Wellness and Well-being
Mental, physical, and social wellness are extremely important to your academic success and overall well-being. The College of Engineering works with University Health Services and other campus partners to provide you support in developing your overall health and wellness.
Spring 2021 Operations Update
In accordance with the University’s COVID-19 Response plan, most student services operations and activities will be remote for the Spring 2021 semester. While access to in-person services are limited, we are committed to ensuring a safe, healthy, and successful school year for every student in the College of Engineering. More details can be found on the Spring 2021 information page.
UW-Madison’s UHS Mental Health Services: University Health Services (UHS) has compiled a new web page with services and resources to continue supporting students’ health and well-being while they engage in remote learning: uhs.wisc.edu/remotehealth. This page includes identity-specific resources for students, short videos from mental health providers, links to webinars, and websites where students can continue to foster interpersonal connections. UHS mental health providers and prevention staff members continue to add content daily.
In-person appointments at UHS are limited; however, many medical, counseling, and wellness services are available by phone and accessible online by calling 608-265-5600 or logging into MyUHS at uhs.wisc.edu.
We encourage you to reach out to University Health Services (UHS). Students can call the UHS Mental Health Crisis Line 24/7 at 608-265-5600 (option 9). You can also reach out to UHS Mental Health during business hours at 608-265-5600 (option 2) for help connecting to a home provider or options through MHS.
SilverCloud, a no-cost cognitive behavioral health resource available 24/7 (learning modules that help w/ stress, anxiety, depression, and body image. You can also download the SilverCloud app for your mobile device. SilverCloud is available for all currently enrolled, full-time students at UW-Madison. You will need to use your wisc email address when signing up, and you will be asked to login using your NetID.
Mental Health and Wellness
University Health Services (UHS) provides mental health services and support through counseling and workshops specifically for engineering students. Their mental health providers understand the complexities of student life and offer an open, safe, and confidential environment to help students through issues that may interfere with their development, well-being, and academic productivity.
Use Mental Health America’s online screening program to evaluate your symptoms.
Online screening is one of the quickest and easiest ways to determine whether you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition. Mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety, are real, common and treatable. And recovery is possible.
Let’s Talk: Let’s Talk provides easy access to informal and confidential support and consultation with counselors from UHS Mental Health Services. Speaking with a counselor consultant can provide insight, solutions, and information about other resources. Students often discuss issues related to stress, worry, sadness, relationships, academic performance, family problems, or financial struggles.
- Virtual Let’s Talk: Virtual Let’s Talk is open to all students. Some Let’s Talk sessions are designated for specific identities or concerns, including engineering sessions with two engineering-focused providers: Michelle Bond (Wednesdays 3-5pm) and Zoe Whaley (Thursdays 3-5pm). Engineering students are welcome to sign up for any session that best aligns with their needs and identities. Students need to sign up for a 20 minute time slot using this online form.
Thrive Workshop Series: Thrive Workshops help you develop skills, techniques, and strategies to support your success and well-being.
Virtual Processing Spaces: Process spaces are programs for UW–Madison students that provide easy access to confidential support and consultation with peers and counselors from UHS Mental Health Services. Each process space is focused on a specific topic, identity, or concern.
University Mental Health Services is currently supporting students virtually. Services are confidential, and any enrolled UW undergraduate or graduate student is eligible. There is no charge to students for counseling sessions, because services are paid through tuition and fees.
For crisis services, please call 608-265-5600 (option 9)
SilverCloud- a no-cost cognitive behavioral health resource available 24/7 (learning modules that help w/ stress, anxiety, depression, and body image. You can also download the SilverCloud app for your mobile device. SilverCloud is available for all currently enrolled, full-time students at UW-Madison. You will need to use your wisc email address when signing up, and you will be asked to login using your NetID.
YOU@WISC– continues to be a free, online resource for UW-Madison students, faculty, and staff during this time. YOU@WISC now includes specific COVID-19 resources.
New content cards include:
- Mental Wellness Tips for COVID-19
- Communicating Your Needs with Faculty During COVID-19
- Tips to Be Productive when Studying at Home During COVID-19
- Getting the Most Out of Online Classes
- How to Show Up While Remaining Physically Distant
- Science-Based Strategies to Cope with Coronavirus Anxiety
- And more!
As a reminder, YOU@WISC is an online portal, specifically designed for UW Madison to foster student success in 3 domains: Succeed, Thrive, and Matter.
- Succeed [Degree & Career Options, Leadership & Professional Development, Academics & Grades, Internships & Career Path, + more],
- Thrive [ Stress Management, Sleep, Fitness and Nutrition, Alcohol & Substance Use Resources, Loneliness & Depression resources, + more ]
- Matter [Building relationships, Clubs and Volunteering, Social Resilience, Mindfulness & Balance, + more]
Visit: https://you.uhs.wisc.edu/ for more information.
Social Wellness
It’s important to overall well-being to build supportive and caring social relationships that contribute to a healthy community and support your individual successes. Find opportunities to connect and engage with communities that speak to you, your passions, and your values.
