Give/Take: Self Sustainability and Exploration by

Bull2Bull Financial Education

2025-06-03 02:01:01 UTC

Bull2Bull is a USF organized, peer to peer financial guidance and mentoring program. It strives to help students develop and/or strengtrhen skills in financial literacy via workshops or one on one guidance.

USF Credit Union Blog

2025-06-03 10:28:40 UTC

USF has a USF Credit Union blog that provides budgeting tips and tools as well as articles on various financial topics. Moreover, they have recently developed a budgeting game that tracks spending and manages people's finances.

Positive Affirmations

barettav — 2025-06-03 13:20:00 UTC

Though a relatively quick activity, I want to give students the power of positive affirmations, a daily habit I am starting to use over the summer. Positive affirmations can consist of a few self-empowering statements that can be a resource for students whenever they need them. Examples include “I am strong,” “Today is going to be a great day,” “It is okay to ask for help,” “I am making a difference in the world,” etc. Such affirmations have shown to offer people a way to focus on their self-worth (see link). Students will be encouraged to brainstorm their own affirmations or borrow some examples from my presentation. You are all great peer mentors!

Spend those beans!

barettav — 2025-06-03 13:25:47 UTC

Borrowed from Next Gen Personal Finance, the “Bean Game” highlights some financial choices students will have to make in college and throughout their lives. Using beans as currency for this activity, students will work in small groups to decide which costs for categories like housing, food, and clothing are worth a certain number of beans. Students should not run out of beans by the end of the game, and they should be prepared to discuss their reasoning for choosing to spend a certain amount of beans for any specific category. More on the attached link!

Materials: 20 bean budget per group, one sheet of paper per group.

Crossword Puzzles

KaseyDavitt — 2025-06-03 18:35:47 UTC

Completing crossword puzzles is a great way to practice intellectual wellness. There are sites where you can create your own crossword puzzles, which can be a great activity for the incoming students. It can be about Rocky the Bull, areas on campus like the MSC, to get the students to think about more ways to get involved after last week's discussion about involvement.

Suit-A-Bull

2025-06-04 18:20:50 UTC

Suit-A-Bull is a great resource for students to get free professional clothing. It is both an on-campus resource (located in the Student Services Building) and a budgeting resource!

Adult coloring books

2025-06-04 20:55:23 UTC

Although this seems like an activity many of us stopped doing when we were younger, it can be incredibly focusing. I find when I get overwhelmed, just coloring for 20 minutes can help me feel less stressed and more prepared. Often, whilst completing this, I can take a more laid back approach to my stressor and come up with a plan in my relaxed state which can be very beneficial.

2025-06-06 16:20:45 UTC

I think one way of practicing Intellectual Wellness is by learning a new language and learning about different cultures. Duolingo is a great way to practice and get started with learning a new language and even helps motivate you by incentivizing the person with a "streak".

Florida Community of Mindfulness

2025-06-06 18:38:34 UTC

I actually found this resource through an honors course at USF. It is a great way to practice intellectual wellness by meditating. They also do more than just meditation by also exploring self efficacy and other perspectives you may not think to much about often. It is definitely a great experience to try.

Budgeting Resources

sydneybusch65 — 2025-06-07 00:58:02 UTC

Money 101 provides students with ideas on how to be financially responsible as both newly admitted college students and adults. This page is directed towards admitted students with the intention of explaining what it means to be financially responsible and how they can reach financial literacy. This page has great suggestions on where to get started, and my favorite suggestion was making or finding a budgeting template. A budgeting template will be introduced in the peer mentor class, but I found it really helpful to see all my spending in one place to see what was necessary and what I could hold off on. If a budgeting template is not your thing, I also recommend looking at budgeting template apps like Money Mgr.

