—KT (worried parent)

Dear KT (wp),

First of all, congrats to you and your future Spartan. Although I really am not trying to sound like an admissions recruiter, I do think you and your son could not have made a better choice.

I truly know how hard it is for some parents to let go, although I am not convinced you ever truly — or should — let go.

I have been talking with parents for almost 15 years during summer parent orientation about the health, safety and transitions of their incoming students.

I have seen the gamut of emotions from parents as they think about letting go, that range from utter terror to sheer delight at the thought of their prodigy striking out on their own at MSU.

The only thing I know for sure is the moments your son will spend here are as much a part of his eventual development as has been the first 17 years of his moments at home.

The only difference is he will now have to define many of his crucial moments and the decisions that come with it by drawing from the wisdom and teachings of the last 17 years.

And he will have to do this mostly without your being physically present.

As far as staying healthy, that’s a complicated question with varying opinions.

My definition of health is neither conventional nor always consistent with mainstream medicine. I believe health is not so much about the food pyramid, exercising three times a day or using a condom. Health is more about clarity of knowledge, choice, outcomes and opportunity.

Health is about knowing your choices and accepting the possible outcomes. Health is about understanding your limitations all the while exploring and embracing your opportunities.

This clarity is needed for you to choose with freedom, live with freedom and help sustain the freedom of your community. To judge the health of individuals, all you need to do is assess their sense of freedom to live fully and in the now.

Under my definition, health can be found in anyone no matter their size, physical abilities, race, creed, sexual orientation, or whether they have an illness or disease.

Health is about feeling free in life to pursue your interests and goals.

I know this is not what you might have expected, but it is what you need to know. My role is not to tell people what to do to achieve health. My role is to help you find clarity about your choices so you are free to make them.

Having said that, let me hope your son will look at this acceptance as an opportunity to not only enrich his mind and explore the richness of academics we have here, but also to preserve and build on his health (freedom).

To do that, he should know some of the clear facts about MSU student health. Look at this as information to equip him with to make healthy (free) decisions.

Contrary to popular myth, most MSU students turn to their parents to seek believable and practical advice when they have a health concern.

You need to know how to instruct them as to what to do, where to go and how to cope when they do. If you do not know what to tell them, practice the fine art of referral.

There are many resources on campus that are online or a phone call away. Olin Health Center and MSU Counseling Center are equipped to deal with health concerns.

You should know students are reporting at a faster rate than ever that their excessive use of the Internet and gaming has begun to impact their academic success.

About 25 percent of men report their excessive use of the Internet and gaming has negatively impacted their academics. I advise students of this when they come and then help them explore options to regain their sense of freedom.

One option for them is to consider leaving their game systems at home for the first semester or year.

Colds and flu are the No. 1 reason why students “choose” to miss class. About 85 percent report getting a cold or flu.

For many, it does restrict attendance and impact academics.

This is an easy one. There is the option of washing hands regularly, correctly and consistently during the cold and flu season especially when living in close quarters.

Unfortunately, about 40 percent of MSU students are trying to lose weight, although they are at the right weight or even underweight. Dieting, purging and excessive exercise are prevalent health concerns of this generation.

Restricted eating for this situation is not healthy and results in a loss of freedom to enjoy what you eat whether it’s carrots or Oreos.

Almost all students experience stress that can impact academic and personal success.

Most people got this far by relying on coping mechanisms they developed in the past.

Remind them that the talking, exercising, listening to music, prayer and friends they used before to deal with stress are still there for them to use in most cases.

There are too many misperceptions about sex and alcohol use in college to offer advice to you here. They are the most talked about and exaggerated concepts of college life.

Just know this. The majority of MSU students choose either not to use alcohol or they use it moderately and report it’s not central aspect of their life.

On the other hand, 25 percent of MSU students report choosing not to be sexually active. Of those who do become active, most have one partner and use protection.

If you want more information, we have both a hard copy and an online version on our Web site of a pamphlet called “MSU Big Ten College Health Survival 101: The Big 10 Health Matters in Your College Health Survival.” It is packed with clear facts on several different health topics. Go to olin.msu.edu/survivalquiz.php.

I wish your son the best possible start this fall. If we can be of any help, have him give us a call.

As Janis Joplin once sang, “Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.”

To me, this means I have learned to trust my clarity and in that have found my health.

So let life come as it might. I will be ready. Peace, love dove.

- Dr. D.

Dennis Martell, Ph.D., is a coordinator of Olin Health Education and writes a weekly health column for The State News. E-mail him your questions at dennis.martell@ht.msu.edu.