February Newsletter
Happy Valentine's Day!
Message from the Program Coordinator
Best of luck on all your midterms and papers! Remember, if you are struggling, there are lots of resources to help you, like our STEPS program and the Writing Support Desk. Everyone has a free membership, and if you attend 3 STEPS workshops or more, you will receive a $25 gift card to the mall!
Have a wonderful month,
Sydney
Connecting4Success Program Coordinator
Message from the Program Assistant
I wish everyone good luck on their upcoming midterms, and I hope you have a fun and relaxing Reading Week!
All of your reports are amazing so far, so keep up the good work!
Dont forget to keep tweeting and posting pictures to Instagram with the hashtags #connecting4success #c4suwindsor!!
Twitter: @C4Suwindsor
Instagram: @connecting4success
If you have any questions at all, dont hesitate to e-mail me (mirandad@uwindsor.ca).
Have a great day,
Miranda Dupuis
Mentee of the Month - Neeli Kella
For all her hard work, Neeli has received a $25 Devonshire Mall Gift Card! Way to go, Neeli!
Mentor of the Month - Nicole Davis
For all her hard work, Nicole has received a $25 Devonshire Mall Gift Card. Keep up the great work, NIcole!
Happy Birthday!
February 3 - Aline Nguyen, Fatime Hamade
February 7 - Sufyan Akram
February 9 - Manjet Singh
February 11 - Jordynn Amerlinck
February 13 - Alex Parro, Rebecca Pillon
February 16 - Ahmed Mutaza, Ahmad Kashash
February 17 - Okeem Lennon
February 23 - Melissa Evenden, Chelsey Malott
February 24 - Miranda Dupuis, Emma DeRoy
February 25 - Shahzeb Akram, Samer Jassar
February 27 - Torri Trojand
Upcoming Events!
Preparing for Midterms Workshop
This workshop will be different from the STEPS workshop. This workshop will cover different ways to study during your exams. If you plan on attending, please bring any study material with you so we can determine the best way to create a study guide for you. Everyone who attend the workshop will receive a study pack that consists of a notebook, a pack of highlighters, post-its, a pen, hot chocolate, a fruit snack, and a UWindsor mug. Hope to see everyone there!
Refreshments will be provided!February 22 and 23rd (Monday and Tuesday)
Time: 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Location: Dillon Hall, room 267
Monday, Feb 22, 2016, 04:00 PM
Dillon Hall, Windsor, ON, Canada
Writing Bootcamp
Friday, Mar 4, 2016, 12:00 PM
Leddy Library West, Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON, Canada
End of the Year Celebration
We will be celebrating all the accomplishments that our C4S members have experienced this year! All mentors and mentees are invited and encouraged to attend for a dinner, a photo booth, and awards ceremony.
Saturday, Mar 19, 2016, 05:00 PM
Ambassador Auditorium
What to do with your friends on Valentine's Day?
2. Have a foodie night - Go out to dinner at a fancy restaurant with other friends. Treat yourself to some place really special, and get a delicious dessert – you don't have to share it!
3. Stay in - make it a night in to avoid seeing all the couples packing the restaurants. Rent a few movies, pop a big bowl of popcorn, and remind yourself that you get the couch all to yourself!
4. Get cooking - Plan a big dinner for single friends, and spend the day shopping and cooking. Sometimes, all that chopping and sautéing can be totally therapeutic.
5. Share the love - Express your love for the important people in your life. Take time out on Valentine's Day to write a heartfelt note to your parents and grandparents. These are the people that truly love you unconditionally, and they'd be so happy to hear from you.
6. Do a favor - Think of someone in your social circle that's having a hard time – maybe they've recently lost their job, home, or someone close to them – and then think of a surprise to make them smile. Making their day will make yours, too!
7. Treat yourself - Since Valentine's Day is all about love, spend the day loving yourself. It makes perfect sense. Play hooky from work (or just leave an hour early) and do whatever you want, be it pampering yourself with a lavish mani-pedi or staying home, ordering take out and binge-watching every movie your celeb crush has ever made. Or binge-watch a full season of your favorite TV show on Netflix. After all, you have no one to please but your own self.
