Staying on top of your New Year’s resolution was easy until you came back to Penn State, the land of stress-eating and all-nighters. It may seem easy now, but the vicious cycle of sleep, eat, study, party is hard to escape, no matter what year it is.

If you don’t want to forget your resolution by February, take advantage of the many resources Penn State offers to keep you on track.

If your resolution is to…

Get Fit

…these three campus fitness centers are open every day of the week:

White Building and IM Building

• Monday through Thursday — 6 a.m. to 1 a.m.
• Friday — 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• Saturday: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Sunday — 9 a.m. to 1 a.m.

 

Hepper Fitness Center in Rec Hall

• Monday through Friday — 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

 

If working out alone isn’t your thing, try a fitness class with your friends or a personal training session to keep you accountable.

Stress Less, Sleep More

…try the Relaxation Room in 20 IM Building. The space features coloring books, a sand garden, puzzles, and “brain massage” audio tracks on iPods. There are also two biofeedback software programs on desktops that help you learn to control involuntary processes like heart rate and muscle tension. The room is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If that’s not enough, call Health Promotion and Wellness to schedule an appointment for one of their free sleep or relaxation and time management services. Each service includes three one-hour sessions, but you can sign up for as many as you want.

Bonus: The Health Promotion and Wellness office in 201 Student Health Center offers free sleep kits, which include earplugs, an eye mask, and a list of sleep tips.

Eat Healthy

…you can visit Penn State’s nutrition clinic for free nutrition counseling with a registered dietitian. Not only can they help you meet any cultural or personal nutrition needs including food allergies, vegan diets, or digestive disorders, but they can also assist you in making healthy choices in the dining commons, setting realistic goals with limited finances, and maintaining a healthy eating pattern.

Make an appointment for a consultation through your myUHS account or call Health Promotion and Wellness.

Volunteer

…check out volunteer@psu‘s events calendar to find volunteer opportunities with groups like Lion’s Pantry, the Student Red Cross Club, the Music Service Club, and Council of LionHearts.

You can also search Penn State’s list of campus organizations by keyword or category (try “Service” or “Philanthropic” under the Organization Category drop-down menu) if you’re looking for something more permanent.

Quit Smoking

…look into the Freedom from Smoking program from (you guessed it) Health Promotion and Wellness. A trained health educator from the American Lung Assocation will lead the free, seven-week course designed to help students quit smoking and remain smoke-free through weekly modules. Modules address everything from stress management to cravings while you quit.

University Health Services also provides other resources to help you quiet smoking, like an individual consultation with a clinician during a regular clinic appointment.

Manage Your Money

…get help from Penn State’s Financial Literacy and Wellness Center. The center is located in the Grange Building, but it’s much easier to visit its website, where there are loads of tips on the center’s five principles of financial literacy: earning, saving/investing, spending, borrowing, and protecting money. You can also tailor your experience to discuss more specific needs, including student loans, credit card debt, or wages and taxes.

The center offers freshman seminars, workshops, and webinars. You can find details for all the center’s activities here.

The Office of Student Aid also has an online Money Manager, which provides tips and assistance with loan debt, credit card debt, and financing strategies for your education.

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Here’s to a new year and a new semester. Happy…resolving!