May 2014
Issue 4
TheVitruvian
Lourdes University’s Premier Arts & Sciences Magazine
The Vitruvian
May 2014
In This Issue:
Test Anxiety
By Pat Pickering
Changing the
Conversation A n
Interview with Sarah
Berendt of Active
Minds
The Vitruvian Staff
Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Noah Roderick
Editor:
By Veronica Lark
Pat Pickering
Layout Design:
Marcee Lichtenwald
Self-Injury: A Cry
for Help
Staff Writers:
Katie Bartlett
Lachelle Black
Megan Eisenhour
Samantha Good
Veronica Lark
Marcee Lichtenwald
Morgan McPhilliamy
Pat Pickering
By Samantha Good
Music Therapy
By Lachelle Black
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Issue 4
May 2014
The Vitruvian
The End of the
Stressmester
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May 2014
The Vitruvian
situation presented
above is about the
worst-case scenario for
test anxiety. Luckily, I
have learned how to
avoid many of these
pitfalls surrounding test
anxiety over the years,
and hopefully I can
share something of use.
Keeping Organized.
Issue 4
avoid the feeling of being overwhelmed.
If you take it one bite at a time it will help
build confidence over the material, and
you may avoid some of the stress and
anxiety associated with test taking.
State Management
Remember to relax. If you get the
moment in which you blank out the
material, take 5-10 minutes and relax.
Close your eyes, take a few breaths, and
let the material slowly come back to you.
Trusting yourself is essential to any sort
of testing. Read through the exam once to
get an idea of what is being asked of you.
Often times you can find questions that
will answer each other. By finding little
gems like this, you can build some
momentum that will help with your
confidence. It is not a race. If you find
yourself needing a break, or crashing
from lack of sleep and too much caffeine,
take a minute or two to think about
something completely random, or even
have a quick stretch. This slight change in
your thought process may help you look
at the questions in a different light. You
may not be able to control the questions
on the test, but you can most definitely
manage the state you are in while taking
it. Have faith in yourself and believe in
positivity over negativity.
Hopefully, you have
been doing the work
throughout the semester
because this is when it pays off. Being
able to have easy access to the
information gleaned over the semester is
also very helpful. If you have notes jotted
down in your notebook that you can
barely read, they can hardly be of use. If
you have the time to type up your notes it
makes a world of difference. I personally
As we quickly approach exams many of use the notebook layout in Microsoft
our stress and anxiety levels get ratcheted Word, and it has helped me greatly over
up to a new degree. I, for one, have never my college career. Having a digital copy
been too keen on exams, and I feel like it of your notes means that you can virtually
access them anytime you are on the go. I
is safe to say that many of you feel the
have found it is even nice to print them
same way. Often times, I will cram the
night before, possibly all night long, suck off and add more notes or thoughts to
them. While some people like to be more
down a few gallons cups of coffee, and
organized than others, being organized is
hope for the best. I’ll walk into my
a great way to build confidence for test
classroom and BAM! Someone will ask
taking.
While I am sure much of this is not earth
me an obscure question about the
shattering news, but I hope it may bring
material that I won’t know off the top of
some encouragement for the end of the
Practice
and
Preparation.
No
my head. Frantically, I will search
semester. I have thoroughly enjoyed
Procrastination.
through the text looking for the answer,
sharing classes and talking with many of
and upon finding it, there will be an “oh
you, so I hope you all finish strong. Good
Preparation
is
not
too
hard
if
you
have
duh” or “oh crap” moment. Minutes tick
been organized throughout the semester. luck, we are almost there!
by, and I cannot tell if that is a good or
Ideally, you would like to have your
bad thing. Part of me wants to keep
cramming as much as I can, and the other notes together at least a week or two
before, but worst case a few days.
just wants to take the test to get it over
with. Then the moment of truth comes. I Please avoid cramming the night
before the exam, which often causes
have the test in front of me and I blank.
an insufficient amount of sleep. A lack
Everything I have learned all semester
of sleep may affect your cognitive test
long is flushed away in a feeling of
taking ability, and is an easy way to
obscurity. Think, think, think! I’ll tell
myself in my head, as my palms begin to make things much harder on yourself.
