National Nutrition Month is here! This month is dedicated to helping you shift your thinking from diet culture to finding foods that satisfy you and your senses. Learn how to choose foods that are satisfying to you and each of your senses. Disregard the shoulds and the should nots and consider taste, texture, aroma, temperature, appearance, volume and choose what will be most satisfying to you. You can check out all the events our dietitians have been cooking up for the month at healthinaitiaves.gatech.edu/nutrition.

Did you know that every Monday at 4:00 p.m., Health Initiatives hosts mindful Mondays in the Student Center, Juniper Room? All students are welcome to drop in during the one-hour-long event to color or participate in guided mindfulness exercises. “Mindfulness is being awake in your current experience rather than dwelling on the past or anticipating the future,” said health educator Sarah Morales. “It helps alleviate the stress and anxiety you may be feeling as a college student.” No appointments or registration is needed for this event. For more information about the different resources we provide related to mindfulness, check out http://healthinitiatives.gatech.edu/well-being/mental/mindfulness

Everyone is invited to the next pet therapy date on March 5th from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. during the Campus Services CARNIVALE event in the Student Center. Pet therapy is a guided interaction for all members of the Georgia Tech community with trained (and really cute) dogs. “Interacting with therapy dogs has been proven to lower blood pressure, lower cortisol levels, and improve [your] sense of belonging,” said health educator Jocelyn Resnick. Find out more about pet therapy at http://healthinitiatives.gatech.edu/pet-therapy.

Learn how get the best sleep of your life during the SleepWell@Tech week. This program runs from March 4th-8th and brings awareness to the importance of sleep for your overall health and well-being. HI health educator and event co-creator JaPeera Edmond’s said, “Lack of sleep or poor sleep habits can lead to a host of negative health outcomes. ... It is important that students know what these outcomes are and how they improve their sleep, which in turn can improve their quality of life.” To learn more about this week of events go to healthinitiatives.gatech.edu/sleep.

Get a jump start on your spring break during Safe Spring Break Week. This week is focused on teaching you how to stay healthy and safe during your upcoming spring break week. You can also pick up some free swag to get you ready for the week ahead. The kick off takes place Monday March 11 and runs through Friday, March 15^th. For a full list of events check out healthinitiatives.gatech.edu/springbreak.

Learn how to "adult" during the adulting series. This series explores finances, healthy eating, purpose, professionalism, and other life skills providing you with the essential skills and knowledge to be a successful adult. The first session is March 14th and discusses interviewing, resumes and finances in partnership with C2D2. The second session is March 28^th and teaches techniques to incorporate physical activity into your busy schedules. Both sessions take place from 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. in the Student Center Piedmont room. Learn more about this program at healthinitiatives.gatech.edu/adulting.

The next Foundations of Finance session starts March 25th. This five-week course empowers both undergraduate and graduate students to save, budget, avoid debt, invest and spend wisely. Registration is required and slots fill quickly. You can register and learn more about this series at healthinitiatives.gatech.edu/finance. 

Don’t forget to join Health Initiatives for a Ted Talk discussion on topics pertinent to societal influence on health and well-being - BYOL (bring your own lunch). This month you will be discussing the popular talk, Me Too is a Movement, Not a Moment by Tarana Burke on March 12th from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. in the Student Center room 343.

We understand that Georgia Tech can be extremely busy and stressful, but taking time for yourself to relax and improve your mental health and well-being is more important than any assignment (yes, we said it). Take a small chunk out of your day and stop by one (or all) of these amazing programs—you won’t regret it! For a full list of programs and events go to healthinitiatives.gatech.edu.