Late last semester, I attended the Wellness Chili event with a few friends. We had heard of the free chili and, being college students, could not let the opportunity of free stuff go by. I was not exactly sure what the event was about, beside the “wellness” in its title. The event provided all sorts of information at different tables on the varying factors of wellness. There are the obvious physical components, but also many mental elements as well. The last station asked each attendee to define what he or she thought the word “wellness” meant. I wrote on the poster the word “lifestyle” because to me, wellness must be all encompassing in one’s life. For example, just exercising is not enough to declare oneself as living “well,” for it requires all of the different ingredients that are essential for a healthy mind and body.
I know that college tends to be the time when teenagers ignore their health the most, so I decided to take the Live Well challenge in order to help prevent any deterioration of my health. I began to brainstorm about what the six dimensions of wellness really meant to me. The easiest one for me to start with was the physical dimension. Unfortunately, I am currently faced with a minor barrier when it comes to physical health. I recently developed a sharp pain in my knee that turned out to be something called patella femoral syndrome. It is not very serious, but does require physical therapy almost every day for strengthening and stretching exercises. My knee is almost back to one hundred percent, but I am still hesitant to partake in certain activities that are harsh on the knee, such as running. So I talked to my physical therapist about what activities I could and could not take part in. We came to the conclusion that certain machines and some other exercises, such as Zumba, would be acceptable. I managed to attend Zumba classes once every week and work out at the gym on my own at least once, but sometimes three times a week. I find it a great way to relieve stress. If I ever feel overwhelmed, just twenty or so minutes on an elliptical can make a world of difference. It allows me to let out any pent up emotions, but also gives me time to think to myself about school or other situations.
The next dimension I tackled was spiritual. I consider myself to be Christian, but I am not religious in any sense of the word. The only time I attended mass throughout my life was on Easter Sunday with relatives. I attended Sunday school and completed my communion and confirmation but that is the extent of my religious experiences. Participating at spiritual events at school helped me to reconnect with the spiritual feelings from my childhood, which I had thought to be long gone and unrecoverable. This made my experiences all the more invigorating. I was able to reach down deep to the emotions and beliefs I had held as a child and had lost slowly with time.
The Live Well emotional dimension was probably the most eye-opening aspect of my experience. The events I attended for this category made me realize the dangers women are faced with every day. I learned of the horrors some women have to come to terms with: harassment, assault, rape. The personal stories shared at The Vagina Monologues touched me personally and also frightened me. The other event I participated in was a self-defense class, which gave me a great boost of confidence. The officers who held the course explained some of the harsh realties of life, which made the techniques taught all the more important. The idea I had in my head previously, that “it would never happen to me,” was shattered, but for the better. I have taken action to prepare myself for what is out there in the world, and I feel much more assured after doing so.
Exercise was the most rewarding physically, but the social aspect of living well might have been the most mentally rewarding. Working with kids has always brought me great joy, even if it can be quite tiring. Bringing a smile to the face of another person gives me a warm feeling in my heart and I truly believe I can make a difference in the lives of others. I also found helping children in the Boys and Girls Club Tutoring program a great way to escape from the stress of my own work and to forget about studying and homework, even if just for an hour a week. The program pushed me to think of others and to be less concerned with only myself.
The occupational aspect of living well proved the hardest to confront. As a freshman, I am not prepared to decide exactly which path I would like to follow for my career. My declared major is mechanical engineering, but I am not yet sure what I would like to do with such a degree. Before arriving at Lafayette this semester, I signed up to be part of the Gateway program, which provides counselors, workshops, and other programs for students. I took advantage of many of these opportunities and attended workshops and met with a counselor multiple times. These made me feel more prepared and gave me an optimistic outlook on my future, whatever path I may choose.
The final dimension included in the Live Well program is intellectual. I attended multiple events that extended my learning beyond the classroom. I was able to apply some of the concepts from my courses to real life situations. I also realized the importance of the information taught to me and how much of what I am learning now is used in the employment sphere.
All of my experiences have changed me as a person. I went into this Live Well challenge with a new viewpoint after reading Man’s Search for Meaning, written by Viktor E. Frankl. The first half of the book detailed the author’s own moving experiences in concentration camps during World War II, along with his interactions with others. The remainder of the book focused on the psychological factors of those in concentration camps—how one’s mindset in a camp could mean the difference between life and death. Frankl created his own theory, entitled Logotherapy, which states that man’s purpose in life is meaning. Frankl said that there are three primary ways to create or find meaning in life: firstly by accomplishment such as a creation or deed, secondly by the experiences in one’s life or the people in it (like finding love), and finally by the attitude with which one responds to unavoidable suffering (Frankl 111). These three approaches to finding meaning are directly connected to each dimension in the Live Well program. For example, one’s social participation in the community can lead to meaning through the completion of a good deed and through meaningful experiences. I have definitely found more meaning in my life after tutoring children because it makes me feel as if I have made a difference in other peoples’ lives. Intellectual and occupational can be linked to the idea of achievements and accomplishments that give meaning to our lives through education and career.
While Frankl continued on with greater detail, those three paths that lead to meaning in life stood out to me the most. They tie into the Live Well program and together, I was able to create a great change in my life for the better. I am more aware of my health, both mental and physical. I am extremely grateful that this program exists because it helped me to control my health, stress, and priorities. I will continue with this newly acquired mindset throughout the rest of my college experience and hopefully well beyond.