According to a study conducted by HelpGuide.org, volunteering has numerous benefits for both the individual and the community. It improves physical and mental health, increases happiness, and helps to build social networks. The study revealed that volunteerism has a significant impact on society, with volunteers contributing billions of dollars to the economy through their unpaid work. Volunteerism has also been linked to increased levels of civic engagement and social responsibility.

The Pryor Leadership Program at Jewell has been actively involved in supporting Eden Village, a shelter community that is currently being constructed that aims to provide affordable housing to individuals who are experiencing homelessness. Volunteers from the Pryor Leadership Program regularly visit the community to organize events and to provide support in any way that might be needed. Currently, the Pryor Leadership Fellows are working to build a fence for the community. 

Eden Village of Kansas City will be a gated tiny home community enriched by a community center. Local volunteer specialists will give their time to provide individuals who have been classified as chronically homeless with a safe and dignified place to call home. Pryor is working with Eden Village to help them make their Kansas City, KS, property secure by fencing the remainder of its perimeter and then shifting our focus to furnishing and decorating the tiny houses that will be on the property.

Cole Hon, a senior working on the project explained: “Each year, the graduating Pryor Leadership Fellows partner with a nonprofit in our greater Kansas City community to address relevant issues and leave a lasting mark through the Pryor Legacy Project. A donation, whether in the form of financial means or volunteer hours, directly benefits Eden Village of Kansas City, the Pryor Legacy Class of 2023 community partner.”

When asked about what the ultimate goal of the partnership is, he said, “We are working with Eden Village to help them secure their Kansas City, KS, property by fencing the remainder of its perimeter and then shifting our focus to furnishing and decorating the tiny houses that will be on the property. Our goal is to fundraise the cost of the fencing, $10,500, by March 13th so we are able to begin acquiring materials before our first work day on April 1st. Our overall fundraising goal is $25,000 by May 1st which will be given to Eden Village to furnish homes as they are brought onto the property.”

Warrior’s Best Friend is another organization that provides vital services to veterans by placing service dogs with those who need them. These service dogs help to alleviate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and other mental health conditions. Warrior’s Best Friend relies heavily on the support of volunteers who help walk and clean the dogs. By volunteering with Warrior’s Best Friend, students at William Jewell can make a meaningful impact on the lives of veterans and their families, as well as on the organization itself. 

William Jewell students should contact 816-500-3867 if interested in contributing to either of these essential causes. By volunteering with these organizations, students can make a meaningful impact on the lives of others, gain monumental experiences and help to build a more just and compassionate society.

In recent decades, the importance of mental health and taking care of the intangibles has become a major point of focus for schools at all levels in the United States’ education system. Across the country, a wide range of social and institutional factors serve as stressors for young people. The current statistical rate for symptoms of depression found in adults age 18-29 is approximately 21% according to the CDC;  suicide is the third leading cause of death in young adults and  college athletes.  

The Sport Science Institute, in partnership with the NCAA, set out to create a survey that would gauge the mental health of athletes. In the study, 65% of women’s sports athletes and 58% of men’s sports athletes reported that mental health was a serious concern among their teammates. In fact, constant mental exhaustion was the most commonly reported concern among the student-athletes with the symptom impacting 38% of women’s sports athletes and 22% of men’s sports athletes. However, only 49% of women’s sports athletes and 55% of men’s sports athletes reported that they felt mental health was taken seriously by their college or university’s athletics department. Overall, the data shows a gap in the attention that the mental health of college students needs. 

Improving mental health is no doubt a difficult problem to tackle as there isn’t exactly one true solution. The problem could lie in the balance between the physical and mental demand of a sport on top of academic and social commitments; however, many student-athletes rely on academic and sports scholarships with little room to breathe. Some college organizations emphasize creating more educational resources for college students regarding mental health, as well as  having therapists on standby, but that raises questions about funding.

