Physical & Mental Health

Coping with Stress

• Should you want to talk, reach out to UCI Counseling Services, who can offer telehealth services, as well as the Graduate Division counselors, Elizabeth Dunn (dunnes@uci.edu) and Phong Luong (pbluong@uci.edu). Please email them with your preferred dates, times, and meeting method and we will return your message as soon as possible to confirm with our available schedule.
• A few tips from Wellness Health and Counseling Services:
  • If it helps, keep a journal or write down what you and your family are experiencing right now. The scientific literature suggests that writing in order to better understand your emotions can have both mental and physical health benefits.
  • Notice the hallmarks of a good day and make a plan to repeat what worked well.
  • Savor something delicious, whether it's homemade, take-out, or delivered to you
  • Find some aspect of the arts (dance, theater, poetry, music) that inspires you.
  • Reach out for help if there is some aspect of telecommuting or distance learning that is unfamiliar and try to be quick to answer a question for someone who appears to be struggling.
  • Keep abreast of national and local headlines but turn media off periodically. Take time to unplug, rest, and just notice what's happening right now in this unprecedented time in our history.
• I encourage students to reach out to the Counseling Center (counseling.uci.edu) by calling (949) 824-6457. During business hours (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm), to schedule an appointment or for all other inquiries, leave a message and the office will call you back within 2 hours during normal business hours. If you cannot wait to be called back within 2 hours or are calling after business hours, select option 2 to speak with a counselor by phone.
• Faculty and staff can reach out to our Employee Assistance Program by calling (844) 824-3273 or accessing services at wellness.uci.edu/facultystaff/eap/introduction.html, which also links to other campus resources.
• International Center Coffee & Cultural Connections Hour are continuing to take place this quarter on Zoom (Fridays, 11 AM - 12 PM during Week 1, 3, 5, 7, 9). This is a comfortable space to discuss stress, burnout and exhaustion, social distancing, news consumption, and more. This week’s discussion will be on consuming the avalanche of news coverage regarding COVID-19. https://uci-hipaa.zoom.us/j/836818076

UCI Blood Donor Center Donation Request – Donate if you are healthy and feel comfortable.

• If you are feeling well and healthy, please consider donating blood. Visit the UCI Blood Donor Center website to schedule a blood or platelet donation at the UCI Blood Donor Center on the Medical Center (Orange) campus. Blood and platelet donations at the UCI Blood Donor Center may be scheduled via telephone at 714-456-5733, or at the website: https://www.ucihealth.org/medical-services/blood-donations.

Staying Active/ Connected - #UCIArtsAnywhere, UCI Esports Intramurals, More to come on Student Handbook.

• Claire Trevor School of the Arts Launches #UCIArtsAnywhere
  • This week the Claire Trevor School of the Arts launched #UCIArtsAnywhere, a social media campaign responding to COVID-19. The campaign’s goal is to keep the UCI Arts community connected and to share the ongoing creative and academic work happening at CTSA. With #UCIArtsAnywhere, the aim is to acknowledge the disruption to normal campus life COVID-19 has brought, while also tapping into the spirit CTSA will bring to remote learning this spring.
• Esports and Campus Recreation partner for Free Intramural Offering to UCI community
  • Esports and Campus Recreation are joining forces to create a free intramural offering to the entire UCI campus community for the Spring 2020 Quarter. All participation will be online. The goal is to provide free programming across a variety of video game titles so folks can participate regardless of their gaming background. If you know grads or undergrads involved, some content might be streamed.
• Campus Recreation Virtual Wellness Programs : https://www.campusrec.uci.edu/
• The UCI Humanities social-distancing playlist
• UCI Humanities – Social Distancing Playlist #2