The Beach Health Blog

               Let’s face it—we’ve all been counting down the days to be free of homework and school projects! You are ready to start your summer adventures. I’ll admit that since the beginning of the semester I’ve been planning (and daydreaming) about my upcoming summer trips. Here’s some tips to make your vacation the best ever! 1.       Research your destination. Whether it is a planned trip or even a last-minute trip, make sure you do some research about where you are going. It helps with packing and can save you extra money. Also if you are going on for a specific reason—food, the scenery, festivals—it will help you make the most of your time. For instance, I am a HUGE foodie. Whenever I travel I look for Yelp reviews and articles on the areas close to where I am staying. A lot of the time they will have specials that can only be unlocked on Yelp such as 10% off your meal or ha...

A couple of weeks ago, I was lucky enough to take part in a Wellness Wednesday workshop titled “Financial Literacy 101”. The speaker, Dominica Scibetta, did such an incredible job providing the attendees with important knowledge, that I felt a desire to pass it on to my fellow 49ers. As students, we have all struggled or are struggling with our finances. Becoming financially fit is important in every aspect of life. For instance, when trying to purchase a car, or rent an apartment, finances play a big role. Money problems are often the main cause of stress in relationships and student loan debt is at an all-time high across the nation. No matter how little or how much money you have, being smart with your money can reduce stress. This is the time to learn a few tips to stay financially fit. 1)       Track your income for one month . Any money that you receive, put it on the spreadsheet! If you work in the service industry and collect tips, start track...

Hey 49ers! So we are getting close to that time again as the end of the semester approaches.  No, not quite summer yet, more like final exam time! Even as I wrote that last line I felt a cringe in my stomach. Luckily, there are some tactics we can do as students to prepare for that time of high intense stress. Give yourself enough time to study !  This can be for college students especially when most also work. The best tip is to review any notes or handouts from class right before bedtime ever night or most nights. This will help you retain the information for longer periods of time. Organize study groups with your fellow classmates . Studying in a group helps one learn and retain information because students explain concepts to each other. Another person might use words that help you understand the concept much more clearly. Explain answers to others. Explaining a concept to a classmate enhances knowledge and ...

With the recent withdrawal of the American Health Care Act, a Republican-sponsored bill that would have repealed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), supporters and patients of Planned Parenthood can take a momentary sigh of relief. During his campaign and after winning the 2016 presidential election, President Donald J. Trump promised Americans that he would fight to “repeal and replace” the ACA, signed into law by former President Barack Obama in 2010. But after House Republican leaders pulled legislation to repeal the ACA from consideration on the House floor, President Trump’s promises fell flat. Repealing the ACA would have eliminated Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood clinics for one year--funding that represents 30% of their budget. A de-funding of Planned Parenthood would have decreased the accessibility and affordability of basic health care services especially among low-income women. Planned Parenthood offers many types of birth control, sexual...

At the beginning of the school year I had a health scare. I was in and out of the emergency room for chest pain, shortness of breath, and body aches that would not go away. I ended up on bed rest for three weeks—the longest three weeks of my life. What made these longest three weeks of my life bearable were my friends. I would receive multiple texts and phone calls each day from them. Some even came to visit me at home and brought me food. None of the medicine that the doctors prescribed helped me as much as my friends being there to take my mind away from my boredom, pain, and worries. I was able to talk to them about my concerns like falling behind in school, not knowing for sure why I am on bed rest, and other crazy things that popped in my mind. I’d like to say that if it were not for my friends, I would not have recovered as quickly as I did. Although we may take it for granted, friends are an important part of most people’s lives. They are an important support system—w...

Are you moving into the residence halls as a freshmen? Are you transferring over from another school?  Moving out or moving in and looking for a roommate? Are you hoping to make new friends? With students from over 90 countries and 37,000 students, Cal State Long Beach is the place to be! Here are tips and tricks to help you take that first step to meeting new people and establishing friendships that will create great memories! Go to places that you enjoy and find interest in:   It would be beneficial if you shared some interests with your new friends. This allows you to initiate conversation and spiral into other topics that you are both excited about. Explore!   Don’t limit yourself, get out of your comfort zone. Try something new to make new friends. Maybe you always wanted to learn to rock climb or surf. Take a class at the SRWC or a PE class.   Get involved: Joining campus organizations, Greek life, or clubs has many benefits. Obviously, a gro...

This semester seems as though it is zooming by with papers, exams, and all the other things we have to do. But it’s time to empower ourselves by taking care of our sexual health. Here are a few steps to gain control over one’s sexual health     Step 1: Learn more about it ●                 Learning about your sexual health is important, but sometimes family and friends can give out false information. Also, if you use the Internet, you might find some unreliable sources. Try to stick to reliable information such as: ●              www.bedsider.org ●             Centers for Disease Control at: www.cdc.gov/sexualhealth ●       American Sexual Health Association at: ashasexualhealth.org ●             Also the ...