College, for many, is a period of transformation that extends far beyond the classroom. It is a time marked by intense academic pressure, but also by identity exploration, emotional growth, and mental health challenges. We asked several graduating seniors to reflect on those experiences and share their advice.

Know when to take a break

“I was struggling with severe anxiety and OCD during my freshman year which made it hard to build friendships and do well in classes,” said one student. “I made it through with the help of UHS resources and then once my first semester was over I made a very difficult decision to take the spring semester off.”

The student, who asked to remain anonymous, shared that their decision to take time off was heartbreaking, but ultimately crucial. “It was a lot of work and continues to be work to keep up my mental wellness but any sacrifice was worth it to get to experience my time at UW to the fullest.”

When asked what advice they would give first-year students, they said, “Whatever is going on, it’s okay. If your freshman year isn’t meeting expectations, or is hard and things aren’t going like you wanted, that is okay. We have four years at UW. Take your time and do what will benefit you in the long run.”

Redefine success on your terms

Another student, who also took a gap year to focus on mental health, emphasized the importance of redefining success on personal terms.“Minimize the amount of expectations that you consider, whether they are placed on you by others or yourself,” the student said. “Practice being open to all the experiences that are presented to you. Create your own college experience that aligns with your values, not the college experience that you think others think you should have or would enjoy.”

While college often begins with the pressure to follow a traditional path, many students discover that true growth comes from taking unexpected turns. Choosing to prioritize mental health, even when it means stepping off the expected track, takes courage. As graduation approaches, these stories serve as a powerful reminder that success isn’t defined solely by academic achievements — but also by the strength it takes to get there.

Celebrate your success

Thanks to a generous gift from the Senior Class Office, UHS Mental Health Services is hosting a senior class event series to help students gain practical post-grad skills and celebrate their success. Learn more about the event series and RSVP.

• Real Talk: Navigating Life Post-Graduation | Tuesday, April 29 from 4 – 6 PM at Memorial Union, see TITU
• Toast to the Tassels: Celebrating Current and Future Friendships | Wednesday, April 30 from 4 – 6 PM at Wolf Teaching Kitchen, Bakke
• Caps & Conversations | Thursday, May 1 from 4 – 6 PM at Wheelhouse Studios.

Common Symptoms

Seasonal Affective Disorder can present itself in many ways. Some common SAD symptoms are: 

• Low energy and fatigue
• Decreased interest in activities 
• Sadness
• Isolation and withdrawal
• Changes in appetite
• Sleep disruption

A student with SAD may find that the impact on energy levels and sleep disrupts focus and memory, making it harder to attend classes and perform well, especially during demanding times in the semester. Additionally, the lack of structure that comes with college life and living independently can reduce motivation, making it more difficult to stay on top of attendance and assignments. 

How to Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder

The good news? You’re not powerless against the winter blues! Here are some ways to help boost your energy and mood during these dark winter days:

• Keep a regular sleep schedule—even on weekends.
• Move your body daily, whether it’s yoga, a walk outside, or hitting the gym.
• Eat nourishing, balanced meals to fuel your body and mind.
• Avoid excessive caffeine, alcohol, or other substances that can impact mood.
• Stay socially engaged– make weekly plans to spend time with others
• Spend time outdoors whenever you can—yes, even if it’s freezing!
• Open your blinds to let in natural light.
• Happy lights are available for checkout from Madison Public Library– Consult with a medical provider before using

UHS is here to help

• Group Counseling offers several support groups with focus on identity, ADHD, anxiety, substance use, and more. To schedule a pre-group orientation please call 608-265-5600 (option 2) or visit MyUHS.
• Uwill is a flexible, no-cost, virtual counseling option for students
• Togetherall is an online, anonymous peer-support tool available for free to students
• Connecting Badgers is the UHS Mental Health Services educational podcast that helps listeners improve their mental health literacy so they can recognize, manage, and prevent mental health concerns. 

Get involved on campus

• Celebrate Black History Month with the Multicultural Student Center
• Celebrate MENA Heritage Month with the Multicultural Student Center
• Active Badger Day | March 6
• Attend a late night event with Wisconsin Late Night
• Attend a weekday event with Wisconsin Weekdays

 

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Check out some of our spring offerings:

Thrive Workshops offers students opportunities to build skills and gain tools to support academic performance, relationships, and overall wellbeing. View the spring 2025 Thrive Workshop schedule.

