Summer early afternoon at Columbus

It's a hot early afternoon for late May. The lazy sun is poring its heat everywhere. Occasional breeze brings a stream of warm air that make me realize it is summer in Ohio, not spring in Wisconsin. Classes are over at Ohio State University (OSU), but final examinations are coming up the following week. Trying to familiarize myself with the city, I took a stroll through the heart of campus.

Laziness seems to be the tone on this Saturday. Even the frat neighborhood is tranquil. Perhaps people partied a little too hard last night before they finally realize they have to study. One house had a beer pong table with a few cups out in the front porch, and another table inside of the house with red cups lined up in a line. Few guys are laying shirtless on the front yard a few houses down.

Once I entered the campus area, the mood changed. Red-bricked, clear glass buildings, paved curvy roads, green soccer fields all contribute to a college campus feel that is lacking at many modern day universities. As I walk under the shades provided by hundred-year-old trees, smell the aroma of blooming flowers, and look at the colorful landscape, I realize I was a part of nature within an intellectual community.

Then it comes to the people. It's not uncommon to see pairs of students in their T-shirt and shorts to walk around campus, girls in bikini laying on a beach towel on a huge grass field taking on the sun, and guys throwing around a football or frisbee. A family of five taking a slow-paced joy bike ride passes me gradually over the side road. The children are up ahead, youngest first, while parents watches from behind on their adult sized bikes. Far up on the platform at the Recreation and Physical Activity Center, a cluster of students are hosting some sort of event as their voices carry away around the campus.

After walking mindlessly for over an hour, I found myself at the oval mall. That's what I would call a stereotypical college campus. Some reading under the trees; other couples laying under the warm sunlight. Small number of students, perhaps a student group, are sitting in a circle discussing what seems like serious matters. Even dogs are enjoying this early summer afternoon, although she wishes to be off from the leash set by her owner and run free with the other cute puppy who's playing with her. And then, there is this Asian with backpack wearing full warm-ups walking towards High Street, the main entertainment street.

Back to the frat neighborhood through High Street, the city seems to be live again. People strolling on the street to restaurants for lunch, or breakfast for some. One guy carrying books march towards the library with a sense of displeasure on his face. A cute girl with sunglasses on is walking her dog, who seems to hint the unbearable heat with his tounge out, swinging profusely. That's when I saw my apartment building and swiftly strided to my room to jot down what I've seen.

The medical value of relationships

We form many relationships in life. In classrooms, professors teach students. On campus, we hang out with friends to pass time. In the business world, professional relationships foster deals. While superficially the purpose of these relationships are just as what it seems, medically, relationships also lessen our emotional stress, which directly impact our health.

During senior year in high school, for a period of time, I fell in a period of depression, perhaps due to the gloomy winter, pressure from college applications, lack of close social ties, or a combination of all.  I was physically weak, getting sick from the cold easily.  My emotions was weaker - always in one pessimistic mood or another anxious mood.  There was no end in sight for this depression cycle.  It seems things are only getting worse.  However, to make the story short, I got out of this cycle just by talking to one of my close friends about how I felt.  Months of depression solved over a cup of coffee in one afternoon.

Scientists have finally starting to realize the importance of the psychological or emotional aspect of an illness.  Science magazine states that social isolation increases mortality risk by a factor of 2.0 compared to 1.6 for smoking.  What's more is that isolation is harder on men than on women, perhaps because women's relationships tend to be emotionally closer than men's.  A vivid example among patients who survived transplants tells the healing power of friendships.  Fifty-four percent of patients who felt strong emotional support from their spouse, family, or friends survived the translant after two years versus 20 percent of patients who felt little support.

With all the stories and facts, I would like to take this time to appreciate my close friends for taking their time listening to my worries, offering condolence, and being around to battle boredom.  These little things are often overlooked, but have significant impact on people's lives (literally it can add years).  Lastly I would like to leave with a quote from John Cacioppo, an ex-Ohio State University psychologist, now at University of Chicago: "It's the most important relationships in your life, the people you see day in and day out, that seem to be crucial for your health.  And the more significant the relationship is in your life, the more it matters for your health."


Reference:
Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman