You are not alone, together we thrive.
The UVic Student Mental Health Blog is dedicated to promoting positive mental health and reducing stigma. Hear directly from UVic students sharing their personal stories and tips for maintaining wellness, and learn ways to increase your happiness and wellbeing and decrease your stress as you navigate life as a student!
Confessions from the Stages of ‘Burnout’
The hiss of falling leaves seemed to mock her as she sat on a shaded bench next to the Quad. She watched their slow descent onto an increasing decaying mount. Her breath catches the air; a gelid space filled with desperation. The evidence of a fast struggle. As she...
Lessons from a long-distance relationship
Long-distance relationships aren’t easy. Ever since I moved to Victoria, I’ve felt the miles between us. Summer and holidays are the only times I can see him. That time is precious, but it isn’t enough. We don’t talk as much as we used to, and when we do it’s not the...
Small Fish, Big Pond: Establishing a Sense of Community as a Student
Between my roles as a Student Mental Health Leader and a Peer Support Centre Volunteer, I spend a lot of time listening to students’ stories about their experiences on-campus. Though students’ experiences are incredibly varied, one common thread that I hear time and...
Fluff Therapy: How Animals Can Improve Your Mental Health (And How to Get Your Pet Fix at UVic)
Source: weheartit In our current cultural climate, pets take up a huge portion of our lives. According to research by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), 98% of pet owners consider their pet to be an integral member of their family. With this statistic...
The Slow Lane: Thoughts From A Soon-to-Be Sixth Year Student
image source: heartwood mountain sanctuary. I received my acceptance letter to UVic over five years ago. When I enrolled as an undeclared social sciences major the following September, I had some wavering ideas of what I wanted to do after graduating... but mostly, I...
Flowing through Finals
Hi Folks! It’s a beautiful time of year right now. The cherry trees are blooming, the sun is shining on the students lounging on the quad, and our rain-jacket/Blundstones uniform is slowly being traded out for lighter wear. As amazing as it is to finally have some...
Death Before Life: A Conversation with Poet, Tallas Munro
(Photo Copyright: Chris Hawkins)Interview by TeresaFrom the stage to the page, Tallas Munro is a polymath of artistic endeavours. From the Fringe Festival to Phoenix theatre productions, he has become a rising star of the theatre community. The third year Fine Arts...
The Folly of the End of Semester Blues
Dear Readers, I’m certain right about now you’re winding down from fervently studying for midterms, and wondering about the approaching end of this Spring semester. You’ve probably overheard some classmates discussing summer plans filled with travel,...
Healthy Strategies for Giving Support: Part II
Hello, readers! This entry is the second post a two-part series on giving support to someone who struggles with their mental health. Part I covered fundamental concepts behind healthy support and can he found here. This post is a concrete list of dos and don’ts...
Learning to Thrive with Depression
A few months ago I dipped lower for a lot longer than I usually do. “Dipping low” is what I refer to the periods of depression I feel, it feels like a safe and easy way to explain to my family and friends what I am experiencing. In a world that can seem...
Feeling Unreal? This Might Be Why.
I really, really don’t like naps. This might be an uncommon thing for a university student to say. I mean, sleep is great! It recharges you, is a great way to avoid studying under the guise of meeting your basic needs, and just feels so good. Studies have shown that...
Snow days got you down? You’re not alone.
This week, as I scrolled through the endless Instagram photos of friends and fellow UVic students having a blast during their impromptu snow holiday, I couldn’t help feel that I was the only person who saw the weather forecast and was filled with a deep sense of dread. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of things I love about the snow. I love how it makes the world a little bit brighter – how the children stay out a little later in the moonlight and the child within each adult seizes the opportunity to spring to life. But even as I looked around at the snowmen lining the residential streets and admired the massive snowball that some exuberant students made on the quad, all I could think about was how deeply I hoped for it to be melted away as soon as possible.
My experience at UVic’s Pet Café and Laughter Meditation
Hey readers! If you haven’t heard about the pet café yet, then let me be the first to tell you about the weekly free drop-in pet café that happens every Wednesday from 2:30-4pm at the Interfaith Chapel. I repeat, WEEKLY pet café. That is completely FREE! Not only...
Student Mental Health Blog Contest 3rd Place: Solstice Blues
Coming home to Alaska in December feels like retreating into a snow globe. Emerald spruce trees are the only color in the winter, and even those are capped with snow. But coming home also means living with too-short days and nineteen-hour nights; we see...
Student Mental Health Blog Contest 2nd Place: Calming Your Racing Mind Using Meditation
“Wow, I finally feel like a human again”. For the last three years of my degree, this is precisely how I have felt around this time of the year. University―and more specifically, the final exam period―can make me feel like a robot. For me, the last weeks...
Student Mental Health Blog Contest Winner: Ways Into Wellness
University can get stressful. Any university student knows this. For me, the stress comes and goes depending on how many exams or projects I have due that week, but I always make sure to pause and take a moment for myself—no matter how small. I suffer from anxiety,...
Healthy Strategies for Offering Support: Part I
Hello, readers! November can be a difficult month for many reasons; the daylight seems scarce and the stresses from school and other obligations may be bubbling to the surface as the year comes to a close. This rainy season can be especially hard for those who already...
What Is Rumination, and How Do We Stop It?
Have you ever heard of rumination? Its a term that describes continuously going over a thought, worry, or problem in your mind without being able to come to a resolution or find closure. Rumination is akin to dwelling; even though you might know that the thoughts...
7 Places to Walk or Hike in Victoria Before Winter Sets in
Once again, we have been blessed by a wonderfully mild West Coast autumn. If you're from elsewhere in Canada, like Alberta or Ontario, you're probably feeling extra lucky to be enjoying double-digit temperatures and minimal rainfall this November. But, if you're...
If you want to form meaningful connections with people; try this
Dear Readers,This week I thought I'd share some thoughts on a technique that truly changed my life and helped me become a better person. This post is inspired by a movie I watched recently called "Wonder." In the film, Owen Wilson and Julia Robert's play the loving...