UChicago Student Wellness

Event Update!

Due to the forecasted storms for tonight and tomorrow, have have made the difficult decision to cancel our Spring Wellapalooza.

We understand this is disappointing news, and were very much looking forward to seeing you there. However, the safety of our participants and staff is our top priority.

We appreciate your understanding and look forward to seeing you next year at Wellapalooza!

Send a message to learn more

Join us for the last Pet Love of the academic year!

We’re excited to announce that Pet Love will be back on Friday, May 17 from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Reynolds Club.

Join Student Wellness for quality time with certified therapy dogs to help decrease cortisol and boost oxytocin. In addition to the dogs, we are partnering with the Graduate Student Council to support 🐶 🐈‍⬛ 🐩 🐈
Please swipe to see a list of items to donate to PAWS and bring them to Pet Love. There will also be a station to make pet toys for the cats and dogs at the PAWS shelter!

Join us on next Monday, May 6 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. for an accessible and approachable Restorative Yoga workshop that will help ease tension and melt your worries away, plus teach you skills to practice on your own for ongoing self-care.

The workshop will take place in the Ratner Athletic Center Dance Studio and is open to all levels of experience.

Yoga mats and all props will be provided for the first 20 students. We will do our best to accommodate additional students.

Register through the link in our bio and email [email protected] with any questions.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, we recognize Denim Day! We encourage you to wear jeans to take a stand and make a statement.

What is Denim Day?

In the 90s a young woman in Italy was s*xually assaulted and intimidated with a death threat if she told anyone about the assault. She reported the perpetrator anyway and although he was initially convicted of the crime and sentenced to jail, he appealed the sentence before the Italian Supreme Court. The Chief Judge ultimately decided to overturn the original conviction due to the young woman’s clothing the night of the incident, stating that “because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them, and by removing the jeans it was no longer r**e but consensual s*x.” In responsive action the women in the Italian Parliament wore jeans to work to protest the decision.

Inspired by this public display the California State Senate and Assembly did the same and the first official Denim Day was held in Los Angeles in 1999.

Today individuals and communities wear denim on this day during S*xual Assault Awareness Month in protest of ongoing s*xual violence and to show solidarity with targets of this violence.

*xualassaultawarenessmonth

Calling all Grad and Professional students!

Student Wellness and UChicagoGRAD are co-hosting a Better Together Game Night that will take place in the Student Wellness Center multipurpose room at 840 E 59th Street TONIGHT, Monday, April 22 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and will include FREE FOOD, board and card games, and prizes!

We will provide a variety of board games but invite students to bring their own favorite game to play with others if they wish.

Please not that this event is for Grad and Professional students only and pre-registration is required.

Please register through the link in our bio.

Join Student Wellness and the Center for College Student Succes on Wednesday, April 17 from 3:30-4:30pm in the Harper Memorial Library (Room M311) for a Music Mindfulness workshop where we’ll listen to music and lyrics through a mindfulness lens and connect the role of music in expression, self-care, and uplifting communities.

We'll see you there!

Did you receive an email about the Healthy Minds Study? If so, we ask that you consider taking 30 minutes to complete it so that we can better understand UChicago students' mental health needs.

Survey submissions will be entered into a drawing to win one of the following:
- One of five $50 Visa gift cards
- One of ten $25 Visa gift cards
- One iPad
Participating in this survey will automatically enter you into a sweepstakes for one of two $500 prizes or one of ten $100 prizes.

The Healthy Minds Survey is confidential. Questions? Contact Elizabeth Webb, Director of Health Promotion at [email protected].

Deepen your mindfulness and meditation practice and become more consistent by joining the Advanced Mindfulness Meditation course!

This courses is free and accessible to all students who have some previous meditation experience and who want to deepen their practice.

✅ Advanced course on Wednesdays from 3-4 p.m. in Bond starting April 24.

Register through the link in our bio!

For the rest of the quarter, we'll be highlighting different items that you can order through our Safer S*x Supplies program. This week, let's talk Dental Dams!

Dental dams are a great way to protect yourself during oral s*x! You can use dental dams to create a barrier between a mouth and a va**na or a**s.

Before using a dental dam, you should always check the expiration date and make sure there aren't any defects. Use water-based or silicone-based lubricant to prevent breakage. After use, you should throw the dental dam out.

