As the days begin to get colder, it's a reminder that winter is right around the corner, and Michigan winters in particular are known for their harsh temperatures. Even before winter hits, temperatures can drop much lower at night and put homeless individuals at risk. According to the National Weather Service , even 40°F temperatures can feel below freezing with winds as low as 20 MPH. Taking into account the fact that a good deal of homeless individuals are situated within urban areas that have increased wind speeds between the buildings, it's easy for winds to create bitter temperatures when the actual air temperature is what most would only consider to be a bit chilly. Spending long periods of time in these temperatures — such as by sleeping on the streets — also increases the risk of hypothermia. The Mayo Clinic defines hypothermia as "a medical emergency that occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, causing a dangerously low body tempera...

The beginning of October means midterm season is here, and the stress is enough to send even the best students scrambling. As mentioned in our last blog post , college can be a stressful time for students from all different walks of life; 45% of students list stress as a factor in seeking out counseling. But what about students who don't feel the need to seek out formal counseling, or those who are unable to access those services for any number of reasons? Whether you seek mental health assistance or not, taking care of yourself and managing stress is incredibly important. Although it may not seem like a big deal to push through stress and handle it on your own, stressors can compound over time and cause chronic stress  which according to the American Psychological Association , "may also cause disease, either because of changes in your body or the overeating, smoking and other bad habits people use to cope with stress." It's not just in the long run, either: mu...

Whether you're a freshman struggling to get used to campus life, a senior stressing about what lies beyond graduation, or anywhere in between, college can (without a doubt) be one of the most stressful times for students. A recent study by the American Psychological Association found that 61% of students across the nation seeking counseling report anxiety, with depression (49%) and stress (45%) following closely behind. Although these issues can affect anyone regardless of race, class, gender, or sexuality, it often times weighs very heavily on students who are homeless or precariously housed. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) found that anywhere from 20% to 25% of the homeless population in the US live with some form of severe mental illness (compared to just 6% of the overall American population). Harvard notes that " mental illness is often cited as a major cause of homelessness , illustrating a causative relationship that extends beyond mere correlatio...