Hello folks! Hope you all had a wonderful beginning of November! In this issue, we have compiled a number of great resources at UBC to support your wellness, covering multiple aspects. Let’s begin!
1. Wellness Centre Offerings
Need a refresher of the programs and services offered at the Wellness Centre for students? Read on for some highlights!
Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour (IBPOC) Wellness Mentors – Trained UBC students will provide peer-based mentorship conversations in one-on-one and group settings that center IBPOC experiences of student health and wellbeing. The mentors will be available Monday-Thursday 11am-2pm for one-on-one and group mentoring conversations. Join them for Wellness & Chill every Wednesday from 4:30-6pm.
Ask the Info Desk – Explore health and wellbeing resources with our Wellness Centre Assistants. Students can drop by Wellness Centre Info Desk to ask about the services and supports available for UBC students, email us, or drop-in virtually via the Zoom Room Tuesday & Friday 9:30-11am.
Wellness Centre: Online – Self-Enrol on Canvas to learn about health-related resources and strategies for your wellbeing, as well as upcoming wellness events and services.
Nurse on Campus – Chat with a nurse from Student Health Services to answer health-related questions for free, no appointment required, four days a week.
The Shop – Access safer, low-cost sex toys and sexual health products and learn more about sexual health with trained Peer Health Educators. The Shop will be open Monday-Wednesday 2-4pm and Friday 11am-4pm.
2. Physical Activity Office
The UBC Vancouver Physical Activity Office is offering a variety of virtual and in-person events for you to stay active this term including:
- Physical Activity Peer Coaching (Online)
- Wellbeing Walks (In-person)
- Lunch + Lift
- Movement Breaks (In-person or Online)
- Get Active at Home (Online)
They also have some new recreation resources available this year including:
- A virtual map of the Athletics & Recreation facilities
- A short quiz that will give you customized UBC Recreation recommendations
- A guide to UBC Recreation terms
3. UBC Student Recovery Community (SRC)
The UBC Student Recovery Community (SRC) is a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for students who are in recovery, or curious to explore their relationship with alcohol, drugs, and/or addictive behaviours as well as supporting all pathways of recovery. Stop by the Student Recovery Community office located in Room 1040, Counselling Services at Brock Hall to learn more about the support and services available. Browse the events calendar for the office hours drop-in schedule.
4. Thrive Month – Nourish U
Participate in Nourish U for Thrive Month starting November 1st! (You can still sign up!) It’s a 31-day nutrition journey and exploration of your relationship with food. All UBC community members welcome. Win weekly prizes as well as an air fryer as a grand prize if you complete all 31 days! Register here!
5. Grad Wellness Series: Imposter Syndrome
The Grad Wellness Series aims to support the mental health and wellbeing of graduate students. These 90-minute sessions address areas of heightened stress and help foster resiliency.
Topic: Imposter Syndrome
Registration: Opens on Monday, November 8th at 9:00 AM PST.
6. BPOC Graduate Student Funding Engagement Sessions
In recognition of the systemic barriers faced by Black and graduate students of colour, the UBC Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G+PS) department will be providing new award funding. We invite racialized graduate students to share their lived experiences in this series of engagement sessions to better understand suitable award options.
The first session is on Monday, October 25th from 9:30-11am. Register here. For more information, visit their webpage.
7. Substance Use & Addiction – Lunch and Learn Series (Nov 19th)
The new Substance Use and Addiction Lunch & Learn Series, hosted by UBC Health and the BC Centre on Substance Use, provides foundational knowledge about substance use and addiction. This free webinar series is geared towards health program instructors and preceptors from any discipline who supervise students. However, anyone who can benefit from this learning is encouraged you to attend!
The first webinar, Substance Use and Addiction 101, is on November 19th from 12-1pm. Register here!
8. Grace and Grit: Grad Online Support Group
Students can register for UBC Counselling’s Grace and Grit Grad Online Support group, a supportive and nonjudgmental online community for grad students to discuss matters most to them and support each other. You can learn more and register via this online form
9. Upcoming Thrive Events
- Lunch and Lift: United Way (Nov 24th) – Lunch & Lift is a series of free interactive wellbeing workshops consisting of a 30-minute movement class, followed by a 30-minute wellbeing session facilitated by a UBC wellbeing professional. November’s workshop is in partnership with the United Way.
Date: Nov 24th
Theme: Mindfulness & Meditation
Time: 12-1pm PT
Register here.
- Dr. Klonsky Suicide Awareness Talk (Nov 25, 10-11:30am PT) – This virtual talk on suicide awareness, by Dr. David Klonsky, will feature a discussion of the process of suicide ideation, a Q&A session and information about suicide awareness programming on campus. Join the event via this zoom link
- Thrive Research Seminar Event (Nov 23, 12-1pm PT) – Learn more about the Thrive Five and ways to promote your mental health and wellbeing from researchers at both UBC-V and UBC-O. More information about the panelists can be found here. Register here.
- Get Moving: UBC Rec –Every individual has unique physical activity needs.. Knowing your goals for being active can help you to determine the best options available to fit your lifestyle and improve your overall health and wellbeing. Discover upcoming programs to help get you moving!
To learn about more Thrive events this month, feel free to check out the Thrive Calendar.
10. UBC Office of the Ombudsperson for Students
The Office of the Ombudsperson for Students works with UBC community members to ensure students are treated fairly and can learn, work and live in a fair, equitable and respectful environment. Reporting to the President, the office is an independent, impartial and confidential resource for students at UBC, jointly funded by the AMS/GSS and UBC. To learn more or request an appointment, please visit their website.
That’s all I have in my basket for now! If you have any questions, feel free to shoot me a message.
— Zhishu, Graduate Well-being Committee Representative