Dental dams are available for pick up via an individual supply order. The dental dams available at Student Wellness come in five flavors - mint, vanilla, banana, gr**e, and strawberry!

If you do not have a dental dam or need a latex-free option, it is also possible to cut a flavored or regular condom to make a make-shift barrier and protect yourself from orally-transmitted STIs.

*xsupplies *x

Join Student Wellness on Friday, April 12 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. for an accessible and approachable Restorative Yoga workshop that will help ease tension and melt your worries away, plus teach you skills to practice on your own for ongoing self-care.

The workshop will take place in the Ratner Athletic Center Dance Studio and is open to all levels of experience.

Register through the link in our bio!

Learn more about exploring kink safely! This panel aims to give students the tools to talk about their s*xual health in a safe, healthy, and respectful manner. Content will include discussing personal interests, understanding boundaries and limits, and engaging in conversations about mutually consensual and informed practices.

Panelists include Student Wellness staff, a UChicago alum, and community representatives.

Register at the link in our bio!

Please note: there will be no hands-on learning or demonstrations of any specific kink practice.

Keep an eye on your email for an invite to participate in the Healthy Minds Study! The data collected with this survey directly influences how UChicago Student Wellness supports student mental well-being at UChicago!

If you receive an invite, here are the things that you need to know:
1️⃣ The survey is open April 2-22
2️⃣ It should take about 30 minutes to complete the survey
3️⃣UChicago survey submissions will be entered into a drawing for one of the following:
- One of five $50 Visa gift cards
- One of ten $25 Visa gift cards
- One iPad
4️⃣ Participating in this survey will automatically enter you into a national sweepstakes for one of two $500 prizes or one of ten $100 prizes!

Reach out to Elizabeth Webb, Director of Health Promotion, at [email protected] with any questions or concerns.

Student Wellness is hiring for next academic year! Get involved and be an integral part of health and well-being initiatives on campus next year with the Student Wellness team.

Open positions include:
- Program and Facilitation Peer Health Advocates
- Education and Outreach Peer Health Advocates
- Safer S*x Supplies and WellCzar Coordinator
- Student Health Advisory Board (SHAB) members

Learn more about all of these positions and apply at the link in our bio. The deadline to apply for all positions is Sunday, April 7, 2024.

The therapy dogs are coming back!

We’re excited to announce that Pet Love will be back on Tuesday, March 26 from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Reynolds Club.

Join Student Wellness for quality time with certified therapy dogs to help decrease cortisol and boost oxytocin. It's a great way to take a study break and de-stress as the quarter kicks off! Swipe to meet BooBoo, Monte, Lucy, Shimmer and Benny who will be joining us from PAWSitive Therapy Troupe.

Tag a friend below or share this post to help spread the word!

This weekend is the beginning of Daylight Savings Time in Chicago! ⏰

For folks who don't know, we set the clocks forward to take advantage of more sun in the evenings throughout the spring and summer months. This means that the sun will now set at 6:52pm - that's a whole lot more sunshine in the evening! 🌞

So, don't forget to set your clocks forward on Saturday night when you go to bed. Check out the tips above so that you can make an easy transition into Daylight Savings Time!

Maroon Mental Health Matters equips students with the skills needed to support their peers experiencing mental health distress and crisis. Sign up for one of our upcoming three hour trainings to take the first step in fostering a community of care at UChicago!

Breakfast, snacks, and refreshments are provided to all student participants! Upcoming trainings are scheduled for:
- Saturday, March 23 from 9:30am-12:30pm
- Friday, March 29 from 9:30am-12:30pm
All trainings will take place in person at the Student Wellness Center (840 E 59th Street).

Register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MMHMStudent or at the link in our bio.

This week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, which is an annual campaign to educate the public about the seriousness of eating disorders and to provide support and hope for those affected by eating disorders.

The Student Wellness Peer Health Advocates have created "bites of wisdom" to help normalize non-disordered behavior with food. Swipe to learn some bites of wisdom!

The deadline to opt-in to optional dental and/or vision coverage is approaching! All registered students, regardless of whether they are enrolled in the University Sponsored Health Insurance Plan (U-SHIP), may enroll in optional dental and/or vision coverage.