sweat. In this moment, I am at the mercy People that usually spend all night
cramming the day before an exam tend
of my anxiety.
to look towards caffeine as a helpful
Thankfully, it has been a long while since tool. While small amounts may help
I have felt that anxious about an exam or with alertness and response time, too
test, but that’s not to say that I still do not much can lead to a crash that makes
stress about exams. After all, much of the decision making much harder. The key
time, the entire semester may come down to early preparation is to study bits of
material at a time. This can help you
to one final exam. The hypothetical
Test Anxiety
Pat Pickering
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May 2014
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Issue 4
May 2014
Changing the
Conversation
Veronica Lark
Before meeting with president of
Active Minds, Sarah Berendt, to
talk about mental health and what
their organization does to address
such an expansive issue, I got to
thinking about the more specific
mental health issue of stress and the
role that it plays in college culture.
We college students long for coffee
-filled I.V. drips; we live off of less
than eight hours of sleep, and
weekends always seem to fly by
without us even making a dent in
our piles of homework. College
culture never sleeps, and our
overtaxed minds and bodies are
the poster children for the
effects of stress. Why is it
that we can have this public
acceptance of stress, but the
subject of mental health is
taboo?—even the mere mention
of the phrase seems to function
as a cue to for us to collectively
cast our eyes downward and drop
the subject.
Stress defines our culture, but at the
same time, its effects are also
pervasively a part of the mental
health discussion; this should be
obvious considering that Active
Mind’s Stress Less Week (April 21
-26th) is just behind us, and the
Lourdes’ University chapter of
Active Minds hosted their own
version of the event the following
week. During my interview with
Sarah I couldn’t shake the ideas
about stress that had been bouncing
around my head, so I asked for her
The Vitruvian
opinion on what I had been
mentally debating: “Do you think
that having such a positive public
understanding of stress could mean
good things for encouraging a
public understanding of other
mental illnesses?”
Our resulting discussion didn’t
necessarily answer my question
because both of us hadn’t ever
really thought about the issue in
that way. Sarah said that Active
Minds likes to keep a particular
distinction: “everybody has mental
health, not everybody has a mental
illness…so many people, when
they
hear
Issue 4
philosophical discussion about
stress, my main mission was to get
the answers to the questions that I
had about Active Minds and mental
health. The rest of this article gets
into the truth that Sarah wanted to
share with the bigger audience of
Lourdes.
Active Minds isn’t just a Lourdes
creation; it is a national
organization claiming hundreds of
college chapters across North
America. Active Minds is doing a
lot to start conversations about
some of the most stigmatized
topics: mental well-being and the
people who struggle or suffer from
mental illness.
Sarah confidingly explained to me
part of what really inspired her to
bring Active Minds to Lourdes:
“Lourdes didn’t really have any
mental health services, I mean,
we have the Sophia Center, but
there weren’t any specific
groups devoted to mental health,
and so I decided to take the
initiative and bring one here, to
help myself, and to help everybody
else that deals with a mental illness;
that may know somebody that deals
with a mental illness.”
mental health, it’s like they think of
crazy—like mental illness.”
Mental illness may be an aspect of
mental health conversation, but it’s
too often the first thing that comes
to mind. It seems as if in many
ways, stress has become an
overused part of mainstream
conversation in the same sense that
mental illness has taken over the
conversation of mental health.
Perhaps people who suffer with
mental illness may still be a
minority, but the need for action is
still an issue on college campuses.
Sarah told me that depression and
uicidal thoughts rank extremely
high as issues that college students
commonly deal with. For issues of
mental wellness, it’s good that a
group like Active Minds is more
than just a student organization; it
Although this was of major interest is an environment that’s been
created to make talking about
to me, my interview with Sarah
commonly misunderstood issues a
Berendt was more than just a
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May 2014
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Issue 4
little bit easier. At first, even
would be to participate in what
Sarah was a little uneasy
Active Minds is doing right now.
talking about mental health
The University’s own Stress Less
For issues of mental wellness, it’s good
and disease—though
Week just passed us by during the
that a group like Active Minds is more
obviously she quickly
week of April 28th, and the
than just a student organization; it is an
overcame and embraced any
president of Active Minds told me
discomfort. She told me that environment that’s been created to make
about their social media campaign
talking
about
commonly
misunderstood
“the motto behind Active
that they had going on during their
issues a little bit easier.
