Students struggling to concentrate, hoping to take off the freshman 15 or trying to drink in moderation can look to a new Syracuse University website that aims to provide solutions.

The site, called LiveU, is a collaboration between health and wellness students in the College of Human Ecology and health and wellness units in the Division of Student Affairs and Hendricks Chapel.

Launched March 23, LiveU aims to promote healthy living practices for college students, said Rebecca Dayton, associate vice president of health and wellness in Student Affairs. SU encourages students through this Web site to care for their health and wellness in a more holistic way, focusing on all facets of a balanced lifestyle, Dayton said.

Dayton said now is the most important time to address these issues with students because of the pressures this generation faces.

“There are many more demands on students — both academically and outside the classroom,” Dayton said. “Sometimes too much stress and the inability to cope can lead to more serious depression and anxiety, and I hope this site can be one preventative measure to help students stop, slow down and check in with themselves before things get out of hand.”

Bonnie Shoultz, the Buddhist chaplain at Hendricks Chapel, said LiveU was created to be a place where students could investigate different ways of coping with stress. She said the site is meant to address students’ needs to find meaning in their lives, to be social and to give to their community.

“We would hope that this site will give students another resource for dealing with depression and anxiety and a place to go to find out about the other supports available to them,” Shoultz said. “It recognizes that students face major challenges and that there are many ways of meeting those challenges.”

Featured topics on LiveU include mental and emotional wellness, called “Mind;” spiritual wellness, called “Spirit;” physical wellness, called “Body;” and involvement in local and regional philanthropic events, called “Community.” Subsections of the page, which include “Coping,” “Recharge,” “Work It Out,” “Feel The Love” and “Party Animals,” provide suggestions for rejuvenating mid-semester. The site also has links to various resources both on and off campus. The “Relaxation Station,” a video link, provides guided meditation and relaxation techniques for students seeking relief.

The website accepts articles from contributing writers, including students, staff and other health professionals in the local Syracuse community. Issues addressed in the articles include “Top 5 Drinking Games That Put You At Risk,” yoga, positive thinking and the SU community’s contribution toward the Haiti relief effort. The articles suggest coping strategies for the stress, loss and pressure that many students experience during their college career.

Jilian Jancuska, a yoga instructor for Recreation Services and a health writer for a publication in New York City, said she was excited to write for LiveU. The article she contributed to the Web site, titled ‘Bridging The Gap: Working Out & Well Being’ was written in the ‘Body’ section of the site and encourages students to stop, to be mindful of the moment and to breathe.

“My hope is that students feel inspired to take an active role in their well-being,” Jancuska said. “I get very excited at the prospect of introducing yoga and mindfulness to this particularly passionate, creative, hard-working and often stressed-out community.”

Shoultz, the Buddhist chaplain, has been involved in the development since the inception of the website. The Web site and its contributors will continue to evolve as they receive feedback, she said in an e-mail.

“This is just the beginning,” Shoultz said. “There will be many changes, content will change regularly and there will be other ways it will change, depending on the feedback that is given.”

Nicole McDermott, a sophomore magazine journalism major, said she will visit LiveU for wellness and stress-release tips.

“It’s a lot more college-oriented than a health magazine website,” McDermott said. “A lot of what we learn at school is like ‘hangover cures’ and other things from people our age, but this Web site is very conversationally written and offers better alternatives.”

 

Published on March 28, 2010 at 12:00 pm