Talking Stick - March/April 2014 - 10

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Intent of Internet Usage
Highlighted in Study

OSU Res Life Plays An Active Part i

Using an online survey collected from 267
college and university seniors, a recent
study examines the correlation between
perceived stress and the amount of Internet
usage. Students who use the Internet as a
coping mechanism to avoid the problems
in their lives are likely to experience higher
levels of stress, whereas students who use
the Internet to enhance their lives and
positive feelings are likely to experience
lower levels of stress. The findings
challenge the possible assumption that the
number of hours spent on the Internet is
related to stress level, because the study
finds that the actual intent of Internet
usage is a better indicator of the increased
or decreased stress level.

Staff at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater launched their
Striving to Be America's Healthiest Campus campaign in 2006,
an effort born out of their campaign to make the campus smoke
free. Now, after winning the "Most Innovative Wellness and
Nutrition Program" award from the National Association of
College & University Food Services (NACUFS) and establishing
the position of a wellness officer in 2013, they are well on
their way to achieving their goal of establishing a clear path to
wellness. "It's a lot of little things we do to keep our staff and
our students informed and engaged about wellness," says Matt
Brown, director of university housing. For example, they ask
residential life programmers to provide healthy snacks like fruits
and vegetables instead of pizza at programs. This is a little more
expensive, but it's worth it because it reinforces the message of
wellness. Additionally, staff are given flex time so they can work
out during the day if they want, and they are given release time
so they can undergo a health risk assessment.

Scott Deatherage, Heather L. Servaty-Seib, and Idil
Aksoz, "Stress, Coping and Internet Use of College
Students," Journal of American College Health
(2013, December 7). For more information, see
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2013.843536.

In 2012, the university opened its REBOOT Center, a stress
management center which is the first of its kind in the state. It
uses state-of-the-art technology to measure student stress and
then helps students understand how to handle it better. One
such tool is a racing game that provides biofeedback information
about levels of stress and relaxation. Students are hooked up to
sensors that measure their heart and breathing rate as they play
the game, and they can control the pace of the car by controlling
the pace of their breathing. Information about the center is
transmitted in many ways, including frequent tweets about the
latest classes to be offered, such as "Introduction to Relaxation"
and "How to Get the Most Out of Your Sleep."

-Corrine Smith

OVERHEARD
On Twitter
Becca Holbrook
@Becca_Holbrook
Anyone using RFID
tags to inventory res
hall furniture? IT says
no one is doing it,
I said ask #sachat
#ACUHOI

10

Talking STick

Michelle Hobbs ‫‏‬
@MichelleHobbsMN
Looking at all the
#acuhoi internship
postings is making
me so excited for this
summer! Where will I
end up??

Michelle Sujka ‫‏‬
@MichelleSujka
Thinking of adding
Leadership Quotes
to my RHA Advisor
reports this year!
What's your favorite
one? #sachat #reslife
#wlsalt #acuhoi

Megan Kielty ‫‏‬
@MKielty13
Looking forward to
getting brunch at my
favorite diner by @
johnshopkins tmrw
with my old boss. It's
been far too long!
#papermoon #acuhoi
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2013.843536
Talking Stick - March/April 2014

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