insider suggestions on what will get you in to a particular school! There’s no saying just how true these comments may be, but hey, we’ll take any suggestions!

COLLEGE SEARCH ENGINE

A fabulously sneaky and insightful search engine that’s stacked with golden information, College Data is an amazing tool for getting started with your college search. Here’s some hints on how to use its powers for good (such as getting into a school):

• Click on “college search” and enter in any preferences you might have in a school, or just type in the name of a school
• The search results will come up location, student body, price, entrance difficulty and type of institution
• Click on the name of the college, and you’re linked to more details including deadlines, the schools website, admissions, academics
• Go to “college admissions tracker” and see student profiles of who got into where, who was deferred, who was wait-listed etc. based on where they applied and their personal profile (stalker, much?)
• You can create an account to personalize the site and calculate your chances of getting in

TEEN LINK REMINDER: As you creep around on student profiles to see who was accepted where, remember this: don’t let a website dash your dreams of a college, the admissions process is tricky and unpredictable---you never know who’s going to be blown away by your application this year! : )

THE ALWAYS POPULAR COLLEGE BOARD

So wait, why do the people at College Board want to help us get into college? They are the company that brought us the monstrous SAT and Subject tests, right? In that case, doesn’t it seem like College Board wants to keep us from being admitted to a school? Maybe they feel they owe it to us, after making us jump through hoops to pass their “reasoning” test, to create a user-friendly site that includes everything from straightforward, customizable college searches with the find your mach feature to articles on essay skills, the application and paying for college. Well played, College Board, well played.

INSIDER-KNOWLEDGE

College Confidential is a very forum-based site with multiple “hot topic” discussions, student-to-student questions, personal inquires and more. Basically if you have any sort of question about college, you’re likely to find that it’s been asked and answered on this site. Be careful on what you choose to take to heart, as most of the material is subjective and generated by people sitting behind their computer screens, each with an individual idea of what they are talking about, whether that idea be the actual reality or not. Basically, use with caution!

Good luck, we know you'll do great!!!