You’re almost there! It seems that just yesterday we were welcoming everyone to campus and now here we are at finals week.
You should be SO proud of all the things you accomplished this semester, both inside
and outside of the classroom. Whether it’s your first year in college or your
last, you likely went through changes, overcame challenges, celebrated successes,
got out of your comfort zone and came out the other end a different person. And
that’s OK! In fact, that’s great and that is exactly what this time is used for.
College is a time to learn, meet new people, experience new things and be challenged.
We hope you enjoyed your time as a Mountaineer this past school year.
As the semester wraps up, so do our monthly emails—but don’t worry! We will resume
them in August when you return to campus. Of course, if you’re graduating – congratulations!
We hope this new series of monthly emails helped you manage your stress and allowed
you to learn more about how to reach out to us when you needed support. We will
still be offering services to students this summer (details at the end of this
newsletter) so do not hesitate to reach out if you need support or guidance.
We hope you have a fantastic summer and wish you all the best on the next part
of your journey!
May is Mental Health Month
We want to take a moment to talk about Mental Health Month because it’s important.
We often see that mental health has a stigma attached to it and this can be harmful
to those who are struggling with mental health and wellness. The best way to
break the stigma of mental health is to talk about it and educate others.
What is the stigma? Negative attitudes and misconceptions about people
experiencing mental health concerns.
Why is this a problem? It creates a giant roadblock for people seeking
help due to worries about others’ perceptions of them. Stigma can create fear
and prevent people from seeking the help they want and need.
End of Semester Scaries?
While the end of the semester is exciting for some students; it is important to
remember that not everyone may feel that way. The thought of leaving campus and
transitioning back home for the summer can be overwhelming and scary for some
students. If that’s you, it may be stressful to consider how you will cope with
that change. We’ve helped identify some potential “scaries” and how you may be
able to work through them. We also recommend creating a list of
coping skills to have on hand.
Family Dynamic Scaries?
Students often worry about integrating back with their family again after being
gone for so long. The truth is, you have changed since you were last home, and
this can bring some challenges. It can also bring opportunities for you to talk
with your family and loved ones and create an effective plan before you leave
campus.
Plan ahead. Think about what conflicts or conversations usually
come up and how you may respond to them. Try having those difficult conversations
early, before you return home.
Talk with your family or loved ones, who you will be living with over
the summer break, about the expectations they have. Will you have a curfew? Will
you be expected to have a summer job? Will they need you to help babysit or take
care of another loved one? It’s important to understand these expectations and
communicate them clearly upfront.
Work together to come up with the guidelines. Be sure to respect
the guidelines that you develop together and communicate your needs and concerns.
Finals Week Stress-Busting Suggestions
It’s normal to feel more stressed than usual this time of year. The good news is
that there’s a lot you can do to help keep your stress levels down so you can
try and work at your best.
Get organized. If you haven’t already, create a schedule with all remaining
due dates and final exam dates. Make sure you’re also planning when you intend
to study and complete assignments. The most important part is to include REST
and BREAKS in your schedule.
It is also important to take time to clean and organize your space because a
clean space can help your mind feel more organized.
Move your body. You can do this by taking a walk, exercising, yoga or
even stretching. You can also look to study in one of WVU’s
Active Workspaces.
Summer Services
Whether you are going home for the summer or staying on campus, you will have access
to mental health and wellness services.
The
WVU Carruth Center will be open over the summer. This means students,
who are in the state of West Virginia, can continue to access the Urgent/Crisis
Clinic, Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. for urgent needs. Students experiencing
mental health emergencies after business hours can call 304-293-4431 to get connected
to the after-hours crisis line. Carruth’s also has some
summer programming available for students.
If you are residing outside the state of West Virginia for the summer and need
access to services, you can contact the Carruth Center and one of our clinicians
will help you find a provider in your hometown.
Students can also use
TalkSpace, a free online therapy service that connects users to a dedicated,
licensed therapist. Students can use TalkSpace whether they are in Morgantown
or away for summer break.
WELLWVU will be providing a number of services and resources over the
summer including
- Condom Caravan. WELLWVU offers safer sex supplies to all WVU students, free of charge. Supplies can be ordered and picked up discreetly.
- Fentanyl testing strips. WELLWVU provides students with fentanyl test strips. No questions asked, no identifying information required and no interaction with anyone during pick-up. Visit https://go.wvu.edu/fentanyltest to pick up fentanyl test strips.
- Mental Health 101. These training sessions are 90 minutes long and focus on current national mental health statistics, effective listening skills and an in-depth look at the services provided by the Carruth Center and CARE Team. The sessions also review the warning signs of suicide and allow participants to practice how to safely intervene with students who are in distress. The workshops are open to all WVU students, faculty and staff and have both in-person and virtual options. Visit WellWVU’s mental health training resources website to learn more about the workshops, see the summer 2023 schedule and register.
Crisis Resources
Life-Threatening Emergencies
911
University Police: 304-293-COPS (2677)
Psychological Emergencies
Carruth Center: 304-293-4431 (press 1 after hours)
Crisis Text Line: Text "WVU" to 741741
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988
Veteran Crisis Line: 988 (press 1)
Trevor Project Hotline (LGBTQ): 1-866-4UTREVOR (1-866-488-7386)
Carruth Center has an urgent/crisis clinic that provides in-person visits without an appointment for students who are experiencing a psychological emergency. Call 304-293-7731 (press 1 after hours)