Simplicity without Sacrifice

I am convinced that the idea of simplicity has taken a turn for the worst. When I was reading through articles for a stress program yesterday I was getting more stressed out when I came across 500 different articles about how to simplify things from your life to your sock drawer. You feel like you have to read every single one and then just when you think you have found the answer to minimizing the excess, another one pops up that says you are doing it wrong. The simplification process suddenly becomes complicated, leaving you even more stressed out than before as your computer crashes from too many 'how to' tabs open and your planner self combusted from having too much in it.  

In our 'gotta be the best' hungry society we somehow managed to turn a very wonderful and amazing sense of clarity into something that is regimented and defined by all of the millions of 'how to do ya-de-da in 5 easy steps.' Hate to get all philosophical here, but if everything involved 5 simple steps we as intellectual human beings would be as complex as an Easy Bake Oven.You want to keep it simple but not too simple, freeing yet not too freeing.  We have somehow managed to construct this belief that to live simply you must be either a Ken Westerfield (the 1960 hippie who invented freestyle Frisbee) or a participant on Discovery Channel's Naked and Afraid.  Either way you are left somewhere in the middle wondering which direction to go (I vote Ken's team but that's just me).  No one wants to feel as if they must flip their life when it starts becoming too chaotic.  It is universally understood that there will be ups and downs, so instead of fighting for perfection embrace your current situation and address the aspects that are dissatisfying. 

After reading through...I kid you not...15 different 'How to simplify' or similar articles, I decided to try thinking of less invasive techniques. Since not all of us have time to meditate for an  hour every day or pre-make a weeks worth of kale smoothies that supposedly calm your mind, here are a few smaller less aggressive suggestions on embracing the simplicity of life…without giving away all material possessions and denouncing processed food. 

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Keep an empty shelf: No matter how messy your room gets, an empty shelf is like a beacon of hope that you will some day see your floor again. When your personal space starts getting cluttered, the same feelings translate into other aspects of your life.  

Stop avoiding: The trash is piling up, you still haven't studied, the last time you went to the gym there was snow on the ground, all because you got sucked into another Netflix series.  There is nothing worse than sitting on Facebook and agonizing about all of the things that need to be done.  Just go do it! 

Go to bed: I know this is the universal cure all for anything health improvement related but that's because it is!  Things don't seem nearly as unbearable when you are well rested.

Have scissors around: There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to open something. I went a whole three weeks without scissors in my apartment. You have no idea how necessary those bad boys are until you try to open a bag of carrots with a knitting needle.  

Do your dishes when you use them: For both you and your roommates sake keep a clean sink. Visitors don't want to feel like they are going to catch scurvy if they get too close to your sink and neither do you. Any chaos you are feeling can immediately be calmed by doing dishes I promise. 

Are you the bag lady/man?  Remove one item from it every day. When you are constantly on the go and trying to simplify it can sound like a good idea to just pack everything into one big bag. This ultimately leads to you accumulating everything from empty gum wrappers to a million different charger cords.  If you chose to be a bag lady/man try to clean the bag at least once a week and it won't take you a half hour to locate your keys.  

 I hope this made your 'how to' search a little easier to understand. When you are dissatisfied with how your days are going take a minute to step back and consider what ways work best for you and live simply.  

-RV

If Mark Twain was Your Roommate

You have been getting all the emails about career fairs, resume help, and the overall agonizing feeling that you aren't doing enough to secure success in the future.  It doesn't necessarily mean that you aren't doing enough, but you live in an environment that is geared to nudge you in that direction whether you want to or not.  It is times like these when some life advice actually sounds less like a lecture and more like something you should take seriously.

I have recently been reading the biography of Mark Twain. I know right...me and every 7th grade middle schooler picking up The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn for the first time. This isn't a quarter life crisis or anything, but really he was an incredibly interesting and entertaining person. I bet if you had to pick from the majority of autobiographies his would easily be one of the funniest and most entertaining to tackle.  Anyone with an interest in writing or overall humor of life should consider giving his life a read.  He was a poor college aged student, discovered his passions, failed, succeeded, and ultimately became one of the most renowned Americans of the 19th century.  While the later half of his life is far less encouraging, his years that the majority of us are in right now are downright inspiring. We spend a good part of our 20s sifting through hopes, dreams, and people.  Surprisingly enough that's exactly what we young adults were doing in centuries before us, except our mode of transportation isn't rafting down a swampy river and they weren't able to update their location through 5 social networking sites simultaneously.  I promise this isn't about to be another summary of his life, but reading the book got me thinking...What if Mark Twain was your college roommate?  Maybe you haven't considered much about your future yet, a live life in the now kind of person, and you probably haven't thought about Mark Twain since you were 12.  Regardless of your status Mark Twain offers some advice that may be helpful to anyone not sure about what to do next. Below is the nicest looking Twain picture I could find, if you look more into his life you will see that the seems to be on the verge of growling in almost every other shot of him. 

