State of Wellbeing, a podcast from South Dakota State University

In this episode of State of Wellbeing, Chief Wellness Officer Shari Landmark is joined by Victoria Dubbelde, an accounting lecturer, to discuss financial wellness with a focus on tax preparation. Learn about essential tax documents, record keeping, and practical tax organization tips.
 
Learning Objectives:
1. Identify key tax documents needed for filing taxes.
2. Learn about the VITA program and how it offers free tax preparation services for students and the community.
3. Learn practical tips for organizing tax records to reduce stress during tax season.
 
Processing Questions:
1. Have you ever experienced challenges during tax season due to missing or disorganized documents? What could you do differently this year?
2. How does understanding taxes contribute to overall financial wellness?
3. January is Financial Wellness Month. How can you use January as a time to set financial goals or improve your financial organization?

Financial Wellness Month continues with this episode focused on financial wellness from the student perspective. The host, Caitlin Walters, interviews Abram, a senior majoring in business economics and entrepreneurial studies, about practical financial strategies for college students and how financial health should integrate with other aspects of wellness.
Learning Outcomes:
1: Listeners will understand ways students can reduce spending while on campus.
2: Listeners will identify campus resources where they can connect with other students and learn about investing.
3: Listeners will be able to identify different sources for financial literacy information.
 
Processing Questions:
Who do you have in your life that you can turn to for financial advice?
What are two changes you can make in your spending habits to reduce unnecessary spending?
What financial goals can you set for yourself this semester, to help improve your financial wellbeing?

This episode of State of Wellbeing focuses on financial wellness, featuring Jennifer Olson, Senior Vice President of Business Banking at Bank Star Financial, and Shari Landmark, Chief Wellness Officer at South Dakota State University. Together, they explore the differences between debit and credit cards, the importance of building a credit history, and strategies for maintaining a healthy credit score. Jennifer shares personal anecdotes, practical advice, and insights on managing finances responsibly. Whether you're a student or a professional, this episode offers valuable tips for achieving financial fitness and avoiding common pitfalls.
 
Learning Objectives:
Listeners will understand the difference between debit cards and credit cards and when to use one versus the other.  
Listeners will be able to identify ways that their credit scores may impact them and how to improve their credit score. 
Listeners will be able to identify two resources for improving their financial literacy.  
Processing Questions:
What are the downsides of credit cards, and how you can mitigate them? 
How can students find a balance between using a debit/credit card responsibly?  
What resources are available to students wanting to learn more about financial literacy? 

January is Financial Wellness Month. To start the month, Caitlin Walters, SDSU Wellbeing Specialist, and Lorna Saboe-Wounded Head, SDSU Extension Family Resource Management Field Specialist, discuss saving money while in college. The episode emphasizes proactive financial management and provides actionable steps to achieve financial wellness.
 
Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Define the purpose and importance of budgeting as a foundational financial skill. 
2. Differentiate between short-term savings for emergencies and long-term investing for retirement or major life goals.
3. Locate and utilize campus and community resources for personal financial education and counseling.
 
Processing Questions:
1. What are some effective methods for tracking and managing a budget mentioned in the episode?
2. What is the recommended starting amount for an emergency fund, and how can students work towards building it?
3. Reflect on your current budgeting or spending habits. What adjustments could you make based on the advice shared in this episode?
4. What financial goals do you currently have, and how can you use the strategies from this podcast to achieve them?
 
 

In this episode of State of Wellbeing, host Teresa Seefeldt, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education at South Dakota State University, is joined by Dean of Students, Toby Uecker. Together, they explore the "Red Folder" resource, a practical tool designed to assist faculty and staff in recognizing, responding to, and referring students in distress. Toby shares valuable tips on navigating challenging conversations with students, addressing mental health concerns, and building rapport. The discussion also highlights additional training opportunities, such as QPR, and the role of campus resources in supporting the wellbeing of the SDSU community.

Stressed about upcoming final exams? Get some tips from SDSU students Katie Milbrandt and Emma Ludens on how to manage that stress and have a successful finals week.
Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Students will be able to identify common mental health challenges (e.g., procrastination, lack of motivation, burnout) and their impact on academic success, particularly during stressful periods like finals.
2. Students will develop a structured approach to managing their time, including creating study schedules, prioritizing tasks, and maintaining a balance between academic and personal activities.
3. Students will be able to navigate and use campus resources like tutoring, supplemental instruction, and success advising at the Wintrode Student Success Center effectively.
4. Apply stress-reduction techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and positive affirmations to manage test anxiety and maintain focus during exams.
 
