Everywhere you look, it seems people are searching for health.
We are bombarded with commercials pushing everything from tummy tucks to healthy food to a membership at the local gym. When most people think of health, they typically think of physical health. However, health isn’t just about exercise or nutrition. Health is a state of overall well-being – soundness of body and mind.
The key to living a healthy life is to practice balance, not just in one area of life but in all.
K-State Healthy Decisions is a new initiative on campus designed to help students with their overall health. Its focus is to help students succeed in college by giving them the resources they need to maintain a healthy balance in their lives.
Sarah Tedford, employee of K-State HD, describes the program as a “one-stop shop” for health. She said K-State HD plans to have a student-speaker series in the K-State Student Union, as well as other programs on campus to get the word out.
K-State HD has resources for students regarding their finances, relationships, sleep, study, fitness, nutrition, time management, academics, career decisions, alcohol, safety and any other aspect of life students might need help with.
HD also has useful pamphlets for those needing a little extra information. For students requiring more in-depth intervention, the program might refer students to Counseling Services, Lafene Health Center, Career and Employment Services and many other helpful resources.
“We are trying to collaborate with a number of faculty and staff to get the word out,” Tedford said. “Our goal is to see friends helping friends succeed at K-State.”
With so many areas of life to focus on, it is easy to give all of our attention to only one or two. Yet next time you feel your time and energy being dominated by just your social life or academics, just remember that life is a balancing act. When one area suffers, chances are the balance will be thrown off and others will suffer too.
However, the resources at K-State can help you be a successful, balanced and healthy student.
Sarah Hurd is a senior in kinesiology. She teaches aerobics classes at the LIFE Fitness Center at noon on Fridays. Please send comments to edge@spub.ksu.edu.