Tag Archives: mental health

Self Worth

As I start my search for full-time employment, I am faced with the task of pitching myself to companies in hopes that they will hire me. I am “selling” my skills and abilities to these brands, hoping that they will “buy” them. A sales pitch is always better when there is genuine belief behind it, which makes it hard when you doubt your ability or worth.

I compare myself to my fellow classmates quite a lot. Regardless of their impressive track records and great personalities, I have a track record of my own and my unique personality. A resume can only show whether you are able to execute a job’s responsibilities, which in all honestly is a teachable thing. People learn how to do their job better every day, even higher ups an business owners. Your resume helps you get your foot in the door, but your personality and personal connection with the people at the company is what really secures your spot.

In psychology, there is this thing called the Dunning-Kruger effect, which is where is you can’t objectively assess your cognitive ability. Basically, the less you really know, the more you think you know, and vice versa. This generally means that if you have a low perception of your ability, then you are probably better off then you really think.

You have to remember that you are a valid and worthy person. You might doubt yourself from time to time and that is natural, but you shouldn’t put yourself down if you can help it. You have your own set of strengths and weaknesses and while they might not match up with other peoples, that doesn’t mean they aren’t valid or good.

How do you keep your spirits and self-perception up?

Goodbye Stress

Hello Everyone,

With midterm season almost at a finish (thank goodness), it is never too soon to get a head start preparing for finals. There are simple steps you can take to reduce stress and keep calm this finals season.

Meditate-
Always give yourself room to breathe. It is important to set aside time for yourself to relax and wind down. Mediation can mean literally practicing breathing exercises, or simply allowing downtime to center your mind and body. There are even apps that help schedule a few minute long meditation exercises into your day. It is a simple way to stay calm, cool, and collected.

Time Manage-
Set up a calendar with your due dates for assignments and exams. Give yourself time to chip away at your work week by week. The less pressure you’re under, the more successfully you can perform! Beat procrastination before it can even become an issue.

Communicate-
If you are struggling, whether inside or outside of school, never be afraid to reach out. FIT has free Counseling Services for any full-time student who has personal or academic concerns. Communication is important, especial during high-stress situations. No problem is too big to too small to reach out.

Health is Wealth-
Being conscious of what you put into your body can make you feel better in the long run; fuel your body on healthy, clean food whenever you have the opportunity. Even spending an hour in the gym is a great stress relief to let you mind unwind. The better you are to your body, the better you will feel mentally! However… there is nothing wrong with treating yourself every so often . Which brings me to…

Treat Your Self!-
Every now and then, you deserve to treat yourself. Take an hour or two and watch that Netflix movie you haven’t gotten to watch yet. Meet up with friends for dinner. Have a cookie. You deserve to enjoy the simple pleasures of life!

I hope these tips help decrease stress as final season approaches in the near future. Never forget to take care of YOU.

Best,
Annmarie

A Life Update:

Hello all! It has unfortunately been SO long (5 months, but who’s counting?) since I have blogged. I apologize for the lack of updates, it was one heck of a summer dealing with a family death that had me leave New York City before finals last semester, on top trying to get prepared for this year…my Senior year. Literally feels like yesterday I was writing my first blog and getting accustomed to new surroundings, classes, and activities. Over the last 5 months, I’ve felt and experienced a lot of different emotions. As everything is changing all around me again, as I move onto the next chapter of my professional life, things can get tough, and sometimes it’s okay to breakdown, the most important thing is – getting back up.

Mental health is just as important as psychical health. According to the APA, “anxiety is the top presenting concern among college students (41.6 percent), followed by depression (36.4 percent) and relationship problems (35.8 percent).” No one should cope with anxiety and/or depression alone. Trained and licensed mental health professionals can provide support in helping you to find relief from your symptoms, also right here at The Fashion Institute of Technology.

FIT’s Counseling Center is free to all full-time, registered, degree-seeking students and are private and confidential. Faculty, staff, parents and student groups are also invited to use the Counseling Center’s consultation services and educational resources. The Counseling Center staff are licensed social workers, psychologists, and consulting psychiatrists that provide short-term counseling and professional referrals for students. All clinicians have advanced degrees, training and experience, and participate in ongoing professional development and clinical supervision. To find out more information, or see some questions answered, check out the Counseling Center’s “what to expect” here. It’s great that all students here have the powerful resource of the Counseling Center. Working on improving your mental health is very important, even if you think you’re doing fine.

On another note, I look forward to sharing all of the great experiences to come this year! I will be posting every Friday, so be sure to peep in at the blog as some really great events and even application season for prospective student approaches! Thank you all for reading, and always feel free to comment any suggestions, questions, or just opinions!

Mariano