Let’s Talk is a no-cost, informal, and confidential consultation with a mental health provider. Sessions last 20-25 minutes and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Let’s Talk is available virtually and in person every day of the week. View the spring 2025 Let’s Talk schedule.

Wellness groups and workshops consist of Drop-In Meditation, Mindfulness Sessions, and Hearts & Crafts. Learn more about groups and workshops and register.

Togetherall is a clinically moderated online community where students can anonymously seek and provide mental health support by sharing their experiences in a safe environment. Learn more about Togetherall and register.

Your mental health matters.

Barbershop Talks | November 19 and 20 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Nicholas Recreation Center, Elevation Room 

Students can get a free haircut and connect with a barber about their mental wellbeing in an informal and supportive space.  

Registration is highly encouraged, and appointments will be available both days from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 3 p.m. Walk-ins are permitted; however, space is limited. Five barbers, who hold different, intersecting identities, will lead informal conversations about mental health topics.  

Mental Health Services providers will be on site to share resources and information with students about how they can access mental health care and support their wellbeing. 

Thrive Workshop: Men’s Mental Health Panel | November 12 from 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Virtual, Sign up here 

Join in on the conversation for a panel discussion about the difficulties male identified individuals may encounter when talking about feelings and experiences. Learn to expand vocabulary for mental health concerns, increase awareness of signs of distress, consider relevant interpersonal dynamics, and explore the potential benefits of seeking support. Five men, who hold different intersecting identities will lead the conversation about what it means to be in their career while supporting their mental wellbeing.  

Interested in connecting with us more?  

There are so many ways to take care of your mental health. You can find connections across campus that support your individual wellbeing. Learn more about UHS resources for student mental health and medical support, as well as health promotion initiatives. Additional information about student wellbeing resources can be found on the Be Well page of the Student Affairs website. 

Sociopolitical stress involves the emotional impact of political events and movements, distinct from other stress types, yet often interconnected. Over the past decade, research has intensified to explore the unique characteristics of political anxiety, including its overlap with generalized anxiety and its key differences. Research shows that the majority of U.S. adults, regardless of political party affiliation, experience stress associated with the election (APA, 2020 ). You might find yourself feeling sociopolitical stress during election cycles, particularly as your exposure to news and media coverage intensifies.

What does sociopolitical stress feel like?

Sleep Disruption: Many report that politics affects sleep and social relationships, leading to excessive social media engagement.

Divided Attention: Multitasking leads to “continuous partial attention,” reducing productivity.

Anxiety: Negative news coverage can create feelings of powerlessness, affecting overall wellbeing.

Anger: Current news often features intense language, contributing to heightened emotions and escalating social media conflicts.

UHS Mental Health Services to help navigate sociopolitical stress

Crafting Community | November 12 from 12 pm – 4 pm at the Office of Inclusion Education, 214 Red Gym

Join the Office of Inclusion Education and UHS Mental Health Services for a space to engage with community members with crafts and activities to enjoy. This event will feature snacks, vision boarding, and optional Let’s Talk consultations.

Let’s Talk | View our fall schedule

No-cost, informal, and confidential consultations available on campus and online. Sessions last 20-25 minutes and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Let’s Talk is available virtually and in person every day of the week.

Single Session Counseling

Single sessions can be a great option for students with a time-limited concern who want support processing or problem solving, or for someone unfamiliar with counseling who wants to experience it before considering ongoing counseling. Students must schedule an Access Appointment prior to scheduling a single session.

Badger Support Network (BSN)

The Badger Support Network provides peer-facilitated groups and community building events. Peer groups are designed to provide an accessible, inclusive, and confidential environment where students are encouraged to openly share their thoughts and experiences. Stay up to date on the latest happenings by following BSN on Instagram!

Connecting Badgers Podcast

Connecting Badgers provides students with tips to promote their mental health in order to strengthen wellbeing and success. The podcast helps listeners improve their mental health literacy so they can recognize, manage, and prevent mental health concerns. Listen to the latest episode about election stress!

Your mental wellbeing matters as much as your vote. If you’re looking for more voting resources, visit vote.wisc.edu.