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After reading hundreds of noteworthy quotes from this book I have come to realize that if I should ever be so lucky to have a roommate as wise as Mark Twain at the age of 21, the world would make much more sense. 

If Mark Twain was your roommate he would probably say:

1. You will not get everything you want.  

Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.-MT

With everyone in your academic life telling you how incredibly intelligent you are because you bought their textbook for $80 at the bookstore, and a GPA to prove it, it is no wonder that we go into the world excepting the very best.  Throughout college you are surrounded by opportunity that was designed for you to help cultivate skills and passions that will serve you for the long term. Consequently, this generation has been labeled as having an extreme sense of entitlement. When you get into the world take a step back and realize that this isn't the same environment you have grown used to.  Use your intelligence and talents to reach your goals being mindful of the fact that it may take more time and you don't know everything yet (believe it or not).

2. If you don't want to be treated like a 12 year old, then don't act like one. 

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.-MT

The majority of us probably associate this quote with inter-generational relationships like the kind you see on TV where she's 20 and he's 40, but I am talking social standing.  There is nothing more intimidating than going into you first interviews, or upper level classes and realizing you are the youngest person in the room. Know that you are smart enough, mature enough, and motivated enough to go after whatever it may be for your future. 

3. Shut your pie hole.

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.-MT

We have endless ways to speak our minds these days. Your mouth, computer, cell phone, tablet etc. are just a few of the many modes of communication.  With all of these great intellectual ideas flying around it is no wonder the college students feel empowered to speak their opinions.  Where we are known to fall short is where our information is coming from. I'm not saying go fact check the chemical content of your breakfast to ensure that it was 100% gluten free so we will believe you, but speak with an informed perspective.

4. So you were up on Facebook until 2am? Sounds productive...

A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read.-MT

Take advantage of the resources at your finger tips.  There is so much more to learn than the prescribed reading from your syllabus. I get it, times one syllabus by 6 and you've got enough reading to last you until next year. While there is an overwhelming amount of mandatory reading going around making time to learn what you want to learn makes things a little more exciting.

5. I doubt that 'lose 10 pounds in three days' thing you've got going is effective. 

Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.-MT

While we are a huge and diverse resource on campus the best thing you can do is educate yourself on a variety of resources and health opinions. Health and the information available on similar topics are as diverse as the countless pre-made budget pushing grocery lists that you search on Pinterest, go read about it.

6. It's not the end of the world if you can't get into the bars yet.     

Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen.-MT

Mark Twain and every adult in your life will tell you to not rush this time, these are the best years of your life. While many of us probably don't disagree with this, it is never settling to think that you are quickly running out of this awesome time of young-ness. According to everyone else, everything that comes afterwards is far less exciting. Use this time to your advantage and enjoy as much of it as you can. The rest of your life will incorporate different lessons and stages, worry about those when you get to them.  

7. Reading a how to text book can't solve all of your problems.  

Don't let schooling interfere with your education.-MT

There are many components to learning and how you develop as an individual. Finding balance between work and play, book smarts and street smarts, etc. will get you far. Luckily for all students the world does not hinge on your memorization of all of the bones in the human body.  

We hope this Mark Twain reading was a little more exciting than the ones you watched in history class!

-RV
 

Don't be that College Student

One of the most exciting parts of coming to college is the point where you begin to feel as if you have found your niche. You found a cool club, the boyfriend/girlfriend of your dreams, new friends, and not to mention you are a pro at grabbing a cone to go from the dining hall.  Even though there are so many groups in your college community, students in general are lumped into numerous stereotypes that ultimately lead to those pictures you will look back on and physically cringe as you wonder who on earth let you walk around in that ironic t-shirt and 3 sizes too small pants. There is absolutely nothing wrong with finding your group among your peers, but there is such thing as taking it too far. 

Let your niche be more like a foundation and develop your own sense of self along with it.  I feel like clubs and organizations are so much more sophisticated now than they were during my freshman year. With social media and a growing interest from students to get involved, it is like campus organizations compete through all of these outlets to build the biggest following possible.  This results in you the student feeling frenzied to find out which one or five you should be joining.  As you begin to feel out where your interests fall during your college career take a moment to read through some of the stereotypes you definitely don't want to take too far.

