Issue 01 October 2016
Editor’s Letter Every year at the end of August, I tend to experience both a sense of sadness as the nights get chilly and the sweet taste of summer fades away, but also eagerness to begin a new school year. I am originally from a city in the northern part of Italy, located two hours away from the Ligurian sea, so I spend a lot of time during my summer break going on walks on the beach, taking pictures of the colorful riviera or just enjoying the warm breeze with my family. Although it is a bit bittersweet to leave my life overseas to start classes again, I always look forward to feeling part of the community that kindly welcomed me upon my first arrival in 2013. When I was little, I grew up with very strict health habits that have shaped the person I am today and the lifestyle I have chosen to pursue. Back then, I had not realized the impact a healthy way of living had on my body. When it was time for me to go to college and experience an independent life for the first time, I started recognizing and appreciating the effort my mom had put into teaching me how to be healthy from a very early age and the reasons behind her behavior. So I grew up drinking water and eating lots of vegetables. 1
Photo Credit: Jacob Striker ‘18
Fun, right? But my mom had a point. I now find myself writing about health at my university and I couldn’t feel more pleased and thrilled to talk about my experience and share the university’s strong commitment to the promotion of health and wellness on campus. I am the new Editor in Chief of the Wellzine and I will make sure the publication will be an inspiring resource for our readers. This month’s issue focuses on the spiritual dimension of health, from the benefits of having an open mind to the advice from a yoga instructor on campus. There will be an insight into the intellectual dimension of wellness as well. This year, the layout of the Wellzine has been changed and redesigned thanks to the hard work that the new graphic designers Alisa Zhukova (Graphic Design, 2017) and Alex Carter (Public Relations, 2018) have put into making sure every page looks professional yet artistic. As the school year progresses, absorb the Wellzine’s monthly educational pieces and let it guide you on a journey of self-discovery!
Sara Tiradossi ’17
Content 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Tips to keep in mind when visiting WSU’s Health & Wellness Services Events Calendar Why open-minded people live successful and satisfying lives Where do people find the motivation to go work out? How does spirituality enhance our health? Ask a Muslim: How does your community help you to support your faith? The urge of getting connected to maintain relationships Why you should get to know your professors and classmates Student Spotlight: Yoga Instructor Elese Osterberg
Wellzine Staff: Alisa Zhukova ‘16, Alex Carter ‘17 & Sara Tiradossi ‘17
Health & Wellness Services IWC 222
Health & Wellness Services Fall 2016 Hours Office: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Note: H&WS is closed on all university holidays and campus closure days.
Walk-in Flu Shot Clinics When: Tuesday, Oct. 4 and Wednesday, Oct. 5 from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Where: Kryzsko Commons Dining Rooms B, C & D $20 cash, check or charged to your student account. Please bring your insurance card.
Questions?
Call WSU’s Ask A Nurse line* at 507.457.2292
*Calls will be returned within two hours during the business day. Calls placed after hours will be answered the following business day. 3
Tips To Keep In Mind When Visiting WSU’s Health & Wellness Services Whether or not you have been to Health & Wellness Services once or multiple times, these are important tips to keep in mind when visiting: • Review your health insurance benefits before you need them. • Check with your health insurance company to determine if it considers Winona State University Health & Wellness Services to be “In-Network” or “Out-of-Network” and options you may have to work around this. Visit our FAQ page for more info on billing. Making An Appointment: 507-4575160. (Yes, you need an appointment!) • Please call to schedule as soon as possible for all appointments so that we will have adequate time to schedule. • The staff make every effort to match your availability to the open schedule. • We do have a limited number of same day appointments- please call as early as possible in the day as they are limited. We begin taking calls at 7:40 a.m. • Unsure if you should go to see someone? Call Ask-a-Nurse at 507457-2292 to get a nurse advice and
help determine if you should make an appointment. • Check in with front desk staff at either window. • Be prepared to show your current insurance card(s) to office staff. If you don’t have the actual card, but the information from the card, that’s fine too. A picture of the front and back will be accepted. • Remember: There is no cost at time of service at Health & Wellness Services. Any balance not covered by your insurance will be billed to your student account. • Questions about Health & Wellness Services charges on your student account can be directed to Traci Kauphusman, Insurance Coordinator. • After checking you will be asked to sit down and fill out necessary forms, you may be done with the forms before you are called back to see the provider. (It’s okay to not know everything- Just do your best.) • In order to best serve you, we ask that if you have waited for 25 minutes or more after checking in to check with the front staff. Meeting with Providers:
• If you have an appointment with a provider or nurse, a nurse will take you to an exam room and ask you the reason for your visit and check your vital signs, which may include temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, height, etc. • A provider (Nurse Practitioner or Physician) will then come to see you, will review your medical records and talk about your current problem. • Everything said and done at Health & Wellness Services is confidential and protected under HIPPA Privacy Laws. No one including parents can get information regarding your visit without your permission. • Once your concern has been discussed, you will be examined. The extent of the exam will depend on the areas of concern. If it is determined that any blood tests or urine tests are needed, those tests can be collected at the time of your visit in our full-service lab. • A plan of care will be reviewed; including any testing, medications and necessary follow up needed. Any necessary prescriptions can be sent to your pharmacy of choice. Please, note that three local pharmacies deliver.
