Health and Human Services Professional Development

  Live a Healthier and Longer Life—Physical Activity Dydra Arnold  Physical activity is important in so many ways to the health of human beings. Physical activity can help with many things. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ), physical activity can help you function better, feel better, and sleep better. It also can help with anxiety, improves overall health, and reduces the risks of various diseases. Let’s dive into more of the specifics! Why Does Physical Activity Matter? The CDC emphasizes many different reasons as to why getting an adequate amount of physical activity is extremely important. Some of these include: It saves lives and protects health Getting enough physical activity can prevent 1 in 10 premature deaths. It can also prevent: 1 in 8 cases of breast cancer 1 in 8 cases of colorectal cancer 1 in 12 cases of diabetes 1 in 15 cases of heart disease Not getting enough physical activity costs money $117 billion in annual health care...

  Practicing Positivity—Self-Esteem by Dydra Arnold Many of us struggle with self-esteem issues. Sometimes, we may not even recognize how low our self-esteem really is. I wanted to highlight the effects that low self-esteem can have on your quality of life, the signs of low self-esteem, and different things you can try to improve your self-esteem.  How Can Low Self-Esteem Effect Quality of Life? Better Health Channel has listed how important low-self esteem can be in influencing quality of life. Certain ways that it can reduce quality of life include: Fear of trying : A person may doubt themselves so much that they are afraid to try anything new and may avoid anything that presents itself as a challenge Lack of Self-Care - A person may neglect to take care of themselves. They also may begin to abuse drugs and alcohol. Relationship Problems - A person may settle for unacceptable behaviors within romantic relationships because they feel they dese...

Strategies for Communication and Organization When Struggling in Classes During the Pandemic By: Jill Bowers & Sabrina Roley It is always best to turn  the assignment in early or by the due date. Yet, we have been living in a pandemic. I am a graduate student and know that a lot of students struggle with online classes though that is their only option right now. Some of us work at least part-time while navigating a full course load and have family responsibilities. Some students are trying to home-school a few children and or struggling to access the Internet from home because everyone in their home is online at the same time. The struggle is real. But, we will get through it, and there are many things that we can do to take responsibility for our course work and life. Small changes can also influence how professors respond to us. Professors continuously hear about students needing or asking for extensions with assignments, yet some individuals take the wrong approach with thei...

WHAT YEAR SHOULD I ATTEND MY FIRST JOB FAIR? It is never too early to attend your first job fair. Although you may not be on the job market as a freshman or sophomore in college, attending a job fair could give you an idea of the types of organizations that exist in your field, or the types of jobs that you can get. Make sure you go to job fairs prepared regardless of what stage of career planning you are in. You never know who you will meet or what kind of opportunities the career fair can bring. Therefore, dress appropriately (see  Making the Most of a Job Fair ), and if you ARE on the job market, bring a few copies of your resume (make sure your resume proofed by a mentor or career services counselor).  Written by: Jill Bowers Additional resources for attending job fairs: How to Prepare for a Job/Career Fair [Virgina Tech website] Top Ten Tips for Students Attending Career or Job Fairs [Quintessential Careers] Job Fair 101; What to Wear Bring, and Ask [Men’s Life Today] ...