Don't be that:

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Greek star: Greek life is an amazing opportunity on campus, and is an extremely beneficial organization in terms of networking and meeting new people. Of course there is a laundry list of other rewarding aspects about going Greek, but it seems that with the size of the organization comes the opportunity to take your role a little too seriously.  Use your Greek experience to seek out leadership roles on campus, find that sense of community, and engage in your community, not holler out your house letters every time you cross the street while disregarding others who may not be a part of your organization.  Let Greek life be a part of you, not become you.  

  

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'Yes' student: of course you will be exposed to new things. This is an amazing time to get away from the sheltered experience of your high school parental smothering and give a sport like bike polo a shot or check out a study abroad. Once you hit up the involvement fair it's hard not to go on a yes saying spree. Of course I want to join knitting club... Absolutely I will volunteer to clean the park this weekend...Yes I will come slack-lining today in the park.  Saying yes to everything eventually becomes more of a problem than good.  You may find yourself over booked and with too many responsibilities.  Your planner will begin to look unidentifiable calligraphy from a pyramid tomb, and worst of all you aren't able to participate in what you actually desire due to the fact that you volunteered to have absolutely no time for yourself.  

Raged so hard I forgot about everything else student :With all of these new people and things you are interacting with chances are your social opportunities will become a little more eventful. But when your weekends start carrying over from Thursday through Tuesday we may need to take a step back and re-evaluate.  If you are spending more time deciding which pizza to order at 3am than on your class obligations you may be this student.  While some miraculously can handle a relatively sleepless lifestyle the majority of us need a little more structure and routine. Those two words may be the most un-fun sounding lifestyle aspects you can think about at this point in time when there is a blacklight party next door, but evaluating your day to day will only make things less stressful.  

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Pajama Perpetrator: I realize sometimes it is just too much to put on a pair of actual pants. How can they expect you to put on real clothes when you were forced to be up at the crack of dawn to sit and listen to the genius who decided to give a 2 hour lecture at 8am? While comfort is always important in your daily college routine you should also consider how you are coming off to others. No professor is going to even consider taking you seriously when you go to ask for help in your alligator pajama pants.  Try putting a little effort into getting ready to start your day it will help develop a routine and keep you from being labeled a pajama perpetrator.   

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Class Skipper: Easily identifiable as that person who only tries to be your friend in order to get the notes they missed...and did they mention he/she needs all 15 weeks of notes? Unless they are your sibling or other blood relative no one wants to sit through hours of European history and just hand you the outline for the course while you got to go do things that were actually enjoyable.  Class is part of why you are here if not the most important part of this experience.

  

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Hit the town like it’s mating season student:There is a reason why sexual health programs are some of the most popular we do in our office. College kids love talking about it, and many are expanding their horizons in that category.  Just because you enjoy this new freedom doesn't mean you have to experience it as much as possible with as many people as possible. A night out with friends really can be just a night out with friends. With so many new people eligible in the same place, a basic dinner outing can end up looking like a pack of wild animals competing out on the Savannah. Finding balance among all of these new circumstances will make for the most rewarding experience. 

When you are feeling out your on campus life a great strategy is to notice if it compliments your personal life.  These new opportunities and situations will be amazing, but as you are navigating through it all try not to be that college student.  

-RV

 

Meet the Peer Educators

At the University of Cincinnati the Peer Educators are the ones you will see around campus distributing health information, presenting on aspects of wellness, and working hard in the office to develop resources for YOU! You may also know us as the condom people. While this is very true there is much more to our work than spreading the wealth to everyone on campus. The Wellness Center offers numerous different health and wellness items for your daily needs. From ibuprofen to cold medicine and yes condoms, we have the little things you may need while on the run. Stop in and say hello at 675 Steger anywhere from 9-5 we love having visitors!


Use this site as well as the individuals presented on it as a resource for those things you may not be so sure about while trying to live a life of health.  While we may all be known for the information we deliver on health and wellness, each one of our peer educators has skills and interests that create a diverse range of abilities. Read on to learn about your Peer Educators and see who may be the best to contact if you have any questions, or need programing on specific topics! 

Andrea Parker
Hi! I am a third year majoring in social work and minoring in early childhood education and development. I have been a peer educator since freshman year and mainly enjoy my position on campus because I get to talk to other peers about different health topics. In my free time, I enjoy hanging out with my friends and family. I am also involved in my church and enjoy going to different restaurants and trying new foods. After college I hope to continue going to UC for her graduate degree and then working as a social worker for children.

