By Stephen Lemerand; Edited by Abby Cloud
The biggest challenge to staying healthy on campus is that any assistance or guidance your student previously received from family are now restricted to online communication or the times you get to visit. Other than that, your student is on their own, making their own decisions. This can be a great thing. In fact, if your student puts effort into staying healthy, studies show that the habits people adopt during adolescence and/or young adulthood typically predict their health habits later in life. That being said, there are numerous resources available for your student to stay healthy on campus, various faculty and staff members for your student to get help from, and many spaces on campus for your student to utilize.
First of all, the Center for Health Advocacy & Wellness (CHAW) is an outstanding resource your student can use that is located in the center of campus, on the fourth floor of the Health and Wellness Center (HWC). CHAW offers a variety of services. Your student can make an appointment with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Nutrition Coaches to receive services and assistance to optimize your student’s nutrition habits to support their overall wellness. Nutrition staff at CHAW embrace a wellness versus weight philosophy to ensure your student’s wellness and health are at the forefront of the focus. CHAW also provides sexual health consultations, testing, pregnancy consultations, and safe sex supplies to ensure your student is informed and prepared if they choose to engage in sexual behavior. In addition, CHAW provides consultations for your student to discuss sex, sexuality, and/or gender issues. In regard to alcohol and drug use, CHAW provides SMART CHOICES programs that provide students with confidential and comprehensive risk reduction. CHAW can also help your student through Tobacco Cessation if they are looking to quit tobacco usage. CHAW also provides individualized educational wellness coaching that can aid your student in improving their overall well-being and academic performance. If your student prefers a group setting, they can attend one of the various, free presentations that CHAW provides.
The other main resource that can aid in helping your student stay healthy on campus is Campus Recreation. Campus Rec follows a “Find What Moves You” mantra. They understand that each student’s fitness level, fitness preferences, and fitness goals are different, and thus, they aim to provide each student with an opportunity to find something that they will enjoy. With two on-campus fitness facilities, the FSU Reservation 15 minutes away, countless intramural and club sports teams, various group classes, personal training, a Rec SportsPlex facility 15 minutes away, and main campus recreation fields, Campus Rec does an outstanding job ensuring your student can find a way to stay active while at Florida State that they feel comfortable doing and will enjoy!
On the 2nd floor of the Askew Student Life Center, the University Counseling Center (UCC) is available for any students that are looking for help with mental health or other personal issues. Students can receive individual, group, or couples counseling. The UCC also offers alcohol and drug services, crisis intervention, eating disorder treatment, and referrals in other departments or services on campus and/or in the community. The UCC also shares some relaxation and wellness tips through their website for students to use, such as helpful smart phone apps and informative reading materials categorized by topic, but it is noted that the resources are not intended as a substitute for assistance by a qualified mental health professional.