Student Engagement and Involvement
- Student Engagement– Ways to get connected and involved, include a list of engineering student events.
- Engineering Student Organizations– There are more than 50 engineering affiliated student organizations on campus, so there is bound to be a group that speaks to your interests and passions. You can also get involved by being a tutor or joining a research lab.
- UW Student Organizations– Find organizations across campus, attend events, and track your involvement.
- Campus-wide, the Center for Leadership and Involvement and the Morgridge Center for Public Service are two resources that assist students in intentionally connecting with the many opportunities that exist on campus.
Diversity Affairs Office (DAO)– The DAO is committed to ensuring a welcoming and inclusive campus community for all students, particularly students historically underrepresented in engineering. The DAO is a great space to gather and connect with friends and support staff and offers a comfortable study space with access to computers and printers.
Identity Based Communities
- Black Cultural Center
- Gender and Sexuality Campus Center
- Latinx Student Union
- Multicultural Student Center
Protest Resources
- How to Protest Safely During a Pandemic
- Know Your Rights as a Protester
- When to get tested for COVID-19 if you’ve been protesting
Anti-Racism Resources
- Anti-Racism Resources
- 75 Things White People Can Do To Be Anti-Racist
- 10 Things White People Can Do To Be Anti-Racist
- Opportunities for white people in the fight for racial justice
- Anti-Racist Resource Guide
- Anti-Racism and Mental Health Resources
- Stream to Donate (don’t skip ads)
- BLM Resources and Ways to Help
- Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness (local)
- Rebalanced-Life Wellness Association – Supporting Black Men’s Health (local)
- Campus Resources for White Allies
- Black Mental Health Resources
UW-Madison Division of Diversity, Equity, and Educational Achievement
Academic Wellness
Managing your time and taking advantage of available resources will help you succeed academically and achieve your goals.
Academic Advising– Meet with your academic advisor, who can help with questions about courses, navigating degree requirements, resolving academic issues and more.
Undergraduate Learning Center (ULC)– The ULC provides tutoring and academic support programs specifically for engineering students. ULC programs focus on supporting challenging courses that students take to progress into their engineering department. The ULC also provides support in select core engineering, math, statistics and science courses. The ULC is a place where students study, form study groups, and discuss engineering concepts and problem solving strategies with their peers and with the tutors.
McBurney Disability Resource Center– McBurney partners with students, faculty, and staff to design accessible environments and provide academic acommodations so that students can engage, explore, and participate.
Engineering Time Management and Organization
GUTS Study Skills Program– The Study Skills program will help you improve your studying habits and give any tips needed in certain studying areas. GUTS works with students to help identify problem areas in time management, note-taking, concentration, test-taking, and more; and then help students develop their own personal learning strategies.
Additional Resources
Click here for a full list of campus and community resources to support your mental, physical, academic, social, financial, career, spiritual, and overall wellness and well-being.
Badger Recovery– UW-Madison’s recovery program for students in active recovery from alcohol, substance use, and other addictions. Badger Recovery strives to provide a safe environment that empowers students to stay on track with their recovery to help achieve academic and personal goals.
Below is a list of wellness and well-being activity suggestions for you to pick from anytime you need unwind and de-stress.
Activity 1: Relax with yoga, meditation, or breathing exercises
Take 10 minutes and relax with these yoga and mediation exercises:
- Yoga For The Classroom – Yoga With Adriene
- Yoga at Your Desk
- 10-minute Beginner Friendly Yoga – Plus Size
- Gentle Chair Yoga\
- Classroom Meditation
- Positive Energy Meditation
- The Five Minute Miracle Meditations
Breathe Boards: Print or open these breathing activity sheets. Trace the design with your finger slowly, taking a breath in or own depending on the instructions. Do this for 1-2 minutes when you feel overwhelmed or stressed during the day.
Activity 2: Write down, rip up, and throw away your stress
Write down or draw a picture of any concerns, expectations or insecurities. Then, rip them up and throw them away, and wipe your mental slate clean.
Activity 3: Take a fitness or dance break
Get your body moving and release those endorphins with a break for fitness or dancing!
- Fitness Blender- Search over 500 free workouts by length, difficulty, training type, muscles used, calories burned, and more.
- POPSUGAR Fitness- Hundreds of free workouts.
- 4-Minute Fat Burning Workout | Tabata for Beginners
- 8-Minute Hip-Hop Dance Class
- Total Beginner Contemporary Dance Routine
- Beginners Dance Tutorial- Afrobeats
Activity 4: Practice positivity
Encourage yourself and others through messages, email, and social media. Send out words of kindness, compliments, and praise to family and friends.
Activity 5: Give your brain a break
Give your brain a break from your studies and try one of these activities:
- Virtual walks: Italy, Arizona, Museums, National Parks, Beach
- GeoGuessr – Get dropped somewhere in the world and try to guess where you are.
- Virtual (and free) fun and games: Jigsaw Puzzles, Scrabble, Card Games, Board Games
- Doodle or draw – How to doodle, How to Draw
- Distractor- Distract yourself for a few minutes with this series of distraction videos.