It’s that time of year again.  The leaves change colour and the first winter bugs start making their rounds.  The upside of the fall flu season is that it’s a good opportunity to focus on our health and take better care of ourselves inside and out.

Andrew Cole, last year's Man of Movember
Andrew Cole, last year’s Man of Movember

There are plenty of health focused events coming up on both campuses this November that are all free to attend. Three highlights include Thrive Week, Movember, and the ever popular Flu Shot Clinics.

As the website says, “Thrive is both a mindset and a week-long series of events focused on building positive mental heatlh for UBC students, faculty, and staff.” There is something for everyone at this popular event which takes place Nov 3- 7 and includes workshops about mental health and stress management, yoga classes, and UBC’s largest Zumba class! Why not get a group of your colleagues together and make this year’s class the biggest ever?  For events on your campus check out their website and try something new!

Speaking of new things, have you ever noticed new facial hair emerging on the men-folk on campus during November? The 11th month of the year has often been affectionately referred to as Movember since the start of the movement to draw attention to men’s health started in 2003 in Australia. The campaign encourages fun moustache growing competitions to draw attention to health issues affecting men. Many cities around the world now have Movember events so check out more about the global organization on their website.

UBC’s Vancouver campus is celebrating Movember on November 5th as part of Thrive week with an afternoon of speakers talking about men’s physical and mental health. The event takes place from 3:30-5:00pm and is welcome to everyone, but the organizers do ask attendees to RSVP to make sure there are enough free snacks and refreshments to go around.  Find the registration link and more details here.

After getting inspired to live a healthier lifestyle, you might also want to consider getting a free Flu Shot during the month of November. Find our more details about the campus Flu Clinics below.

Vancouver Campus – book an appointment to get vaccinated between Nov 4-27th by visiting Vancouver Flu Clinic.

Okanagan Campus – visit Okangan Flu Clinic to find out when the 2 clinics will be held.

Watch for more blog posts coming soon about tips to stay happy and healthy fall and winter season!