Processing Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt overwhelmed. What strategies could you implement next time to maintain balance?
2. Imagine a friend is hesitant to seek academic support because they feel embarrassed. What advice would you give them?
3. How can visualizing success before an exam positively influence your performance?
4. What is one small change you can make this week to improve your academic habits?
 

November is Digital Health Month at SDSU! In this episode of the State of Wellbeing podcast, host Caitlin Walters, a wellbeing specialist, and guest Ashley Day, a staff counselor, discuss digital wellness and its importance in cultivating a balanced relationship with technology. Caitlin and Ashley share personal positives of technology use, like social connection and accessibility, but also note downsides, including reduced quality time with family and the tendency to "doomscroll." They also suggest practical strategies to counter procrastination, like breaking down tasks into manageable steps and planning study times based on individual productivity peaks. The episode underscores the role of self-awareness and intentionality in developing a healthier relationship with technology for improved wellbeing.
 
Learning Outcomes:
1. Listeners will be able to define digital wellness.
2. Listeners will be able to identify ways they can improve their relationship with digital technology.
3. Listeners will be able to identify some of the potential disadvantages of overuse of technology.
 
Processing Questions:
1. What are three ways you can improve your relationship with social media and technology.
2. What are some positives and drawbacks of digital technology use.

In this episode of the State of Wellbeing podcast, Caitlin Walters, the wellbeing specialist at South Dakota State University, discusses the importance of sleep with April Schneider, a nurse practitioner at the campus health clinic. They explore what good sleep looks like and highlight how poor sleep can lead to various issues, such as weakened immunity, impaired concentration, memory issues, mood disturbances, and physical performance deficits. The podcast provides practical advice on sleep hygiene, including creating a sleep-focused environment and avoiding activities like studying in bed. 
 
Learning Objectives:
1. Recognize the role of sleep in physical recovery, memory retention, and overall wellbeing.
2. Describe the potential impact of inadequate sleep.
3. Learn strategies to improve sleep quality and identify resources for those experiencing sleep issues.
 
Processing questions:
1. What are some of the consequences of getting a poor night's sleep?
2. What is the importance of REM sleep in your sleep pattern?
3. What is your self-assessment of your sleep? Are you getting enough sleep? What is the quality of that sleep? Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10.

This week, we are re-releasing our most popular podcast episode, Navigating Anxiety in College. Anxiety remains a highly requested topic for our listeners, and a follow-up to this episode will be coming later this semester.
Join Pharmacy Professor and Medical Professional Dr. Jeremy Daniel, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP and Staff Counselor Julia Walker, MS, LPC-Supervisee as they discuss the ins-and-outs of anxiety. You’ll get answers to some common questions like, what is anxiety, and more importantly, what it isn’t?; What does treatment look like? And how has social media changed the meaning of the word ‘anxiety’? Hang out until the end of the episode for specific tips and skills to manage anxiety right now and how we as a community can support each other. 
 
Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Students will be able to define anxiety, recognize its common symptoms, and differentiate between normal stress responses and anxiety disorders.
2. Learners will be able to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy coping skills, understanding that while some methods, like alcohol, may temporarily alleviate anxiety, they may worsen it in the long term.
3. Learners will understand the need to have a variety of coping techniques and strategies since no single method works in every situation.
 
Processing Questions:
1. Have you tried any grounding techniques before? Which ones worked best for you, and why? What are some other self-care strategies you could use when feeling overwhelmed by anxiety?
2. What kind of mental health resources have you found helpful on campus? 
3. How do you balance the pressures of academic performance with the need to maintain mental health?
 
 

Selecting or changing a major can be a stressful time for students. In this State of Wellbeing episode, Vice Provost Teresa Seefeldt has a conversation with academic advisor Chanda Walter about successfully navigating the major selection process.
 
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the major change process at South Dakota State University.
2. List resources available to help students select a major.
 
Processing Questions:
1. Reflect on your current major. Why did you select that major? How have your feelings about your major changed over time?
2. If you decided to change your major, what should your first step be? What resources should you utilize to explore majors?
3. What is the exploratory studies program and how does it help students find the right academic pathway?