Health-N-You

You are here, now what?

You made it!  You have unpacked, set up your room, had some fun and you are gearing up for the first semester of classes.  The move from high school to college is an exciting one. It means freedom, independence and choice.  But there is one important challenge- high school and college are different!  Understanding and acknowledging the differences is the key to success.

The high school schedule provides a structure.  You attend classes five days a week, seven hours a day with extra-curricular activities and homework to round out the evening. Your high school teachers would remind you of upcoming assignments and correct your homework.

College life provides little structure. College classes meet only a few times a week, sometimes with hours in between each class. You will be doing most of your studying outside of class time (2-3 hours of studying for each hour in class) with lectures and other class work as a guide.  A substantial amount of reading and writing will be assigned and may not be reviewed in class.  Tests and exams are scheduled far less frequently than in high school.  It would not be unusual to have only 2 or 3 tests for the semester in a class in college.  It is also possible to have two classes schedule tests for the same day. 

So, what can you do?  Believe it or not, you have an amazing amount of control over this situation.

1. Attend class.
2. Read the class syllabus! College professors feel that their expectations of you are clearly outlined in the class syllabus.
3. Review class notes and textbook material on a regular basis.
4. Get an organizational system in place, whether it is a week-at-a-glance planner or electronic calendar.
5. Contact the professor or visit during office hours if you start having difficulty in class. College professors can be very helpful, but they will expect that you initiate any contact.
6. Never be afraid to ask for help.

As a member of the Northeastern community, expect to be challenged, and expect to grow and succeed. It is the choices and decisions which YOU make that will determine the success of your university experience.

post by Mary Barrows, Director of the Learning Disabilities Program

Preparing for the Weekend Storm

Any time of the year, storms in New England are unpredictable, so it’s best to be prepared. We may lose power or we may not.  Here are some things to add to your checklist-

The basics we all hear about a lot:

• Batteries and flashlight
• Water and food for at least 3 days
• Safety first when using candles

And a couple of other tips with regard to health and safety:

• Be sure you have enough medication to last a week or two
• Check the University’s website for updates regarding safety

Stay healthy and safe this weekend!

Access to Care on Weekends and Holidays

Getting sick on a weekend can interrupt plans and not be fun.  But not everyone gets sick Monday through Friday. We want to make sure that you know that UHCS is open on Saturdays and most holidays during the academic year. We are excited to announce that starting this Saturday, March 19^th, UHCS will now be open 12-4pm on Saturdays instead of 10-2pm. This change is based on input from students who expressed a clear preference for access to UHCS in the afternoon as opposed to the morning.

When the health center is closed, students with health questions or medical concerns can call New England Baptist Hospital at (617) 754-5544 to speak with a nurse. Students in need of urgent care on campus can contact our Northeastern police officers who are trained as emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and are able to respond immediately and in a medically competent manner, to any crisis on campus, more quickly than local emergency services.

Students are also fortunate, due to our location in the heart of Boston, to have access to some of the highest quality and most readily available emergency, inpatient and community-based care in the nation.

UHCS provides 24-hour consultation to the University and local hospitals on urgent student matters.  We coordinate directly with the Northeastern University Police Department and the Office of Student Affairs on a 24-hour daily basis for consultation on matters of student and community safety.

We hope the new Saturday hours and explanation of care on weekends and holidays helps students to get the care they need when they need it.

Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan: Supports available for students

The effect of the Pacific earthquake and tsunami on Japan and its citizens is heartbreaking. The aftermath has also affected parts of the west coast and Hawaii.  We at UHCS offer our sympathy and support for students who have loved ones or friends in these areas. We know that anyone who experiences a disaster is affected by it, whether directly or indirectly.

For many students whose loved ones are in or near these affected areas, confirmation of well-being may not be immediately available.  Although we turn to our friends and local supports, some of us may be in an agonizing time of waiting, or may have already heard painful news.  

Anxiety, worry and grief are normal responses to an abnormally stressful situation.  Although we realize that we each have our own ways of dealing with stress, we encourage any student in need of support at this time to call or come to UHCS.  We have staff available to talk and help strategize the best coping plans for an extremely difficult time. Click here for self help information on stress.

Updated information is available through the Red Cross.

Please stop in to UHCS at 135 Forsyth Building or call 617-373-2772.