Welcome to the Unofficial Survival Guide to UC Davis! Put together by the 2011-2012 Stress and Wellness Ambassadors, this guide endeavors to help UCD students with general survival skills.
Relaxation Spaces & Skills
Relaxation Spaces
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CAPS Clinic’s Mind Spa: The Mind Spa includes a massage chair for relaxing tense muscles and a Biofeedback machine with guided assistance to help learn to relax through controlled breathing. The Mind Spa also includes relaxation videos and guided audio to help clear your mind and relax.
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The House’s Mind-Body Gym: The Mind-Body Gym includes a massage chair along with a meditation room for you to collect your thoughts or just focus on having a clear mind and be in touch with what’s going on inside. The Mind-Body Gym also includes a Biofeedback machine, 30 guided imagery and audio to help you discover relaxation and wellness. Also if stressful situations are keeping you from relaxing you can talk to a peer counselor who will act as (stress management allies).
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How do you relax anywhere?: By clicking
![[WWW]](http://wikispot.org/wiki/eggheadbeta/img/sycamore-www.png)
here, you can download MP3’s and take relaxation and mindfulness guided exercises where you want to relax. Some like to relax at home, in bed, or at the Arboretum. You do not have to only imagine a peaceful place if you can visit there yourself. Maybe try and take guided audio exercises with you when you visit that peaceful place to enhance your relaxing experience. Or you can take the guided exercise to help you relax when you feel you need it most like on the bus before an exam on campus.
For more information, click here.
For more information, click here.
Relaxation Skills
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) Technique: A technique of tensing up specific muscles and then relaxing them to help understand and detect when specific parts of your body are tense or relaxed.
Intro to the technique:
“Begin with your feet, press your heels into the ground as you tighten all the muscles in both feet. Hold for as tightly as possible for one... two... three... four... five... six... seven... eight... nine... ten... and release...Try to feel the difference between being tight and being relaxed...just let your feet relax.... Tighten your feet again for one... two... three... four... five... six... seven... eight... nine... ten... and then release... Feel your muscles relax as the blood rushes back into the muscles. Tighten your feet again for one... two... three... four... five... six... seven... eight... nine... ten... and release... feeling completely relaxed.”
For more information, click here.
Mindful Meditation: Mindful Meditation is effective at reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. To be mindful is to be fully engaged in the current moment and not overanalyze or think too much. It allows one to not be preoccupied with the future or the past but be in the present and focus on what is happening now in the body and in life.
Additional Resources: "Mindfulness Meditation with Deepak Chopra" "Mindfulness Guided Meditation with Deepak Chopra" Audio
Visualization Mediation for Stress Relief: This skill involves imagining peaceful scenery where you can feel the most at ease. Your setting can be anywhere you choose. When doing this meditation, you want to imagine what it looks like, how it feels, tastes, and smells. Try to invoke all your senses into that calm place.
Intro to the technique:
“Close your eyes and let your worries drift away. Imagine your restful place. Picture it as vividly as you can—everything you can see, hear, smell, and feel. Visualization works best if you incorporate as many sensory details as possible, using at least three of your senses. When visualizing, choose imagery that appeals to you; don’t select images because someone else suggests them, or because you think they should be appealing. Let your own images come up and work for you.”
Additional Reading: "Relaxation Techniques for Stress Relief"
Diaphragmatic Breathing: Learn to breathe correctly and deeply from your belly like you did when you were an infant. This method of breathing can expand your oxygen intake over time and allows for a more deep relaxing breath. It takes practice but in time diaphragmatic breathing will come naturally and help you relieve stress.
"Online Relaxation Exercises" Audio files
Quick Stress Relief Tips: Recognize how you handle stress and take steps to relieve stress by focusing in on your senses. The website offers videos and new ways to think about your feelings. This resource helps you become aware and understand your emotions. Also this site helps with many other emotional and physical challenges that can cause stress.
For more information: "Quick Stress Relief" Stress Relief video
Yoga: Life Skills through Yoga at UCDavis promotes mindfulness, body awareness and wellness. It is free and drop-in’s are welcome at the ARC. “Like” their page on Facebook to see the dates, times and topics of each session.
Free Audio Guided Meditation: The UCLA Semel Institute Mindful Awareness Research Center have an entire disk full of free meditation guided audio here.
Free Relaxation Skills Related Workshops Available On Campus: These relaxation related workshops are available every quarter. Click here to see the schedule for this quarter and join a group! Consultation with a psychologist may be needed to join some groups first.