Journaling!

jadejanamas — 2025-06-07 01:04:47 UTC

One way I practice intellectual wellness is through personal journaling. I like to set aside time to reflect on my thoughts, experiences, and things happening around me. It helps me process new ideas, explore different perspectives, and stay mindful. Sometimes I also journal about podcasts I’ve listened to, places I’ve visited, or random questions that come to mind.

Finding a New Hobbie

2025-06-07 15:51:38 UTC

When I think of Intellectual wellness I think of trying a new hobby like crocheting or embroidery. I think taking on hobbies that are outside of your comfort zone help you further develop your skills and even create new ones.

Off Campus Activity - Explore Your City!

2025-06-07 20:11:20 UTC

When I got to USF, I found it fun to drive around and explore some new spots around the downtown area as I had never lived in a city! This was a great opportunity for me to also find places I could come later to hang out with my friends. Some of my highlights are Rowlett Park (great for pickleball), Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, the Tampa Riverwalk, Bayshore Blvd, Ballast Point Park, Sparkman Wharf, Armature Works, Fort Desoto (great for stargazing!), USF Riverfront Park, Lettuce Lake Park, and Vinoy Park.

Words of encouragement

2025-06-07 23:59:56 UTC

In this activity, I will spread out a piece of paper where everyone in the class is able to write down their own broad positive comments. After everyone finishes, they will then crumble up their paper and throw it in the middle of the classroom. Once the papers are all mixed around the students will then pick it up and read what positive affirmative they received.

Art and Creative Writing!

2025-06-08 01:19:44 UTC

Before coming to college, I didn't consider myself the creative type. I frequently journaled, but it was usually just about my day and nothing very abstract. When I picked up watercolor painting, cartoon drawing, and creative writing, I discovered a new, unexpected outlet for stress. It challenged me to embrace my creativity, which led to a lot of new personal and intellectual development. I know many people already frequently engage in creative practices like these, but for those who maybe have never considered themselves creative, I think this is a great way to boost intellectual wellness!

Brain Games Contest

angrubbs — 2025-06-08 04:38:49 UTC

For this activity, I plan to have my class play several brain games. I'm going to divide them into 3 to 4 teams and have them compete to give the quickest correct answer to riddles, anagrams, and the NY Times games. This is a good way to end class on a fun note and emphasize the importance of intellectual wellness. I did this with my class last year and it was really engaging, especially because they were a pretty competitive group. If your class is similar, this is a fun option!

Attend a Guest Lecture or Workshop

kkamaleldin — 2025-06-08 17:10:01 UTC

USF Honors as well as other USF departments host speakers and workshops all the time covering a wide range of topics. Pick one that interests you and attend! You'll gain new perspectives and insights and maybe even discover a new passion. Personally, attending some of the seminars that're hosted by the College of Arts of Sciences has helped me meet so many cool people!

Create a Study Group!

2025-06-08 19:04:17 UTC

One of the most powerful tools I have experienced for intellectual wellness has been creating study groups. Being intentional and consistent in studying with focused, likeminded people has not only held me accountable in studying class material, but it makes the tough sessions easier to get through. I have made good connections through people I have studied with, and it is so helpful to bounce ideas off of them when I am struggling with a concept. When exam week hits and I feel burnt out, it is nice to have these groups already established so that we can get through it together! Studying can be both fun and productive with the right company.

Museum

2025-06-09 00:45:48 UTC

One way that I enjoy stimulating my brain is by visiting museums! The Sarasota Art Museum has a cross-college alliance which means that anyone with a USF ID gets in completely free. Their exhibits change every 3-5 so there's never the same thing there twice. It's a great and artistic way to spend an afternoon.

Tampa City HART Bus - FREE FOR STUDENTS!

blopez22_12 — 2025-06-09 00:53:14 UTC

https://www.gohart.org/Pages/fares-usfu-pass.aspx

The Tampa City HART Bus is available for absolute free for USF students! They have a wide range of routes and lots of downtown stops. It is perfect to explore the city if you don't have a car or don't want to pay for Uber.

