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Health and Wellness Updates
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The Covid-19 pandemic continues to heavily impact the way we think about returning to campus. There are some updates that the Health and Wellness team wanted to share with students in the hopes of providing helpful guidance in the coming weeks.
VACCINES
Where are the vaccines and when are college students able to get them?
- Because of the unprecedented need for an initial 200 million vaccines, the US rollout of vaccine supply has been a challenge. In a recent discussion with the PA Department of Health, medical services staff did have some hope that supply to Pennsylvania will pick up in the next 2-3 weeks. Vaccine continues to be used for older and sicker Pennsylvanians first.
- The good news is that the vaccine is very safe and effective at preventing covid illness and death. Despite the fact that it is not 100% effective (no vaccine is!) the covid-19 vaccine is going to get us all back to normal. That is hopeful news to hang onto. Read more on the hope for normalcy in this article from the Atlantic.
- At the present time, Pennsylvania Department of Health is providing vaccination to all residents in Phase 1a. Check here to learn more about Phase 1a and who gets vaccine in each phase.
- Students who have a medical condition that might put them at higher risk for complications from Covid-19 should discuss vaccination with their medical provider or with the medical services team at the college. The current vaccines approved for emergency use in the US are the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines. The CDC has released information on medical conditions that increase the risk of severe illness from Covid-19.
- The college has applied to be a vaccine distribution site once we come into the appropriate phase, however, the state department of health has given us no immediate timeline for shipment of vaccine.
MITIGATION IN THE ABSENSE OF HERD IMMUNITY
We are still very much relying on other means of keeping ourselves and others safe during the time of Covid. Without widespread vaccination, our best strategies remain 3-fold:
- Being vigilant about how we are feeling
- Being aware of masking and physical distancing from others
- Being tested when asked to do so
1. Being vigilant about how we are feeling
The college sends the daily symptoms tracker that might seem like a small nuisance. But the tracker has helped many students identify that they are actually experiencing a symptom or two, and has prompted them to reach out to the Covid RN line at 610-517-4921. Symptom checking is a way of mentally checking in with yourself daily to make sure you are not missing or ignoring a potential symptom that could make spreading the virus to others more likely.
2. Being aware of masking and physical distancing from others
There’s some new buzz about masks. Dr. Fauci, the chief medical adviser to President Biden, was recently quoted as saying that “if one mask is good, two may be better”. This is in response to the newly identified faster-infecting variants of covid-19 form England and other parts of the world.
The CDC has advocated for good quality masks that fit comfortably so that people actually wear them. Some updates on masking are being considered by the American College Health Association.
The goal of mask wearing has not changed. Covered mouths and noses shed less virus into someone else’s space. This is especially true indoors! Indoors, with others around, continues to be THE NUMBER ONE way the virus has spread on campus. This is in close settings where participants feel they must be safe somehow. But keeping 6 feet apart and wearing a mask has never been more important. Cloth masks vary in levels of protection. If you are inclined, you might consider wearing a surgical or lighter weight mask under a cloth mask in some indoor settings. But have confidence that a multi-layered mask that is well-fitted is the key to effective protection.
3. Being tested when we are asked to do so
The college will continue to surveil the community for asymptomatic spread of the virus. This type of spread remains THE MOST common form because approximately 60% of people who have the virus do not know they have it. Healthline discusses the role of symptomless transmission in the spread of illness. Remaining vigilant about getting your Covid-19 test will help the community to monitor levels of virus as the semester progresses.
If you have a specific question about vaccine product or receiving a vaccine because of a medical condition, please email Beth Kotarski at bkotarski@brynmawr.edu
For additional questions or concerns about ongoing Covid mitigation efforts at the college, please don’t hesitate to contact Beth Kotarski at bkotarski@brynmawr.edu or to reach out to us on the Covid RN line for emergencies or to leave a message for the regular staff at 610-517-4921. Someone will get back to you promptly.
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GROUPS AND WORKSHOPS
Group therapy gatherings and workshops offer our community the opportunity to share virtual space, to ponder and to heal together. At a time when distance is deemed essential to protecting ourselves, our peers, and our loved ones, group therapy can be an excellent outlet for reconnection and contemplation. Held via Zoom, these intimate and confidential meetings focus on a variety of themes—such as grief and loss, judgement-free alcohol and drug support, creative self-care, and navigating the predictable and unforeseen anxieties at play today. Hosted by licensed clinicians and Center trainees, Counseling Services welcomes current undergraduate, graduate, and post-bac students as well as members of the Bryn Mawr community.
