The Cornell Quaranzine

Supporting Your Well-being - Fall 2020

12/08/2020

Dear community,


From looking out the window, it seems fair to say that winter has officially arrived, in Ithaca at least! Whether you have already traveled home, are planning on going home before the official break, or are staying in Ithaca for the long haul through the winter, we wish you good health and moments of joy in the days ahead. Check out this installment of the Quaranzine where you will find resources ranging from help with sleep to in-depth discussions about social justice. We hope you find something that interests you and that will support you as you navigate these final weeks of the semester!


Wishing you wellness,


The Skorton Center for Health Initiatives at Cornell Health



*If you would like to continue receiving issues of the newsletter each week, follow this link!

But First: A Self Check-in

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Even though we are far past the days of being able to stroll out of the house in a t-shirt or even a sweater, the colder weather opens up a wide range of possibilities. You may think that we only refer to the kinds of fun, outdoor activities made possible by snowfall, such as skiing, sledding or snowman-building. Even though these are all fantastic outlets, the weather outside also gives us the perfect opportunity to connect with our home environment in a more intimate way than ever. Here are some ideas:


How can you design your indoor space so that you can feel warm, cozy and connected to others? Think dark hues, soft lighting (even candles), plush throw blankets & pillows...


Test out different kinds of hot drink recipes to enjoy on your couch or furry beanbag chair, you might find a new favorite!


Organize a game night with your family or co-habitants. The simple joy of being together is especially evident when the outdoors is dark and cold, but the indoors is warm and inviting.


Somewhere Cozy


In hillside cabin where ivy creep
The sound of the storm rocks you to sleep
And a quiet fire crackles soft
And you kick your soggy shoes off

And in the corner a fickle candle flame
And rain drops down the window pane
And you laugh and ask where I've been
Cause my hair is wet and my shoes are muddy again

And I can't help myself but smile
And decide to stay awhile
Then I'll go back to where I've been
At least until it rains again"


~ Anonymous

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Give Yourself The Gift of A Bedtime Story

Some of you may be familiar with the Calm app, which is meant to aid with meditation and sleep. One of their free offerings is a collection of sleep stories. Whether you know him or not, you may have to admit that Stephen Fry has the perfect voice for bedtime stories. Through the Calm app, let him take you to the South of France as he tells the story of Blue Gold, written by Phoebe Smith. As one of the top comments on this video states, "He could read the terms and conditions to all the apple products and I would fall asleep..."
Calm Sleep Stories | Stephen Fry's 'Blue Gold'

Open Presentation on Mental Health Review Findings

Wednesday, December 9, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., Zoom

Interested in the key findings from the campus Mental Health Review? Members of the Executive Accountability Committee will host an open presentation of the Final Report and implementation process, with an opportunity for student Q&A. All Students are warmly welcomed to attend.

Supporting the Well-Being and Mental Health of Men of Color

Wednesday, December 9 at 2:00pm
Click here to register for event.


CAPS runs workshops on a weekly basis about a number of pressing topics related to wellness and resilience. This week, we invite you to attend their Wednesday workshop that will explore how to best support men of color. According to the Urban Institute, men of color are "twice as likely to grow up in poverty as non-Hispanic white males and much more likely to live in neighborhoods of concentrated poverty." Although it will take major system reforms and social paradigm shifts to target such injustice, this workshop will hopefully show how even individual members of the community can make a difference.

Beyond the Bechdel* Miss Juneteenth: Thursday, December 10 at 7pm EST


The Women’s Resource Center will host a screening and discussion of Miss Juneteenth, a 2020 American film written and directed by Channing Godfrey Peoples. It tells the story of a former beauty queen who prepares her reluctant teen daughter for the Miss Juneteenth pageant in this heartwarming story of human resilience.

*The Bechdel Test asks whether a film features

1) at least two women

2)who talk to each other

3) about something other than a man.

But more than anything, it's an indicator of all the justice work -- gender and otherwise -- that still needs to be done in the film industry.


Register at bit.ly/BeyBech

Queer Formal with Haven

Friday December 11 from 7:30pm-10:45pm
Click here to register for event.
Haven the LGBTQ+ Student Union is hosting its semi-annual Queer Formal.
Come join your friends and meet new ones.
From 7:30pm-9pm, the following rooms will be running. Feel free to hop in and out of rooms you would like!