Jennifer Olivieri
 Hey! I'm 19 years old and a second year here studying psychology and criminal justice. I am extremely interested in the human mind and why people do what they do, especially as it pertains to criminal acts. You will always find me either reading a booking, hanging out with friends, watching an old movie and/or just being active in some way. I have to say that the best part of being a PE is the fact that I get to influence the UC community as well as leave my mark on this place. I have only been a PE for a year now and already I can see how what I am doing making a difference. In all I just love my job as a PE

Ashley Martin 
Hi! I am a 3rd year in Dietetics at UC.  My favorite topic areas to focus on are Fitness, nutrition, and sports nutrition. You can find me dancing on the international dance team, exercising, and reading. What makes being a PE so awesome is that I have the opportunity to inform other students while emphasizing certain health topics in an understandable way. What many don't consider about this position is that we learn so much from the people we inform on a daily basis.  Although being a PE is fabulous, in terms of the future I hope to become a registered dietitian, lead fitness classes, and help work with dancers or athletes to cultivate a well rounded nutrition plan. 
 

Jess Lonzo

Hello! I am a Fifth Year Senior, graduating December 2013. Majoring in communication, I enjoy focusing on health promotions for higher education. One of my favorite topics to discuss and present on is sexual health...seriously ask me anything! In January I will be attending graduate school at UC for my M.S. in Health Promotions/Community Health. I've been a Peer Educator for the past 4 years and it has helped to guide me to the path I want to take in the future. My main goal in my last semester is to make our resources and information more available to students because without resources and the information for being holistically well, students college experience is impacted negatively. 

 
Perin Acito
Hello! I am a 4th year Dietetics student. This is my third (and final) year as a Peer Educator at the Student Wellness Center, where my areas of interest include nutrition, fitness, and social media. My favorite part about being a Peer Educator is being able to interact with the students on a more relaxed and personal level, because I truly believe that peer education is effective. I believe that a healthier lifestyle can lead to a greater quality of life, and that is why I love what I do and what we stand for as Peer Educators! In my free time, I enjoy playing tennis, relaxing with family and friends, and I also love to travel! Be sure to stop on by the Student Wellness Center to say hi!

 


Morgan Cummins
 Hi! I am a fourth year student at the University of Cincinnati majoring in sociology. I will be graduating next spring and hope to be working in inner city school as a counselor. I love traveling, trying new foods, going to football games, and playing with my kitten Bourbon. I love interacting with the diverse group of students that UC offers. My favorite subject to discuss with students is sexual health & alcohol, because I love seeing the student's reactions to the high statistics and surprising facts related to sexual health & alcohol. This year I hope to debunk a lot of the myths associated with alcohol and sexual health that many college students believe to be true.  

Fancesca Urbina

Greetings! I am a senior Dietetics major with focus nutrition and fitness, and alcohol awareness.  I love being a PE because I get the opportunity to exchange information with my peers. They teach me just as much as I teach them. I also love all the faculty, staff, and students I've met since becoming a PE. The best part about being a PE is getting to have lunch with my bosses and coworkers everyday, getting to develop programs, and feeling connected to the university and Cincinnati community.I hope to impact the university by sharing valuable information to college students. Many students take their bodies for granted. If they leave my program knowing that their health and safety is something to treasure, then I think I've done my job well. My plans for the future include graduate school and possibly the Peace Corps. I hope to one day teach at the University of Cincinnati. You can't get rid of me just yet!

Erika Henry

Hello! I am currently a Junior in the Health Promotion and Education program focusing on community and public health. I love to read, dance, run, travel, and spend time with my close friends and family. I just started working at the Wellness Center, but I can already tell what my favorite part of being a Peer Educator is going to be. I am really excited to constantly gain knowledge on various health topics and work with amazing people! I hope to teach the UC community that health is one of the most important things in life and give them tools to be healthier, happier people! After I graduate I plan to get my Masters in Health Promotion and hopefully get a job working on the obesity epidemic here in The States. 

Riley Vollmer
Hi! I am a fourth year in communications and professional sales as well as the blogger for the Wellness Center page. I have been a PE since my sophomore year and enjoy learning about the latest health and wellness topics the most! General wellness has become my favorite topic due to the wide range of information that you can present, there is always something new to learn.  Outside of UC I am really involved in health and fitness. I coach tennis and enjoy teaching yoga. Once I graduate I hope to find either a job in sales or something in the health and wellness field, and if all else fails traveling wouldn't be the worst option!

Hope everyone is having a healthy start to their school year. Stay tuned for our tips on how to avoid being "That College Student."  

-RV