Minds is ‘changing the
Stress Less Week. The main idea
conversation about mental
behind the campaign was to use
health.’ And it’s really
social media—whether you’re a
starting that conversation too because a lot of people user of Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook—and find a
way to publicly post an example of self care. If you
don’t wanna talk about it.”
post a picture of yourself making a salad, getting to
And Active Minds has very clearly started that
bed early, heading to the gym, or any other type of self
conversation. I’m sure that many students have
care, just add the #LUselfcareselfie or #selfcareselfie
noticed the friendly reminders on the doors of
hashtag to connect to the online discussion and
bathroom stalls, the tear-away compliment pages, and encouragement of self care and mental health.
even the Active Minds table that is occasionally set up
in front of the Welcome Center. It’s these types of
So in between the all-nighters and studying for exam
proactive gestures that are proving to be extremely
week, take the time to talk to an Active Minds officer
effective on the front lines of “changing the
if you have any questions relating to mental health and
stress. Check out Active Minds on Facebook and the
conversation” about mental illness.
Active Minds Website, and don’t be afraid to take one
Along with what Active Minds is doing as a whole,
of their compliment cards to continue encouraging
changing stigma and old habits starts on the individual healthy conversation!
level. One of the most powerful first steps that we can
each take would be to change the way that we use
mental illness references. I was on board when Sarah
stated that “erasing those negative stereotypes” are
what is important in changing and improving
conversation.
The negative stereotypes that we were referring
to sometimes are hidden in offhand comments
such as the weather has been so bipolar this
Spring, or I get really OCD about my foods
touching on my plate. These are comments
that only further ingrain the stigma that has
been attached to mental illness. Throwing out
these inappropriate references, asking
questions about illnesses that we don’t
understand, and taking the time to learn about
mental health are all ways that we can open up
our minds and get a better understanding for
what we can do for ourselves and how we can
better understand mental illness.
Another way we can work to change the
discussion of stress and overall mental health
during these last few days of the semester
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get help, or simply pick it up and
make the cut and continue to suffer
through their pain. Self–injury
comes in many forms, just like
drinks do for an alcoholic. Cutting
Samantha Good
the skin, extracting hair, scratching
What can one do when the feelings to excess, burning oneself,
of desperation and a cry for helped interfering with the healing of
cannot be formed into words? Self– wounds, chewing of the lips,
injury is often what occurs. People tongue, or fingers are all forms of
self–injury.
may not even realize it that
someone so close to them can be a
People who have never self–
self–injurer. Self–injury is not
injured, or are curious about what
something to be afraid of if
exactly self-injury is, all have the
someone close to you does it. It is
same question: how does self–
important to try to understand and
injury arise? Self–injury is simply
help them through this difficult
an impulse triggered by an event
time.
that then triggers different
Self-Injury: A Cry
for Help
Issue 4
always the way to go, it does help
provide a pathway for patients who
need help with self – injury.
According to Dr. Karen Conterio
and Dr. Wendy Lader, authors of
Bodily Harm: The Breakthrough
Healing Program for Self-Injurers,
many self-injury patients report
feeling lonely, worthless, and
confused before self–injuring.
While injuring emotions of relief,
control, and satisfaction are felt.
After self–injury, the feelings of
guilt, shame, and pathetic are felt.
These people cannot control their
addiction because that is what self–
injury has become to them: an
addiction. People who aren’t self–
emotions.
Sometimes
an
argument,
injurers often wonder what can
Self–injury can be described as an
happen to people who self– injure.
addiction. Being a self–injurer can abuse, or just a bad test score can
trigger
the
impulse.
In
many
cases,
When self–injurers perform their
be compared to being an alcoholic.
