Jake Ray, sophomore political science and international relations major,  has an outdoor, limited equipment solo hobby he likes to do. Ray is a bird watcher. 

Ray likes to relax by going out with a pair of binoculars and finding birds in their natural habitat. A few years ago, he started “birding,” as he calls it, and finds it to be an excellent way to procrastinate homework. 

He invites anyone curious about nature to explore bird watching. All it requires is for you to step outside and look around. One of Jake’s favorite spots to bird-watch is Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary, just one and a half miles from campus. However, he advises looking up the hours of operation first to avoid a lengthy conversation with the police. Yes, you read that right. Once, Jake had the police called on him while birding because he entered the nature sanctuary too early. After the police realized what had happened, they laughed and let him continue with his hobby.

That was not the only exciting story Jake has concerning bird watching. Another time, in Springfield, MO, he had an interesting sighting. Not a bird, but instead an older man using nature’s port-a-potty in the woods. While he occasionally runs into other bird watchers, he rarely finds a sighting such as that. 

Regardless of the peculiar sighting now and again, he thinks birding is a great hobby that keeps you moving, outside and relaxed. 

Recently, I created my own digital journal template which has revolutionized my life. I’ve spent way too much money on planners, blank journals and bullet journals that were all supposed to help me collect my thoughts and be a better me. None of them worked. I found myself never using them and only sometimes remembering or wanting to write in them. I still had hopes of at least pretending to have my life together. At the beginning of Jewell’s spring semester, I decided to create my own template to follow. 

When drafting this idea, I was realistic about what I would actually be willing to do. On my iPad, I used the note-taking app Notability to create my template. I started out by drawing some squares, used my best handwriting for the titles of each box and finally had a planner I could actually use. I kept things simple, attainable and neat. 

I’ve learned that I only wanted to plan day by day, since my phone has all of my future plans. Then I tried to brainstorm how to make a to-do list less intimidating. I settled on a “Top Three” box with three things I knew I had to get done each day, then everything left on my to-do list was just extra. I had managed to keep the planner part of this project simple, but I knew that keeping track of my moods and giving myself a reason to reflect was vital too.

I decided to add two more boxes to improve my mental health –  a simple mood tracker with different levels of happiness or sadness. I would circle how I felt each day and possibly write a simple phrase to explain how I had felt throughout the day. Then I made a large box for affirmations, wanting to give myself space for self-love and there’s no better place than the same page I would mark off my daily triumphs. 

So far, I have used it almost every day. It helps keep my thoughts in one place, was cheaper than buying a new planner I wouldn’t use and every day I copy the template from the last day to start my next. It isn’t perfect and I don’t doodle on every page. My journal is messy like me, but it has gotten me through just fine and that’s all I need.

Planning and journaling is an individual activity –  there is no one way to do things and the more specific you are with your needs, the more practical things will be. Try to think of the things you’d be willing to do and just give it a shot. You can always try something different the next day – that’s the beauty of DIY journals. Good luck!

Taylor Swift released another rerecording on Nov. 12, making “Red (Taylor’s Version)” the sixth album of hers she now owns herself. Like with “Fearless (Taylor’s Version),” the album features rerecordings of the record’s original songs alongside six tracks from the vault. She presents her original songs nearly identical to the “Red” album from 2012, but her voice has matured and developed a better tone. Taylor Swift now sings with a stronger voice and a better understanding of the art of storytelling in a music setting. 

The retelling of past stories – the ones Swift experienced when the album was first released – comes with new emotions aged by time and handled with beauty. In many interviews, Swift claimed that she has turned songs like “All Too Well” into a heartwarming song where she experiences an overwhelming amount of support from fans. Any Taylor Swift fan can attest that her concerts are full of audience members belting the words of every song right along with her.

