BEaWARE and Be Healthy!

CCV BEaWARE Week, December 2 – 6, is a week dedicated to raising awareness about tobacco addiction and alcohol and substance abuse.   According to the most recent VT CORE Drug and Alcohol survey results, CCV students drink alcohol less frequently than students at other Vermont colleges; however, CCV respondents reported regularly using tobacco more than the respondents from 4-year colleges in Vermont.  

Any Vermont college students considering quitting smoking should check out the Vermont Quit Network which  offers FREE quitting coaches in person, by phone or online.  Additionally, anyone who signs up for a quit coach in-person or by phone can receive free nicotine gum, patches or lozenges delivered right to their home.  

Some smokers wonder what the benefits of quitting smoking bring.  Well, the benefits are many – and some benefits are fairly immediate.  In just 20 minutes after a quitter’s last cigarette, blood pressure returns to normal, in 8 hours carbon monoxide levels in the blood stream drop by half and oxygen levels return to normal, in 72 hours risk of heart attack declines, and in 5 years the risk of having a stroke returns to that of a non-smoker.  In 10 to 15 years after quitting, the risk of lung cancer returns to that of a non-smoker.  

Smokers who quit or cut back on cigarettes also bring benefits to their wallets through serious savings.  Cigarettes are expensive.  Period.  If you’re curious about just how much giving up cigarettes can save, use the Money in Your Pocket cigarette calculator.  

Visit the BEaWARE bulletin board in your CCV center to read about alcohol and drugs and smoking cessation or to pick up brochures about free smoking cessation resources available to Vermonters. And remember  -- ‘tis the season to be merry – and we hope you have much to be merry about!

Study Abroad: It's More Than You Think

CCV students in Delphi, Greece. Spring 2011

If you’re a CCV student, you’ve likely seen the posters and read the emails about our upcoming study abroad and study away course offerings.  Of course, a study abroad class offers students an opportunity to visit a different country.  But, study abroad is about so much more.

Be a better job candidate. If you want to stand out in today's job market an international perspective is critical. When looking for a job, employers find candidates that have world experience more marketable and more diverse than those that do not.  Study Abroad can provide relatable examples during an interview. 

Create a lifelong love affair with another country. Study abroad is not a short-term experience. It will shape you for the rest of your life. Back home, you'll look for films from there, for restaurants that serve its dishes, for books by its authors. It will continue to live in you. 

Gain a new appreciation for your home country. Even the most open-minded study abroad students will be unable to avoid comparing their host country with their home country. When you return home, you will likely view your home county through a different lens allowing you to appreciate the unique qualities of your culture. 

Understand your classes in a new way. Whether you're studying history, math, architecture or biology, you can gain a new perspective--and maybe even a great thesis idea--while away from your home college.