ARC for Fitness and Wellness: The Arc has many classes every quarter. It is simple to sign up and they just might be what you need to relax. Classes to look forward are in the Instructional Mind Body Series where there is Mindful Yoga and more every quarter. Also the ARC in general is a perfect place to reduce stress by any form of exercise.
At Home Skills: Relax and have a little bit of alone time to watch your favorite show, listen to your favorite song anything that will put a smile on your face or ease your mind. Other possibilities are exercising, free writing, and finding the little happy moments that occur in life.
Preventative Skills: To avoid feeling stressed and overwhelmed buy a planner and organize what you need to do and what time is appropriate. Don’t take on too many things look at your planner before you say yes to events. Learn to take care of yourself by prioritizing your mental well being and physical health.
Coping with Midterms/Finals & Other Academic Success Tips
Be Aware to the Test Anxiety Signs
Identifying these physical signs will help you learn how to manage them.
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Physical: increased heart rate, sweaty palms, rapid or shallow breathing
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Emotional: fear, frustration, impulsiveness, irritability
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Cognitive: negative thoughts, mind is racing, mental block
Mentally Prepare for the Test
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Get Adequate Sleep: try to get 7 hours of sleep per night a week in advance (if not the night before)
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Stay Healthy: try to keep healthy eating and exercise habits (don’t try extreme diets or exercise regimes before an upcoming test)
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Perspective: respect brain fade and relieve some pressure by admitting to yourself “I will not know all the answers.”
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Confidence Building: positive self-talk, focus on strengths, visualize future and past successes, fake it, learn from mistakes rather than dwell on them
The Day of the Test
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Don't go to class too early (you’ll just get anxious waiting outside).
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Don’t quiz each other just before the exam.
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Allow yourself time to “warm-up.”
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Pay attention to the test, not yourself or others.
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If you notice you are not thinking well, relax yourself physically and take a couple of deep breaths.
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Don't hesitate to ask for clarification on the test.
Managing Moments of Panic
First, breathe and honor your emotional state. Try to lessen the impact through anchoring emotions, thought-stopping, positive self-talk, and refocusing.
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Visualization: Visualization or imagery can increase confidence, motivation, or comfort. Try to see your success or imagine that you’ve been there before. Maybe simply imagine how you want it to be. After a few minutes (or moments) of visualization, come back and feel refreshed and ready to start studying.
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Manage Your Energy: Psych yourself up or chill out to mentally prepare yourself
for the test. Learn how to get yourself “in the zone” by either pumping yourself up (listening to music, physical movement or activity, positive self-talk, energizing words, remembering goals, energizing visualization) or trying to chill out (progressive muscle relaxation, controlled breathing, stretching, visualization, biofeedback, smiling and laughing)
How to Attack Procrastination
First, break it down: Make a “To Do” list of different parts of the project or study guide and reward yourself each time you complete one of the tasks. Then, take quick bites. Set aside 10-15 minutes each day to devote to your project or studies. But make sure to do this at least a week in advance! Also, say “no” to people or things that may distract you. Say “no” to friends, tv, facebook, youtube, etc. It’ll still be there after you’re daily 15 minute devotion! When you think of it, do it; even if it’s a simple task such as responding to an email. Furthermore, if you find yourself wanting to put something off, do the exact opposite and attack it!
Top Ten Tips for Success at University
1. Location, Location, Location: Serious about getting work done? Find a good location. Use the libraries, study rooms, or empty classrooms. And if you can, try to create a study routine to maximize familiarity and therefore, information absorption!
2. Make It a Habit: Do Coursework Every Day
Cramming is not conducive to understanding and retaining large amounts of information. Time on your courses each day is the best way to learn. Study in short, frequent sessions and take guilt-free days of rest. Use the time between classes to stay on top of readings.
3. Help Exists! Seek It Out and Improve Your Grades
Whether you're an 'A' student or a 'D' student, you can strengthen your skills. Avoid the frustration enemy, and check out UCD’s Student Academic Success Center. Get to know your professors and tutorial assistants. Use study guides and help centers.
4. Write It Down: Use a day planner or wall calendar. Plan time for coursework. Plan ahead for assignments and exam periods. Try to make short “To Do” lists so you know how much work you have ahead of you.
5. Get Energized - Eat, Exercise, Sleep: Fatigue and stress weaken memory and comprehension. Eat properly, exercise regularly, and get adequate sleep (try for at least 7 or more hours). Also, help boost brain power by taking naps during the day. Leonardo DaVinci, Thomas Edison, and John F. Kennedy were famous nappers!
