Shannon Haselhuhn | UI Health Education Coordinator.
There are many things to think about as you start your college career. What major you will choose, how you will find your classes, and who you are going to the football game with on Thursday night. While these are all important, let’s take a minute to talk about the big picture.
Shannon Haselhuhn is the UI Health Education Coordinator and can be reached at [email protected].
For the first time in your life, you are responsible for yourself. You’re the boss. You decide when you’ll go to bed and when you’ll get up, who your friends will be, what you’ll eat, what you’ll drink, how you’ll get back to your room, who you’ll date, when you’ll have sex, and if you’ll reach out for help or advice when you need it. All of these decisions may affect the rest of your life.
College is fun, exciting, full of opportunity — and scary. Many of us who have “been there, done that” look back at some of our college days and shake our heads.
Perhaps we’ve seen friends drink enough alcohol to end up in the emergency room. Some of us have had unprotected sex even though we knew better. Some of us drove home when we shouldn’t have, or didn’t take our friend’s keys when we should have. Some of us have attended a candle light vigil for a friend who went out to have a good time on Friday night, and never saw Saturday morning. Some of us have paid a big price for making a poor decision, while some of us just got lucky. And many of us would make different choices if we could go back. The bad news is, there’s no rewind button.
This year you will make decisions about sleep, nutrition, sex, alcohol, drugs, stress, time management, relationships, and a million other things. The University of Idaho and the Moscow community have resources to help you stay safe and healthy while you are here.
I am the health education coordinator on UI’s Moscow campus. My office is in the Student Rec Center and I am here to help you.
When it comes to your health, I am certain that I don’t have all of the answers, but I bet I can help you find them. We have a new Vandal Health Education website where you can find what you need, learn more about the services and programs that are here for you, and ask us anything.
As you get packed up and head to campus, think about what you want from your college experience. Think about what decisions you will make to keep yourself safe and healthy.
College will be full of events, friends and stories that you will remember for a lifetime. It’s an amazingly unique experience full of study groups, entertainment, games, weird hours, parties, tough decisions, amazing people, social pressures and stressors, and the best part is, you’re the boss.
Take care of yourself. Help others. Learn from us and lean on us. Ask us questions. Use our resources. Enjoy your experience. And go Vandals.
Shannon Haselhuhn is the UI Health Education Coordinator and can be reached at [email protected].