Photo Credits: Verywell / Josh Seong

Not too long ago I was privileged to meet with a Dartmouth student who truly seemed to be flourishing.  Despite having a full schedule of classes, friends, and participating in clubs, she never seemed to be at the point of overwhelm.  I asked her how she was doing it all, and she said that she just was very clear on her priorities.  Number one was her wellbeing,  number 2 was family and friends, and number 3 was academics.  Don’t get me wrong, academics and grades are very important to this person, but without the foundation of her wellbeing and social network, everything else suffered so it made complete sense to have them be ranked first in her mind.  It appears that when she was able to recognize and care for her own needs, she was much more able to focus and be engaged with her classes and what she was learning.   And that goes hand-in-hand with the aspects, “engaged learning” being one of them, that have been found to be linked with thriving at college.   

Being an “Engaged Learner” means that  you are meaningfully processing what happens in class, are energized by what you are learning, and that you continue reflecting on and integrating what you are learning outside of the classroom. To give this aspect of thriving at college a boost, try out the following tips to help you bring more intention in and out of the classroom: 

1. “Brain dump” – You might try to freely write anything that is lingering in your mind and heart before heading to class or starting a project or assignment.  When you do this, write with abandonment!  Let go of perfect prose and correct spelling/punctuation and remind yourself that this writing will not be graded and is just for you. You might find that it frees up quite a bit of mental space and energy so you can focus more. 
   

2. Unplug + Recharge – If you find yourself mindlessly going to your phone, getting lost on Netflix/in a video game, or daydreaming, when you really want to be focused in class or on an assignment, you might try:
   1. Turning off devices you don’t need 
   2. Setting specific times for work and specific times for breaks (and giving yourself permission to actually take a break!)
   3. Getting enough rest* to help support concentration! (It really works.) 
      
      *Can’t seem to find more time to sleep?  Check out our in person Guided Relaxations on Wednesdays at 4:30 PM or our recorded Yoga Nidra for a sleep-like guided meditation that will leave you feeling rejuvenated and ready to go. 
      

3.  Take notes – and not just of what you are learning! Note, without judgment, when you are lost in thoughts or worries*.  Try to let the thoughts go, and then intentionally and kindly refocus on the lecture or project you need to be present for.  You might have to do this over and over again.  But remember – each time you do this, you are strengthening your mindfulness muscle and in time you might notice longer spans of focused awareness. 
   
   *The mere act of noticing when we are lost in thoughts is easier said than done.  We can spiral down a rabbit hole of “stinkin thinkin” before we even know it!  To counter this, regularly practice our 6-minute Mental Noting practice and gain more agency of where you place your mind. 
   
   
4. Staying Connected – Asking for help is hard.  But sometimes extra support is just what we need to stay engaged.  Connect with your professor during office hours, join a study group, reach out to the Academic Skills Center for learning support, or schedule a wellness check-in to explore alternative ways to feel more engaged.
   
   

Here is to a more focused you!
LB

The limited periods of light and cold temperatures of a New England winter can be rough for many folks. Whether we are new to the region or have grown up in frigid temperatures, navigating seasonal transitions can be a challenge for us all.  However, thriving through a dark, cold winter is possible! Tending to, and even perhaps growing and diversifying, your garden of friends can be one way to bring some coziness, diverse companionship and camaraderie this winter term and beyond.

3 Tips to Growing a Winter Garden of Friendship

1. Stay Open Minded
2. Discover a Mentor/Guide
3. Choose your Own College Adventure

Strategy #1 Stay Open Minded

Attend an event you never thought you would! For me this meant attending a student panel discussion on the experiences of Student Veterans at Dartmouth. I walked in unsure of whether I should be there, and I walked out with knowledge and insight I do not believe I would have had otherwise. In these 45 minutes, the way I once saw things, were forever changed (in a positive and compassionate way).

Tips:

1. Show up to a cultural event to support a friend or because you think it sounds interesting. Check out the Hop events calendar for fun options!
   

2. Practice Beginners Mind – experience everything and everyone as though it’s for the first time – even if it’s something or someone you are super familiar with.
   