This semester Counseling Services is offering:
- Returning Students Workshop Series (Fridays 2-3:30, starting Feb. 12)
- #ManagingRN (Wed. 11:30-1pm)
- Befriending Your Nervous System: A Polyvagal Theory Workshop Series
- Come As You Are: A Drug and Alcohol Support Group (Thurs 3 - 4:30)
- Creative Self-Care (Mon. 3-4:30)
- Breathing Space (Fridays 2-3)
- Grief & Loss (Fridays 2-3:30)
- Trans/GNC Support Group (Weds 3-4:30, starting Feb. 10)
- Immigration Support Group (TBD)
- Disenfranchised Grief (Fridays, 3:30-5)
For more details on groups and workshops feel free to visit the counseling services website!
Help us help you! We’d love to get your feedback about groups! Fill out this survey to let us know what groups you would like to see, what times work best for you, and what has/hasn’t worked in previous semesters. Thanks for your thoughts!
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1. Get organized
Download your class syllabi and get all your assignment due dates on a calendar. Order your textbooks before classes start. Make a folder on your desktop for each class to keep all your readings and assignments organized in one place.
2. Make time for self-care
Find what self-care looks like for you. Maybe it’s checking out of social media for a while, spending time outside in nature, listening to your favorite album, or calling your best friend. Whatever self-care looks like for you, start thinking about how you will incorporate it once you start school.
3. Connect with classmates
Reach out to classmates and see if anyone is interested in starting a study group. Establishing this early on will come in handy when exams are coming up.
4. Find out what academic resources you can access
Are you enrolled in an especially challenging class this semester? Check out what your professor has available for office hours and put them in your calendar. Also look to see if peer tutoring is available for your class.
5. Identify your study style
Do you know what kind of environment you study best in? Can you focus better with background music or do you need complete silence? Answering these questions before classes start will help you optimize the effort you put in studying.
6. Make your living space feel like home
Your dorm room or apartment should be a place where you can decompress after a day of classes. Can you find ways to make your space more comfortable? Maybe adding a fuzzy blanket or essential oil diffuser will make your space feel homier.
7. Prioritize your physical and mental health
Check out what resources are available to you to support your health. You can access services such as counseling through the counseling center or make an appointment with the campus dietitian.
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Music is a vital part of history. This month we're celebrating with a playlist curated by the National Museum of African American Music.
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Want to hear more? James Baldwin's home record collection has become a playlist on Spotify. Click here to browse the music that inspired his iconic words.
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Dear Athena,
I often feel motivated by the start of the semester and the fresh start that it provides, but this semester things feel a little… off. So much happened in the world and on campus last year that feels unresolved. Covid continues, we still aren’t seeing all the outcomes we hoped for from the strike on campus, white supremacist violence continues (I can’t believe the attack on the capitol was just a couple weeks ago)…There’s just so much and it’s all so heavy. It feels wrong to imagine trying to “put all of that behind me,” but I also want to see myself finding some ways to start this semester anew. Do you have any advice for how to move forward?
Sincerely,
Hesitant but Hopeful
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Dear Hesitant but Hopeful,
I hear you that things have been heavy, and I know a new semester isn’t going to magically erase everything we’ve been through in the last year. One way to extricate ourselves from the overwhelm of current events is to develop a healthy boundary with the news. Mental health experts have made suggestions for how to establish healthy habits with the twenty-four-hour-a-day news cycle.
- Taking breaks and putting limits on news time.
- Noticing our bodily responses to the news: Are we getting anxious, angry? What can we do instead?
- Fact-checking news sources and relying on one or two primary sources rather than social media.
- Avoid checking the news right before bed.
- Connecting with social support when feeling stressed.
- Replacing "doomscrolling" with something that brings joy.
- Understand that news anxiety is normal. We all experience it. Try processing with someone you care about.
Limiting consumption of the news can help us to move forward with our daily living. And moving forward is not the same as ignoring the past. Be gentle with yourself as you embark on a new semester filled with many possibilities.
