MCC Gives Strategies to Stay Mentally Healthy Ahead of Fall Semester

As the Fall semester approaches, Middlesex Community College wants to make sure students have access to the tools, resources and strategies they need to get off to a strong start. MCC’s Office of Wellness and Essential Needs believes that one of the best ways a student can prepare for a new semester is to focus on their emotional, mental and physical well-being.

“Mental and physical health matters so much,” said Jonathan Crockett, MCC’s Coordinator of Essential Needs & Community Resources. “Taking care of yourself can help you feel better, be a better student, and increase your quality of life. Positive mental and physical health makes all the difference to long-term success and happiness – don’t neglect it!”

In order to stay healthy, Crockett and Lynn Gregory, MCC’s Wellness Counselor, emphasize that there are a variety of simple but positive, effective and beneficial approaches.

For mental health, this includes learning strategies to manage emotions, explore spirituality, practice meditation and relaxation, and deal with stress. To help students take care of their physical body, they suggest eating healthy food, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, avoiding harmful chemicals and exercising.

Another way to prepare for the semester is to learn how to build and maintain healthy relationships, whether with advisors and faculty, classmates, or in personal and professional settings. Crockett and Gregory believe there is value in students making time to engage in conversations with the people who can help and guide them.

“Being able to ask someone else for help is one of the greatest gifts to both sides,” Gregory said. “It’s an invitation to engage, connect, share the load, learn from each other, and feel supported. The world is full of people eager to help and asking is not a sign of weakness, but an act of humanity, necessity and grace.”

Crockett and Gregory also stress the value of maintaining a healthy relationship to technology. While technology is used in a number of ways during school, work and personal time, it can be distracting. Finding a balance will help students avoid overuse and stress.

“Responsible use of technology requires awareness, effort and consistency,” Crockett and Gregory said. “It can prevent you from sliding down the slippery slopes of technology overload and procrastination.”