3. See what your residence hall/House Community is up to (those newsletters are chalk full of opportunities!). Introduce yourselves to new folks and get to know them better.
   

Strategy #2 Find a Mentor/Guide

Did you know having a mentor/guide is directly related to student success and wellbeing? Studies have shown that students who have even one faculty/staff member that they connect with over the course of their academic careers are more likely to feel a sense of belonging and security while at college. And like most relationships, these too take work.

Tips:

1. Narrow down and acknowledge what is meaningful to you. Do you value creativity, social justice causes, your mental health or maybe it’s growing into a professional in a certain career?
   
   
2. Identify someone at Dartmouth – faculty or staff – that may be able to connect with you on it and/or someone you look up to and have deep respect for.
   

3. Send them an email telling them a bit about who you are, why you’re emailing them, and why you’d like to meet. Ask if they want to go for a walk and talk, meet for coffee, or take advantage of Dartmouth’s Take a Faculty Member to Breakfast or Lunch program. It could be the start of more on-going discussions and opportunities for connection.
   

Strategy #3 – Choose your own College Adventure

It is helpful to ask yourself what you want your college experience to look like, and what success at Dartmouth might look like for you. It is important to remember that everyone’s journey and goals are different, and that there is no one size fits all in college or in life. As we explore and create our adventure, we may just find some new companions along the way!

Tips:  

1. When trying to figure out what success at college looks like for you, it may be helpful to consider the different aspects of college life: academic, personal, social, religious/spiritual and what they mean to you.
   
   
2. Come up with a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timebound) goal you can create for each of these aspects that would allow you to feel like you have experienced college in the way that matters most to you, and with the folks that you feel most connected with.
   
   
3. Remember: you are growing at college, and so these SMART goals can change with you, just as relationships can shift and transform as well. Don’t be disappointed if you may not achieve all your SMART goals – that could be a cue that it’s time for a review and adjustment. It’s all part of the self-learning process! 
   

We hope these tips have been helpful to you. And if you’re ever unsure of where to start or how to start, come chat with folks at the Student Wellness Center. Schedule a Wellness Check In or come visit us at our new space in Berry library. Afterall, wellness isn’t something that just happens, it requires effort, and sometimes, help from others. And that’s why we’re here – so you don’t have to navigate Dartmouth alone.

Sincerely,
Mishka Murad, PhD
Power and Equity Specialist | Sexual Violence Prevention Program
Pronouns: she, her, hers

MLK Jr and A Meditation Master – A Lesson in Diverse Citizenship

As we continue exploring our theme of Intentionally Thriving, we would be amiss if we didn’t spend some time on relationships –  as they often are the bedrock of how we experience our lives. 

Instead of focusing on the benefits of positive social relationships (friends, partners, family) we’re instead going to hone in on the value and importance of having a diverse and deep range of folks that you not only connect with, but whose welfare you deeply care about as well.  

In other words, the wellbeing and thriving factor of Diverse Citizenship. 

Diverse Citizenship is the desire to make a difference in the community around you, as well as have openness to differences in others.  And this is one of the key factors associated with thriving that we can bring change and intention to –  if we want to. 

What better way to illustrate this than Martin Luther King Jr himself and his relationship with meditation teacher and master, Thich Nhat Hanh.  Although short in nature, the unlikely bond between these two leaders – one a Vietnamese monk, the other an African-American minister and activist, was built on the shared vision of peace for all, acceptance and openness of one another, and belief that change could be made – but only as a community.   

Thich Naht Hanh described one meeting with MLK JR as:

“We were able to continue our discussion on peace, freedom, and community… And we agreed that without a community, we cannot go very far. Without a happy, harmonious community, we will not be able to realize our dream.”

It is with these words that we hope to continue the work and vision of these two exemplary, peaceful humans through our own intentional actions.  And by doing so, see how greater Diverse Citizenship can help cultivate a sense of thriving for all. 

And here’s how to start today!

1. Truly value differences in others – bring a sense of genuine curiosity and openness when it comes to meeting new people – particularly those whom you may write off at first or that you deem different than you.  See what you can learn and be surprised (perhaps even inspired) by.  And be sure to regularly check in with any biases that may get in your way.
   
