Family E-News: Health & Well-being - October 2020
As your student settles in to the fall semester, please know that there are many well-being resources available to help them maintain their health and thrive during this unprecedented time.
During these challenging times we know that you as family members are doing all that you can to support your student. We also recognize that it may not be easy to do this when you yourselves are likely having to overcome new obstacles. Additionally, challenges to seeing your student in-person can amplify the difficulty. We would like to offer two suggestions that may provide some assistance in enhancing your support.
First, it may be helpful to check in with yourself to examine how you’re feeling mentally and emotionally. When caregivers are experiencing emotional overload and burnout, it becomes increasingly challenging to effectively provide emotional support to others. As you check in with yourself, we encourage you to do a non-judgmental assessment of your mental load during this time. If you find that you’re feeling tapped, that is completely valid. We encourage you to reach out to your informal and formal support networks for assistance. If and/or when you are in a place to effectively provide additional emotional support to others, we encourage you to let your student know this. We have heard from students that they are very worried about their family’s health, finances, emotional state, etc. and they don’t want to add to the burden by talking about their struggles. In addition to directly communicating that you are there for them, we also suggest a strategy known as “asking twice”. This is a very simple yet powerful concept that lets your student know that you really want to know and to be there. You aren’t just asking, you are fully ready to be there. Here is an example:
“How are you?”
“I’m OK.”
“No really, how have you been doing?”
“Well, actually…”
By asking twice you are giving your student permission to really tell you how they are doing because you are prepared to accept that they may be struggling. A common first response is “I’m just tired”. This can often be a way of deflecting, since being “tired” is something that has been normalized in college. Maybe your student is tired because they stayed up studying the night before, or because they are emotionally exhausted, or both. If you get the “I’m just tired” response, we encourage you to ask them about the root of their fatigue.
Now, you may be reading this and thinking, “this isn’t applicable to me; my student is constantly telling me about the challenges they face on a daily basis”. You are definitely a crucial form of support; however, it is important that you are not your student’s only support. Whether you have a difficult time getting your student to open up or you hear from them multiple times a day, you play a vital role in encouraging them to access the community supports here at Virginia Tech. When students engage with a robust support network that meets their multidimensional needs, this sets them up for long-term success in all areas of their well-being. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with a couple important campus resources:
Cook Counseling has a new “Cook Connect” model which allows students to meet with a clinician who can connect them to the campus resources that truly fit their needs. This could entail resources such as, workshops, group sessions, individual therapy, and more. You can learn more here: ucc.vt.edu
Hokie Wellness also offers many different support services such as workshops, 1:1 consultations, and connections through social media and covers a variety of health and wellness topic such as sleep, self-care, nutrition, financial wellness, sexual health, substance use, and more. You can learn more here: hokiewellness.vt.edu/students
We know it is not always easy to provide continuous support to your student and we want you to know that we are here to help. If you believe one of the above resources might be beneficial to them, we encourage you to help them reach out. When a student feels empowered to reach out, advocate for their needs, and engage with campus resources, this can serve as a valuable step in building their support network and increasing resiliency.
From all of us in Hokie Wellness, we hope you are able to stay safe and healthy!
Recreational Sports is committed to providing clean and safe services, programs, and opportunities for the fall semester. Here are a few things to know about our facilities, programs, and operations:
We've created a landing page that hosts FAQs, visual guides, and updated policies for our facilities and programs. Click here to learn more.
Rec Sports Field House: Now Open!
The Rec Sports Field House is located at 510 Beamer Way and was built in the summer of 2020. It boasts 5 sport courts and a fitness training area. In the fall 2020 semester, the Field House will play host to select intramural sports, sport club training, reservations, and open recreation (badminton, pickleball, volleyball, and the weight training area).
Join the Hokie Movement Club!
If your student is looking for motivation to move this semester, Rec Sports is here to help! Virginia Tech students near and far are invited to join the Hokie Movement Club.
Members will record their workouts and engage virtually through a free exercise app called Strava. Using Strava will allow students to log workouts, encourage each other, and compete in Rec Sports led incentive challenges throughout the fall semester.
Hokie Movement Club members will receive a weekly email that sends encouragement, explains the weekly challenge, and will announce the prize winners from the previous week. Rewards will vary but will include JBL Waterproof portable bluetooth speakers, Apple Airpods, Rec Sports group exercise classes and more. All skill and ability levels are encouraged to join.
Students that sign up before October 7th will receive a brand new Hokie Movement T-shirt. If you are interested, click here to sign up. Once you fill out the short interest form, you will receive a welcome email with step-by-step instructions on downloading the free version of the Strava app, joining the club within the app, and Hokie Movement t-shirt pickup instructions.
The first challenge begins on October 7th. Challenges will vary and can be as simple as logging exercise of any kind 3 days out of the week. Sign up today.
Time to Get Your Flu shot!
It’s more important than ever for everyone to get their flu vaccine this year. Your student should get their flu shot before the virus begins spreading, since it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against the flu. Make sure your student gets their flu vaccine before the end of October.
Schiffert Health Center will host a Walk-in Flu Shot Clinic on October 7th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. This year the clinic will be held in the Rec Sports Fieldhouse, 510 Beamer Way. All U.S. insurance cards will be accepted. For individuals without insurance, the cost is $30.00 payable by cash, check, Visa, or Mastercard. Attendees are encouraged to complete registration forms in advance to improve efficiency, however paper forms will be available at the event. Minors under 18 years old must have a Parental Consent Form completed. Visit our website for more details and to download forms.
The Cook Counseling Center Implements Cook Connect Session to improve efficiency and student success on campus:
The Cook Counseling Center is offering students expanded services through the Cook Connect Session. Cook Connect allows counselors to connect students to more mental health services than ever before. Cook connect sessions offer personalized planning, more support, and new strategies with a faster response time. To find out more information about Cook Connect visit the Cook Counseling Center webpage. The Cook Connect Session is accessible through telehealth due to Covid-19. To schedule a Cook Connect session, call the Counseling Center office at 540-231-6557.
The Cook counseling Center Peer Assistance for Learning (PAL) program goes virtual!
The Cook Counseling Center PAL program is offering presentations to classes and student organizations on campus via Zoom. Since its start in 2007, the PAL program has been educating students on campus about various topics in mental health through in person presentations. To better serve Virginia Tech campus and accommodate the COVID-19 social distancing regulations, presentations are going virtual for the first time! The PAL peer educators are offering 6 presentations via Zoom: Orientation to Cook Counseling Center Services, Adjusting to College, Stress Management, Recognizing the Warning Signs of Anxiety Depression and Eating Disorders, How to Refer a Friend to Cook Counseling Service, and Improving Motivation. These programs have been designed to address the more traditional challenges that college students face on a daily basis as well the many new changes that students are facing surrounding COVID-19. The ultimate goal of the program is to provide students useful skills and resources to better navigate the college environment. If students are equipped with the skills needed to succeed, they are more likely to get the most out of their time at Virginia Tech.
Questions about accessibility? Be sure to check out vt.edu/accessibility for up-to-date resources on campus accessibility. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) to discuss any questions about access. SSD provides:
- Resources on campus accessibility
- Modifications to the living and learning environments
- Academic Coaching
- Academic assistance
- Financial Assistance
- Assistance with life transitions
- Assistance using service/ assistance animals on campus