MARCH 2019 |
VOL 2 ISSUE 7

In this issue:
  • Houston Happenings
  • Let the Good Times Roll
  • McGovern Tourney Challenge
  • MS4 Advice
  • Perfect Bracket
  • SPOTlight
  • Spring Cleaning Your Mind
  • Spring Forward
  • TAO
  • Tasty Spring Recipes
The Well is a monthly newsletter that serves to
positively impact the well-being of the McGovern student community
by highlighting a myriad of wellness-related content.
Let the Good Times Roll!
March brings many causes for celebration - Mardi Gras, the first day of Spring, spring break, Match Day, etc. - but, nowadays, it feels like good times are fleeting. Maybe a contributing factor is our high level of distraction that prevents us from being fully present in the moment. So how can we better engage in good times to foster a lasting beneficial impact?

  1. Enjoy the journey: direct your attention toward the experience; soak it in; reflect. And more literally, don’t enjoy only the occasion itself, enjoy the process.
  2. Express your positive emotions: let people know when you’re happy! Hug your friends and family; call your parents when you have good news. Even simply acknowledging “this is so exciting!” can help a good time linger.
  3. Take a few photographs: an amazing meal, a favorite view, a special moment. For heaven’s sake, put down your phone, but there’s no shame in capturing a memory to be displayed on your desk, by your bed, or as your screensaver to reminisce!
  4. Write about it: dark times are part of the natural course of life, but good times are always around the corner (even if it’s a really large corner). Jotting down a few memories here and there can help ensure that when the good times have faded, we can conjure up positivity until the next good time comes around.
McGovern Tourney Challenge
Stay tuned for the McGovern Tourney Challenge sign-up link. Start planning your bracketology strategy now.

Need a refresher on how to pick the perfect bracket? See below for tips!
Picking the Perfect Bracket
 [odds are 1 in 9.2 quintillion, you got this!]
  1. Choose your favorite mascots.
  2. Pick the cutest/coolest jerseys.
  3. Flip a coin.
  4. Have a child/pet pick for you.
  5. Copy someone’s bracket who you think knows basketball (or go opposite of them because no one knows what is going to happen).
Spring Cleaning Your Mind
With Marie Kondo sweeping the nation implementing her trademarked tidying up method that focuses on retaining only items that spark joy, consider clearing out your mind along with your closets. Here are some steps to get you started!

  1. Find quiet time: plan some alone time for just you and your thoughts without any distractions from school, people, or technology.
  2. Clear out a grudge: holding that grudge soaks up emotional energy that can be put towards more positive areas of your life. "It's like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies."
  3. Apologize: offering a heartfelt apology can help remove any discomfort and barriers in a relationship.
  4. Forgive yourself: think about how you talk to and about yourself and if you wouldn't say it about another person why would you say it about yourself.
  5. Be emotionally honest: being emotionally honest with others can deepen our connections, but not sharing your truth doesn't do anything besides build unnecessary walls.

But seriously, don't forget those closets! Clearing up the clutter around you allows routine activities to run more smoothly - more time for good times.
Spring Forward

Daylight saving time 2019 will begin at 2 AM on Sunday, March 10th. Turn your clocks one hour ahead. Look forward to more daylight hours!
MS4 Advice
Studying is an integral part of medical school whether you are a first year just trying to survive through spring, a second year studying for Step 1, or a third year studying for your shelf exams. Sometimes it may seem that everyone has better study methods and is using resources you didn't even think about using, but realize that comparison in medical school can be detrimental to your success. Be confident in your study methods, and continue doing what works for you!

I cannot stress enough the importance of mental health. During first and second year, I scheduled fun activities to ensure that I would take breaks and take my mind off of school. Whether it's watching tv, hanging out with friends, or going to an event, don't feel guilty taking time away from studying!

| Chaiss Matthews, MS4
 SPOTlight |
Weekend Getaway
  • Galveston | Amusement Rides, Fishing, & more!
  • New Orleans | Beignets, City Tours, & more!
  • Son's Island | Lakeside Cabana, Kayaking, & more!
Tasty Start of Spring Recipes
Houston Happenings

02.25 - 03.17: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, NRG Park
Click here for Houston Rodeo concerts
03.01: Mariah Carey, Smart Financial Center
03.01-03: Azalea Trail, River Oaks Garden Club
03.02: Becoming: An Intimate Conversation with Michelle Obama,
Toyota Center Tours
03.02: Heights Crawfish Festival, 411 West 20 th St.
03.02: Trampled by Turtles, White Oak Music Hall
03.02-03: The Interrupters, Warehouse Live
  03.05-10: Anastasia, Broadway at the Hobby Center
03.09: 46 th Annual Buffalo Bayou Regatta, Buffalo Bayou
03.09-10: Gin Blossoms, House of Blues
03.10-11: Buckethead, House of Blues
03.13-14: Lil Baby, Revention Music Center
03.14: Pi Day Pi(e) Fight, Children’s Museum of Houston
03.15-16: Camel and Ostrich Racing,
Sam Houston Race Park
03.15-17: Houston Symphony - Bell Plays Beethovan,
Jones Hall
03.16: 60 th Annual Houston St. Patrick’s Parade,
Market Square Park
  03.16: Bayou City Outdoors Afternoon Hike and Social,
Meet at Terry Hershey Parking Lot
03.16-17: Roberto Tapia, Arena Theater
03.19: Pink, Toyota Center
03.23: 5 th Annual Heights Kids’ Day of Music, Love Park
03.24: Ella Mae, House of Blues
03.24: Hermann Park Conservancy’s 6 th Annual Kite Festival, Hermann Park 
03.24: Bayou City Outdoors Hair Happy Hour (Dog-friendly), Cottonwood
03.26: Michael Buble, Toyota Center
03.29-31: 2019 Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park,
Memorial Park
03.30: Beach Boys, Smart Financial Center
03.30: Hozier, Revention Music Center
03.30-31: McDonald’s Houston Children’s Festival,
Tranquility Park
TAO | Therapy Assistance Online
The Student Health and Counseling Clinic is excited to announce a new wellness tool available to all students, faculty, and staff at UTH.  TAO (Therapy Assistance Online) is an interactive, self-guided, web-based program that consists of tools and educational materials to help you learn about and change how you think and feel. 
Brought to you by the McGovern Student Wellness & Resilience Committee
Newsletter Staff: Andrew Eck, Ally Limmer, Joaquin Santoy
Questions, Comments, or Contributions to The Well,
please email MS.Wellness@uth.tmc.edu