In community,
Perspective I
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Dear Hesitant but Hopeful,
Oh, what a year it has been! With the start of the new semester, perhaps the coming weeks might offer an excellent moment to pause for reflection and realignment. Consider what fill in the blank here, dear Reader has been working for you and what you might want to shed in the name of 2021. What have you uncovered about your own existence, relationships, social environment that might have surprised, and even changed, you? What can you draw upon to achieve resilience in this semester ahead?
As you embark on those new year goals, it’s certainly vital to acknowledge the cognitive dissonance between what’s occurred—and the disappointment and confusion that may remain—and even the optimism and/ or pessimism that might propel you.
Here are a few techniques that might inspire as you pave your way towards a fresh start:
- Keep a journal and reflect, reframe, revise. This will be a fascinating record for your future self...in the coming months and even years ahead.
- Set an intention or two for the new semester.
- Check out the amazing Vision Board tips offered in this month’s newsletter.
- Find the people who hear really hear you! Reach out to those friends, colleagues, mentors, professors, and BMC staff who offer you the support you desire.
- Assess your current routine. What’s working? What might be worth shedding? Consider establishing a new habit or two.
- Utilize campus resources such as Counseling Resources, Access Services, The Writing Center.
- Consider attending the Spring 2021 Groups and Workshops
- Adopt a guided meditation routine. UCLA’s Mindfulness Awareness Research Center offers some excellent guided meditations
- Review December’s newsletter issue and create your own Self-Care Wheel
- Acknowledge what’s achievable in the months ahead and consider what might be better saved for future endeavors
Warmly,
Perspective II
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Dear Hesitant but Hopeful,
I hear you acknowledging the conflict between the current state of our world and the charge of being an optimistic, bright-eyed college student. What a hard time this is! I just wanted to say that yes, while under ideal circumstances it might be nice to lean into the idea of giving oneself a fresh start, maybe the challenges of this moment present some new opportunities. Maybe this year is about balancing staying in relationship with reality while finding the hopefulness to propel you forward, about using whatever resources you can muster to keep putting one foot in front of the other. What if the lack of a squeaky-clean beginning is not framed as a failure or an impediment but simply a reality? I wonder what possibilities might emerge if the idea of a fresh start is simply off the table.
In solidarity,
Perspective III
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In How to Make a Vision Board (From a Vision Board Skeptic Willing to Change Her Ways) Carmen Phillips writes:
“The idea that I could glue magazine cut outs together and “keep good thoughts” until positive changes happen in my life always seemed a bit far-fetched for me.”
Googling “vision board” will result in tons of ideas, instructions, and suggestions. Many people like to create them around the beginning of a new year, some believe in the power of “manifestation” and “visualization” (Olympic athletes use mental imagery for training!) while others find it to be a fun and creative activity to do by yourself or with others.
Phillips adds: "I am feeling pretty beat up by the universe right about now. At this point, I am willing to try anything that might help me keep my life on track. So, I returned back to vision boarding. This time with an open mind and heart."
Regardless of your beliefs, its 2021 and we are all looking for ways to enter this new year. Why not activate those creative neural pathways in your brain and give vision boards a shot?
Focus on how you want to feel, and not just what you want.
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Gather images/quotes/etc. that represent a certain feeling. For example, if you are desiring “more money” perhaps the feeling you are seeking is “safety.”
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Take inspiration from mood boards and pick a color theme!
Focus on your intentions:
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What Do I Want?
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What Do I Need?
Envision social justice:
Past, Present, Future:
Go digital:
Don’t forget your action steps!
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Vision board “skeptic” Carmen Phillips adds: “Not everyone seems to do this last step, but I think it’s useful. Go back to your notebook and make a list of the small things you can start working towards your goals or living out your intentions RIGHT NOW. Write down as many things as you can think of. Be sure to ground your list in actions that you personally can be in control of, not things that you have to depend on others for. Try to get as specific as possible. If you have already formed some helpful habits, include those as well.
- Circle three items from that list. These are your “Right Now” goals for this month. Next month, you can revisit this list, adjust, build, reassess, and pick out more items to accomplish.
MADE A VISION BOARD? We’d love to see it!
Email jcolvson@brynmawr.edu a picture of your vision board and we’ll include it in the next newsletter.
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