6. Perform Like a Pro: Get the Most Out of Class
Don't miss class, don’t get distracted, and arrive on time. Also try reading the syllabus before class so you know what the lecture will be about. While taking notes, listen for emphases and examples. Later during the day, try reviewing those highlights for maximum retention. Questions after the lecture? Go to your professor's or tutorial assistant's office hours. Learn as you go and you won't find yourself unprepared the night before an exam.
7. Lectures and Textbooks: What’s the BIG Picture?
University learning requires understanding how pieces of information fit together to form a “big picture.” Use course outlines, tables of content, and headings and subheadings to organize information.
8. Do Something to Remember Key Information: Be active! Generate examples, create mnemonics, make summary notes, identify key words, highlight textbooks, or add margin notes. Improve your memory by being creative and interested.
9. Think You'll Remember Key Points? Prove It: No matter how well you understand something, without practice forgetting will occur. Before a test, recall information without looking at notes or textbooks and by doing practice questions.
10. Be Test Smart: Don't lose marks because of test-writing errors. Use strategies to tackle different types of tests (e.g., multiple-choice). Read instructions, budget time to marks, and do less difficult questions first to build confidence.
Exercise For Stress Management
5 Benefits of Consistent Exercise
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Helps reduce stress hormones such as cortisol, and will release chemicals, called endorphins, leaving your body feeling great.
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Builds up resistance to stress and disease. The more you exercise, the less you are affected by stress, and the easier it will be for your body to fight any illnesses.
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Developing flow: When exercising, you develop something called flow. That is to say, your body and mind block out everything else in existence while you focus on your exercise. It is also called being “in the zone” and helps take your mind off your problems and channel that energy into exercising itself.
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Improves blood flow to your brain, which helps your cognitive processes (such a thinking intensely)
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Improves self-confidence, lowers symptoms of depression and anxiety, and can help your sleep cycles go more smoothly.
Easy Ways to Stay Active
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Go for a walk with family, friends, your dog or just yourself. There are plenty of trails in the greenbelt for Davis residents to take advantage of.
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Bump some of your favorite tunes and dance like crazy.
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Walk/Ride your bike to campus instead of driving or taking the bus. Save money and get healthy.
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Take advantage of the ARC’s amenities. Your tuition pays for your membership.
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Participate in IM sports. UC Davis offers a wide variety of games for anyone to be involved with.
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Do sets of sit-ups, pull-ups, planks and stretch activities at home.
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Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
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If the weather permits, use your local apartment complex’s pool. Swimming laps in a pool works out your body 4 times as much as running does.
Yoga For Stress Management
Yoga focuses on stretching your muscles and increases the range of motion in your joints. This allows your body to release pent up stress stored in the muscles from fatigue.
The ARC offers three different yoga classes: Fitness Yoga Basics, Stress Free Yoga, and Power Yoga Basics.
Other Yoga Resources:
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Kaya Yoga (D Street)
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Hatha Yoga (Lower Freeborn Hall)
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Bikram Yoga Davis (L Street)
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Barefoot Yoga Studio (E Street, Suite A)
Davis’ Top Exercise Resources
1. Activities and Recreation Center: Your tuition pays for your ARC membership. They offer a variety of activities (basketball, badminton, racquetball, soccer, volleyball, rock climbing) in addition to an indoor track, and weight room.
The ARC also offers classes including but not limited to: group exercise classes, personal training classes (exercising at home, exercising safely, enhancing performance, reaching goals effectively), dance classes (belly, ballet, hip hop, jazz, salsa), and martial arts classes (aikido, hapkido, judo). Refer to their ["arc.ucdavis.edu"; website] for more information.
2. Davis Greenbelt: There are over ten greenbelts carved into Davis’ landscape, 60 miles worth of green scenery and bike paths for residents’ enjoyment, located in north, south, east and west Davis.
3. Public Basketball Courts
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Outdoor: Central Park (3rd and C), across from Tercero South Dorms (called Dairy Basketball Courts), Slide Hill Park (1525 Tulip Lane), Playfields Park (2500 Research Park Drive)
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Indoor: ARC, Hickey Gym
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Apartment Complexes: Allegre Apartments, Tanglewood Apartments, and Arlington Farms
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Arboretum: 100 acres stretching across the south side of Davis’ campus, where people can take walks or go running.
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Walnut Park (or any other park) – 2250 Barony Place: Open area for various sports (i.e. soccer, football, baseball)
The city of Davis has over 40 parks for people to utilize in addition to the greenbelts. The list of parks and their locations can be found here.
Building Social Support
Ringo Starr was onto something when he sang: “I get by with a little help from my friends.” Creating and maintaining a backbone of social support for yourself is a foolproof way to relieve stress and maintain physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
Types of social support
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Emotional support is provided through an individual or group whose goal is to inform you that you’re meaningful in their lives (like when a friend calls to ask you how you’re doing.)
