Category Archives: Intellectual
Our minds need to be continually inspired and exercised just as our bodies do. The intellectual dimension encourages openness to new ideas, motivation to master new skills, a sense of humor, creativity, and curiosity. People who possess a high level of intellectual wellness have an active mind and never stop learning. Striving for personal growth and a willingness to seek out and use new information are also characteristics of an intellectually-well individual
BodPod Body Composition Assessments Now Available at the Wellness Center!
7 tips to Save Money and Eat Well
Looking for ways to save money and still eat well? Check out these seven tips to make sure that you are making the most of your money while still finding healthy options to put on your plate.
7. Eat before shopping.
Everything looks good when your stomach is empty, which can lead to impulse buying. So eat a snack, lunch or dinner before grocery shopping to prevent those unnecessary buys.
6. Grow your own garden
Seed packets can cost anywhere from $.69 where other veggies, herbs, and fruit may cost anywhere from $.89-$2.49 LB. This is a great and easy alternative that many people should start taking advantage of.
5. Buy on Sale
Save on staples when they are on sale. Such as olive oil, seasonings, pasta, and canned beans, toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, tooth paste, deodorant and printer ink. These are all items that never expire, or have quite a lengthy shelf life.
4. Plan your menus for the week!
Plan lunches, eat leftovers, and find new ways to make fun healthy leftovers more appealing. For example, try making meat loaf one night for dinner- fairly inexpensive and easy to make. The next day you can have a meat loaf sandwhich, hot or cold and easy to quick make in the mornings on your way to work.
3. Eat out less.
Reducing your meals out 1-2 times per week can save you $15-$25 per week. The average American spends 49% of their savings out at restaurants.
2. Shop wisely.
Discount stores such as Costco or Sam’s club, and your local farmer’s market.
Remember the 3 P’s- Plan, Purchase and Prepare food on a budget! Set aside a budget and only shop with cash then you won’t over spend. Shop no more than once a week for groceries.
1. Make something each week.
A few dozen cookies, loaf of bread, or a batch of muffins. This will help get you in the habit of cooking more from scratch. When in reality muffins at Starbuck’s can cost over $2 and an entire batch of muffins averaging about 32 muffins could cost you around $4-$8 costing about $.19 a muffin if your recipe cost you about $6! Take inexpensive recipes and double it for example: soup. Then on a night when you are really crunched for time, or for an easy lunch, you have a healthy meal.
Ever wondered how fit you are?
Whether you are an athlete, ex-athlete, someone who works out regularly, or someone who just thinks that working out is a good idea, Fitness Testing will yield its benefits to all of you! I remember the days in elementary school when it was presidential fitness week during gym class. As a kid, I just saw it as a great opportunity to win a medal and compete with my buddies
At the time I had no idea that it was just a way for the school to make record of the kids’ fitness levels. By knowing children’s physical abilities, schools were able to focus their educational programs based on fitness tests. Fitness Testing allows your body’s performance to be measured. Without it being measured, it is hard to gauge any increase in performance you may want to have. Fitness Testing also shows you where you need to improve to become healthier. The most common types of testing include your cardiovascular fitness, muscle fitness, muscle endurance, and flexibility. The free testing includes:
- Standard Fitness Assessments (Includes: Body composition, Cardiovascular Fitness
, Muscle fitness, Muscular endurance, & Flexibility testing - Fitness Floor Orientations
- Skinfold Body Composition Assessment
- Getting Started with Weights
- Strength Test
, Luckily for us, the Wellness Center offers many free opportunities and chances to test our fitness. So do not wait too long! Go to the fitness desk in the Wellness Center or call 777-3417 for more information and to schedule an appointment.
Cooking with Chef Greg
Did you get a chance to attend the Wellness Expo and see all of the wonderful dishes being prepared by Chef Greg?
Greg Gefroh is the Executive Chef for UND. He was a guest presenter during the 2nd Annual Wellness Expo that took place on February 27th. He prepared Apple Salsa with Cinnamon Banana Chips, Fresh Salsa, and Asian Edamame Hummus.
Here are the recipes for each of these delicious dishes:
Apple Salsa with Cinnamon Banana Chips
(Serves 8 – 2 oz. servings)
Cooking Equipment:
LB & OZ scale, Measuring Cups & Spoons, Chef’s Knife, Paring Knife, Cutting Board (Green), Peeler, Corer, (2) Mixing Bowls, Bake Pan, Slotted spoon for service
Ingredients:
1 ea. – Apple, Granny Smith, peeled, cored, diced
1 ea. – Kiwi, fresh, peeled, diced
4 oz. – Strawberries, fresh, diced
1 tsp. – Pepper, Jalapeno, diced
1 ea. – Orange, fresh, zested & juiced
1 tsp. – Herb, Mint, fresh, chopped
1 TBSP – Sugar, Brown
4 oz. – Banana Chip, dried
¼ tsp. – Cinnamon
1 TBSP – Sugar
Method of Preparation:
- Clean & cut all veggies, fruit & herbs. Leave skin on apple. Peel kiwi. Remove stems & half strawberries. Zest & juice orange.
