DUBAI – The Department of Student Accessibility Services held a regular welcome-back gathering for Students of Determination on Jan. 24.
The topic of the gathering was “Holistic Learning.” The goal of holistic learning is to cultivate the understanding that physical, emotional and psychological components all play a role in a student’s development. Serving the whole student means providing information on the vast opportunities that are available at Zayed University.
The gathering began with the department’s director Fatma Al Qassimi inspirational speech to the students. This was followed by various SAS staff members sharing information, offering techniques and highlighting up-and-coming events.
The gathering was held to promote the understanding that nutrition, physical exercise and sound mental health practices can positively impact student’s performance. To achieve this goal, the gathering featured speakers who specialize in those areas. The speakers’ presentations covered the benefits of improving in those areas and highlighted that ZU provides all the resources necessary to enhance student learning.
For example, Suhailah Al Kaabi from the Student Counseling Center gave a presentation on how to recognize the signs of mental health illness.
Fariba Shaikh, a senior instructor in the College of Natural and Health Sciences, focused her presentation on the effects of caffeine because students tend to rely on it to stay alert for studying. She advised drinking as little coffee as possible and avoiding energy drinks. This advice especially concerns students who already have anxiety because caffeine worsens anxiety symptoms. Prof. Shaikh reminded that tea also has caffeine, though not as much as coffee.
Prof. Shaikh said that students who need to stay alert should eat the following combinations of food: fruits and nuts, oatmeal with chopped walnuts, fruits and yoghurt, and whole-grain bread with a source of protein such as eggs.
Natalia Tomaszewska, sports and fitness coordinator, encouraged students to join activities at the campus gym. She came to the gathering with a team of ZU students who are on the powerlifting team. Tomaszewska asked all students to brainstorm some of the benefits of physical exercise. Among the ideas students suggested were strength, better sleep, confidence, meeting new friends, better focus, and structure in life.
The event ended with lunch.
“Thank God Fariba is gone,” joked Marjorie Daniel, a learning disability specialist at SAS, when inviting everyone to lunch. “The table is open.”
