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Ever find yourself saying a catch phrase your best friend always says? There is a reason we do that! We start to rub off on the people we hang out with most and vice versa so make sure you choose good people to surround yourself with. Start to see people who are not good for you and find and hang out with people who are driven, and happy. Check out some things to keep you both positive!

1) Thank Them.

Sounds easy, but we find ourselves looking at the negative of things and never stop and appreciate the good people around us. Find the small things that someone has done for you throughout your life and don’t forget to thank them or better yet do something with them! Not only will it make you happier but they will feel appreciated too!

2) Find your strengths and do them often.

We often look so deeply at we are not good at that we often forget that we also have many strengths! Strength finders 2.0 and other strength finding books can help you find what you are good at if you don’t already know.  We are born with different talents and the key is to make sure we do things that we are naturally good at so we can optimize them. Do this together and see what you have in common, and you differ in. It’s good to keep each other in check but it is even better to help each other find what your good at. Don’t force yourself to do things you are not naturally gifted at, but use your own gifts to excel!

3) Exercise!

As a spunky movie sorority girl once said, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.”- Elle Woods.  If this is someone who keeps you positive, it makes sense to do something together that will both keep you positive! In sunny San Diego there are plenty of things to do such as great hikes, and fun things to do at the beach.  Take advantage of the outdoors and have fun!

Let’s face it, after a long day of school, many people lack the motivation to study. Add work, extracurricular activities and other daily obligations into the mix and studying just seems impossible. However, as college students, we need to study to be prepared for our classes and take advantage of the education we are receiving. Here are a few ways to increase your motivation, no matter what is on your plate.

1. Study with others

This may not work for everyone, but a lot of people are more focused when they work with someone on the same subject. If you have someone to work on homework assignments with or someone to quiz you on test material, the experience of studying becomes more enjoyable. Make sure you pick someone that will help you stay determined to study, not someone that will distract you!

2. Limit distractions

This is personal for everyone. If you know text messaging or Facebook distracts you, put your phone away or turn your computer off. If loud noises distract you, make sure you pick a study area that is quiet and occupied by few. Everyone knows himself or herself best, so make sure to keep an awareness of what environment is best for you and implement it.

3. Make sure you have snacks and water accessible

Water and food are essential for keeping you on point. Drinking water will not only keep you hydrated, it will also keep you productive. Having foods that you can snack on contributes to your stamina and gives you energy to push through.

4. Set goals

It is important to set concrete and realistic goals for your study session. For example, this could be reading a certain about of chapters or working straight through for a specific amount of time before you stop or take a break. If you plan out achievable steps for your studying, you are more likely to be determined to get to that finish mark.

5. Reward yourself

The most essential part of studying is rewarding yourself. This goes hand in hand with setting goals. If you set a reasonable goal, like working for half and hour, you can reward yourself with a break if you did just that. You could also reward yourself with things such as a snack, a nap, a phone break or even an early night to bed.

College is often a time of many responsibilities and commitments and a lot of academic and emotional stress. The question is how do we manage ourselves when things just began to get to darn hectic? Listed below are a few tips on how to manage taking care of yourself in heavily stressful times.

1. With all the stress accumulating during the semester, it is easy for us to dwell on everything that isn’t going as we expected. However, it is important that we alter this way of thinking because it can have a negative effect on both our thoughts and feelings which can potentially translate to other arenas in our lives. So if you find yourself constantly reflecting on everything that isn’t going right; stop, take a deep breathe, and tell yourself at least ONE thing that is going right. This may help put things in perspective and better your mood.

2. Take at least one day out of the week to do something special for you. Whether that’s staying at home all day on a Saturday and bingeing on Netflix or treating yourself to ice cream. You should always make time for you to do something you enjoy.

3. Have a strong support group! As much as we think we can do everything on our own it is important that we have someone else to rely on during stressful times. Having a strong social network is said to increase feelings of belonging, self-worth, and security. So if you reached your stress quota it’s okay to seek support from others to help you find your balance again.  

4. Lastly, know your limits. It’s okay to say NO (nicely)! In college there are many opportunities to get involved with the variety of organizations and campus clubs available. As college we often have the desire to want to do and volunteer for everything. If you know that your workload is already too heavy don’t over commit for it will only create more stress. Adapting this healthy habit is a good way to ensure that you are taking care of yourself.

“Self-care is not selfish or self-indulgent. We cannot nurture others from a dry well. We need take care of our own needs first, then we can give our surplus, our abundance.”

With roughly 35,000 students on campus, San Diego State University can seem hectic and overwhelming sometimes. With exams, class, and responsibilities it is normal to feel stressed. Sometimes, we just need to take a break and relax.

1. Scripps Cottage and Pond

That grassy field by Hepner Hall has a peaceful koi and turtle pond at the bottom. People tend to study, nap, or meditate here. Just sit and watch the fish swim by, or watch the turtles sunbathe. Maybe instead of eating your lunch at East or West Commons, eat it on the grass and enjoy the scenery.