The alcoholic can choose to put the mental health problems play a key act of injury, they are not trying to
drink down and get help or pick up role in self–injury. Some of these permanently trying to hurt
themselves or to keep on cutting
to drink and continue to drink their mental health conditions include:
depression
(most
common)
bipolar
once they start. It just happens.
problems away. Similarly, the
disorder, eating disorder, obsessive The cuts are not meant to be so
choice to pick up the blade is
thinking, and compulsive
deep that medical attention is
simple. They can choose to leave
behaviors.
While
diagnosis
is
not
sought to get stitches. Often
the blade sitting there and to go and
doctors and nurses will think the
patient is suicidal because they see
the wound alongside past scars
from injury. Self–injury is not an
attempt at suicide. This is
something that most people assume
about self–injurers, but it is actually
an attempt at feeling better. The
people who self-injure have not
developed healthy ways to cope
with things that make them turn to
cutting, burning, or whatever their
self–injury method may be.
Sometimes a cut or burn go too far
and the self–injurer needs to seek
medical attention at a hospital.
Nurses or doctors who are not well
educated on self–injury may
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believe that this patient is suicidal and will treat them
differently by getting a social worker to sit outside or
inside their room. If you have ever been to the ER, you
may have seen this. It is important for health care
professionals to be educated on this addiction so they
can help their patient seek help. According to Dr.
Janis Whitlock of Cornell University, there are several
things for health care professionals to look for and to
do:
*Check the wound to make sure it won’t become
infectious.
*Look to see how severe the injuries are and if there
are any more anywhere else or any scars.
*Talk to the patient and see how they are feeling and
ask the patient what is going on. *Treat them like a
human being.
*Check for mental health history.
*Lastly, if all else fails do a suicide assessment on the
patient and record the results and share them with the
patient and talk about ways to receive treatment or
help.
The media shows us every day how flawless
celebrities are and how people are supposed to look.
Accordingly, cosmetic surgery is a form of selfinjury. Women like to get breast enlargements,
liposuction, and silicon injected into their lips,
cheeks, and buttocks. There are people who are
addicted to the tattoos and piercings simply
because they like the pain of the needle.
Sometimes these people go to what is called
extreme body modification. Things considered
extreme would be tongue splitting, suspension
hooks in shoulder muscles, and genital piercings.
All self–mutilations can become dangerous with
infections that can become deadly; however, that
is a risk some people are willing to take.
Issue 4
So how does a self–injurer stop injuring? Again, self–
injuring is an addiction and is something that the self–
injurer has to overcome themselves. Seeing a therapist
can be the first step. Self–injury is not something that
will vanish overnight. It may take days, weeks,
months, even years to overcome the addiction, but it is
possible. There are many facilities that want to help
self–injures, most notably S.A.F.E. (Self-Abuse
Finally Ends) Alternatives, which is located in Illinois.
Their website, www.selfinjury.com, provides many
ways to seek help. They have many alternatives and
affective ways to help self–injurers. Some facilities
suggest to look to things like drawing with a red
marker on the place of cutting or sticking a hand in the
freezer for a little pain. S.A.F.E. has proven that these
methods will not help self–injurers. It will only help
temporarily until the urge to self–injure becomes
strong. It is better to seek help.
There is so much to be learned about this disorder or
addiction. It is crucial to understand that self–injurers
are not people to be afraid of and they are in no way,
shape, or form crazy. They are simply looking for
understanding and guidance to help them deal with
their everyday lives.
Again, self–injuring is an addiction and is
something that the self–injurer has to
overcome themselves. Seeing a therapist
can be the first step. Self–injury is not
something that will vanish overnight.
Self-injurers are just like everyone else, except they
have the secret of injury. When you find out that a
friend of loved one is self–injuring, yelling and
making them feel worse than they already do will not
help the self–injurer in any way. If you want to help it
is important for them to know that you may not know
what they are going through but they do not have to go
through it alone and that you are here to help and
support them when needed.
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Issue 4
The Sweet, Sweet Melody of
Relieving Stress
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its magic. Those
people may
wonder, what
is music
therapy?