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Instrumental support occurs when someone provides a service in order to help you out (for example, if a friend helps you out on a stressful day by driving you to school.)
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Informational support can be given by providing someone with knowledge in order to help them help themselves (like visiting a peer counselor.)
Not every person within your social support network will have all of these qualities – your tech-savvy friend who always helps you fix your computer may not be the first person you turn to in a time of personal crisis. Having all of these types of people in your life can be extremely beneficial to your happiness, mental health, and even physical health – studies show that having a healthy social support network can lower blood pressure and lessen tension.
There’s a difference between social support & support groups. Social support is a network of friends, family, and other people who you spend time with and feel comfortable around. Support groups are designed for people with illnesses to come together and learn to cope with their situations by talking it out with similarly situated people. You don’t have to build social support from the ground up; rather, you can use these pointers to expand your circle & improve the relationships you’ve already cultivated.
Ways to meet new people
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Get involved on campus. A simple way to meet new people is to join an organization that fits your interests. Many clubs catering to different career goals, ethnic groups, and various other causes exist on campus. The Center for Student Involvement offers multiple club fairs every school year to showcase their diverse collection of student organizations.
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Try something new. With so many options available to students, there seems to be a club or class for just about any interest, including things that you’ve potentially never heard of. Doing something you’re unfamiliar with can reveal interests you never knew you had and allow you to meet different types of people.
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Volunteer. Many community service opportunities are available in a group setting, which allows built-in interaction with new people. The act of giving back to the community can help you feel like you’re positively contributing to society, which is stress-relieving in itself. For volunteer opportunities, check out the Community Service Resource Center on campus.
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Go to class. Something as simple as, “Is this seat taken?” can be the first step in making a new friend. Forming study groups with classmates can boost your grades and your social life.
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Play a sport. Not only do sports have extremely positive effects on your physical well-being, they can also be a great place to forge lasting bonds with teammates. The endorphins released as a result of physical activity create a natural sense of happiness, and the adrenaline pumping through your veins will give you the confidence to introduce yourself to everyone! See UCD Intramural Sports & Sport Clubs:
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Be active in your community. Dorms and apartment complexes are great places to meet new people and get involved. Some ways to accomplish this are joining your building’s intramural sports teams, your residence hall area’s Leadership Council, or attending socials for your neighborhood. For a list of student organizations & descriptions, see Center for Student Involvement.
Tips for successfully initiating conversations with people
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Eye contact & smile! Giving off vibes that you’re approachable will do most of the work for you. People want to start conversations with other people who seem friendly. You wouldn’t walk up to someone with arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed, and you can’t expect others to do that to you. Chin up!
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Psych yourself up. Remember that you are an interesting and valuable person. By exuding confidence, you will attract people and thus expand your social circle.
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Ask questions – and listen to the answers. You’ll be surprised at how much you can learn from a person just by listening to them. This tactic not only indicates that you have genuine interest in a person, but also helps curb nervousness by taking the spotlight off of you.
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Build on common ground. An easy way to create a relationship with a person is to bond over shared interests or activities. This is not to say that you should avoid people who are different from you – some very valuable lessons can be learned from befriending someone different than you.
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Follow up! Next time you see someone you had a successful conversation with, acknowledge him or her and indicate your desire to continue your new friendship.
For more information on initiating conversations, click here.
An important on-campus resource available to students is the Building Social Confidence group at CAPS. Anyone who needs to brush up on their interpersonal skills or learn to feel more confident in social situations can benefit from this group that meets weekly. For more information, click here.
Ways to maintain relationships you already have
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Make the first move. Being active in your friendships will ensure that you spend time with people that matter to you. Subscribing to the notion that “if they really wanted to talk to me, they’d call” will not do much in the way of facilitating a friendship and can be unhealthy to your self-esteem.
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Know when to talk and when to listen. Practicing your listening skills when your friends have a problem is a great way to maintain relationships. Your friendships will be more meaningful if both parties feel as if they have an equal part in it.
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Try to remember important dates. Wishing a friend good luck on her midterm or remembering their big sports game can assure people that they are being listened to.
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Keep in touch with old friends back home. Your friends from before college can provide fresh perspectives and bring back memories. The familiarity of an old friend and their experiences from their current lives can provide a calming change of pace.
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Call your parents. Maybe that 8th voicemail hearing your mom tell you how much she misses her baby will convince you to call her back. Maybe the knowledge that your parents have been through all of this before and can provide advice when you desperately need it will do the trick. No matter what, keeping your parents in the loop is beneficial for both parties.
