Enjoy First Friday while you can
I wanted to give a shout out to First Friday in the NoBo Arts District. It’s so much fun to listen to live music and support local artists. Unfortunately, events like this are becoming rare in Boulder. We need to enjoy it as much as we can before the city knows people are having fun and annexes the area and bulldozes the place.
Rick Dyson, Boulder
Nutritional education is essential for young women
Social media preys on women by trying to expose their various insecurities. Unattainable standards set for women online can foster immense pressure that can lead to body dysmorphia, low self-esteem, and various eating disorders. The solution to this problem is education, not restrictions on social media platforms.
In a generation where social media has become virtually ubiquitous, it’s not that common to find a teenager without a cell phone in hand. We feed off the approval of others. We earn this through likes, follows, and shares, reinforcing our feelings of validation. But for women who are young, naive, and highly susceptible to these messages, could this do more harm than good? According to an EducationWeek survey, women who say they are confident We found that the proportion of female students who have completed the same program has fallen from 68% to 55% over the past six years. It’s no wonder so many teens struggle with mental health issues such as self-image, self-esteem, depression, and anxiety.
To protect future generations from harmful social media use, school systems should focus on educating children as young as 12 about safe social media use. Specifically, we need to shift our focus to women. School systems need to incorporate some form of nutrition lessons and programs into their curricula. Providing classes that focus on nutrition and establishing a healthy relationship with food can help prevent women from falling into unhealthy eating patterns. In addition to teachers, counselors, and parents, schools should have dietitians available to support students, including talking to students about the importance of proper nutrition. Nutritional education plays an important role in empowering young women to make informed decisions about their lifestyle and dietary needs, energizing their minds and bodies to live healthier lives overall. can do.
Lily Fortin, Boulder
Mental health training needed for coaches
According to the National Library of Medicine, 22.3% of student-athletes are at risk for depression and 12.5% are at risk for anxiety.Practice for hours every day while balancing school studies and The mental health of college athletes who still have time for themselves often suffers from the pressure to excel. After speaking with several CU athletes, they spoke out about the need for mental health advocacy and support.
Steps that can be taken to change this situation are to have open conversations with coaches and provide therapists to discuss mental health issues with players. CU Boulder has found that although there are therapies available, many athletes don’t have the time or don’t feel comfortable taking advantage of these resources. The root of the problem lies primarily in overbearing coaches.To resolve this issue It is important that coaches understand that We provide students with the right training to better serve them throughout their sports career. At the University of Michigan, coaches receive mental health education and training to improve symptoms of depression and anxiety. According to Michigan’s Athlete Connected Manual, 94% of athletes report that they experienced at least one significant mental health benefit after participating in his training. It is necessary to introduce the necessary training sessions for coaches to understand mental health issues and be better equipped to support students. This helps foster a better environment for athletes and has been proven to improve quality of play. Overall, making these changes can ensure a better environment and better performance for college athletes.
Liana Sjostrom, University of Boulder
