{"id":52027,"date":"2020-04-27T13:48:34","date_gmt":"2020-04-27T20:48:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/world.edu\/?p=52027"},"modified":"2020-04-27T13:48:34","modified_gmt":"2020-04-27T20:48:34","slug":"5-things-college-students-should-include-in-a-plan-for-their-wellness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/5-things-college-students-should-include-in-a-plan-for-their-wellness\/","title":{"rendered":"5 things college students should include in a plan for their wellness"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

As a\u00a0psychologist<\/a>\u00a0and the mother of two college-aged students, I am concerned about my children\u2019s future emotional well-being. I know that the late teens to early 20s are a time when the majority of many lifetime mental health disorders\u00a0take hold<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Given all the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic \u2013 from isolation to limited job opportunities \u2013 the need for supports to address mental health issues seems\u00a0likely to increase<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As parents and other guardians get ready to prepare their teens for college, they should not neglect helping those new college students in terms of their overall well-being. Well-being is influenced by lots of factors, so an important part of supporting your wellness is to create a personal plan of action. Doing so is called \u201cwellness planning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Colleges and universities are beginning to recognize the\u00a0importance of wellness planning<\/a>. They are\u00a0seeing the need<\/a>\u00a0to expand their traditional mental health and counseling services to include wellness as a prevention strategy for all students.<\/p>\n

But personal wellness plans must be customized to meet each individual student\u2019s own needs. And I believe that since it is unclear whether new college students will be on physical campuses this fall or learning online, these plans are more important than ever. Here are five essential things that any wellness plan for incoming college students should address:<\/p>\n

1. Define what well-being looks like<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Well-being<\/a>\u00a0has been generally defined as feeling good and having a positive life outlook. To answer what well-being looks like for you \u2013\u00a0socially, emotionally and behaviorally<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 begin by reflecting on the everyday strategies that you already find most effective in coping with daily life.<\/p>\n

Identify areas that seem to pose the biggest struggles now. For instance, some people may be grumpy and anxious if they have not done some form of physical exercise, so well-being for these people would involve daily physical activity.<\/p>\n

2. Set strategies<\/strong><\/h4>\n

If you identify sleep habits as a problem, try out some recommended\u00a0strategies for improving sleep habits<\/a>\u00a0such as having a consistent time for going to bed and getting up or limiting electronic use before bedtime.<\/p>\n

If you feel socially isolated, find opportunities to strengthen connectedness, such as joining a new group or volunteering.<\/p>\n

3. Identify college resources<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Once a plan is in place, search for resources at college that will help you to execute it. Make a list of the clubs and organizations that look exciting, and be open to trying new things. Check out their social media to see which ones seem most interesting and in line with your wellness priorities. If you are interested in opportunities for open conversation and reducing stigma about mental health, look to join campus organizations such as\u00a0Active Minds<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Look for resources to\u00a0relieve stress<\/a>\u00a0or practice new relaxation techniques. Colleges and universities often have dedicated web resources on tips for stress management. Some may even link to\u00a0strategies<\/a>\u00a0or organizations such as\u00a0Campus Mind Works<\/a>\u00a0at the University of Michigan.<\/p>\n

Make sure to prioritize options that help build a strong social network. Eliminate options that may challenge your ability to maintain your personal wellness plan.<\/p>\n

4. Evaluate<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Set a reminder, perhaps monthly, to check on how well that personal wellness plan is going. Decide if tweaks to the plan are needed. As one example,\u00a0weight gain in college<\/a>\u00a0is common given meal plans that offer\u00a0all-you-can-eat<\/a>\u00a0and easy access to unhealthy food choices. If a behavioral challenge around nutrition occurs, modify the personal wellness plan to incorporate guidelines around\u00a0healthy eating<\/a>.<\/p>\n

5. Make a backup plan<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Don\u2019t always go it alone in figuring out how to adapt a personal wellness plan. Make a plan to connect with others when things are not working as planned. Even though college is a time for independence, there may be situations where coping strategies fall short and help is needed.<\/p>\n

Identify someone in your current network, like a relative or close friend, to serve as a trusted person to reach out to. Also, be open to the possibility that sometimes professional support is warranted.<\/p>\n

Author Bio:<\/strong> Sandra M. Chafouleas is a Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Connecticut<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As a\u00a0psychologist\u00a0and the mother of two college-aged students, I am concerned about my children\u2019s future emotional well-being. I know that the late teens to early 20s are a time when the majority of many lifetime mental health disorders\u00a0take hold. Given all the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic \u2013 from isolation to limited job opportunities […]\n… learn more→<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":52028,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[95],"tags":[32495],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-52027","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-wellness"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n5 things college students should include in a plan for their wellness - World leading higher education information and services<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/world.edu\/5-things-college-students-should-include-in-a-plan-for-their-wellness\/\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"5 things college students should include in a plan for their wellness - World leading higher education information and services\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As a\u00a0psychologist\u00a0and the mother of two college-aged students, I am concerned about my children\u2019s future emotional well-being. 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