Get Some Money Smarts!

The Benefits of Practicing Mindfulness

Below is a guest post from CCV Student Eleanor Kinsey.

Do you ever have trouble sleeping because it feels like your mind just won't stop? Can't read that assigned chapter because, even though you're looking right at the page all you're seeing is yesterday's frustrating events play over again? “I can't believe that woman honked at me. It's not like I didn't have my turn signal on.” “I wonder what is on tomorrow's test?” “...Peanut butter...” You can't stop worrying about the future or analyzing the past. You're thinking about everything but the present. Your mind feels so...full and out of control.

The ancient practice of Mindfulness can help us regain control of our minds so we can spend more time in the present moment and less time trying to sort through a cluttered mind. What is Mindfulness? According to Shapiro, “Knowing the state of your mind in this moment, without judging it, evaluating it, thinking about it, or trying to change it, is mindfulness” (5). Sounds easy, but what usually happens when a thought floats into our minds? The “committee” arrives to talk about it, pick it apart, and open the door for other anxiously awaiting thoughts. The other day I sat down to meditate and began thinking, “Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Something smells like lasagna.” The committee immediately said, “Lasagna sounds good!” and proceeded to, “I wonder if I have time to get some burger before Willey's closes. How much longer do I have to meditate? Oh, shoot! I'm thinking! Man, I suck at meditating.” It doesn't take long for an aware mind to shift right back into mindless chatter. “Our mind analyzes our successes and failures, judging and comparing, planning and fearing for the future” (Ma 46). This creates a constant state of stress and anxiety (46) and hinders our ability to focus.

$5,000 Scholarships to Vermont Students

Attention CCV students.  Are you enrolled in a STEM field - science, technology, engineering or mathematics?  Are you a first generation college student?  A veteran?  A student with a disability or from a minority group?  If so, we encourage you to apply for the VT EPSCoR scholarhsip.

VT EPSCoR is pleased to announce the Native American and First Generation Student Scholarship Program. Their goal is to encourage a diverse group of talented students to pursue a degree in the STEM fields by awarding $5,000 scholarships to Vermont students enrolled in a college degree program. 

To apply for a VT EPSCoR CWDD Student Scholarship, an applicant should be:

• aVermont resident and United States citizen
• a graduating senior at a Vermont high school planning to attend a Vermont college during the next academic year, OR a current undergraduate enrolled in a degree program at a Vermont college or university, with a GPA of 3.0 or above
• enrolling or enrolled in a STEM major in college
• of Native American ancestry OR a first generation college student

Please the VT EPSCoRwebsite for additional information and the online application: http://www.uvm.edu/~cwdd/scholarships.  Applications are due Tuesday, April 1st.

Attention CCV Job and Internship Seekers

Did you know there is a job search site where employers post opportunities specifically for CCV students?  Yes, you have read correctly.  Prospective employers who have career and internship opportunities specifically for community college students regularly post openings on CCV Career Connections, CCV's job and internship portal.  

Over 40 job and internship opportunities have been added in the past month.  Employers who have recently posted positions include:

• Central Vermont Community Action Council
• Chesire-Medical/Dartmouth Hitchcock-Keene
• Mount Snow
• Okemo
• Fastenal
• Hutchins Media, LLC
• Peace and Justice Center

If you need to create a cover letter, revise your resume, or brush-up your interviewing skills, be sure to explore the resources on CCV’s Career Services webpages.

Good luck with your job search, and be sure to post a comment to let us know when you find a job or internship.

BEaWARE: Opiate Abuse

Below is a guest post from Ashlee Kelly, CCV Community of Student Representatives member.  Ashlee takes classes at CCV-Montpelier.

This week, BEaWARE Week, CCV hopes to raise awareness about tobacco addiction, alcohol and substance abuse. 

Opiate drug abuse, the overuse or taking of a medication for any other purpose other than its intended, is “one of the greatest public safety and public health epidemics of our time” as stated by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. Opiate abuse is now Vermont’s greatest drug related problem since the heroin epidemic. This particular epidemic has increased the number of unintentional deaths to that of three times more than any other drug. Abuses of opiates can be, but are not limited to:

• taking a pain medication that was not prescribed to you

• taking a larger dose than instructed

• continuing to take the medication past a dictated time line

Some people may choose to abuse opiates because of the euphoric feeling they may experience when under the influence of the drugs. The drug relieves pain for a short while, making the user feel worse when the opiate wears off, which in turn causes users to take them again. This dangerous cycle is why opiate abuse is so dangerous. If you or someone you care about might be struggling with opiate addiction, we encourage you to contact one of the Vermont organizations that aid in the treatment of opiate and alcohol related dependencies:

Howard Center

Washington County Youth Services Bureau
Baart Behavioral Health Services (St. Johnsbury, Newport and Berlin)

Clara Martin Center (Randolph, Bradford, Chelsea and Wilder)

Youth Services Inc. (Brattleboro area)

Rutland Mental Health

Northeast Kingdom Human Services

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!