2. Center of Well Being

The Center of Well Being is in Counseling and Psychological Services on the 4th floor of Calpuli. It’s a peaceful place to relax with a positive vibe. There is a chalk wall filled with inspirational, motivational, and positive messages. There is also an egg chair in there and a massage chair.

3. Media Center

The Media Center is located in the basement of Love Library. Here you can check out movies and watch them as well. It is one of the less busy floors of the library where you can just go to relax or find a soothing place to study.

4. Commuter Resource Center

The Commuter Resource center is on the 2nd floor of the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union inside Student Life and Leadership. This is a perfect spot for commuter students. There are resources available in this room and is a great room to just hang out and eat lunch in the nice air conditioning. Sometimes there are helpful workshops in here or free food!

5. Outside Storm Hall West

Nice, peaceful view of the city and the beautiful new building, Storm Hall! This is a relaxing place to just reflect, eat lunch, or listen to music. It is more on the outskirts of campus so it isn’t as busy as other spots on campus.

Every year it is becoming more and more common for students to move away from home to attend a college or 4-year university. This can make it very difficult for some students to adapt and many may develop some level of homesickness.

The following are a couple of tips to get you out of that funky mood from being homesick and to help you, as a student, adjust to a new environment:

1.  Explore the city.

Every city has their hidden spots. From beautiful scenery to a local eatery; don’t be afraid to be adventurous and experience new things for the first time. Getting to know the new city you live in helps to make you feel more comfortable.  

2. Get involved on campus.

Look at different student organizations or departments on your campus to get involved with. You will build a sense of community and you will create a great support system. You never know, you might find your life-long friend.

3. Attend school-related events.

Every university has things going on. Check out what your school is up to! Whether they are having welcome week events or departments/ student organizations are hosting event, make sure to check them out and support.

4. Make connections to peers in class.

Say hello to people in your class. That is the best way to start making friends. You never know when you might need a study partner. Sometimes those friends end up being your friends all throughout college and that might not be the only class you take together. When class is kicking your butt, it’s nice to have someone there to support you.

5. Extra-curricular activities.

Whether it’s joining an intramural sports team, getting involved in outside volunteer or engaging in hobbies, never stop doing things that you love doing. This will keep you distracted and happy. Your life doesn’t have to change when you move away. Remember that you can always keep doing things you love doing.

6. Keep in touch with family and friends back home.

You will definitely miss them, but you will be surprised how much technology helps to make the distance seem shorter. Make sure to keep them in the loop of what you are doing.

What we do and how we feel in the morning sets the pace for how we go about the rest of our day. The phrase “waking up on the wrong side of the bed” speaks to the phenomenon of having a bad day because it started off poorly. These “bad days” can really get in the way of productivity, as well as make us less pleasant to be around, and reduce our own personal level of life satisfaction. Luckily, there are little tricks we can apply to our morning routine which can help us start our days off on the right foot.

1. Use an alarm that isn’t your smartphone

There are a number of benefits associated with using a standard alarm clock to wake you in the morning instead of your smartphone. Relying on a standard alarm clock allows you to store your phone overnight away from your bed, or even out of your bedroom. This habit ensures your phone isn’t the last thing you look at night or the first thing you see in the morning. Staring at a bright screen before bedtime inhibits your body’s ability to prepare for sleep, and starting your day scrolling through Facebook and checking emails only gets your mind racing instead of easing into the morning.

2. Drink a glass of water

In can be our social instinct, especially as students, to begin the day with coffee in search of a boost of energy. However, after waking from a slumber our bodies are in need of hydration, and coffee is actually a diuretic. So, before brewing your morning roast or stopping in Starbucks, try to drink 1 to 2 cups of H2O. Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning has also been shown to increase morning metabolism rates and decrease over-eating throughout the day.

3. Perform some light stretching

It’s quite common to wake up from sleep feeling stiff and sore, as well as groggy. When our muscles and minds are tired in this way we often are reluctant to get moving, and it can take a while for us to finally feel alert. Incorporating stretching into your morning routine will aid this unpleasant sensation, as stretching fosters blood circulation, mitigates muscle tension, and arouses your senses.

4. Include a meditation practice

If you feel like you need to work on getting focused and preparing your mindset in the morning, try to incorporate a session of meditation. A meditation practice in the morning has been shown to increase awareness, cultivate focus, prevent stress and anxiety, and set a tone of positivity. This specific habit will help frame a productive, pleasant and mindful perspective for the rest your day. Check out this article for some tips in meditating as a beginner: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/living-the-questions/201408/8-easy-meditation-tips-beginners

5. Make a “Gratitude List”

 It is easy to wake up and immediately feel overwhelmed with everything on your agenda for the day ahead of you. Before you start stressing about your busy schedule and to-do list, make sure to take time to appreciate the things in your life you are grateful for, whether it be a partner, a puppy, or just simply the sunshine. Expressing gratitude lifts your mood, and can reduce feelings of envy, frustration, and overall dissatisfaction. You can also acknowledge what you are most excited about or looking forward to in the day. Feel free to personalize this technique in a manner that works best for you, such as writing, speaking aloud, or sitting silent in thought.