State of Wellbeing, a podcast from South Dakota State University

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?

What do wellbeing and wellness actually mean? Explore these concepts and the 8 dimensions of wellness with Caitlin Walters, SDSU Wellbeing Specialist, and Shari Landmark, SDSU Chief Wellness Officer.
Learning Objectives:
Listeners will be able to define wellbeing and describe the difference between wellbeing and wellness.
Listeners will be able to identify the 8 dimensions of wellness and define them.
Listeners will be able to name 2 resources per wellness dimension.
Processing Questions 
What is one dimension of wellness that you would like to focus on improving in the next 30 days, and why?
What are two strategies you could use to reach this goal?
What resources are available to you to support this goal?

Learn more about fitness resources in the Brookings community including the SDSU Wellness Center and McCrory Gardens.

Join Kelsey Doom, President and CEO of the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce, to learn more about wellbeing resources in the Brookings community.

Angela Brown, Clinical Assistant Professor of Athletic Training, shares exercise tips, specifically things that employees can do within the work environment to support holistic wellness.

We've all heard about work-life balance, but are you familiar with the concept of work-work balance? Lynn Sargeant, Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, joins the podcast to discuss how employees can find balance in the different areas of their work.