Written By: Kate Hansen, MPH, CHES Health & Wellness Promotion Coordinator
Monday Get Out At the Gazebo
• Health Hut: Think Before You Post
Tuesday
October 2016
Wednesday Thursday
Your Personality Type and Career
Essential Guide to Mental Health
Student Athlete Forum
Wind Down Wednesday
University Improvement Day No Classes
Events Calendar
Stomp Out Stigma
Be A Party Pro
• • Health Hut: Winter Break Opportunities
• Health Hut: Pour Me A Drink
• Health Hut: Get Well Kits
Yoga for Newbies
HIGHer Education
Tackling Mt. Stressmore
Alcohol Facts on Tap
“WHEN...”
Health Huts
“WHEN...”
Interactive play about relationship violence.
When: Tuessday, Oct. 25, 2 p.m. & 5 p.m. Where: Somsen Auditorium
Stop by the Integrated Wellness Complex on Mondays to interact with a different topic each week.
When: Mondays 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. Where: The Well, IWC 138
Healthy Tuesdays & Wellness Wednesdays Healthy Tuesdays & Wellness Wednesdays are modeled by a nation-wide campaign from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health’s Healthy Mondays. Programs are co-sponsored by Health & Wellness Services and Counseling & Wellness Services as well as other partners. All programs focus on increasing awareness, empowerment and action within WSU’s Seven Dimensions of Wellness. See above for topics.
When: Tuesdays 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Wednesdays 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. Where: The Well, IWC 138
Step Out Of Stigma Week
Join fellow WSU students in raising awareness to reduce the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. • Get Out At the Gazebo • Student Athlete Forum • Wind Down Wednesday • Stomp Out Stigma
When: Oct. 3 - Oct. 6 Monday, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Gazebo Tuesday, 8 p.m. Somsen Auditorium Wednesday, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. IWC Hallway Thursday, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Gazebo
National Depression Screening Week
• National Depression Screening
Drop in to Counseling & Wellness Services for a free mental health screening and conversation with a counselor.
• Mental Health Panel
Fellow students talk about their eperiences with their own mental health struggles and successes.
Color & Connect Take a break from studying- COLOR! Supplies are provided.
Wednesdays With Winston
Counseing & Wellness Services will host Wednesdays with Winston with WSU counselor Lynda Brzezinski. Wednesdays with Winston events are intended to help students de-stress with Winston the therapy dog.
When: Oct. 3 - Oct. 7 Where: IWC 222 When: Thursday, Oct. 6, 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Where: Stark 103 When: Mondays at 3 p.m. Where: IWC 267 When: Wednesdays at 4 p.m. Where: The Well, IWC 138
Anxiety Management Seminar WSU Counseling & Wellness Services is offereng a seminar series for students who want to learn more about managing anxiety & stress.