Well, if you
understand
the concept
of therapy,
it shouldn’t
be a difficult
concept to
grasp.
Issue 4
involvement in the
therapeutic context, clients'
abilities are strengthened
and transferred to other
areas of their lives. Music
therapy also provides
avenues for communication
that can be helpful to those
who find it difficult to
express themselves in
words. Research in music
therapy supports its
effectiveness in many areas,
such as overall physical
What is Music
rehabilitation and
Therapy? Music
facilitating movement,
Therapy is the clinical and increasing people's
evidence-based use of music motivation to become
interventions to accomplish engaged in their treatment,
individualized goals within providing emotional support
a therapeutic relationship by for clients and their families,
Lachelle Black
a credentialed professional and providing an outlet for
Music can serve as a
who has completed an
expression of feelings
powerful stress reliever. For approved music therapy
(Defined by
many, music is highly
program. Music Therapy is musictherapy.org).
therapeutic. I can attest to it an established health
myself, because I use many profession in which music is Everything I do literally
genres of music to cope with used within a therapeutic
involves music; I sleep to
stress and anxiety. There’s a relationship to address
music and wake up to it
song for every emotion:
physical, emotional,
every day. In my honest
something to get me up and cognitive, and social needs opinion, music is all around
going, something to calm
of individuals. After
us, all you have to do is
me down and everything in assessing the strengths and listen. I first discovered
between. I have a profound needs of each client, the
music as therapy when I was
passion for music, and if it qualified music therapist
twelve years old and it has
were not for it, I would not provides the indicated
been an outlet for me ever
be able to manage my
treatment including creating, since. Over the years, I’ve
mental sanity. Although,
singing, moving to, and/or crossed paths with many
there are some people who listening to music.
others who have similar
love music as I do, there are
views about music. There
Through
musical
others that don’t believe in
are many people who aren’t
Music Therapy
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May 2014
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comfortable talking to a human therapist, so
they express themselves through music.
Most musicians today compose lyrics to
express the stress and hard times they have
experienced. They express themselves as
therapy and fans listen to their music for the
same reasons.
As a college student, I have experienced a
lot of anxiety throughout these past two
semesters. I’m sure it is safe to say that
many college students have experienced the
same thing. Whenever I’m stressed out
about midterms, finals, or research papers, I
immediately turn to music like never
before. I listen to smooth jazz, reggae,
R&B, and classical music while studying
for midterms and finals. However, if I need
the motivation to get started on an
assignment that seems impossible, I turn on
one of my favorite upbeat songs. My
process of completing assignments includes
Issue 4
music and there are other students I witness
around campus doing the same thing. If
anxiety is experienced during the process of
completing course work, it can take away
from the focus it requires to accomplish the
work successfully.
Music therapy is the solution to any stress
or anxiety I face. Music is a form of
expression, and therefore, the listeners often
reciprocate the same feelings. There are
people who pay for therapy sessions but
music therapy can be free, unless you desire
a personl instructor. If you haven’t tried
music therapy, you’re missing out! Music
can speak to you and it can speak for you, it
is all up to you. Next time you put on
music, don’t just hear it; listen and let it
speak to you. Music can definitely change
your mood. Music is the universal language
of the soul.
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Issue 4
The Vitruvian Mission:
“As a Lourdes University student organization,
we will strive towards the same excellence in
written and visual communication that is the
goal of university learning outcomes. The
content of the Vitruvian shall reflect the
integrity, intellectual curiosity, and service to
global society that is inspired by the evangelical
pursuit of truth inherent within Franciscan
ideology. The Vitruvian is born of the necessity
for awareness and will spark an interest on
campus and ignite a global conversation.”
The Vitruvian Wants to Hear
From YOU:
The Vitruvian is always looking for committed staff
writers as well as artists and business majors to
contribute to the overall goal of our success. If you
would like to join our staff (and we encourage all
majors) or just submit an article, short story, poem,
a piece of artwork, please contact us at Vitruvian@lourdes.edu.
You may also contact:
Pat Pickering
Patpick7@gmail.com
Noah Roderick
Nroderick@lourdes.edu
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