CESP Blog

In order to receive credit for this RAP session as a reflection, please post an answer (in the form of a comment to this entry, include your name and UMN email address, if you want to remain anonymous send your answer to cesp@umn.edu and let us know if we can still post it anonymously) to one of the three following categories (length of response should be, but is not limited to, about one page or 300 words):
A(ffect): What were your reactions to the workshop? How did you feel after talking about all of the health issues that our generation is facing? Reflect on your feelings surrounding the topics discussed.
B(ehavior): What was your commitment to action that you wrote down at the end? What other steps would you like to see other students take in order to address the health issues discussed? How can you apply what you learned in this workshop to your daily life?
C(ognition): Did you learn anything new about the health care issues that other students mentioned? Expand on a different health care issue that wasn’t covered as in depth and explain how students are important agents in addressing it.

Additional Links:

Vote for the presidential candidate that supports your beliefs:
http://www.speakout.com/VoteMatch/

Attend this annual conference to learn about global health issues and commit to changing the world:
http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=1871&srcid=2134

Find resources to promote mental health awareness on campus:
http://www.bhs.umn.edu/programs/index.htm

Find out what nutrition services Boynton offers:
http://www.bhs.umn.edu/services/nutrition.htm

Create a survey like the HRRI Pulse Survey that measures the health of undergraduate students:
http://www.carlsonschool.umn.edu/Page6134.aspx

Here is a reflection from Jenna Raci:

I found the RAP session to be very interesting and helpful. What spurred my thinking the most was just the monstrous, overlying cloud that is looming over all of the health issues that our generation is facing. Talking about mental health and nutrition issues made me realize that they can be directly related, as can many other health problems, but that could help us find the root of all the problems. For example, it is known that underdeveloped countries have malnutrition problems in their populations because of factors such as poverty, limited education, access to resources, etc. The reasons are innumerable, but poverty and limited educational or vocational opportunities can happen to those people who suffer from a mental illness. Another example, probably more directed towards the US, would be that we could potentially draw a connection depression and mental statuses following a catastrophic event and obesity, or even malnutrition, in a population. Depressed mood can cause extreme behavior, whether it be overeating or under eating in this case.
So to complete my thought about this overlying cloud, I personally would make a connection between health issues such as mental stability, obesity/malnutrition, and many other preventable diseases to overall quality of life. I know it sounds obvious, but it’s the truth. Therefore, my commitment to action would be to instate a campus-wide (starting small here) Random Act of Kindness day or week. I really feel that telling a random person “Oh, I really like your shirt�, holding the door open for them, or just smiling could potentially brighten their day. Not to mention, those who would participate would feel better about themselves also. This could be something that catches fire too. If everyone were to just be a little bit nicer, imagine how much better our world could be. It sounds incredibly simple, and that it is. Being happy improves quality of life, and I think would therefore decrease depression occurrence and improve eating habits.
Prior to attending this meeting, I wasn’t aware of the mental health problems surrounding the Hmong population. One girl in the group mentioned that it is hard to address mental health issues with Hmong people because it simply isn’t in their vocabulary. That’s so interesting to think about because American’s technically defined and “created� the disease of depression.
Another issue discussed in the meeting was the health care system. One way students can address this issue would be voting for the presidential candidate that hopes to implement the type of health care system that they would like to see in America. With record numbers of young voters, especially of the college age, we have the power to see what we would like done with our health care system.