- In a clean mixing bowl, measure & combine apple, kiwi, jalapeno, orange, mint & brown sugar. Strawberries need to be added just before service as they will bleed into other fruits. Place in cooler until service. This step can be done day ahead.
- In a clean mixing bowl, measure & combine banana chips, cinnamon & sugar. Place on sprayed 2″ full size pan. Bake in oven at 325F. for 10-15 minutes. Stir once during process.
- Mix Step #2 & Step #3 together & add strawberries. Mix to incorporate
- Garnish – Herb, Mint, fresh, sprig
Fresh Salsa
(Serves 50 – 2 oz. servings)
Cooking Equipment:
LB & OZ scale, Measuring Cups & Spoons, Chef’s Knife, Paring Knife, Cutting Board (Green), Mixing Bowl, Tong for service
Ingredients:
3 Lbs. – Tomato, fresh, diced
4 oz. – Onion, Green, sliced
8 oz. – Onion, Red, diced
8 oz. – Onion, Yellow, diced
4 oz. – Pepper, Jalapeno, diced
1 TBSP – Cilantro, fresh, chopped
1 TBSP – Garlic, fresh, minced
2 oz. – Seasoning salt, Lawry’s
5 C. – Juice, Tomato
¼ C. – Juice, Lemon
Method of Preparation:
- Clean & cut all vegetables & herbs. Place in a mixing bowl.
- Measure & add garlic, seasoning salt, tomato juice, & lemon juice. Mix to incorporate.
- Garnish – Cilantro, sprig
- Best if left to sit overnight for flavors to blend
Asian Edamame Hummus
(Serves 6)
Cooking Equipment:
LB & OZ scale, Measuring Cups & Spoons, Chef’s Knife, Paring Knife, Cutting Board (Green), 2-Qt Sauce Pan, Mixing Bowl, Food Processor, Sheet Pan
Ingredients:
10 oz. – Edamame, soybean, shelled, cooked
½ TBSP – Garlic Cloves, minced
½ TBSP – Ginger, minced
½ each – Orange, fresh, juiced
¼ C. – Oil, Canola
1 TBSP – Oil, Sesame
½ oz. – Nut, Sesame Seeds, toasted
1 TBSP – Sugar, Brown
½ TBSP – Soy Sauce
(To thin) Water
Method of Preparation:
- Place edamame in 2-Qt sauce pan. Steam 8 minutes or until soft. Place in cooler to cool.
- Toast sesame seeds in oven set to 350F.
- Juice orange.
- In a food processor, measure & combine cooled edamame, garlic, ginger, orange juice, canola oil, sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, brown sugar, soy sauce & water.
- Finished product should have consistency of peanut butter. Smooth & creamy.
- Garnish – Nut, Sesame Seed toasted
What did you think of Chef Greg? Will you try these recipes at home?
Active vs. Passive Reading
Dimension: Intellectual
Activity: Reading for academic success at the Student Success Center
Date: 2/25 9-3
Before attending this event I was a little apprehensive because I had no idea what this event would be about. I had thought maybe we had to read something, but I was curious if we had to read to someone or what we had to do. When I arrived the lady gave me a small paragraph to read.
It was about a procedure where you arrange items into different groups. Then, it when on to explain about facilities needed and that it is important to not overdo things. It said that at first the whole procedure will seem complicated, but soon after it will become just another facet of life. After the procedure is completed you arrange the items into groups again and eventually you will have to complete the whole cycle one again.
After I finished reading the lady asked me what the paragraph was about and I honestly couldn’t tell her. The paragraph didn’t give any evidence to what these items were, or at least I didn’t think it did. I tried to guess but I was completely wrong and then she told me it was about laundry. After she told me that it all made sense then. She explained to me that I was reading as a passive reader. Passive readers are not in control of their reading. A common passive reading experience is to “wake up” in the middle of a paragraph, wondering what you just read.
Active readers on the other hand, control the process of reading. After she informed me of this I realized that this situation has happened to me quite a bit. If I am not interested while reading I often finish and wonder what the heck I just read. The lady introduced me into the P2R Reading System that tells you to Preview, Read Actively, and Review. These are steps that can help you actively read. They are definitely something I am going to put to use.
So what’s the big deal about credit?
