Physical wellness includes recognizing and providing what your body needs for optimal health. This dimension includes physical activity, sleep, proper nutrition, and routine healthcare provider visits.

According to the American College Health Association National College Health Assessment (ACHA NCHA), CSC students get a good amount of exercise and use the facilities on and around campus to improve their physical health but 56% of students have some level of food insecurity.

Resources such as the NPAC, campus & community recreational trails, CSC Food Pantry, CSC Health Services, and Western Community Health Resources (WCHR) are available for students to use.

Emotional wellness involves the ability to express feelings, adjust to emotional challenges and cope with life's stressors. Emotional wellness focuses on self-care, self-respect, building healthy relationships, and understanding and navigating life’s ups and downs. Sometimes this means finding ways to manage stress levels and setting appropriate boundaries. Remember, it's okay to not be okay. Asking for help can be the most difficult part of your emotional wellness journey but you don't have to go it alone. 

Manage emotional wellness with the help of Licensed Student Counselors or explore activities related to improving one's emotional wellness including:

• Engage in physical activity to boost your mood
• Get quality sleep
• Spend time outdoors
• Practice yoga or mindfulness
• Listen to music or your favorite podcast
• Give someone a compliment
• Find time to do what makes you happy

Social wellness refers to our ability to interact successfully in our global community and to live up to the expectations and demands of our personal roles. This means learning good communication skills, developing intimacy with others, and creating a support network of friends and family members. Social wellness includes showing respect for others and yourself, contributing to your community and to the world to cultivate a sense of belonging.

Consider the following for improving your social wellness:

• Join a campus club or committee
• Attend athletic events
• Download the CSC Eagle Rewards app to stay informed of campus events
• Introduce yourself to classmates
• Attend group fitness classes or join an intramural team

Spiritual wellness involves exploring and developing a set of guiding beliefs, principles, or values that help give direction to one’s life. It encompasses commitment to your individual beliefs that provide a sense of meaning and purpose. It is willingness to seek meaning and purpose in human existence, to question everything and to appreciate the things which cannot be readily explained or understood.

Engage in spiritual practices that are meaningful to you. This can include:

• Finding a place of worship
• Meditation
• Yoga
• Spending time alone
• Journaling
• Connecting with nature
• Taking a values questionnaire to identify what drives you
• Creative activities

Financial wellness is how well you understand and can manage your finances. This can include budgeting, saving, and managing your income. Finances are often a major concern for college students and can be a huge source of stress if there is not enough to support your needs.

Here are ideas to help you find and practice financial wellness:

• Visit the START Office to learn and ensure you understand your financial aid
• Educate yourself on money management and create a personal budget
• Make realistic financial goals
• Open a savings account and contribute to it when you can
• Pay your bills on time to help build or maintain your credit

Intellectual wellness encourages us to complete stimulating, creative mental tasks. We can exercise our minds by understanding how to learn in the classroom, engaging in conversations to challenge our viewpoint, and trying new hobbies to build knowledge and experiences. Remaining curious and exploring new ideas can foster intellectual wellness. College is a great time to explore your interests.

To improve your intellectual wellness, you can:

• Explore new classes or majors
• Join a club that aligns with your interests
• Attend an art show in Memorial Hall
• Check out a book from the Reta E. King Library
• Attend the CSC Social Work Conference or other conferences or workshops on campus
• Visit the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center

Occupational wellness the ability to achieve a balance between work and leisure time in a way that is satisfying and financially rewarding. Occupational wellness also includes one’s ability to thrive in a work environment, work independently and with others, and feel inspired or challenged by your career choice. If college is your full-time job right now, that's OK! You can still build your occupational wellness by:

• Finding the right major for your career aspirations
• Talking with your faculty advisor about future plans and how you can get there
• Volunteering or stepping into leadership roles to add to your resume
• Exploring internship opportunities in your chosen field of study
• Attending your classes regularly and submitting assignments on-time

Environmental wellness includes occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support well-being. This can include interacting in pleasant places and spaces, understanding your relationship and impact on nature and the earth, and creating a personal environment that is safe and enjoyable. You can support your environmental wellness by:

• Recycling when available
• Using refillable water bottles
• Spending time outdoors
• Creating a supportive and comfortable environment you can feel safe in
• Walking rather than driving when you can
• Keeping your living space clean and organized