After 18 years of living at home, adjusting to life at college can be difficult for some students. Prior to arriving on campus, many students never had to think about their nutrition and wellness because these were things that their parents took care of for them.
Student Health 101 is a nationally published magazine that partners with universities to help college students adjust to life on campus. The publication includes articles that deal with nationwide campus wellness as well as wellness at local campuses. Each month, the editing staff publishes an issue then asks students at each campus what they would like to have included that relates to their own school.
“When they send us the final proof, it will include the nationally syndicated content Student Health 101 produces and spaces in the content that include our Drake-created content by Drake students and staff for Drake students,” Residence Hall Coordinator Shannon Langan said. Langan is also the coordinator of wellness programs.
Student Health 101 was brought to Drake’s campus in the fall semester of 2010 after Dean of Students Sentwali Bakari attended a conference with other residence life personnel. The decision to bring this magazine to campus was an effort to smooth the transition from home to school among students.
“The students themselves arrive at college fairly unfamiliar with how best to take care of themselves,” Langan said. “They are undergoing the biggest life change they’ve ever had to encounter, and often their wellness can fall by the wayside while they’re adjusting. We provide this as a fun magazine that gives them information they care about.”
The magazine contains content about eating healthy foods, using good exercise habits and relieving school-related stress. It also includes fun articles about creating and maintaining relationships and friendships.
First-year Salena Brickey has found it easier to exercise on campus because of access to the Bell Center; however, she finds it harder to eat healthy.
“There’s not the largest selection of fruit and vegetables to choose from, and it can be easy to fall into the routine of eating french fries and cookies with meals in North Hubbell,” Brickey said.
Brickey is an international business major from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She has heard about Student Health 101 but has yet to read it.
“I plan on reading it when I get the chance, but I’ve only skimmed it so far,” Brickey said.
While Brickey intends to read the publication, other students were unaware that the publication existed. Some students missed the email that contained the link to the publication.
“If a student opens it once a month and gets something out of it they didn’t know before – something that isn’t common knowledge – then it’s awesome,” Langan said.
Students who wish to get involved in the magazine’s publication can contact Shannon Langan at shannon.langan@drake.edu.
Langan is currently seeking students to be monthly contributors to the publication as well as videographers to make promotional videos for each month’s issue.
