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The fall semester is wrapping up, with just a few weeks of classes, exams and activities left. It's normal to feel overwhelmed or burned out with so much happening. You've been tackling new experiences, and maybe you or someone close to you is facing challenges that are impacting mental well-being.
This newsletter is here to provide resources and support to help you navigate the semester's challenges and finish strong!
BURNOUT
Are you feeling burnt out? Burnout can happen in any area of your life but it's common in areas that expose you to high demands.
What does burnout look like?
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Emotional exhaustion: fatigue, poor concentration, anxiety, depression and/or irritability.
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Disconnection: isolation, lack of empathy, loss of enjoyment and/or pessimism.
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Decreased motivation: poor performance, lack of productivity and/or lack of purpose.
How to help with burnout
- Take breaks.
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Schedule time for fun and social time. WVU has a lot of fun activities planned for students throughout the semester. You can find events happening across campus on the WVU Events Calendar.
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Prioritize taking care of yourself (i.e., getting enough sleep, hydrating, fueling and moving your body). The Carruth Center offers several self-care tips for taking care of yourself and reducing stress.
- Be kind to yourself.
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Focus on healthy striving! We covered healthy striving in previous Carruth newsletters. You can find the information on our website for a refresher.
SEXUAL ASSAULT
It can be difficult to think and talk about sexual assault, but it's important that you're aware of the prevalent and frequent nature of sexual assault crimes.
What can you do as a Mountaineer to prevent sexual assaults?
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Challenge the attitudes that make sexual violence acceptable. You can do this by resisting sexist attitudes, not making or laughing at degrading jokes and calling out abusive behavior (safely) when you see it.
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Examine your own sexual behavior and responsibility. Your sexual desires may be outside of your control, but your actions are within your control.
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Practice being an active bystander. A bystander is a witness to an event. An active bystander witnesses an event and then does something to help. Check out WELLWVU's website for more info on bystander intervention.
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Educate yourself and your community on consent. Remember VOICES; Voluntary, Ongoing, Informed, Collaborative, Enthusiastic, Sober.
Remember, sexual assault is never the victim's fault. If you or a friend has been sexually assaulted, there are resources available both on and off campus.
TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF
No matter what you're facing this semester, prioritizing your well-being is essential. With the semester's end, upcoming holidays and life's added stressors, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Make sure to set aside time for yourself each day.
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Practice mindfulness. The Carruth Center has a breath awareness meditation video you can practice with.
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Make a time management plan. WELLWVU has some great resources on time management.
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Take a moment to relax. WELLWVU also has a daily chillPACK that helps you chill and retrain your brain to look for the positive. Do one activity a day and watch your productivity and perspective change for the better!
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Reduce your stress. Here is a deep breathing exercise video from the Carruth Center.
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