Grief Support Group
This group presented by Counseling & Wellness Services provides information about the grief process and a chance for students to talk about personal grief in a small group setting. Pre-registration required 507-457-5330 or Ealsaker@winona.edu
When: Mondays at 1 p.m. Thursdays at 2 p.m. Where: IWC 267 When: Thursdays, Oct. 13, 20, 27 \ 3:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. Where: IWC 267 6
Photo Credit: Sara Tiradossi
Why Open-minded People Live Successful And Satisfying Lives The willingness to consider new ideas and be neutral is known as being open minded. To have an open mind does not mean not having personal views or opinions; it simply means acknowledging that those views are not held by everyone. Ways to practice open mindedness start by recognizing when there are new ideas to be learned and deliberately seeking out people and ideas that challenge one’s perspective. Philosophy courses at Winona State University might be another step to take to becoming more adaptive to new experiences and ideas. “What I do is I try to recognize when I am being close minded; it’s easy to recognize when you are paying attention,” Philosophy Professor David Speetzen said. According to Speetzen, when a person is closed minded, he or she limits the potential for growth. Close mindedness can limit personal relationships and cause us to miss out on a lot of human experiences. Some people find it easy to have an open mind while others find it more challenging. Because a good majority of people have been taught certain ways of life with beliefs and values and have surrounded themselves with others who share the
same ideas, this way of life can be difficult to approach sometimes. Although having an open mind sometimes requires a continual effort, it also encourages new ways of thinking on how to embrace a different perspective in life. Making the effort to think openly is practiced by successful people and pays off in the long run. According to Forbes, having a flexible mind is one of the secret strategies that people adopt to achieve great results. Forbes suggests several steps to take in order to think more openly. • Free yourself. Open mindedness allows you to let go of control. Opening up your mind can allow you to experience new thoughts and ideas. • Gain personal relationships. Not only can you enhance and gain good personal relationships, you can also have a lot of human experiences. • Develop as a person. You can recognize when you have been wrong and change for the better. If you are firmly convinced about your ideas and beliefs, you limit yourself and cannot grow or change. • Strong sense of self. Open mindedness can help you to gain confidence by not being confined by just
your beliefs or the beliefs of others. • Gain ideas and experiences. Being open minded allows you to strengthen yourself. You can build upon this platform of open mindedness and cultivate new ideas and experiences. • Honesty. You can admit when you are wrong once you have an open mind. No matter what truth comes around, you know that there is always more to it. • Persuade others. When you can recognize others have a different opinion, you are more likely to have a better conversation and engage with them meaningfully. This allows for you to be persuasive and possibly change their ideas. • Deal with others. Once you open your mind, you can become less hot headed and engage in better conversations rather than arguments on ideas. On a daily basis, humans refine, change and moderate qualities and personality traits. Open-mindedness is one of those qualities that comes in when we do not focus on bettering ourselves only, but give space to bettering our ability to connect with others as well. Written By: Cortnie Schierman ’17
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Photo Credit: Samantha Schierman
Where Do People Find The Motivation To Go Work Out? To begin understanding the topic of self-motivated workouts, one must identify the definition of self-motivation. Self-motivation is defined as the “initiative to undertake or continue a task or activity without another’s prodding or supervision.” When going to the gym, there are different reasons that push people to work out. Sometimes, exercising is a self-motivated activity, whereas other times it becomes more socially cultivated. Health Exercise and Rehabilitative Sciences professor Connie Mettille said there is more than just one key to a successful workout. Mettille said physical wellness goes hand in hand with the other six dimensions of wellness. It is important to find something that brings people pleasure, thus fulfilling the spiritual and emotional dimensions as well, she said. Junior Devin Raasch said her motivation to work out is based on how it makes her feel. “After working out, overall, I feel better,” Raasch said. On a campus with a state-of-the-art fitness center and the costs built into the tuition, where do people find the motivation to go to the gym?
