March 22nd, 2023
How Are You Thriving?
I’m saving my imperfect cards for my favorite people!
A few years ago I challenged myself to start doing one new thing a month. I went paintballing, I tried new restaurants, I even went to a movie by myself for the first time. This experiment is what finally convinced me to try something my friend had tried to convince me to do for a long time, going to their friend’s card making group. Honestly I thought it was cheesy. Until I got there and found that it was not only a great creative outlet for me, but an opportunity to build community with people who I previously would never have known. Now once a month, we get together to make cards and talk about anything and everything. It's a place where I feel like I can be myself. What helps me build connection is not only going to this group, but also sharing the cards that I make. At first I had a hard time giving them to people. It felt vulnerable. I thought “Are these good enough to give away?”. But then my mom reminded me that they are called homemade for a reason! They don't have to be perfect! And the people who I am truly connected with, who are reliable and share my values, who I really want to share my cards with, love them, and me, despite their imperfections. So now I have a box of imperfect cards, that go to special people, on their special occasions or just the times when I want to remind them, they are special to me.

Valerie Concordia
Administrative Assistant
Office of the Dean of Students

#Community #Emotional #Social
I'm Staying Connected Through Transition!
I first went to an on-campus event after feeling isolated when I came to Rowan as a transfer student in 2018. It was a wellbeing workshop hosted by Healthy Campus Initiatives. I mostly went for the pizza, but I ended up making friends and mentors I still have today. It was in spaces like this, and U Good F.A.M? there I was able to build connections with other students with a shared interest in wellbeing, which helped me practice buildings relationships beyond a surface level. 

Then came the panerami (or pandemic). A silver lining of the pandemic was learning how to transition these stills to maintain connections virtually. Such as engaging in conversations beyond a “hey” text. I started calling people on the phone and using zoom calls for the traits I was missing with in-person connection. Keeping in touch with friends post-grad (especially if they are no longer in the area) can also be hard but by using those socializing skills I learned during the pandemic I still find ways to keep in touch with friends by having zoom parties a few times a month and staying up to date with life events they post on social media.

After post-grad, I can continue to reach out for mentorship from people like Dr. Sadler at U Good F.A.M?, or Allie and Brittney from Healthy Campus Initiatives and continue to seek connection with people who share my interest in well-being!

Denzel Moore He/Him 
M.A in Higher Education Administration 2022
Academic Advisor

#Community #Emotional #Social
How To...
Combat Overstimulation
Overstimulation or sensory overload is when you are overwhelmed by information or processing sound, lights, noises, etc. Here are a couple of ways you can combat overstimulation. 
  • Put on noise-canceling headphones.
  • Listen to nature sounds like rain.
  • Smell a scent you enjoy. Consider lavender or peppermint.
  • Change the temperature to be warmer or cooler.
  • Decrease the lighting.
  • Use a fidget toy.
  • Do a guided meditation.

Looking for more ways to combat feeling overwhelmed and support your overall well-being? Attend the Health and Wellness Expo Wednesday March 29th from 11:30 am to 3:00 pm in the Rec Center!

#Physical #Emotional
Heartwarming Connection!
Friends Reconnect in a Homeless Shelter
Who would you be relieved to see if you were entering a challenging or vulnerable situation?

Is there a person you felt like you met for a reason?

Have you lost connection with this person? We challenge you to send them a text and let them know that you value them and have been thinking about them.

#Community #Emotional
Recommended Reading!
Happy Eco News!
The first guiding principle of Happy Eco News is “Most people want to do good in the world”. It is described as a source of hope that becomes a motivation to do good on this earth and within our communities.

Some of the recent news we are excited to see!
  • The ozone layer is repairing itself after chemicals that were known to harm it became banned. Recent images of the Ozone Layer show restoration now over 30 years after the 1987 worldwide ban on ozone-depleting chemicals known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). 
  • LEGO is supporting sustainable futures by creating opportunities for recycling or "replaying" LEGO products, shifting to recycled materials to make sustainable LEGO blocks, and creating more sustainable packaging!

You can also get excited for some happy eco news on our campus!
  • Walk around Discovery Hall you will find native plants and permeable bricks are also effective sustainable tools for stormwater mitigation.
  • SUP co sponsored with REAL to fundraiser for the Bullock Garden project. $371 was raised at the succulent sale!

#Purpose #Community
Thrive Live
Events and Engagements for All Dimensions!
Featured Event!
Health & Wellness Expo
“The Strive to Thrive newsletter intends to bring you well-being ideas, tips, events, information and ways to connect through all dimensions of well-being (physical, social, emotional, purpose, community, and financial). We hope that this layout reminds you of all the many ways to nourish, attend to, and elevate your well-being and the well-being of those around you.”
Strive to Thrive is a newsletter for the Rowan University community. Visit rowan.edu/thrive or contact rowanthrive@rowan.edu for more information.