The Second Semester: Stress and Mental Health
The start of spring semester has a very different feel from the “clean-slate excitement” of the fall. For upper-class students, this semester can feel especially stressful. Whether feeling burdened by undertaking a job search or facing difficult academic issues, this time can be an emotional four months for students.
The university recently launched a comprehensive wellness initiative, UWell, which aims to advance the health and well-being of the campus community by tapping into available resources. The website features information about work/school, financial, environmental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and community wellness.
During this potentially stressful time, students should remember that Counseling and Consultation Services, part of University Health Services (UHS), ensures quick and easy access to mental-health counseling. Services include individual, group, veteran, and couples counseling; psychiatry services; eating disorder, ADHD, and alcohol and other drug assessments; and referrals to appropriate mental-health resources in the community. A number of wellness services also are available, including yoga and meditation classes, nutrition consultations, and stress-management counseling. The UHS website also provides wellness tips, stress management advice, and audio relaxation resources.
Students may make an appointment to see a UHS counselor by calling 608-265-5600 Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.; Wednesdays, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Mental-health crisis services are available 24 hours a day at the same telephone number.