Mettille said accountability is a huge factor when discussing where motivation come from. This can range from meeting with a work out partner or simply being motivated by having people around watching, she said. According to Mettille, another factor in motivation is the weather. Living in Minnesota means that almost half of the year is cold or snowy. Sometimes people run outside because they enjoy the air and environment but are forced to stay indoors during those frigid winter months. Raasch said when the weather gets colder, the gym is seen as her escape and a place where she can relive pent up stress. Along with motivation, one can also see that there are clear socially constructed ideas about working out that affect the levels of motivation. Raasch said an example of a socially constructed stereotype surrounding working out might be the reason some people do not go to the gym. After three years of working out at Winona State, often times the idea that “women run and men lift” is reinforced in the gym setting, Raasch said. While it has not
held her back from grabbing those weights, it can be daunting and hinder one’s level of motivation, she said.“Having a vision of what you want is a great place to start when working out,” Raasch said. Raasch said it is helpful for people to set goals and then checking back in to see their progress towards those goals. She also said people should treat themselves after achieving a goal. Raasch’s favorite part of the process is picking up a pair of new tennis shoes to show off at the gym. “If you are having a tough time mixing in a work out or even just starting to work out, consistency is most important, along with frequency. If you struggle with this, try to mix up the activities you do,” Mettille said. Mettille said it is important to change up workouts as well. This can range from changing a run into a simple walk or just walking to do some errands instead of driving, she said. “You don’t always have to go get sweaty to be working out,” she said. “And your work outs should not be seen as a chore. Build working out into your everyday activities and into your life. You will then learn to miss it and thus become more Written By: Samantha Schierman ’17 10
How Does Spirituality Enhance Our Health? There are many churches in Winona that celebrate religious spirituality, but religion is not the only option for discovering spiritual health. Spirituality involves understanding one’s beliefs while sensing a connection to something bigger than ourselves. Religious and non-religious centers are great for bringing students and community members together. Winona State University has a variety of options for exploring spirituality both in and outside of the classroom. It is home to Chi Alpha campus ministry and yoga classes on campus. “Being in Chi Alpha has provided me to be 11 able to work alongside so many great ministries,
bringing so much unity,” Senior Melody Sheppard said. Winona State alumna, Victoria Petrik, was involved with the Newman center. “Singing at church was a great opportunity in my new college community,” Petrik said. Student Lizette Salazar said she has enjoyed getting involved in a Christian community in Winona because she felt a sense of belonging and love from the people around her. “I know that the people around me only want the best for me and are always supporting me,” Salazar said. “It is great to grow spiritually with other people and being able to go to them with any questions or concerns, without feeling judged.”
Contributed Photos
The Manitou Center is a great place for students and community members to celebrate their spirituality, regardless of their religion. It holds a variety of classes every week throughout the year including Kung Fu, Nia (a movement art), Tai Chi, Yoga, Zen Motivation, Mindfulness and others that are based on Buddhist practices.
a break, and spend less time doing [everyday] activities.
As overwhelming as celebrating these spiritual activities may sound, it is very beneficial to students and community members for balancing health and spirituality.
“Spirituality engages a journey. It’s about what it means to be human,” Stern said.
While there are not many students involved at the Manitou Center, the center provides a great opportunity for advancing a community relationship.
Written By: Lisa Daraskevich ’17
“It’s a safe environment for a community of people with [aspirations] for personal growth,” instructor at Manitou Center and Winona State Warrior Hub Associate Director Paul Stern said. Stern said it is a way to cultivate interests, take
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How Does Your Community Help You To Support Your Faith? As a Winona State University Sophomore Computer Science student, Waheed Khan is busy. Khan serves as the President for the university’s Cricket and Computer Science Clubs, the Public Relations Director for the Malaysia club, and the vice president for the Muslim Student Association, while also being a regular student and having a social life. On top of his many responsibilities, Khan is also Muslim. It is another facet of his life as a student that Khan said can be difficult to balance out. “It’s kind of hard, but we just find some time,” Khan said. “It’s really tough to be honest. We try out best.” Khan admitted that life, school and other social stressors can get in the way of him keeping up with his Islamic faith. “It’s really up to you. I’m not a good practicing Muslim,” Khan said. Khan practices at Winona’s Islamic Center, which has received significant support in recent years since a fire destroyed its former location on Third Street. The Muslim Student Association at Winona State helped to raise funds for the center, with a recent fundraiser dinner in late August. Now in a new location, also on Third Street, Khan encourages other students to come into the Islamic Center to have questions answered about spirituality and Islam. 13