]]> https://www.uhs.wisc.edu/supporting-survivors-during-domestic-violence-awareness-month/ Tue, 24 Sep 2024 11:15:36 +0000 https://www.uhs.wisc.edu/?p=16314 October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This month, University Health Services continues our year-round work to prevent dating violence and support survivors. UHS has expanded its violence prevention education resources to assist all students, beyond their first year, in recognizing the signs of dating violence, supporting survivors, and understanding the resources available on campus.

Strength for Survivors: Wednesday, October 9 from 5:30 – 7 PM at the Red Gym, On Wisconsin Room

Join UHS Survivor Services and Rec Well for a transformative trauma embodiment workshop centered on strength training. This event is designed for student survivors of sexual and interpersonal violence and their allies. Led by Rec Well personal trainers, the workshop will guide participants through strength training exercises that emphasize personal choice and empowerment. Survivor Services staff will also lead discussions on setting intentions for movement practices, breathwork, and exploring how trauma impacts the body. This event will be co-hosted by the Gender and Sexuality Campus Center.

Rewriting the Love Languages: Tuesday, October 22 from 4 – 6 PM at the University Club

Join Annie Bruns and Gaonue Vang from UHS Survivor Services to reimagine the concept of “love languages.” Facilitators will support a group discussing using 18 Languages for Modern Love, developed by certified sex educator Anne Hodder-Shipp, as a central theme. The group will explore why expanding love languages is necessary and how we might use these in all of our close relationships (not just romantic ones). This event will be co-hosted with Fraternity & Sorority Life and PAVE

Drop-In Virtual Support for Survivors: Each Monday from 1 – 2:30 PM virtually. Sign up online

This is a drop-in space for student survivors to connect with peers and offer mutual support in a confidential and safe environment. The group facilitators, Kayla Eggen and Kendall Ferguson are mental health professionals who foster an open space, affirming, and connecting for all members. The group will focus on the impact of having experienced trauma and skills/supports to support post-traumatic growth, with some boundaries placed around sharing narratives about traumatic experiences. This group is specifically designed for UW-Madison students who have experienced sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, sexual harassment, stalking, and/or childhood sexual abuse.

Drop-In Crafty Coping Community for Survivors: Each Wednesday from 2:30 – 4:00 PM at 333 East Campus Mall, Room 7001

This is a drop-in space for student survivors to connect with peers and offer mutual support in a confidential and safe environment. The group facilitators, UHS providers Alex Little, will foster an open and affirming space for all members while guiding members through sensory- and movement-based coping skills. The community will focus on navigating the impact of trauma experiences through connection and skills to support post-traumatic growth. It is specifically for students who experienced sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, sexual harassment, stalking, and/or childhood sexual abuse. Sign up online for this in-person community. Registration is not required but will provide a reminder email.

Expanding Campus Violence Prevention Efforts through GetWIse

Education plays a crucial role in preventing violence on campus. UHS offers violence prevention programs to help students understand, address, and avoid violence. All new undergraduate and graduate students are required to participate in these programs to learn how to make healthy decisions, handle tough situations, and access support resources.

The GetWIse@Home program, mandatory for first year and transfer students, covers topics related to violence prevention and support for survivors. This program is also available annually to all undergraduates as a refresher to reinforce their knowledge and skills.

“These topics are not only a concern for first-year students,” says Sam Bowen, assistant director of violence prevention. “In fact, the risk of experiencing some form of sexual or relationship violence increases the longer a student has been on campus. Repeated opportunities for education on violence prevention will increase the effectiveness of our violence prevention strategy.”

Most students will encounter someone affected by sexual assault or dating violence during their college years. At UW-Madison, about 1 in 10 students face dating violence, and 1 in 6 experience sexual assault. GetWIse@Home aims to promote a safer campus by teaching about consent, bystander intervention, and recognizing harmful behaviors.

The program includes four modules: DatingWIse (healthy relationships), SexWIse (healthy sex), ListenWIse (support for survivors), and ActWIse (bystander intervention). Students taking GetWIse as a refresher can choose to redo a previous module or explore a new one.

Learn more about GetWIse@Home and the four modules on the UHS website. Students can access the modules through the GetWIse@Home page on Canvas.