Awardspring Scholarship Portal

2025-06-09 01:37:52 UTC

This is a great website that compiles lots of scholarships for USF students. Each scholarship has different requirements but it is a great resource for anyone looking to apply!

The Price Is (Kinda) Right: College Budget Edition

temitopedavid — 2025-06-09 01:43:16 UTC

The goal of the game is to help students learn more about basic budgeting concepts by estimating and balancing typical college expenses against income sources, using a format similar to the Price Is Right style.

Students will be placed in teams of 3–5 (or work solo if needed).
Each team will receive a “monthly income” (for example, $1,500 per month) and a set of Budget Cards. These cards include typical college expenses and income sources, like groceries, rent, streaming services, or a part-time job.
Each round, PM will show a new item, and your team will have to:
- Guess the cost of that item (without going over!)
- OR decide whether it fits into your budget or needs to be cut
At the end, teams will build a simple monthly budget as a team and try to stay within their income.

Reading

2025-06-09 02:05:37 UTC

One way that I have found that bettered my intellectual wellness was reading for fifteen minutes before going on my phone in the morning. Many times, whenever I woke up and immediately went on my phone I felt overwhelmed and was anxious for the rest of the day. Since I have begun incorporating reading before going on my phone I have been able to grow intellectually but also take my mornings slower and have less reliance on my phone.

Tampa Zoo

2025-06-09 02:46:08 UTC

The Tampa Zoo has the option of buying a day ticket and receiving unlimited admission for the rest of the year. If you buy it towards the end of the year, you get the whole next year too. It's $50 but in my opinion if you go once a month for a whole year, its totally worth it. You can walk around while absorbing vitamin D and seeing the animals.

Wordle!

2025-06-09 02:53:14 UTC

I love doing the wordle every day! Even if it is a task that takes 5-10 minutes, it truly stimulates my problem solving mind. It also serves as a break from the rest of my busy day. I get to take a pause from the hustling and just sit down for a while, thinking about all these different word combinations in my head. Most of all, I get to discuss my success or failure with my peers. This instills a fun sense of competition and allows me to stay in touch with multiple people!

Take a class just cause!

mlnewbern — 2025-06-09 03:14:41 UTC

A class doesn't necessarily HAVE to be a part of your required courses for your degree. Of course, it's fantastic if you genuinely enjoy every single one of your classes, but to be honest, most semesters it's unlikely. You are always going to have to take that one difficult class, like Organic Chemistry, that can have an impact on your mental health. Thus, working in a class just for you can be a tool of intellectual wellness. If it fits your requirements, great! If not, also great! For example, I am taking Orgo in Fall. Still, I've also worked in fun courses like Honors Art + The Environment, which not only goes with my major, completes an Honors req, and art is one of my passions, so I know it will be a big stress reliever in the upcoming busy fall.

Enroll in free courses (Coursera, Udemy etc.)

2025-06-09 03:44:36 UTC

Enrolling in a free online course through platforms like Coursera or Udemy is an accessible and flexible way to boost intellectual wellness. These courses, often taught by university professors or experts in their fields, cover a wide range of topics—from psychology and coding to personal finance and wellness. For example, a course like The Science of Well-Being from Yale University (available for free on Coursera) teaches research-backed strategies to improve happiness and mental habits. Taking such a course encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and lifelong learning—key components of intellectual wellness. It also helps build confidence in your ability to grasp new concepts, expanding your knowledge and keeping your mind actively engaged.

I Will Teach You to Be Rich

ckpham2 — 2025-06-09 07:23:37 UTC

This book, while the title may seem like a quick rich fix and only pertinent to the utterly broke, is an excellent resource for college students and budgeting. The book is definitely targeted (but not confined) to young people, and explores ways of budgeting and prioritization. The book also includes strategies and even budgeting templates, and recommended financial resources from an expert. I got it at Target. Quick read and a funny author.