The new version of “Red” has a few different aspects to it that many may not notice; however, they change the overall theme of the album and thus slightly adjust the “Red” era. Songs like “We Are Never Getting Back Together” and “State of Grace” have a brighter sound in the guitar – possibly a change from Swift’s acquisition of more variations of guitars. She also has a different sound in her new version of “All Too Well.” The instrumentals are more dream-like and blend into the background. Additionally, she added complex backing vocals to many verses. 

“Red (Taylor’s Version)” has two songs featuring the original artists she recorded with back in 2012, and the album features three more songs with guest artists Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton and Phoebe Bridgers. The tracks from the vault on the album are all very different. “Babe” comes from Taylor’s country-style she started with but incorporates the pop styles she has since learned. “Message in a Bottle” sounds more like a “1989” song than a track that fits within the “Red” era. “Forever Winter” is another one that fits more with Taylor’s transition to pop music. “I Bet You Think About Me” is one that sounds like it has been in the “Red” album the whole time. 

“The Very First Night” also fits in well with this album. Swift chooses not to rhyme every word and where one would think she’s going to say “her,” she instead says “you,” which makes me wonder if that was originally written or if she had to adjust it for the status quo. Both songs follow the same character development of many other songs and have similar instrumentals to a lot of the other tracks. “Run” features Ed Sheeran and it sounds more like a song he would produce than Swift would. It doesn’t take away from the album as a whole, but it is one that doesn’t fit the tenacity found in the rest of the album. 

Overall, I don’t think any Taylor Swift fan could be upset with this album. She gave listeners a better version of the original album and she has added to the story that the “Red” era embodies. For those wary of Taylor Swift, it still has many characteristics of an amazing album. She borrows from every corner of the music industry to tell a convincing, profound and invigorating story with every track.

College is a time of self-discovery. Living on your own and becoming independent in the blink of an eye can be taxing on anyone. For young adults with complex hormones and demanding workloads, it can be even more challenging. As the semester reaches a point of high stress and activities become more demanding, it’s important to remind yourself and your friends of steps you can take when obligations start to harm your mental health.

Mindfulness is an important skill to learn and it can help while adjusting to independence. It is commonly associated with meditation, but there is no set way to meditate. The focus of mindfulness is checking in with your body, mind and surroundings. Adding two minutes to your morning to breathe and focus on what your body is feeling helps to center your mind and is a quick, straightforward way to prioritize your mental health.

Time management also plays a vital role in mental health. As frustrating as it can be to accept and put into practice, being proactive can positively influence your day and make your whole week run smoother. We always say “I’ll do it tonight” or “I’ll do it this weekend,” but that mindset causes work to pile up and can get very overwhelming. Being aware of how you are using your time can help alleviate some of the tasks weighing down on your mind. Instead of laying in bed right after dinner, do some mindless tasks that need to be done: take out the trash on your way to the bathroom, put your laundry away while watching a movie or even take a few minutes before bed to respond to that email you’ve been ignoring all day. To-do lists always look more intimidating than they actually are and if you take time to do smaller tasks as time allows, the stress of completing everything goes down substantially. 

When you feel your mental health is beginning to deplete, you should have a few coping strategies in your back pocket. Suppose you are in a situation where you feel yourself becoming anxious or feeling out of place. In that case, it is always okay to leave and take a walk or even go sit by yourself. There are also many creative outlets to blow off steam or bring some sunshine to your day. Singing in the car, doodling on your iPad and writing whatever comes to mind can all be great ways to relax. Some people even find solace in exercise by walking, running or lifting weights to work off any stressors of the day.

While there are many habits you can create and coping strategies you can use, it is never a bad thing to seek outside help. Friends are always a great resource and sometimes having someone who will listen makes all the difference. Counseling services are available on campus for students – sessions are less than an hour and can help with understanding your mental health. If you are interested in setting up a consultation, email the counseling services office at counselingservices@william.jewell.edu. 

Mental health is just as important as physical health. Taking the time to notice how you are doing and acting accordingly is a hard skill to develop but anything is possible with a bit of focus and prioritization. Take care of yourself – you’re doing your best.