Year-Round Survivor Support and Resources through UHS

UHS supports student survivors through coordinated advocacy, mental health, and medical services—including forensic nurse exams on-site—that are no-cost and confidential. Our survivor services team will validate your experience and care, while also sharing information and resources you might need, like referrals, accommodations, and reporting options.

Students can schedule an appointment to talk with an advocate and learn about their options by emailing survivorservices@uhs.wisc.edu, calling 608-265-5600 (option 3), or self-scheduling via the MyUHS portal.

Learn more about UHS Survivor Services on our website.

Togetherall expands the mental health resources available for UW-Madison students beyond the clinical services at UHS Mental Health Services, and those offered through UHS’s Uwill partnership, by creating an online space for peer-to-peer support. At UW-Madison, the 2022 Healthy Minds Survey found that 46 percent of students report receiving mental or emotional health support from their friends. Interacting with peers is an effective strategy for supporting mental health. While Rec Well’s peer wellness coaching provides individual and group space for peer-to-peer conversations about wellbeing on campus, Togetherall expands that concept with a fully online, anonymous space connecting students across the U.S. 

Funding for Togetherall was made possible by the Charles E. Kubly Foundation and the UHS Suicide Prevention Fund. University Health Services and Recreation & Wellbeing remain committed to expanding mental health resources for all UW-Madison students. There is no wrong entry point for students to begin their mental health journey. Togetherall is yet another resource students can use to find meaning and connection across campus that supports their individual wellbeing. 

Here are some ways to support your mental wellbeing.

Meet virtually with a counselor through Uwill.
UHS Mental Health Services partnered with Uwill to offer every UW-Madison student access to free, flexible virtual counseling. Sign up for your account with your wisc.edu email and automatically get three sessions. Sessions are typically available within 24 hours, including nights and weekends. You can sign up anytime–including over the winter break. 

Drop in with a UHS counselor at Let’s Talk.
Let’s Talk is an informal, confidential one-on-one consultation with a UHS counselor. No topic is off-limits. Let’s Talk sessions are offered virtually and in-person through December 15. No appointment required.  

Check out Rec Well events during Self-Care Week.
Rec Well will offer free drop-ins for group fitness classes, as well as workshops on mindfulness, stress management, and meditation. Self-Care Week lasts from December 14 through December 21. 

Reduce test anxiety by attending our December 12 Thrive Workshop on Zoom.
UHS counselors will give you tips and strategies to head into finals with a clearer head. Registration required.

You are not alone in your struggles, and support is available to you.
Our 24/7 mental health crisis line will always be answered. If you notice changes in yourself or someone you care about and are concerned, call us at 608-265-5600 (option 9) for immediate support. 

Strength for Survivors will focus on strength training and is intended for student survivors of sexual and interpersonal violence and their allies.

Rec Well personal trainers will lead participants through a series of strength training exercises and movements with an emphasis on choice and empowerment. Survivor Services staff will facilitate discussion around intention-setting for movement practices, breathwork, and the impacts of trauma on embodiment.

UHS Survivor Services provides free, confidential support services to UW–Madison student survivors of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, and/or stalking. Survivor Services is available to students or to faculty and staff for consultation at 608-265-5600 (option 3) or via email at survivorservices@uhs.wisc.edu. Students can self-schedule an appointment in MyUHS or the MyUHS app.

UHS Mental Health Services is excited to host Barbershop Talks for male-identifying students on November 7 and 9, 2023 at the Nicholas Recreation Center in support of Men’s Mental Health Month. 

Male-identifying students can get a free haircut and connect with a barber about their mental wellbeing in an informal and supportive space. 

Registration is required and appointments will be available both days from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 3 p.m. 

Three barbers, who hold different, intersecting identities, will lead informal conversations about mental health topics. For more information and to schedule a haircut, visit: uhs.wisc.edu/barbershop-talks.

Mental Health Services providers will be on site to share resources and information with students about how they can access mental health care and support their wellbeing.

Interested in connecting with us more? There are so many ways to take care of your mental health. You can find connections across campus that support your individual wellbeing. Learn more about UHS resources for student mental health and medical support, as well as health promotion initiatives. Additional information about student wellbeing resources can be found on the Be Well page of the Student Affairs website.