Whether you’re a freshman or a senior in college, most of us do not know what “credit” actually means. Entering college, credit is the last thing on student’s minds. College is the time that we need to start establishing credit and building our credit history. Students need to understand what credit is, and how it affects everyday lives.
What is a credit score? A credit score is a representation of any said persons credit history and merit to the probability the person will pay their debts. The credit score is a compilation of your past credit and payment history in a numerical form. A free credit report can be received from annualcreditreport.com. Be sure to look over the information to ensure that no errors exist.
Who checks your credit history?
College students need to be aware of who is checking their credit score and credit history. Landlords, financial institutions, and future employers will access your credit report. Most are unaware of future employers checking their credit report because it is not a well-known practice. Sixty percent of employers recently surveyed by the Society of Human Resource Management said they run credit checks on all or some potential new hires. That’s up from 43 percent in 2006 and 25 percent in 1998. Employers check your credit depending upon the position that is being applied for. For instance, if the position involves dealing with money and finances, companies will check your credit report to verify your financial integrity.
What does a credit score entail?
The 5 areas that make up your credit report.
Credit Report Card
Below is a table explaining credit scores in the terms of a report card
| A | 700 and above usually obtain credit quickly & easily with favorable terms. |
| B-C | 620-700 Is the average, indicates basically good credit. In this
range people obtain credit but with less favorable rates. |
| D-F | 620 and below prevents a borrower from getting better rates & terms. Borrower might even get denied. Very high rates |
Having bad credit can affect many things in our lives. For example:
- Ability to get a loan
- The interest rate on a loan
- Ability to rent an apartment
- Likelihood of getting a job
The DO’S and DONT”S of what to do with credit.
- DO make sure you always pay your bills on time.
- DO limit yourself to one or two major credit cards, if you HAVE to have them.
- DO try to utilize less than 30% of your Credit Limit. Stop using your Credit Card or accumulating more debt if you can.
- DO NOT close old accounts; length of your credit history is 15% of your credit history. The longer your history of repayment, the better your score.
- DO NOT open new accounts; this can lower your score.
- DO NOT Carry a high balance or max out a credit card.
- DO NOT default on a loan.
NOTE: Students sometimes rent textbooks, when the books are not returned, the company you owe money may send your account to collections.
Most students do not pay attention to their credit report, but it is vitally important in obtaining loans and future employment. By monitoring the 5 components of a credit score, which are payment history, debt level, length of credit history, new credit, and types of credit students can ensure their financial success for the future. For more information about credit, check out UND.edu/financial-wellness to make an appointment with a peer educator to talk about your credit and how to build it.
Starting Your Financial Plan
Whether this is your first year in college and you’re finding yourself in charge of your money for the first time, or you’ve been independent for a couple years and feel that you have lost control of your finances, you might feel that it is time to start a budget. What most people don’t realize until they attempt to create a budget is that they really don’t know how much they are spending to begin with, and without an accurate account of your spending, you can’t create a manageable budget. The following information explains how to track your spending so that you can start a budget and be on your way to financial independence.
Why should you track your spending?
You need it to start a budget. In order to create a practical budget, you must have a clear picture of how much you spend so that you can properly allocate your money. For example, If you don’t know how much you spend on food each month, you won’t know how to complete the grocery or eating out section of your budget. Tracking your spending gives you an accurate picture of where your money goes and gives you the information you need to create a budget.
It shows you where you can make cuts. When you look at how much you are really spending each month on things like eating out, entertainment, or other less tangible expenditures, you may realize where your money is really going. Having all of your expenditures laid out in front of you in an organized manner makes it easy to see where you can cut down your spending. The money you save can then go towards paying off bills, starting a savings account, investments, or maybe even something big for yourself like a car or a vacation.
How do you track your spending?
There are three ways to monitor your spending to see where your money goes: Credit/debit card transactions, keeping receipts, and writing down any other purchases.
Credit and Debit Cards. You can look at this kind of activity either on monthly statements, or if you have online banking (you can usually set this up with your particular bank/credit card), you can look at ongoing activity online at any time.
Receipts. The easiest way to keep track of most cash transactions is by keeping all receipts. Keep an envelope in your car to put receipts initially, and then every few days add those to an envelope or other safe spot at home. Avoid storing them in your wallet- where they become bulky and are easily lost or damaged.
Other Purchases. Any purchases made with cash that may not come with a receipt (i.e. cash tips, vending machines, bars) should be written down elsewhere. You can keep a small notepad with you at all times, text yourself and write them down later, or even keep track of them on a notepad app on your cellphone. These transactions are the easiest to forget and sometimes they are the missing piece to figuring out where your money is going.
