A wide range of issues can impact students' ability to fulfill their potential and Aurora University strives to create a positive campus atmosphere to enhance the potential for success of all students.

The Choices That Count (TC2) is a program designed to help and encourage students to make the right choices when they are faced with making decisions about the following issues:

• alcohol and drug use
• study habits/academic commitment
• career development & major selection
• ethical student behavior
• personal safety
• nutrition and overall health
• sleep habits
• tobacco use
• financial management
• relationships

Other goals include:

• to increase the awareness of how personal choices can impact the college experience.
• to develop a sense of community responsibility by encouraging students to confront behavior that negatively impacts community development.
• to confront misperceptions of students, faculty, staff, and parents related to personal health and social behaviors.

Resources to help student make The Choices That Count (TC2)

Alcohol and Drug Use • Study Habits and Academic Commitment • Nutrition and Overall Health
Mental Health • Career Development and Major Selection • Personal Safety • Sleep Habits
Tobacco Use • Financial Management • Relationships • Resources for Parents

Alcohol and Drug Use

• Evaluate your alcohol use. www.alcoholscreening.org
• Read a narrative on the use of alcohol in college. www.beerboozebooks.com/excerpts.htm#INTRODUCTION
• Learn about policies and practives to help student-athletes make the proper choices for healthy lifestyles. www.ncaa.org/health-safety
• Information about drug testing and sports. www.drugfreesport.com/education
• Education resources & materials on drugs of abuse, marijuana, ecstasy, smoking, steroids, and others from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). www.drugabuse.gov/students.html
  

Study Habits and Academic Commitment

• Study skills are listed both by the process of studying and by topic. Each topic has a list of handouts, prioritized by importance and interest. http://www.howtostudy.org/resources.php
• Students frequently discover they need to adapt their study habits to the college setting. Here are some tips for getting started. http://www.dartmouth.edu/~acskills/success/study.html
  

Nutrition and Overall Health

• The Dietary Guidelines for Americans provide authoritative advice for people two years and older about how good dietary habits can promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases. www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines
• MyPyramid offers personalized eating plans, interactive tools to help you plan and assess your food choices, and advice to help you:  Make smart choices from every food group.  Find your balance between food and physical activity.  Get the most nutrition out of your calories.  Stay within your daily calorie needs. www.mypyramid.gov
• The CDC has updated its fruits and vegetables Web site to reflect the new Fruits & Veggies-More Matters TM campaign, which takes the place of the 5 A Day program. Visit the new web site to get tools and information to help you eat more fruits and vegetables each day! www.FruitsandVeggiesMatter.gov
• Information and encouragement related to eating disorders. www.eatingdisorderhope.com
• Information regarding the flu virus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. www.cdc.gov/flu
  

Mental Health

• Tools for coping with life's stressors. www.coping.org
• Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance. www.dbsalliance.org
• College mental health information. www.healthyminds.org/collegementalhealth.cfm
• Learn to control your stress. www.campusblues.com
• Improving the lives of people living with mood disorders. www.dbsalliance.org
• The nation’s leading organization working to prevent suicide and promote mental health among college students. www.jedfoundation.org
• Mental Health America is the country’s leading nonprofit dedicated to helping people live mentally healthier lives. www.mentalhealthamerica.net
  

Career Development and Major Selection

• Six important things to consider when deciding on a major. www.psu.edu/dus/md/mdfiveq.htm

Personal Safety

• Personal safety tips from the Aurora University Office of Campus Safety. www.aurora.edu/safety/prevent.htm

Sleep Habits

• Improve the quality of your life by improving the quality of your sleep. www.sleepnet.com
  

Tobacco Use

• lungusa.org - Sponsored by the American Lung Association.
• smokefree.gov - Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute
• quitnet.com - Operates in association with Boston University School of Public Health

Financial Management

• Personal finance and money management articles, tips and advice for college students, college graduates, young adults. http://www.youngmoney.com/money_management

Relationships

• College students have many opportunities to meet new friends and develop enriching relationships. Such relationships can make the difference between a positive and negative college experience. It is important to know the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships, and to know how to make choices to preserve the former and improve the latter. www.sa.ua.edu/Counseling/HealthyRelationships.htm

Resources for Parents

• This site provides resources for parents who want to encourage their students to make the choices that count. www.theantidrug.com/