Positive Body Image

In this SLI I learned how the media has an impact on how we views ourselves and others. We discussed how both males and females have different views of themselves and the effect this has on our lives. I learned about how photoshop can really distort our perception of reality when we see our favorite celebrities in magazines. We did an exercise where we first had to write down all the things we liked about ourselves on one piece of paper. After that we wrote on a separate sheet all the things we didn't like about ourselves and our bodies. It was really eye opening to see how much easier it was to write down negative things about yourself instead of the positives. This made me realize how I tend to focus on the things I don't like about my body instead of the things I do like. Following this exercise we passed around a paper with our names on it to a small group of people and each person took turns writing positive things about the appearance of each person. I really liked getting the opportunity to hear what others have to say about me and I have the paper hanging on my wall to this day. It makes me realize that not everyone is as judgmental as I thought and I should be less harsh on myself.

A Better Body for the Student Body

This session focused on the physical, mental and dietary health of college students. I really enjoyed this session because I am passionate about staying healthy and was looking for some good tips. There were three rounds of this session where we learned about each of the aspects of one's health. I started off with the physical aspect of health in which I learned a workout I can do in my dorm room for 15 minutes a day to improve my health. I didn't expect to actually be working out so it was a little difficult wearing jeans, but I was still able to learn all the moves. Next, I learned the importance of being healthy mentally. I learned some deep breathing exercises to help me whenever I am feeling especially stressed and need to relax. Finally, I was rewarded with a healthy brownie I can make in my dorm room with a few simple ingredients. This session was very beneficial because staying healthy is an important thing especially in college.

Who Needs Sleep?

As a person who rarely gets enough sleep and is always tired, this session was especially helpful for me. We started off by lining up in order of what time we went to bed and were split into teams to play Sleep Jeopardy based on this order. Since I usually go to bed pretty late, it was no surprise to me that I was put into the group with people who were equally as exhausted as I was. I learned a lot of valuable information on how to sleep better such as if you want to take a nap you should take on for 90 minutes to allow your body to go through one complete sleep cycle. I enjoyed getting to play a game since it was a fun way to learn instead of simply hearing someone speak for the whole time. The information I learned has already been very beneficial for me and has changed the way I think about sleep.