Look at us go friends! It feels like we’ve only just arrived at campus and here we are: packing a bag to head home for a week. We’re a third of the way through the first semester. If history has taught me anything, this also means many of us are about to reach uncomfortable levels of stress and overwhelming panic, if we haven’t already. With this in mind, I’ve put together a list of some of the available resources on campus that can specifically help with reducing stress.

The Student Hub. The Student Hub is a brand new offering on campus this semester. Think of the Hub like a concierge service, ready to answer your questions and help connect you to the best campus-based services and supports to meet your needs. The Student Hub provides connection to campus and community resources, as well as general information about services and opportunities all in one informal, peer-led environment. The Hub can also offer tips for balancing academic, social, and overall well-being. Walk in and find a sympathetic ear when you’re feeling overwhelmed and out of sorts, or come by and enjoy a comfy couch and a quiet spot to read. The Student Hub is located in Dewey 149 (formerly the Women’s Center) and is currently open Tuesdays 3-7 p.m. and Wednesdays 2-5 p.m.

The Wellness Center offers free and confidential counseling and consultation services provided by professional licensed clinicians and graduate clinical counseling interns. If you are interested in scheduling a time to meet with a counselor, you can call the Wellness Center, located in the lower level of Senators South, at 802.635.1265.

I have heard some complaints about the frustration of being put on a waiting list when reaching out to set up counseling appointments. Certainly I can understand how hard it is to be asked to wait when you are reaching out for help. However, Kate McCarthy, Director of the Center, shared with me in interviews held last semester that students rarely spend more than a week or two on the waiting list and there are daily walk-in hours to help while they wait. During these hours you can walk-in without calling ahead and will have a 25-minute appointment with the first available counselor. If you need to speak to someone immediately, I encourage you to take advantage of the Wellness Center’s walk in hours, which are as follows: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday – 11 a.m. to noon.; Tuesday and Thursday – 11 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Academic Support Services. Let’s be honest, for most of us there is some part of our academic life that we’re just not that good at. Maybe it’s a particular class, or maybe it’s something more general like researching papers, taking good notes, or getting work done on time. Feeling inadequate or like we should be – and could be! – better than we are adds to unnecessary stress. The office of Academic Support can help with that.

If you haven’t visited this Dewey-centered office before let me pave the way by letting you know they’re all incredibly welcoming and kind. Like, throw snacks and jokes your way kind. Lose track of time and be late to their own meetings kind of welcoming. It’s a good place to be. Even better than that though? They can help with study and research skills, stress management, academic coaching on that class you’re struggling with, and more. I highly recommend a visit.

Disability Services. Housed in the same Dewey office as Academic Support Services, Disability Services is run by Michele Feiner. She can be reached at 802-635-1264. I include this office on the list of resources because there isn’t much that’s more important for your well-being than to make sure you have the correct disability services lined up. Michele has shared with me several times that students come to campus with misconceptions about how college level services work, believing that their high school accommodations follow them automatically. Friends, hopefully you already know by now this is not true. But it doesn’t mean you’re not eligible for accommodations at the collegiate level. If you’re struggling in your classes or on campus in any arena because of a disability – be it physical, learning, or a mental health disorder – go talk to Michele about whether you are eligible to get accommodations to help. It can really make an incredible world of difference in your stress, and in your success.

It seems that’s all I have room to share with you today, but don’t be fooled, that’s not all there is. Research tells us there are a great many wellness benefits to getting involved with community, to joining social clubs, to giving back. NVU offers opportunities for all of this and more. Enjoy your vacation and if you come back and find yourself feeling stressed and teetering into anxiety and lack of balance, come visit me at the Student Hub (shameless plug!) and we’ll chat about other options for continued growth and wellness moving forward. Be well!