Presenting can be a fun and enjoyable way of sharing information, but sometimes the preparation can create a sense of anxiety. Here are five tips on how to reduce that feeling!

1. Come prepared! – This make seem like a given, but it isn’t so clear when we expand upon the meaning of prepared. Being prepared isn’t just knowing what you’re presenting about but making sure your slides/poster are working, you’re dressed properly, you’ve received enough sleep, and had at least some food in your stomach. You must also understand your audience and shape how you speak to match them.

2. Focus on doing your best – Try not to think about obtaining a certain letter grade. Some of my best presentations have been when I’ve focused on giving the best presentation I can give; not about the best grade I can get.

3. One small moment in your life – This is something that I used to tell myself whenever I presented and took tests, quizzes, etc. If you’re feeling especially nervous, just remember that the presentation is a temporary moment in your life. It won’t last forever and when it’s over you will feel that much better!

4. Be yourself – Everyone presents a little differently and that’s a good thing! Perhaps you’re a person who likes to make people laugh- use that to your advantage. A few well-timed appropriate jokes can put the class at ease. If you’re typically a quiet person, you can use that to your advantage too. Choose your words carefully and you’ll sound even more clear and concise! The point is to act yourself when you present and use it to your advantage (note: being yourself is important, but make sure you’re still being professional).

5. You’re not alone – If you’re not the only one scheduled to give a presentation, understand that you’re not the only person who’s nervous to present. This is another tip that you can use to your advantage. Acknowledge that you’re not alone and take a sense of pride in that. Feeling like you’re a part of a group can help you feel like you and your class are in it together instead of all eyes on you.

Westfield State University has many study abroad opportunities. Students can spend a semester in another country or a couple of weeks through a short-term study abroad course. Going abroad should be on all students’ to-do list when they are in college. The current circumstances won’t allow any travel to happen, but things will get back to normal at some point.

There are so many benefits to studying in another country. If you have never traveled outside of the U.S. but you want to do it and are unsure of how to go about it, then you should consider the short-term courses. You will be in another country for two to three weeks learning about that country’s people, history, food and other things depending on what kind of course you are taking. Just like normal courses you will be receiving credits but these experiences offer more than credits. You make friends, a different connection with the faculty who are there with you, memories, and skills that you can’t experience on campus. For instance, when I went to Costa Rica I had the opportunity to talk to locals in Spanish. It should be a no brainier but it felt so much different and rewarding than talking to my high school teacher in Spanish. You could be doing the same or building a home for the locals.

Still not convinced? Well numbers will tell you that it is totally worth it. Studies show that 97% of students who do study abroad courses get employed within 12 months of their graduation compared to 49%. Maybe you don’t want a job right after your undergraduate degree, the study abroad experience will still make you stand out for graduate school or any internship which you may apply to.

But it is expensive! Yes ,these courses can be expensive but that is where you have to do some cost-benefit analysis. Ask yourself if you spend a couple of grands right now then how beneficial it would be in future. Don’t look at these courses as a waste of money, look at them as an investment. Moreover, there are a lot of scholarships out there just for students who want to do study abroad courses. After you are done with the course you will be eligible for scholarships who have studied abroad. Perhaps, you will get your money back through those scholarships. I have.

You want to stay in the U.S.? If you want to take things slow you can choose the National Student Exchange. After all, the land of the free is huge and can be as different as another country in some parts.

If you are going to consider any of these which you absolutely should then start thinking ahead. You might want to look into more scholarships or a summer job. Look at where you want to go and see if there are any prerequisites and get them out of the way. For more information visit the International Programs website: http://www.westfield.ma.edu/offices/international-programs-office

It’s said that about 75% of people are dehydrated in the US (Ericson). Many of us don’t drink enough water each day for a variety of reasons. For me, I always thought a few cups was enough. However, I learned that each person should be drinking about eight (8-ounce) cups of water a day (Mayo Clinic Staff). That’s equivalent to about two liters. Here are six fun and easy ways to make sure you’re getting enough water:

1. Time your drinks- Make sure to sip some water every 15 minutes. The intervals are up to you, but make sure they add up to how long you’re awake in a day. This must be calculated by the time you’re awake and not 24 hours- you’ll be sleeping for part of that!

