Good practice for any student attending Moorpark College is to actively engage in Mindfulness Training. Training is for anyone in the community to learn simple mindfulness practices that have had proven benefits in regards to student life. Similar to physical training, in order to witness results, Mindfulness Training requires regular practice to sustain and deepen the benefits.
“Mindfulness Training can help students become more focused, manage stress, and generally feel better,” said Health Educator Allison Barton. “It’s an important technique for students to learn, for sure, and one to continue for general health and well-being.”
Mindfulness Training is beneficial for students aiming to relax and achieve a clear mindset during any stressful time. One way to practice Mindfulness Training is by controlled breathing; this causes the brain to relax and helps students focus, calm anxiety and reduce stress. According to the Moorpark College Health Center, when practiced frequently, breathing exercises are a great and easy option to assist students in the event that life becomes stressful.
Aside from positive mental health, students should also be paying attention to keeping a healthy physical lifestyle as well. The Student Health Center offers a variety of services to help students remain happy and healthy. From feeling tired to having anxiety, the health center offers a helpful and friendly staff to be there for students.
“With the health center located centrally on campus, it’s always been super easy to go in for even small things such as an over-the-counter medication,” said Abby Westenskow. “It’s convenient because I’ve been able to get an appointment within the week and they provided me with extremely helpful information.”
Many students aren’t aware that the health center offers free family planning services, short term mental health counseling, a self-care center with over-the-counter medication and monthly health education outreach. These helpful services are available to students who qualify and most students do.
“I advise students to get flu shots, frequently wash their hands and always cover their mouth when sneezing,” said Sharon Manakas, student health center coordinator. “The health center is a great resource for students because there’s no charge to see medical or mental health providers and everything is completely confidential.”
Aside from health services, a positive academic mindset service offered at Moorpark College is the free tutoring. Located on the third floor of the Moorpark College library, the Writing Center works with students individually to help strengthen writing and study skills. An opportunity for students to learn, feel less stressed and more confident before turning in papers.
“The Writing Center is a great resource on campus that helped me pass English with an A,” said Hakela Kamaka, a junior at Moorpark College. “The tutors are extremely knowledgeable and taught me skills I’ll keep throughout my college experience.”
In addition to the Writing Center, the tutoring center also offers math and science tutors. In many cases, students struggle with college level math and science which can effect a students positive mindset. Having free tutors available during the school day can be a very useful resource and allow students to succeed in tougher subjects.
“Without the help from the math tutors at the tutoring center, I wouldn’t have passed statistics,” said Sophomore Timothy Hutchis. “The tutors who helped me thoroughly explained each problem to me until I fully understood the material and because of that, I’d highly recommend the tutoring center to all students at Moorpark College.”
These are just a few services that Moorpark College offers students to help students achieve a more positive outlook on school. Ultimately, for students to reach a more positive mindset, it’s important to utilize student resources on campus and find out what helps. For more information about student services, visit the Student Health Center, the Tutoring Center at the Moorpark College library or online at https://www.moorparkcollege.edu/departments/student-services.
