Today’s students face the usual challenge of college itself, while also facing the new challenge of making that transition from fully remote courses back to in-person learning. After learning the ways of online learning in the comfort of your home, coming back might’ve caused an unbalance in your daily routine. 

As we approach the second month of the fall semester, UNF will be celebrating Healthy Campus Week of 2021! From 13 to  Sep. 17, UNF’s Department of Recreation and Wellness will feature events surrounding the Osprey community and environment to encourage students into making healthy lifestyle choices alongside their academic journey. 

For more information regarding the event click here.

UNF’s Recreation and Wellness center offers a plethora of resources for different types of health and wellness practices that students may take interest in. For a visual understanding of the five core elements of maintaining wellness, refer to the graphic below. 

Graphic by Majdouline Bakor.

For those who enjoy taking nature trail walks, learning more about environmental education, or ziplining, Eco-Adventure has got you covered. Get some fresh air and take in the scenery Northeast Florida has to offer. 

Check out Eco Adventure’s Paddle Party this Friday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Located on Lake Oneida, this event is part of Healthy Campus Week. This activity on campus could maintain the physical element in your wellness practices. 

Interested in learning more about organic foods and gardening? Visit Frederick and Ophelia Tate Ogier Gardens. Their motto is “Nourishing Bodies, Minds, and Spirits” This environmental and public health program takes over an acre of land where organic crops, fruits, and vegetables grow! 

Ogier Gardens offers garden tours and workshops. During these tours, staff members teach UNF students how to maintain their own gardens. You can also volunteer, check out their recipes, or even adopt a bed! Here is the link for this semester’s workshop schedule.

Transitioning from an isolated workspace into a full classroom is stressful. Perhaps you’ve developed a sort of anxiety or maybe you just would like someone to talk to. UNF’s Counseling Center provides for all students’ mental health needs. Whether you’d feel more comfortable doing group counseling or individual, the Counseling Center is here for all your needs. Some of you might also like art therapy, they offer that too! For students that are still unable to come in person, they are also offering a distance learners tab to receive support either over the phone or on Zoom. 

Being a full-time college student comes with a lot of responsibility. Especially with additional factors such as being a member of a club, working an internship, or having another job on the side. If you feel like there might be an overwhelming source of stressors developing, try and follow the Stress Management Plan designed by Recreation and Wellness. 

It might be a difficult journey, but one worth taking. Breaking bad habits, attitudes, and eliminating excuses are hard to tackle when you’re so used to them. However, if you can identify and manage these stressors, you might feel a huge weight taken off your shoulders. Below are the main strategies provided by Recreation and Wellness to deal with them.

Graphic by Majdouline Bakor.

While living the full college experience, make sure to take care of yourself and take advantage of these resources provided solely for you! You might learn a new thing or two about yourself or pick up a better and healthy habit in your new routine on campus. 

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For more information or news tips, or if you see an error in this story or have any compliments or concerns, contact [email protected].