Researchers Sabrina Weigland, Jared Cohen and Daniel Merenstein attempt to explain one potential cause: collegiate athletes tend to feel a loss of personality once their time being on the field comes to an end because they have spent the majority of their lives as an “athlete.” In layman’s terms, this can be related to the idea of how coaches can subconsciously instill that the majority of an athlete’s focus and time should be towards their respective sport, and not so much of a balance of other academic and social commitment. 

At one institution, Trine University uses a variety of academic reports to explain the importance of the topic at hand in their article, “Prioritizing Mental Health in College Athletes,” stating that “This idea has created a culture that values athletic performance over things like academic success or mental health. Today, a coach’s success is determined solely by the performance of their athletes, regardless of their relationship with the athlete or the athlete’s well-being.”

Overall, students at any college deserve to have help in any form for the anxiety that the world may bring on each day. For students involved in  time-consuming extracurriculars, avoid the overemphasis on perfection that will inevitably sacrifice your mental health. As Bobby McFerrin once said, “Don’t worry, be happy.”

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!

Do you ever feel like a walking zombie in your day-to-day life? Are you constrained by obligations for school, work and other people? Taking back control of your life can seem impossible to achieve when you are constantly on the go and committing your time to everyone except yourself. As college students, maintaining a sense of self over course work, athletic responsibilities and social relationships takes some practice. For anyone looking to recalibrate their life, here are a few tips that might help you find some balance.

1. One step at a time

Waking up is one of the most difficult things to do when you have somewhere to be. Lazing around in bed for a few more minutes sounds much better than showering, finding clothes to wear, gathering your necessary belongings and leaving the house. When thinking about the things you need to do, it can become harder to achieve them – a common problem for those who struggle with time management. Rather than actually doing a task, you may start to overthink about how to start the task, how long the task will take and each individual step along the way. 

If you catch yourself overthinking, take a deep breath and start one step at a time. Breaking down your tasks into manageable pieces is less likely to overwhelm you and will also provide you with short-term motivation to get up and do it. 

2. It’s okay to say no

Scheduling events, classes, dates and other important occasions might be stressful and draining. On the other hand, the fear of missing out – commonly abbreviated as FOMO –  is also anxiety-inducing for some. Remembering that life will always go on whether you say yes or no to a commitment is a pretty big pill to swallow even if it seems obvious.
Remember that it is necessary to say no sometimes. Staying at home at least one day a week – perhaps during the weekend – to cleanse your mind, body and living space may make a positive difference in your life. Having time to yourself is just as important as maintaining a good image with society. This does not mean you should cancel plans when you just don’t feel like going. Instead, make your plans with caution and remember the commitments you’ve already made.

3. Mistakes will happen

Nobody is perfect and one mistake isn’t going to ruin your whole life. It’s okay to feel bad about problems that have occurred in the past, but at some point you need to learn from it and move on. Fixating on old troubles and mistakes can become unhealthy and learning to let go of these thoughts could be the key to your growth. Accept that the past is the past and prioritize living in the moment. 

Writing down everything you feel is holding you back and then throwing it away may help you move on from past mistakes. Just because you did something bad in the past doesn’t mean you can’t grow. Our lives are linear – they move forward no matter what.

4. Keep yourself on track

Loosely plan out your day. You don’t have to plan all the way down to the minute but try to have an arranged time for work, relaxation and sleep. By scheduling your day, it will become easier to accept or decline plans from others. You will start to feel like you have more free time to do things you want or need to do. Sometimes you might forget what you were supposed to do in a day or you might forget you have an appointment somewhere – this is where scheduling might help. 

One way to keep yourself on track is to have a journal or planner to write down what you did that day and what you’d like to achieve the next day.

5. The Law of Attraction

You are more likely to find things you desire if you believe that good things will come to you. The Law of Attraction suggests that positivity attracts positivity. Keep a positive attitude and find ways to relax. There is always good happening around us even if it’s small.

 If you are having a bad day, try to find one good thing around you that makes you happy. Whether it’s your cat or a favorite shirt, you will always have something that will make you feel good.

While you do have obligations, learning to balance your selflessness and selfishness will help you in the long run. Make yourself feel accomplished and happy with your life.