Dear TU students,
The past 10 months have created a challenging landscape, and while there are varying degrees of hardship, there is no arguing that we are all doing our best to persevere. This week will mark another moment in 2020 that may be emotional for members of our community.
Civic engagement is a component of healthy living, but it must be balanced with other aspects of our lives. As a guide for finding balance during particularly stressful moments, I offer a few notes to consider:
- Limit your media consumption to just enough to stay informed; 24/7 news coverage, Twitter scrolling and subreddit dives are not helpful to anyone’s mental health.
- Refuel and restore yourself. Consider healthy practices, including:
- water
- movement
- sunshine
- meditation
- nutrition
- connection
- limiting caffeine/avoiding alcohol
- Engage supportive friends/family/allies, and remember it’s OK to talk about other topics.
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Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Going to bed and waking up at about the same times each day is one of the best behaviors we can employ to manage stress more effectively.
- Channel your feelings and energies toward positive activities. When you’re frustrated, agitated, anxious or overwhelmed, use that energy to do something meaningful.
There are many resources at TU open and available to you throughout the week:
- Counseling and Psychological Services is offering one-time, one-hour appointments. Additionally, the CAPS team has pulled together guides for managing stress on and after Election Day. (Note: We may not know the final outcome of the election for days or even weeks.) Please visit this page for details.
- The Office of the Dean of Students is hosting Walk and Talks on a variety of topics. You can sign up for a time to meet with someone who shares your interests or has expertise on a topic you want to discuss.
- If you are looking for something else to do, the TU Events Calendar offers a variety of activities in the coming weeks.
- If you are worried about a friend or colleague, use CaneCares to alert TU staff.
It is imperative to the health of our campus community that we each prioritize self-care and watch out for others. Do not hesitate to reach out if TU staff and faculty can help.
Reign Cane,
Michael McClendon, PsyD
Executive Director of Health & Wellness