“Come to the Islamic Center if you have questions,” Khan said. “Anything you have, you can ask.” The center has been a refuge of sorts for Khan, who said he also relies on the committee at the center with any issues he is facing. On-campus, Khan said Winona State’s recent installment of a meditation room has been another sign of support for him and his fellow Muslims. The room was added last fall, and it provides a quiet, peaceful space in Kryzsko Commons for students to relax or pray. “They’ve been wonderful, really helpful,” Khan said. Khan added that the Muslim Student Association tries to promote their presence and availability for students in need of support through social media and promoting news. With Khan’s on and off-campus options, such as the center, the Muslim Student Association and the university’s new meditation room, Khan said attending Winona State at the recommendation of his alumnus brother, has been a fruitful and beneficial decision. “The community is so nice and so welcoming,” Khan said. Even if he still remains a busy college student, he said the community has been supportive of his faith and practices. Written By: Samantha Stetzer ‘17
Photo Credit: Samantha Stetzer
The Urge Of Getting Connected to Maintain Relationshipss The notification light on the top-left corner of my phone blinked at me, indicating that I have received another text message from a friend of mine about dress hunting for her wedding. As we text back and forth, we share how we are doing and what we have been up to recently. We do not live close to each other and we are at different stages in our lives, but we maintain our communication thanks to technology. Technology has changed the way we communicate, build and maintain our relationships. The news is not new; most of us have adapted to living with various technologies. In college, technology has made it efficient and convenient for students to finish assignments and work with peers. When we work on a team project, most students use email and social media to communicate about the project. We may use Google Doc or Prezi to share slides and edit them together for a presentation. A meeting can
be scheduled by sending invitations on Doodle or Microsoft calendar. We do not necessarily have to hand in hard copies of our assignments to our professors anymore because we use drop box. Some professors encourage us to use technology so that students can be more employable and save time. But do we benefit from technology in our social lives? In college, we can meet many people from different backgrounds on and off campus. We constantly communicate with each other on our phones and social media. It may be time-saving to send a message to a friend and have a conversation with him or her, rather than meeting in person. Research carried in 2014 shows that college students spend nearly nine hours a day on a mobile phone, using its multiple functions to communicate and socialize with friends, family, or even strangers on the other end of the virtual paradox.
Mass Communication Professor Davin Heckman said he is skeptical that people can have a meaningful relationship through social media. However, it can be argued that the connectedness
of technology brings everyone closer, from old friends to those who are far away. Technology has given us the means to maintain our relationships. However, we cannot depend on technology to build and maintain our friendships. We need to give full attention to the people in front of us, listen to them and have a meaningful conversation. When I text friends of mine, I feel connected and loved, but at the end of the day, conversations through texts can never substitute a big hug and the time we spend together. Written By: Rina Namiwa ‘16
Photo Credit: Sara Tiradossi
Technology has altered the way we communicate. Communication today is different from the communication people had in the past. Sherry Turkle, a cultural analysist and professor at MIT, has been studying how technology changes what we do and who we are. In her TED talk, she discusses that we are lonely because we are always connected and afraid of being unconnected from our network. We shift towards technology when we feel lonely. We wish for others to listen to us and when we feel that no one is listening to us, we start talking through our phones and social media. We have an urge to get connected. She describes this as “I share, therefore, I am” and advises us to develop a self-aware relationship with technology, others, and ourselves and start thinking of solitude as a good thing.
Why You Should Get to Know Your Professors and Classmates People choose to go to college for a variety of reasons. Most professors will say that the general purpose of going to college is to learn, and what students learn extends beyond the information in their textbooks. Computer Science Professor Paul Schumacher said students who demonstrate good communication and leadership skills in the classroom are far more likely to perform well academically. He said this is a result of an intuitive sense of curiosity and a strong desire to learn. During childhood, we are very curious about our surroundings. As 17
Photo Credit: Alisa Zhukova
many of us lose our childlike sense of wonder, and this inhibits our creativity, innovation, ability to learn, and openness to new experiences. Schumacher said curiosity has major benefits inside and outside the classroom. These include increased academic performance, stronger personal leadership and communication skills, and a better understanding of relationships with professors, employers, coworkers, and students. “If you find your curiosity lacking in comparison to your younger self, don’t fret,” Schumacher said. It all starts with asking questions. “There is no such thing as a dumb question,” he said. “If you start to ask the right questions, you just might awaken your curiosity again.” As students, we are generally focused on earning the most points possible in a course rather than thoroughly understanding the material. As a result, we often memorize large amounts of information for a test or quiz and forget it a week later without understanding the big picture. Schumacher said if students can train themselves to focus on understanding the material first, the points and grades will come naturally. Asking questions about a topic, listening to professors, and making an effort to understand the material will increase students’ overall understanding and academic performance.
