NAVIGATING YOUR ROLE: SELF-CARE AND WELLNESSIndira Sultanic, Translation StudiesTanesha Walker, Counseling and Human Development Services

Objectives:

• Provide an overview of the scope of the graduate student roles and responsibilities

• Increase students’ knowledge of the importance of self-care in navigating through graduate school

• Inform graduate students of existing resources and how to utilize them

• Demonstrate a breathing exercise that students can do on their own

Complex Conversations

• Here’s a scenario….https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH79UtcCbhU&feature=youtu.be

Role: Student

Responsibilities:• Attending Classes• Weekly Readings• Individual and

Group Projects• Blackboard Blogs and

Forums• Deadlines

Role: Scholar

Responsibilities:• Conducting research• Writing papers• Running experiments• Finding publishing

opportunities• Co-authoring• Meeting publication

deadlines• Preparing for the job

market

Role: Teaching Assistant (TA)Responsibilities:• Class Preparation • Syllabus• Teaching• Weekly Lesson

Planning• Grading • Office Hours

Role: Research Assistant

Responsibilities:• Working on research

for your professor• Helping develop

research methodology• Doing research in the

lab• Experiments

Role: A Person With a Life!

• Single/Married• Children• Pets• Hobbies• Part-time/full-time

job• Expenses• Non-academic

responsibilities• Etc.

What is Wellness?

• "...a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." - The World Health Organization.

• "a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential." - The National Wellness Institute

A Holistic Approach to Wellness• The National

Wellness Institute proposes a holistic wellness model: – Six Dimensions

of Wellness

Self-Care

• Physical Wellness– Sleep, exercise,

and nutrition– Calming the

body–Healing through

movement and music

• Emotional Wellness– Tuning into your

emotion– Expressing

emotion in a healthy way

– Self-reflection and self-awareness

Self-Care• Intellectual/

Cognitive Wellness– Curiosity in ones

work– Collaborating with

those from other professions

– Getting involved

• Spiritual Wellness– Religious practices– Connecting with

nature–Meditating

Self-Care• Social Wellness– Friends and

family– Peer

relationships with colleagues

– Attending social gatherings

• Occupational Wellness– Job interest and

value–Using your own

talents and skills– Job satisfaction

Useful campus resources

Student Support Services– Counseling and Human Development C

enter 

–University Health Services– Psychological Services

Recreation Options at Kent State

Student Organizations:– Center for Student Involvement– Graduate Student Senate – Gradfest– Graduate Studies – Graduate Student

Social

Fitness and Wellness:– Recreation and Wellness Center

Recreation in/and around Kent

Restaurants, bars, live music, hike & bike trails, the Esplanade etc.– Downtown Kent

Yoga in Kent:– One Love Yoga Studio– Kent Yoga

National Parks: – Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Museums:– Cleveland Museum of Art– Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Let’s try an exercise!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnHlB8aQp3Y

References

• Counseling and Human Development Services. (2014). Self-care. [PowerPoint slides].

• National Wellness Institute: http://www.nationalwellness.org

• World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/en/

Thank you for attending GSO!

Feel free to contact us with any questions:Indira Sultanic – isultani@kent.eduTanesha Walker – twalke30@kent.edu