Aaron Simmons

simmonsaa@mnstate.edu

It is increasingly evident that as the school year progresses, mental and overall student health continually dwindles. Shanti Behrens and Marsha Wichmann, the two new mental health counselors at Hendrix Health Center, have provided a few tips to help college students achieve a healthy status.

• A consistent sleep routine
  • “I would definitely recommend getting on a sleep routine, which I know is hard for college students. The more of a sleep routine and a sleep schedule you can be on, even if it is ‘I’m going to bed at two in the morning, but I’m getting up at 10 a.m. I’m getting up at the same time and going to sleep at the same time every day. As long as it’s some kind of schedule, it doesn’t have to be ideal.” (Behrens)

• Keeping your thirst quenched
  • “Making sure that you’re hydrating and drinking a lot of water is important.” (Behrens)

• Be mindful of misconceptions
  • “There’s a huge misconception that 99 to 100 percent of people on a college campus are drinking, and I really think that number is significantly lower.” (Wichmann)

• Staying active
  • “I always recommend for students, if they haven’t exercised or engaged in physical activity, to try that. We have a beautiful wellness center here. I had a tour of it the other day. It’s amazing. You pay for it in your student fees, so take advantage of that. Sometimes just getting up and moving around is important.” (Behrens)

• Mindfulness and meditation
  • “We talk a lot about self-care in our field, and I think for any program that students are in, you need to take care of yourself, and you need to be doing some of that self-care. So, what are you doing to take care of yourself that’s just for you?” (Behrens)

If you need to talk with Behrens, Wichmann or any other of the health professionals at the Hendrix Health Center, call the main line to set up an appointment at 218-477-5875.