Back to School Essentials
A strong start to your school year includes - healthy relationships, a good schedule, and access to free services.
If you are a student in any capacity – whether that is high school or college, you are likely feeling anxious and excited for things to kick off this month. You may be getting back into sports or extracurriculars with your high school. Or, you might be preparing for rush week, purchasing books and getting ready for some hard classes in college. No matter what this semester will look like for you, here are 3 things that can help set you up for success.
1. Healthy Relationships
Relationships are such a big part of any school experience – and I’m not just talking about dating. Don’t you want good friends who are trustworthy and fun, classmates who are dependable, and roommates you actually like? But why is it so hard to have healthy relationships in each of these spaces? Relationships take work and time.
A great way to create and maintain healthy relationships is to be intentional about who you surround yourself with. Do your people support you and encourage you to be the best version of yourself? Also, are you the kind of friend that you want to be? Whether you are in high school or college, you will likely look back on these days and remember them for who you spent your time with. As a student, you may feel isolated or alone at times. If you are around people who care about you and want to lift you up, then the isolation and loneliness can be easier to navigate.
*Parkridge has free and confidential counseling services available to you. If any relationship in your life is affecting you in a negative or harmful way, click here to request a mental health check. We know relationships in any form aren’t easy, and we are here for you. *
2. A Good Schedule
Even if you are the world's biggest go with the flow person– a good schedule is essential to a successful school year. With assignments that can pile up, events that never seem to stop, and so much more, it can seem nearly impossible to juggle it all. Good time management skills can be one of the best and most important things that can come out of your years as a student.
If you take the time to sit down, make note of important dates, and carve out time for schoolwork, your time as a student can be significantly less stressful. A good schedule can also help you keep healthy boundaries! This may be a time in your life where you want to say yes to everything, but having a schedule will help you decide what you do and don’t have time for. Stephen Covey, best-selling author, says, “We experience peace when our schedule aligns with our values.” What’s most important to you? Put that on your schedule first.
3. Access to Free Services
At some point during your years as a student, you or a friend will likely need women's health services. Whether that be a pregnancy test, an STD test, counseling, or something else, it is important to know where you can receive high quality services. And it is even more important to know where you can receive them for FREE! When you are building a support team throughout your years as a student, know that Parkridge has been a trusted resource in Lubbock for women’s health for 30 years.
Did you know that about 40% of our patients are students? We see women of all ages and life stages, but we do have students in our clinic all the time! With some of the highest STD rates - Lubbock has a lot of women that need healthcare specific to them and their needs. A big hurdle for students can be finding a safe, trusted, and affordable place to go and seek help when you are navigating an STD, unexpected pregnancy, or support after an abortion. Parkridge is that place. We are here to provide free and confidential medical and counseling services to you at any point in your college journey.
Here is a brief list of some other FREE services in Lubbock:
Lubbock IMPACT (806.799.4329)
South Plains Food Bank (806.763.3003)
TTU Career Center (for current students and alumni) (806.742.2210)
Check out your school resource lists for more!
* Parkridge offers pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, STD testing and treatment, counseling, after abortion support and more. Call or click here to schedule an appointment today for any of our services. *
If you are a student this year, hear us say this:
You can do this. You can have healthy relationships. You can prioritize yourself with a good schedule. You can have people in your corner to provide free, high quality women’s health services. You are going to do great!
And if you don’t feel that way, remember that we are just a call away. Our clinic is staffed with Nurses and Licensed Professional Counselors whose priority is you. We are here for you.