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Be open with your feelings. Tell your friends you appreciate them! Tell your parents you love them! It’ll feel make you feel good and it’ll make them feel great!
How to interact with your support group
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Actively seek help. Don’t wait for people to ask you what’s wrong. If you know you need to talk about something, ask someone you trust.
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Know when it’s okay to go outside of your circle. If there’s something you don’t feel comfortable talking with your friends and family about, there are many resources available to you. CAPS offers peer counseling, staff psychologists, and stress management resources for you to use in your time of need.
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Embrace your differences. No two people are exactly alike. While focusing on similarities is a great method to begin getting to know a person, learning about and embracing things you don’t have in common can make your friendship even more meaningful by exposing each other to new perspectives.
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Have some fun! It’s great to feel comfortable talking about important things in your life with your friends, but everyone deserves time to focus on fun and relaxation! Getting some downtime in can be beneficial for everyone.
For more general information on social support networks… American Institute of Stress "Combat stress with a strong social support network"
Positive Attitudes for Handling Difficult Situations
Ever had to deal with a particularly bad breakup? Or maybe a roommate conflict? Regardless of the situation, it can be stressful and exhausting to deal with the complex issues that arise in our lives. Here are some tips on how to keep yourself positive when you find yourself feeling frustrated with a situation:
Campus Resources
Arboretum: A great place to study, nap, take a walk, or just enjoy nature.
ARC: The ARC is also an excellent place to nap, study, or work out. Boasting a Starbucks, an Aggie store, and state of the art exercise machines, the Activities and Recreation Center is a great way to deal with stress. They also offer extracurricular group exercise passes for classes including rock climbing, yoga, cycling, and many more.
CAPS: If you need someone to talk to, the UC Davis Counseling and Psychological Services center is located on the second floor of North Hall, across from the quad. CAPS is open to students five days a week.
CAPS Stress and Wellness Clinic: The Mind Spa! For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Mind Spa, we have two massage chairs, a biofeedback machine, and guided relaxation programs – along with stress and wellness reading materials and groups that meet on a weekly basis. The Mind Spa is located on the second floor of the Student Health and Wellness Center.
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Open Monday through Friday from 11am - 5pm (Please arrive before 4:15pm)
Experimental College: Here, you can take a variety of classes – martial arts, dancing, piano, how to talk to dogs, etc. While most classes charge a fee, there are some that are free. Check their site for more information.
Health Education and Promotion: Health Education and Promotion (HEP), located on the third floor of the Student Health & Wellness Center, features free stress, fatigue and sleep resources. Please stop by the front desk to request a free nap kit which includes eye shades, ear plugs and napping tip cards. You can also check out the Nap Map http://g.co/maps/eenuq with information about the best and safest places to take a nap on the UC Davis campus!
The House: Life at the University isn't always easy. There may be a time when you need someone with whom you can discuss the pressures of college life. The House can help. The House is a drop-in and phone counseling service, open weekdays 8am to 5pm. Students can talk to another student about personal and academic problems. House staff help students with concerns such as relationship, loneliness, depression, and personal growth and provide workshops and wellness programs. Located adjacent to the Housing Office, The House phone number is 752-2790.
Tips
• Freshmen: Talk to your Resident Advisors. They are trained in conflict mediation and are there as a resource to you!
• Take a 5 minute breather
• Go outside – jog, run, walk, etc.
• Listen to music that is relaxing, makes you happy, etc.
• Talk to someone. Call your best friend, your mom, your dad, etc. – whomever you know you can vent to.
• Take a step back and reexamine why this particular situation is so stressful: are you looking at the glass half full or half empty? Why?
• Once you understand why you are stressed, frustrated, etc., return to the situation at hand and try a different approach
• Listen to some relaxing meditation and guided mindfulness MP3s, courtesy of CAPS. They can be found here.
• Step away from Facebook! (Especially if the difficult situation began there.)
How to better manage your money
If you are on a budget, spending too much time on campus or outside of your apartment (depending on your schedule and your studying habits) could become expensive because everybody does have to eat. However, packing a lunch and snacks for the day might be a good idea to save some money…
• cheap food in Davis.
Wellness Events
1. Yoga for Social Justice
Thurs. 2:00–3:00 pm 10/6–12/1 (no class on 11/10)
Instructor: Moira Delgado
course fee: free
Internet Reading & Resources
"Dealing with Difficult People" - Healthy Life Magazine The College Survival Handbook Psych Central’s College Survival Guide Video: Positive Attitude is Everything Video: Teaching Positive Attitudes Video: How to Deal with Difficult People Video: Healthy Conflict Resolution Video: Relaxation Music