Helpful Tips
Be diligent. Think about how many times a day you spend money. Whether it be paying rent or buying a candy bar, it’s one more expense to keep track of. The job is ongoing, and sometimes gets difficult to remember, but it is possible if you get into the habit and make it a part of your daily money practice.
Choose a deadline. It’s important to track your spending for a time period that both accurately represents your typical spending and can be easily translated to reflect yearly spending so that you can easily fill out a budget sheet. Most budget sheets have monthly, bi-yearly, and yearly components, so most people choose to track their spending for one month, which can easily be converted into this type of budget.
Complete before and after budgets. Filling out a budget both before and after tracking your spending for a set period of time creates the opportunity to compare what you think you spend and what you’re actually spending. This can be a huge revelation for some people, both showing where they spend much more or less than they thought, but also showing people how accurately they perceive their own spending. With this information, you can both create a better new budget, and do a better job of sticking to it.
What Now?
Once you’ve successfully monitored your spending for a period of time, you can use the information to create a budget or make a financial plan. This is a great time to come into UND Financial Wellness Services for a one on one session with a peer educator. It is a good idea to have another person to help you at this time, both to have a second opinion and to check for any errors in calculations. Our peer educators are trained not only in creating financial plans but also some components of the budget such as credit, student loans, and savings. With their help you can make an accurate, manageable budget that can help you spend your money wisely, while both paying ongoing bills or debts you may owe, and maybe putting money aside for savings or even something nice for yourself!
To make an appointment with us go to UND.edu/financial-wellness.
Sandra Short presents “Couponing: A Contribution to Financial Wellness” Feb. 20
The Dean of the College of Education and Human Development invites the campus community to the next Deans for Wellness Initiative lecture on financial wellness.
Sandra Short, Physical Education, Exercise Science and Wellness, present “Couponing: A Contribution to Financial Wellness” on Wednesday, Feb. 20, from noon to 12:50 p.m. in 113 Education Building.
Mark your calendars from 12-12:50pm at the Education Building, Room 113, to attend all of the Wednesday lectures:
March 20: Tanis Hastmann, “Obesity Prevention: Individual to Community, and Beyond” April 10: Sarah Edwards, “Lifelong Mental Well-Being” May 1: Lars Helgeson, “The Effects of Stress and Stress Reduction”
Please bring your lunch, do some physical movement and enjoy!
Slavery by Another Name
Activity: Film screening: Slavery by another name
Date: Feb 10
Dimension: Intellectual
The documentary “Slavery by Another Name” is a very empowering review on our history in regards to slavery. Slavery was a way of life in which African Americans had to endure. The depth of poverty, the inability for African Americans to know education, and how the American dream was stolen from southerners during this time was absolutely disgraceful.
Many southerners grew up knowing about slavery and having to personally deal with this on a day to day basis. Freedom is something that a lot of us take for granted today. Everyone deserves to have freedom and many people were born into slavery and knew nothing else. Freedom should be available for everyone in this country because it is a person’s right. Everyone is equal, not one single ethnicity better than any other. Although this is the way it should be, this was not the way it was thought of only decades ago. Slaves were hard-working, honest people who did not deserve to be put through these traumatic experiences.
This documentary is a very sad truth about our history. Not only does it show the horrible values of whites back then, but it shows how the African Americans had to suffer through the work that whites would put on them. I hope our future never in any way repeats this horrendous past and we learn from our mistakes: everyone is equal and should be treated that way, always.
Roll the Dice with your Financial Life
Dimension: Intellectual
Activity: Roll the Dice with your Financial Life. Financial Wellness Office, McCannel Hall, 4th floor.
Friday, February 1st at 10am-2pm
This activity was to attend the grand opening of the Financial Wellness Office. Before attending this event I was unsure of what kindof services this office would be providing students with. I am a junior in college now, so I have been going about this whole college/money thing for three years now and I have learned alot. Before I started college I understood that I needed to save money for the school year because I pay for a majority of things, such as gas and clothes, with my own money. I also thought I knew how to budget my money fairly well, but I learned otherwise my freshman year. I come from a small town where we do not have the opportunity to go a mall or go out to eat to fancy restaraunts, so when I came to college I did not realize how quickly these things would add up. Let’s just say that my money dwindled really quickly and I had to ask my parents for help. I think that this new Financial Wellness Office will be very beneficial to student, whether they think they know what they are doing with their money or not. I like that they can help you create a budget worksheet and help you calculate the true cost of your student loans. My brother is currently a freshman right now and he also struggled right away to balance is money. I tried my best to offer him advice and that did help him to realize that he needed a better plan. Hopefully the Financial Wellness Office can help new students who don’t have someone there to warn them. I also think that in the long run this program will be beneficial to parents because it will save students from having to fall back on their parents.