This optional dental and/or vision coverage lasts for six months from March 1, 2024 - August 31, 2024. The deadline to enroll in this coverage is Friday, April 5, 2024. Students may select a dental and/or vision plan that is best suited to their needs. Plans are offered by MetLife (new provider this year for vision and dental) and Delta Dental (HMO dental plan only).

Learn more at the link in our bio.

UChicago Student Wellness invites graduate and professional students to engage in a discussion space that will explore the experiences and challenges faced by Black students at UChicago. Through reflection, shared information, and collective action, participants and facilitators will identify tools to combat challenges and improve the experiences of Black graduate and professional students at UChicago.

This program will take place on February 29 from 2-4pm in the Lower Level Uncommon Room in Rockefeller Chapel.

This space is designed for UChicago graduate and professional students who are members of the African diaspora, but all are welcome.

📣Calling all grad and professional students to join the Growing Together dinner series!! 📣

Growing Together is a 4-week dinner series program where a small group of graduate and professional students comes together once a week for four weeks for dinner, thoughtful discussion, and creative ways to get to know themselves and their peers.

The themes discussed include finding joy, compassion, and vulnerability.

Registration for our Spring Quarter session is currently open! There will be two cohorts: Mondays 5-7 pm in Grad HQ and Tuesdays 5-7 pm in the Student Wellness Center.

Please register through the link in our bio if you can commit to attending ALL four dates of one cohort. Due to the limited number of available spots for this program, students will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. If you don’t secure a spot for this cohort, we will place you on a waitlist for early access to registration for future sessions.

Questions? Email Carolyn Banner at [email protected]

Learn strategies that can help decrease anxiety and stress, improve concentration, help regulate emotions, and deepen connection through a Mindfulness Meditation course. These courses are free and accessible to all to all students, from those with no previous meditation experience to those who want to deepen their practice.

Join one of our 4-week courses starting week 2 of Spring Quarter:

✅ Basic course on Wednesdays from 3-4 p.m. in Bond Chapel starting March 27.

✅ Advanced course on Wednesdays from 3-4 p.m. in Bond Chapel starting April 24.

Learn more and register through the link in our bio!

Join Student Wellness and UChicago GRAD for a fun night of making new friends, reconnecting with old friends and enjoying some food and games! The Better Together/GRAD social meet up for this quarter will take place in the Grad HQ (3rd floor of the UChicago Bookstore) on Monday, February 26th from 5-7 p.m.

The first half of the evening from 5-6 p.m. will be more structured "speed friending" activities and then the second half will be dinner and casual connecting with the opportunity to play board games or just catch up with friends!

Sign up through the link in our bio.

Who wants to pet some cute pups?! 🙋🏾‍♂️🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏽

We’re excited to announce that Pet Love will be back on Wednesday, February 28 from 11:30 am to 1 pm in Reynolds Club.

Join Student Wellness for quality time with certified therapy dogs to help decrease cortisol and boost oxytocin. Take a study break and de-stress with us as the quarter wraps up! In addition to the we will have a cute dog puzzle to work on and animal themed postcards to send to loved ones.

Tag a friend below or share this post to help spread the word!

Introducing…our Safer S*x Supply Mascot:

LATEX LARRY!

Thank you to everyone who submitted name suggestions for this contest! We’ll be reaching out to the finalists and winner so that you can pick up you prizes! Keep an eye out for Larry, as he’ll be popping up on campus.

Don’t forget that you can pick-up Safer S*x Supplies from a variety of locations on campus and you can order additional supplies at the link in our bio.

*xsupplies

Join Student Wellness for an accessible and approachable Restorative Yoga workshop that will help ease tension and melt your worries away, plus teach you skills to practice on your own for ongoing self-care.

The workshop will take place on Sunday, February 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Ratner Athletic Center Dance Studio. All levels of experience are welcome.

Yoga mats and all props will be provided for the first 20 students and we will do our best to accommodate additional students.

Register through the link in our bio!

Whether it's bracelet making (we bring the supplies, you bring the vibes), facilitating a conversation on a topic of your choice (e.g., professional identity) or another meaningful activity (e.g., letters to loved ones), you can request programming for your RSO/student group hosted by Deja and Lauren, Student Wellness' Post-Doctoral Fellows.

This is an opportunity to partner with mental health providers, create space for connection, relaxation, and even make a fun bracelet (or two!).

If you'd like to learn more about this opportunity for your community, please contact: [email protected] and [email protected]. We hope to see you soon!