February 04, 2015

WellNotes: SH101 February 2015

Wellness Notes for February 2015

Dear Students,

We hope you had a great break and a productive first few weeks back.  This is the February edition of WellNotes, your spot for tips on being healthy and happy.  As always, please check out this month’s issue of StudentHealth101 to learn more about healthy friendships, getting an internship, and the effects of legalizing marijuana.

We’re looking for students to be peer facilitators for the Consent and Sexual Misconduct section of PSI for fall 2015.  If you’re interested in educating yourself and others on this issue please contact us in the Health Promotion and Wellness office at healthed@lclark.edu.

February is supposed to be a month of love, showing your appreciation for those you care about, and eating all heart-shaped treats you can get your hands on.  Unfortunately, not everyone is in a healthy relationship.  If you know someone in an unhealthy relationship, and want to help but don’t know how here are some tips and an app called MyPlan that can help. 

  • Keep in mind that, for your friend/ family member, it’s not as simple as just leaving the person.  Many abusive relationships stem from deep-seated issues.
  • Respect your friend or family member’s decisions about their relationship.  They are the only one who can choose to leave their partner.
  • Help your friend recognize that the abuse is not “normal” and emphasize that it is NOT their fault. Everyone deserves a healthy, non-violent relationship.
  • Encourage them to seek help from resources on or off campus, but don’t pressure them into it.  Again, they are the only one who can make these decisions.
  • Focus on your friend or family member, not the abusive partner. Your loved one might choose to stay with their partner, and it’s important they still feel comfortable talking to you about it.
  • Don’t contact their abuser or publicly post negative things about them online. It’ll only worsen the situation for your friend.
  • Even if you feel like you aren’t doing much, just listening and being a supportive friend is one of the best things you can do.

For those of us who are riding the single train, here are a few ideas to keep you entertained on Valentine’s Day.

  • Treat yourself to something
  • Make Valentine’s-themed cookies and share them with random people
  • Go on a huge friend date with all the other single people in your life
  • Skip shaving and stay in your pajamas all day
  • Volunteer, nothing spreads the love like doing something nice for others

Have a great February and don’t forget to read StudentHealth101.

Stay well,

Melissa Osmond and Ruby Roll