2. Drink when you remember to- Drink as much as you can when you notice that you haven’t had water in a while. Be careful not to drink too much and make yourself sick!

3. Cup of water with each meal- Every meal, make a habit to drink a large cup of water. You can drink about a quarter of your water intake in one sitting and set yourself up for success! This helps if you’re worried about drinking eight cups of water a day.

4. Download an App- There are apps that can be downloaded onto your phone that will remind you to drink water. If you would prefer to follow social media, you can receive twitter notifications from accounts that send out daily reminders!

5. Carry a water bottle- Sometimes I don’t drink water because I simply don’t have access to water. Stay hydrated by carrying a reusable bottle that’s BPA free and made of recycled materials!

6. Drink water if you’re hungry- According to the Mayo clinic, we often mistake hunger for thirst. The feeling of an empty stomach may actually be a sign of thirst, so drink water before you start eating to determine if this is the case.

It’s important to note that everyone has different needs for water consumption. Some of us will require more water and others will require less. Keep in mind the factors like exercise, environment, overall health, and if you’re pregnant, as they will cause a large impact on the amount of water you will need (Mayo Clinic Staff). See a doctor or dietitian for more help on how much water you need.

Westfield State University’s Registered Dietician Lauren Smith:

Email: lsmith@westfield.ma.edu

Phone: (413)572-5300 x 4063

Works Cited:

Ericson, John. 75% of Americans May Suffer From Chronic Dehydration, According to Doctors. 3 July 2013. April 2020. <https://www.medicaldaily.com/75-americans-may-suffer-chronic-dehydration-according-doctors-247393>.

Mayo Clinic Staff. Water: How much should you drink every day? 6 September 2017. April 2020. <https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256>.

Stuck at home because of Covid? We are too. Here are five ideas to consider if you’re looking for things to do with your newfound time.

· Clean your room- This may sound like a boring task but think of how enjoyable a clean room is! A clean room feels bigger and is easier to find things in. Now that many of us are stuck in our rooms, why not make them a bit more enjoyable?

· Pick up/hone a skill- Have you ever started a hobby but ran out of time to learn it? Now is the time to try again. I’m learning guitar again and it feels great! Maybe you already have a skill; you can still take time to get even better at it! Be sure challenge yourself and you’ll achieve new heights in no time. Some easier-to-access examples are cooking, coding, drawing, and singing.

· Spend time with your family- Spending time with family isn’t something that all of us always get to enjoy. Now that many families have everyone home, make the most of it! Take time to have conversations, play games, and make meals. We are all in this together!

· Vehicle maintenance- This might sound a bit odd, but our vehicles tend to be neglected; when was the last time your vehicle was serviced? This can be anything from detailing to long overdue oil changes. If your vehicle needs work and you’re not comfortable/unable to do yourself then you can probably take it to an autoshop. Be ready for when you’ll need your vehicle most!

· Consider other uses of your time- Now is a time to get things done that we previously didn’t have the time to get done. It is very easy to fall into a cycle of watching Netflix and sleeping. But instead, why not try to accomplish something? You’ll be very happy you did!

Remember, we are all in this together. Hold those you love closely, treat others with respect, and stay positive. I hope these ideas are helpful and that they inspire other creative ideas!

This article is about the benefits of failure.

School for me had mostly been a struggle until I reached high school. My brain seemed to transform and allow room for new knowledge. But even when I became a better student, I still had my experiences with failure. I’m sure we all have our own experiences with failure but hear me out and you’ll see that not all failure is bad. There are many ways that we can fall short, from relationships to investment opportunities. What matters is what we learn from them and how we push ourselves to be better.

