Student Life
“I dd not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.” - Voltaire
Habitat for Humanity
Reid Mosher
Upperclassmen and a large showing
of freshmen participated in building
two houses for the Habitat for
Humanity in Southern Pines, Sunday,
Oct. I” 2006. The program, which
was started in 1984 by Jimmy Carter,
allows those who cannot afford
homes a way to get one built by their
own sweat, equity, and participation
in building other homes over time.
The volunteers, an equal showing
of male and female, learned tons
about building, tools, and DIY.
Volunteering allows students the
opportunity to give folks who cannot
afford homes a way to have one built.
This in turn gives them financial
equity and clout with banks who
require a sound financial base from
their potential mortgage and loan
holders.
The experience also pays off in a
big way forcollegestudentswhogetto
share their building experiences with
the “Dead Head-esque” groupies who
travel the countiy helping to build.
Also, paid-govemment woricers
get to choose where to volunteer
and build strengths that will help
them in the Peace Corps., American
programs and opportunities all over
the world. There were several full
time volunteers from all comers of
the U.S. who shared stories and told
us about their lives and times with
H for H. The group pictured got
the chance to build everything from
foundation to roof on two separate
houses. Speaking, for the guys, the
chance to meet and work with hot
girls whom otherwise we might not
have been able to get to know in such
a meaningful way was awesome.
The volunteers worked hard and then
celebrated at Sonic with some much
deserved banana splits, shakes, and
other frozen treats.
Bottom line, it was flin, we learned
tons, and felt great at the end of the
day knowing we had an actual hand
in someone’s life. And if you want to
meet girls who can wield a hammer
(and perhaps fix their own roof when
you’re busy watching football or
going skydiving) this is the place to
find them who love tools. It’s about
equity and equal opportunity for all.
Keep an eye out for the next Habitat
for Humanity trip or check out
habitat.org for more information.
October 1, 2006- St. Andrews students recently spent a da>' volunteering with the
Habitat for Humanity near Pinehurst. NC. Courtesy of Reid Mosher.
Field Service, and other exchange '
From the Well of the Wise Woman
Carmen Lentz, LPC, NCC, DCC
Director of Counseling Services
Students working on Habitat House. Courtesy of l^id
Mosher
Need to Stress Less?
What is stress?
Stress is a human
phenomenon we all feel
and can be defined as the
“wear and tear” our bodies
experience as a part of
life. Sources of stress are
frequently tied to negative
events, for example,
failing a class or ending a
relationship, but stress can
also be related to positive
events... graduation, start
of a new relationship,
new job, etc..) People
react to stressors in lots
of different ways, and
leami ng to cope with stress
successfully can really be
important. Coping poorly
with stress in the short
term can create problems
in everyday life such as
sleeping pooriy, having
difficulty concentrating,
and headaches. In the long
run it can cause problems
such as ulcers and
depression. The goal is
not to eliminate stress, but
to learn how to manage
it and to find the level of
stress which will motivate
us but not overwhelm
us. Studies show the real
problem seems to be
“unrelieved” stress, which
signals you have gone
beyond your optimal level
and need to “de-stress”.
How Can I Manage
Stress better?
The first step in the process
is to become aware of
your stressors and your
reactions to them. Try to
payattentiontowhatevents
cause you stress and how
you respond physically
and emotionally to the
stressor. Next, identify
those stressors that you
can change or eliminate.
If you can’t eliminate the
source of the stress, can
you shorten your exposure
to it? Think about what
personal changes you can
make that can bring your
stress levels down. For
example, would better time
management skills help?
Could you do a better job
of goal setting? Would
delayed gratification
strategies help? Also, take
a look at how you are
talking to yourself. Are
you being overly critical of
yourself? Work at adopting
moderate views; accept
that nobody’s perfect and
keep tilings in perspective.
What else can I do?
Try supplementing the
above tactics by taking
care of yourself physically
as well. Regular physical
exercise is a great stress
reducer. Walk, run, bike,
swim, whatever gets
you out and active. Pay
attention to your weight,
eat healthy foods, and get
plenty of sleep. Avoid too
much caffeine and other
stimulants. Relaxation
techniques can reduce
muscle tension and help
you calm yourself Last
but not least, nurture
your emotional support
system. Surround yourself
with people who enrich
your life and avoid
those who deplete it
If you have any questions
or need any additional
assistance managing
stress effectively,
contact the Counseling
Center at 277-5040.
( Carmen Lentz. Picture Courtesy of Rooney Coffman)