8. Have a party - If gift-giving won't go over with your group, invite your friends over to celebrate being fabulous.
How to de-stress during midterms!
Animal therapy
Studies have shown that spending time with animals can significantly reduce stress levels and will generally make you happier. Visit a friend with a dog or take a trip to the local animal shelter and just pet every cute animal you see -- just make sure to take a lint roller with you.
Back massages
If you have tight and sore muscles, that could be contributing to elevated stress levels. Find a friend (or splurge and go to a masseuse) to help you loosen those tight muscles and release all of the extra tension in your body.
Exercise
Sometimes it's easier to just sweat out all of the stress and pent up emotion from your system. Exercising is a great way to get your body and your mind in better shape -- humans don't feel balanced when we aren't active. Whether you exercise regularly or haven't been to the gym in months, there are various ways to get a good workout. Go on a walk or run, play a game of soccer or basketball with some friends, or even try yoga.
Drink tea
Drinking tea is a great method of relaxation. Brewing your favorite blend and feeling the warmth spread throughout your body as you sip it is very satisfying. Chamomile, mint, and lemon balm are just a few popular blends that are known for their relaxing effects. Take a chill pill, and drink some tea.
Read a book
Sometimes, you need to stop doing whatever is stressing you out for a while and do something else instead. Pick up a book you've been meaning to read (do not pick up a textbook! Don't do it!) for a while and haven't gotten around to, and enjoy a few chapters. Your notes will still be there in a few hours, but your peace of mind will definitely thank you for taking a break.
lean Your space
Cluttered spaces can actually increase stress levels and make it difficult to focus. If you've got a messy desk, maybe take a minute to put things in order. You'll feel accomplished and productive with the added bonus of having more room to study!
Get organized
After cleaning the physical clutter, it's nice to organize cluttered thoughts, too. Instead of wasting mental energy worrying about all of the things you have to do, put everything down in a list. Get the nagging worry out of your head and onto paper -- it will free your brain to focus on one task at a time, and will make it less likely that you forget something.
Take a bath
A hot bath is a great way to clear your mind and relax. A hot soak can release tense muscles and increase circulation, and it's nice to splash around in the water every now and then. Add a bath bomb in your favorite scent and play in the bubbles, too.
"Treat yo self!"
If you are hardcore stressing out about exams, take a breather and go do something you enjoy. Spend some money on yourself, because you have earned it! Buy that ice cream cone or those three books you've been wanting at Barnes and Noble. This method only works if you have saved up money for such occasions, so buyers beware!
Do chores
Do something that is a bit mindless. Maybe something that doesn't require thinking and that will let you relax your brain. Cooking, laundry, washing the dishes -- anything you can do on autopilot that help you recuperate from constantly being "on."
Talk it out
Sometimes you just need to talk about whatever is bothering you, and then you can let it go. Call up your mom or dad, have a pow-wow with a friend, or write a letter you'll never send. Get those feelings out somehow, and you'll feel a lot better. Acknowledging your stress, processing it, and then releasing it is a healthy way of managing stress.
Music and dancing
Crank up your tunes and jam out. Listening to music can help you focus or it can take your mind off of things, depending on what you listen to. Having some lighthearted fun while you study can ease the pressure a bit.
Laugh it up
In between study breaks, watch something funny. Whether you like reruns of your favorite TV shows on Netflix, or if you go out to see sketch comedy shows, or if you just scroll through YouTube and watch videos of cats, sneaking in some time to laugh can greatly reduce stress and anxiety, and will make you feel happier in general.
Ground yourself
Have an honest conversation with yourself -- your academics are important, but they are not more important than your health. They are not more important than sleep, eating properly, or tending to your mental health. Take care of yourself first -- you can tackle any midterm so long as you stay on top of your game!
And sometimes it's okay to realize that not everything will go perfectly or how you planned. Don't worry about the things you cannot control. Do your very best, and everything will turn out alright.