   
2. Connect and relate to others from diverse backgrounds – go out of your way to create experiences with folks from a variety of backgrounds.  Sit with different people at lunch or meet someone new for dinner.  Attend an event that you might not typically go to.  The key is to shake up your routine and expose yourself to a wide range of people, classes, events, and learning that can broaden your perspective of the world.
   
   
3. Believe you can make a contribution in the world, and go do it  – we often think that any action that we do individually won’t make a real difference in a big way.  But if we all contribute in the small ways that we can each day – be it through random acts of kindness, recycling, or standing up to injustice – with time and communal effort, change can and will happen – and we might even be surprised at the impact that individual actions can provide to folks. 

If two people, from two different countries, speaking two different languages, fighting for peace in two separate wars, can come together and learn and be inspired by one another, we too, can make the decision everyday to reach out to others who we view as different, to be open and curious, and see where you might be able to make a difference – and do it together. 

Deep gratitude and respect for Martin Luther King Jr and Thich Nhat Hanh for showing us the way. 

Sending strength, 

LB

Dear Dartmouth, 

Happy New Year and welcome to winter term!  We hope that you were able to find some rest and respite over the past few weeks of winterim. 

As we enter into a season that is often associated with a sense of dormancy, darker days, and cold temps it can be quite normal for some folks to experience trepidation about the coming term.  How will I get by with less sunlight?  What will it be like to trudge to class with all that snow?  Will I be able to stay engaged when my energy slumps?  

Others of us may be super psyched about all the opportunities a New England winter offers.  All that beautiful, glistening snow! Skiing! Ice Skating! Sledding!  Cocoa! 

Wherever you are on the winter-opinion spectrum, what we all hold in common is the real potential and capacity to flourish and thrive even in the throes of uncertainty and challenge. By taking time to bring intention and action to the factors associated with thriving at college, we not only support our academic success, we can also experience a deep sense of belonging, connection, and mental wellbeing. 

“How” you might ask?  Welp, what is inspiring and encouraging to realize is that the areas that are connected to thriving college students –  (1) engaged learning, (2) academic deter-mination, (3) positive perspective, (4) diverse citizenship, and (5) social connectedness – are all factors that represent an “…element of academic, intrapersonal, or interpersonal thriving that has been empirically demonstrated to be amenable to change within students, rather than a fixed personality trait over which we have little control.”

In other words –  research has shown that you have the power to actually create and strengthen these qualities in your life.  They are changeable and not some out-of-reach, unrealistic thing we can never acquire!  But that change doesn’t just happen.  To see these elements come more alive in your life, it requires self-awareness, motivation, belief, and most of all – deep intention.  

That’s why all term, we’ll pay special attention in creating specific intentions around the aforementioned factors in order to build the foundation needed for the concept of thriving and flourishing to be felt more fully and authentically in each of our lives. 

And there’s no better time to start this process than NOW!  Before setting intentions, it can be really helpful to notice where you already are on the “thriving spectrum”.  So to begin: 

• Notice how each of the following have recently been showing up in your life:
  
  
  • Engaged Learning – you are meaningfully processing what happens in class, energized by what you are learning, and continuing to think about it outside of class.
    
  • Academic Determination – you have academic goals you are working towards and are able to wisely invest effort, time, and learning in the direction of those goals.
    
  • Positive Perspective – you remain realistically optimistic and view setbacks and challenges as areas to learn and grow.  You notice the positive in yourself, others, and the environment.
    
  • Social Connection – you are in healthy relationships, on or off campus.
    
  • Diverse Citizenship– you desire to make a difference in the community around you, as well as have openness to differences in others.
    
    
• Now, without any judgment, observe what factors you already feel quite strong and steady in, and which ones could use a bit of a boost. 
  
  
• From there, choose just one to focus on, and ask yourself “How do I want to see this come more alive in my life”? 
  
  
• See what comes up for you. And when a shape of an idea appears, consider what steps, even the smallest ones, that you can start taking that will lead you in the direction of those qualities you seek to have more of in your life.
  
  – that’s the very beginning of bringing intention and eventual change into your life.  Well done!
  

Stay tuned all winter term as we continue to explore this even more!