One story that I regularly reference is my driving test from high school. I did not pass the first try. I did not pass my motorcycle test on the first try either. In my case, both had been from some severe anxiety (I have a previous blogpost about help with this). That anxiety resulted in many easily preventable mistakes. Regardless of what caused you to fall short of your own goals, understand that we are all human and we all make mistakes. The mistakes that we make in our previous experiences are opportunities to learn. On my license tests, I did not make any of the same mistakes twice; I passed with flying colors on the second attempt. While it was initially very easy to blame myself and claim that I wasn’t cable of learning, that simply wasn’t true.

Perhaps you’ve made a mistake or had a failure recently and you’re feeling down. If this is the case, remind yourself of how far you’ve come. You’re in college and you’re working hard! In the case of classes, if you’re feeling like you haven’t learned anything; you have. I’ve had many courses where I would swear I didn’t know what was going on and or that anything I’d remember would slip my mind when I needed it. Understand that this negativity is what could cause you to fail. So put a smile on your face and remember how awesome you really are! There are many resources that WSU offers to help you succeed with your courses. Professor have office hours, tutors available, and facilities such as the Banacos Center all exist to help!

In summary, making a mistake doesn’t have to be the end of the world. You’ll come back and be better for making such a mistake (or a few!). Keeping a positive attitude and understanding where you went wrong will help you to prevent making the same mistakes twice, or possibly making new mistakes. Needing help is completely okay, and WSU offers a variety of places that can do that, such as the Banacos Center, the Counseling Center, and many more. Let failure be a learning opportunity, not a barrier to success!

Going into college, many of us have an idea of what majors we would like to pursue. Some of us even have ideas of what job we would like to pursue. But what happens when we decide to change our lifelong career goals. What happens when we decide to change majors? I can tell you from personal experience and from speaking with others that it’s not as big of a deal as you’d think. In fact, it’s relatively easy and simple!

When I was growing up, I had always wanted to be a police officer. I knew from a very young age what I wanted to do. Fast forward to my high school graduation, and I had applied and been accepted to WSU as Criminal Justice (CJ) major. I had received the Vincent R.T. Arduini CJ scholarship from my school and applied my other scholarships for my education. I was on my way to becoming a police officer in no time. I then went to WSU and started my first year, taking a mixture of core classes and major-specific classes like Criminal Theory. However, after my first two semesters, I found myself questioning my longtime goals. Being a police officer now seemed to be a much more dangerous job with a salary and work hours I didn’t think I’d be happy with. So, I came to what seemed to be a million-dollar question. Do I switch my major, or do I keep working towards my CJ major? I chose to switch majors and it turns out that the decision wasn’t nearly as big or scary as it seemed.

In fact, from the many professors, students, alumni, and parents that I’ve spoken to, it is very common. We often have a different idea of what a job will be like when we start our courses on the subject. We gain and even better idea with internships and workplace visits. We gain arguably the most from working in our desired field. I happened to figure out very early on that maybe I wasn’t so sure that I would enjoy my career path. The change was fairly simple.

If you’re considering changing majors, the following steps are for you:

· Speak with your family and friends- Consider their input but don’t decide purely based off what they say. Your future is just that; it’s yours.

· Speak with your advisor- They will have valuable insight and can answer a variety of your questions.

· Research your major-related jobs online- Try the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Check for salaries, work hours, time involvement, and perquisites for some of the jobs.

· Visit the registrar's office on campus- They will have the form(s) you need and can help guide you on who you need to speak to/forms you need to fill out. Their office is located in Parenzo Hall Room 107.

· Talk to someone who has your dream job/works in your dream field- They will have experience and should be able to answer some of your questions. Linked In can be a great resource for this, but so can the WSU Career Center!

Don’t let the stigma of changing majors stop you from choosing what is ultimately right for you. Whatever you do, be sure to think very carefully about your decision. It is not one that should be rushed. Carefully consider what you would value out of the jobs in your current career path and compare them to what you’re considering changing to. Ultimately, decide what you’d like doing most. Input from family, friends, and loved ones is good but the final decision is again, what makes you happy.