lessons. Schumacher said many students try to remain anonymous and blend in. By doing this, they miss opportunities to learn the material better, polish their communication skills, and get life experiences, he said. While points and credits are important when earning a degree, communication and life experiences hold an enormous value in the real world that cannot be quantified on paper. In the workplace, it is likely you will be working and communicating with other people on a regular basis. In the classroom, attentiveness goes a long way. It is important to demonstrate curiosity about the material, the professor’s knowledge, and other students as well. Relationships are an important part of any career. Almost every single job will require working closely with others, and anonymity is not an option in this case. “The classroom is an excellent opportunity to start networking,” Schumacher said. “It is important to communicate not only with professors, but with other students. Joining clubs, visiting employers, and developing a network of students in your field is just as important as passing a test.” Asking questions about other people and getting to know them is essential in maintaining consistent relationships. Classmates have the potential to be future business partners, colleagues, or best friends.
“Smart students ask questions,” Schumacher said. “Only professors can ask dumb questions; students who ask questions demonstrate leadership and curiWhile adulthood requires responsibility and conosity and generally get the most out of a course.” sistency, there is a lot we can learn from our younger selves, from learning to ask questions, listening Showing attentiveness and curiosity in the classto a professor, to getting to know new people rather room will also improve students’ communication than earning points, answering questions correctly, and leadership skills and teach them valuable life or impressing classmates. Written By: Samuel Boudreau ’19
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“You’re becoming uncomfortable and you’re put-
ting your body through stress, and breathing through it is what helps you to tackle stress when you’re not doing yoga.” Photo Credit: Allison Mueller
Student Spotlight:
Yoga Instructor Elese Osterberg Stress is something students usually try to avoid, but on Monday and Wednesday nights at 6 p.m., creating this uncomfortable feeling is the intent of the gathering. Junior nursing major Elese Osterberg is leading her first yoga class as a fitness instructor at Winona State, and she said this gives a whole new purpose to her practice of vinyasa yoga. This type of yoga involves connecting breaths to movements and becoming aware of yourself. “I like to hold poses longer than usual,” Osterberg said. “You’re becoming uncomfortable and you’re putting your body through stress, and breathing through that is what leads to you to tackle stress when you’re not doing yoga.”
many studies on the link of the mind and the body the more you practice. It’s so individualized. Each person gets something different out of it, which is so cool because there are not many workouts like that. You can do it in your own way. And there’s a mental relief; you really have to breathe and be strong physically in your practice to get the mental benefits; but at the same time it’s so hard to take an hour and not think about anything except what you’re doing. Staying present is a huge part of it. I think for students it might be a little scary or daunting at first because it’s intimidating to be around people who know what they’re doing. We’ve all been there and we grow. There’s just something about getting into a pose and breathing and feeling strong and capable that helps students carry that into their everyday life with school and stressors.
In an interview with Osterberg, she explained where her passion for yoga started and what mental and spiri- Q: How do you think mindfulness and awareness tual benefits one can receive from this practice. with spirituality and yourself benefit students? Q: How did you become interested in teaching yoga? A: I started practicing yoga senior year of high school and got really into it. Last year, I stumbled into a class and connected with both of the yoga instructors and I really enjoyed it. It provided so many different reliefs. It was something I looked forward to going to and developing the friendships with the instructors. Q: What do you think practicing yoga does for the mind and body? A: There are so many physical benefits and there are so
A: I think yoga really forces you to become in tune with what’s going on in your body . You might have more tension in your shoulders or a sore leg or knee, but it goes further than that. The more you practice yoga, the more it becomes such a relief, and you look forward to doing it again. Spiritually, there are so many teachings that talk about the full spectrum of wellness and it really does start with your mind, and that energy you create in your practice you have to carry out with other people and the environment around you. It is more than just a workout. Written By: Allison Mueller ’17 20