Feeling Stressed? Why not try Running Relief?!?

Now that we have passed through the dark days of Midterms and things are calming down a bit you might find yourself full of nervous energy. You might be looking for a way to expel that energy in a healthy and positive way. OR perhaps you might be finding that you want to get a little more activity in your life, since its getting colder outside.

With this in mind I have a suggestion for you!! Have you ever heard of Running Relief?

Running Relief is a FREE running program run by Health Education and Promotion.

How does it work? 

-Run at your OWN pace

-Run with peer coaches who help with technique and keep you motivated

-Attend a running related 30min workshop once every other week

-Run for stress relief, to quit smoking, to become more healthful, for your own personal interest or just for fun!

Where does it happen? 

-RR takes place at the Toronto Track and Field Center (TTFC) which, conveniently enough is located RIGHT ON CAMPUS!! Check out this walking tour on how to get there!!

-It is important to note that use of the TTFC is FREE for all FULL TIME York students, all you have to do is ACTIVATE your YUCard. To activate your card you will need to bring PROOF that you are in fact a current full time York student. Once you activate your card you will be able to use the TTFC for free for the rest of the school year. 

Yeah this all sound GREAT but...When is it??

WHEN DOES IT HAPPEN?!?

-Running Relief happens 3 times a week

Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5:30-7:00pm. 

Friendly Tip

--There are lockers that you can use at the TTFC all you have to do is bring your own lock and a quarter. You can store your extra clothing and personal items so they are secure while you run. 

How HAPPY do they look!?!
They are READY TO RUN are you?

Piqued your interest? 

If you have any questions about Running Relief or you want to talk some more about how it all works feel free to check out Running Relief on YU Connect, or e-mail healthed@yorku.ca or healthedprojects@gmail.com , you can always tweet @healthedyork or like them on facebook as well!

Now GET OUT THERE and Run for Relief!!

Until next time...remember to take it one day at a time and catch me in the zone!

Nicole

Feeling a little overwhelmed? Here's my Midterm Survival Guide!

Swamped right now? ME TOO!

It's that time of year folks...MIDTERMS! Assignments are piling up, proposals are due, midterm exams are happening. BUTTTTTTT You still have readings to do for some courses and you have work, maybe you joined a club in September and so you have meetings and events to attend. Also your aunts birthday is coming up and you have buy her a gift and help plan the party and your parents need you to help them with house work. You might feel like you're being pulled in a hundred different directions.

So how do you cope?

I know, I know you guys are SOO organized...you've been making S.M.A.R.T Goals, To-do Lists and planning ahead...but let's pretend for a minute that you haven't...how then do you survive Midterms? Well this is where I come in...here are some of my top tips for surviving this CRAZY busy part of the semester.

-Try to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night

Often when people become busy and stressed the first thing they cut is sleep. This is a major mistake! Sleep is VERY important because it allows your muscles and tissues to grow and be repaired and helps your body to fight infection. Ever wonder why there are so many people that are sick around Midterm time? CUZ THEY'RE UP ALL NIGHT! Also sleep helps with memory storage and retention as well as new learning. If you don't get enough sleep you might find yourself making silly mistakes on exams or at work; mistakes you might not have made had you gotten enough sleep. All-nighters are NEVER the answer!



-Don't consume too much caffeine
Some people swear that having an Extra Large Tim Horton's Coffee every hour on the hour is the only way to get through Midterms! Buttt too much caffeine can lead to some pretty serious issues...according to the "Mayo Clinic"you can develop Insomnia, Nervousness,  Restlessness, Irritability, Stomach upset, Fast heartbeat and Muscle tremors. Some people are so sensitive to caffeine that even a little bit makes them jittery and can seriously impact their concentration. Check out this link for more info!




- TAKE BREAKS!!

Know that it's ok to give yourself a break! Sometimes people are really hard on themselves and try to study for 8 hours at a time without a break. However at the same time you can't take too many breaks because then you won't actually get too much work done. My fellow RSA Tori wrote a GREAT blog last week all about HOW TO TAKE A STUDY BREAK! so if you need some tips check out her blog.

**If you're having a hard time coping with the stress that you're feeling at this time of the semester, know that you do have support available to you. REMEMBER that you can always go to The Counselling and Disability Services Office in The Bennett Centre. Check out this link for more info about CDS **

Well that's my advice, but let me know what works for you and GOOD LUCK with your Midterms!!


Take it one day at a time and catch me in the zone!!
Nicole

Stressed? Here are some times that could help you out!

The RED Zone is a POPULAR place this summer. Since we opened over 3 months ago we've talked to more that 4400 students. We've made tons of new friends and I'd like to think that we've been helping students feel a little more confident about starting at York in the fall!

A common concern among all of the students I've met with this summer has been dealing with the stress of starting at university. Students are all concerned about adjusting to the workload and being able to handle the transition from high school to university. 

With that in mind here is my top 5 list of things that you can do to avoid or reduce your stress while at university.

Top 5 list of ways to stay stress free:
5. Choose your attitude

-You can deal with any situation that comes your way! You can either choose to address it head on or address it by stressing out about it and becoming depressed or angry. By deciding to stay positive instead of being negative can make all the difference when you have a lot on your plate. 

4. Make a "to-do" list

-Making a list of all the things that you have to do can help you to see just how much you really have going on. Without a list how will you know how to divide up your time? Making a list can help you see everything you have to do, knowing exactly what you have to do can help you manage your time and therefore your stress. PLUS crossing things off your list feels SO REWARDING!

3. Set priorities

-After you've made your list, set priorities. Rank them in order of importance. Sometimes it might be difficult to decide which order to put things in, I recommend ranking things in order of when they are due, or how long they will take you to complete. If I have an assignment that is due in two weeks and will take a me a few days to fully complete I'll put that higher up on my list. Check out this video it helps explain the importance of making lists and setting priorities (it's only like a minute so it's not that much of a time commitment)! Thank you Brain Tracy!

2. Make time for fun!

-Rewarding yourself for with some "you" time helps keep your stress level down. Running, biking, dancing, sleeping. Whatever you like make some time for it, it'll keep you motivated and help to reduce your stress.

1. Set S.M.A.R.T goals 

- If we use the S.M.A.R.T goal system we can take any task from the abstract idea stage all the way to completion! What does S.M.A.R.T stand for???

S = specific, making a goal specific means ensuring that it is something small enough that you'll be able to complete it. 

M = measurable, your goal must be something that you can track your progress. You won't want to start a goal and not be able to check how close you are to achieving this goal.

A = achievable, this goes back to making a specific goal. Make sure that you can actually complete this goal

R = rewardable, this refers to motivation. Knowing that you have something waiting for you when your finish your goal will keep you focused.

T = time limited, you don't have forever to finish these goals, especially when it comes to a goal related to school work. Setting a time limit for your goal will also keep you motivated to complete it.


Let me know if these tips help you deal next time your feeling stressed!