  • Among Us
  • Dance Party
  • Fashion Show
  • Fishbowl Game
  • Jackboxx
  • Tiktok Dance Instructor (Dance instructor provided)
  • Truth or Dare
From 9:15 PM -9:50 PM EST, Raveena will be performing on Twitch. The Dance Room will continue to be open.
From 10:00 PM- 10:45 PM EST, Project Overflow

ONEcomposer: "Hold Fast to Dreams": Florence Price's Life in Song

Sunday, December 13, 2020 at 7:30pm

Virtual Event: The Cornell University voice faculty and their studios offer a semester-ending recital featuring the song repertory of Florence Price.


What began more than a year ago as an effort to celebrate a somewhat unknown female Black composer has grown into a collaboration between Cornell’s choral faculty, a major orchestra and musicians and faculty from across the country, who are participating in a host of initiatives to honor the works of Florence Price.


Register: https://cornell.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0vcu6opzkuHdyOSM8TPX_bW_zCUwM90

Cornell Latino Alumni Association Town Hall

Tuesday, December 15th at 7:00 pm

Click here to register for event.


Interested in getting together with Cornell's community of Latino alumni? Interested to see what the Cornell Latino Alumni Association (CLAA) has planned for next semester, or just interested in general about how to help in cultivating a sense of community for these groups on campus?

Come and share ideas on how the CLAA can be more impactful and relevant to the Latino community!


"Help us understand the current environment and challenges."

Upcoming Big Red Barn Events for Graduate and Professional Students

Race and Racism Across Borders

Graduate students joined an ongoing campus conversation on the global experience of race through submissions of prose, poetry, and artwork reflecting on their personal experience of race, crossing borders, and finding their own place in the world. Check out their writing and visual art

Seeking Winter Fun? Rent Some Gear!

This Winter will see more students than possibly any other semester in recent memory remaining in Cornell over the course of the break period. It is a better time than ever to take advantage of the beautiful landscapes for some good, old-fashioned outdoor snow fun! Lucky for members of the Cornell community, whatever equipment you may be missing can be rented from the Cornell Outdoor Education (COE) Outfitting Center! Find everything from camping gear to snowshoes - you can even sell your own gear if you happen to already be a little too stocked up!

*** Bright Spot ***

University Recognition Ceremony for Graduate and Undergraduate Students

Virtual livestream December 19, 2020 10:00 am EST


Please join us to view the virtual/on-line ceremony as President Pollack, Provost Kotlikoff and all the college deans extend their congratulations via this website! Unfortunately, this is not an in-person event.The Ceremony will be shown here starting at 10:00 am EST for students, family and friends to watch on-line and to view after this date and time.

Resources for Connecting

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During this unprecedented semester, students have found all kinds of creative ways to maintain connections and build new ones. The Cornell Buddy System presents yet another opportunity where you can get the chance to meet people based on similar hobbies, interests and compatible schedules. You can meet in the way that is most comfortable for you, whether virtual or in-person. This system was developed by one of this year's Fall 2020 Peer Consultants, Samantha Noland.


Sign up HERE!

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Group Therapy Offered Virtually During Intersession

Cornell Health's group therapy offers a safe environment to discuss problems with others who are dealing with similar concerns. Most graduate students - although somewhat apprehensive at first - report that they find the group experience to be helpful far beyond their expectations.


Each group is private and confidential, led by one or more professional counselors, and participation is FREE for registered Cornell students. Open to undergraduate, graduate and professional students who are residing in New York State during sessions.

As you think about how to spend your time over the winter break, this may be a great resource for you. View more information and sign up.

Learning Strategies Center Offerings

Check out the Learning Strategies Center (LSC) Online Exam Checklist


Be prepared! What are the questions you need to ask before your next online exam?


LEARN MORE

Talk/Text Resources

If you find yourself struggling or in need of someone to talk to, know that you are not alone. The following resources are here to support you:

Cornell Resources

Ithaca Resources (24/7)

National Talk-Lines (24/7)

  • Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255

  • Trevor Project hotline (LGBTQ+): 866-488-7386

  • LGBT+ National Hotline: 888-843-4564

  • TransLifeline: 877-565-8860

National Text/Chat Services

  • National Crisis Text Line: Text HELLO to 741741

  • Steve Fund crisis text line: Text STEVE to 741741 (connects you to a counselor of color)

  • Trevor Project text line (LGBTQ+): Text START to 678678

National Suicide Prevention "Lifeline CHAT" service: suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat

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