Develop clear-cut personal, academic, and career goals

Choosing your future is a perpetually changing process, shaped by your personal and intellectual preferences. But you must first analyze what values and interests drive you – what makes you “tick”? Once you have identified your personal profile, research what agencies, resources, programs, or individuals can assist you in exploring and developing your ambition.

You may have excellent resources available to you on your campus such as academic advisors, your professors, mental health services, and career centers. Base your goal development on information received from all sources.

Though we do not endorse any of the specific partners listed below, we have compiled some websites that we think can really help you develop a specific plan of action to help you through your future:

http://www.quintcareers.com/career_plan.html
http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/2-14-2006-88887.asp
http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~rouda/T4_CD.html
http://careerplanning.about.com/cs/actionplans/a/action_plan.htm

Strive for balance in working hard and having fun

Balance in all things is a virtue. Working hard when you have to – while making sure to have fun when it’s time – is important to success. Doing either in excess won’t be good for you. It’s also important to remain both effective (i.e. do it well) and efficient (i.e. don’t waste time) in your work so that you have ample time to have fun!

A wellness-centered lifestyle has been proven to be the most effective approach to achieve balance in work and recreation. The following components should be considered in achieving your own balance:

Attitude
You’ve heard about the benefits of a positive attitude. It’s true that the way a person thinks affects personal stress levels, which in turn, affect health. Changing the way you think about a situation can help you manage the stress in your life and remain in a calm state of mind. In your own “internal dialog” maintain a calming voice and avoid self-critical, irrational, and destructive talk.

Healthy Eating
“You are what you eat” is the old adage that remains true even today. Filling up on nutrient rich foods will go far to increase your physical, mental, and emotional health. Don’t forget that it will also boost your immune system, helping you to avoid illness. Eating healthy now will build a foundation of good habits that will follow you throughout your life. According to a Tufts University e-news article referring to an ongoing study on the eating and nutritional habits of college students, lead scientist Christina Economos, Ph.D., commented: “College kids are in the prime of their life and they aren't thinking about their long-term health and chronic disease. However, the harmful diet and exercise patterns they develop now can lead to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis and obesity."

Physical Activity
Studies have shown that a regular exercise routine, such as 30 minutes of brisk walking per day, can reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure, improve overall cardiac function, improve bone density, and reduce weight. In addition, the release of endorphins associated with exercise has been shown to significantly improve mood. A 2005 study from the University of Miami also concurs that individuals who engage in regular physical activity have generally better health outcomes across a variety of mental and physical conditions.

Relaxing Your Mind and Body
Engaging in relaxation activities was shown in a 2003 Allegheny College study to reduce depression, anxiety, and improve self-esteem. This study utilized Yoga and Tai Chi, but there are many ways to achieve relaxation including meditation, engaging in a hobby such as gardening, sewing, collecting, etc., performing low intensity activities such as walking a dog or talking a walk in the park, among others. Finding your favorite relaxation activity and engaging in it regularly can help you find your balance in a hectic life.

Sleep
Sleep is the great healer, allowing your body to rest and repair. Sleep also affects your mood and attitude, which in turn, influence personal success. In addition, a 2001 study supported the hypothesis that longer sleepers reported higher GPAs and overall higher functionality as compared to shorter sleepers. Lack of sleep also has negative implications on personal health (increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity) and the ability to respond to new challenges.

Healthy Relationships
Relationships with friends and significant others are often a source of stress that can keep you in a state of physical and mental turmoil. The stress of interacting with new personalities, living with roommates, and possibly engaging in new forms of intimacy will affect your emotional, mental, and physical health. College campuses have many resources available to help students learn how to achieve a healthy balance in their personal relationships.

Time Management
Achieving an effective balance between your learning and socializing is an essential skill for all students, but one that needs to be learned and practiced. Time management allows you to utilize behaviors that facilitate your personal productivity and relieve stress. In a 2000 study published by the American Journal of Health Studies, results supported previous research that engaging in time management techniques lowered academic stress.

Money Management
Like time management, finding a balance in managing your finances is an essential skill in creating a personal sense of peace and tranquility which contributes to overall personal wellness. Furthermore, consider your financial education as a necessary competence to enable a more successful transition from college into your new career life. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants offers an excellent web page titled: Freshmen Finance 101: Money Management Skills for College Students.

Spirituality
In a 2003 National Study on College Students’ Search for Meaning and Purpose, spirituality positively affected a majority of study participants. In a quote from the study web site, “Spirituality points to our interiors, our subjective life, as contrasted to the objective domain of material events and objects. Our spirituality is reflected in the values and ideals that we hold most dear, our sense of who we are and where we come from, our beliefs about why we are here—the meaning and purpose we see in our lives—and our connectedness to each other and to the world around us.” The study confirms that students with higher than average experience with religious involvement (attending religious services, reading sacred texts and materials, singing, etc.) and equanimity (feeling at peace and centered) also show higher than expected academic performance, satisfaction with college, self-esteem, self-reported physical health, and decreased psychological distress.

Remember alcohol & drugs will have a negative impact on your goals, your performance, and your life

When it is time to have fun, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be smart. Using alcohol and drugs can have a major impact on your future. Here are some ways that you might be affected:

• Using drugs can lead to arrest, and those records are permanent, even if you attend a diversion program.
• For students in education, aviation, transportation, nursing, pharmacy, and some other fields....Even a minor alcohol violation may impact certification or licensure.
• For students applying to graduate or other professional schools....Admissions offices often call the University to see if there are any conduct issues on students’ permanent records.
• Federal law prohibits loans for students with current drug convictions.
• For students seeking a job with governmental agencies....Those agencies conduct security checks on applicants.

Of course, there are many great reasons for remaining drug and alcohol free including keeping your health at its absolute optimum, avoiding disease, saving money, giving your yourself every opportunity for academic success, and engaging in healthy relationships both with friends and significant others. Positive lifestyle choices that affirm your personal health and well-being are always the best and contribute to making a strong impact on your future.

Your choices today impact your future!