Thrive @ Cornell
Weekly Newsletter Supporting Your Health & Well-Being
Tuesday, September 7, 2021
At the start of the semester, try setting up a routine that allows you to build a strong foundation for the semester ahead. Ask yourself, “what do I do all or most days that help me manage daily hassles and keep stress in check?” Two suggestions for you to try this week include prioritizing sleep and breathing techniques. Read on for tips to set you up for success this semester.
In community,
The Skorton Center for Health Initiatives at Cornell Health
part of Student and Campus Life at Cornell University
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Remember to Sleep; Sleep to Remember
Getting 7-9 hours of good quality sleep each night has profound benefits for your academic performance, mental health, and overall well-being. Sometimes when people are stressed they sacrifice sleep thinking that will help them get everything done. But it’s just the opposite – sleep is critical to helping us function. Your memory, reasoning, and problem-solving all improve with sleep.
Feeling Groggy? Need to Refresh? Make Time for Sleep
Enroll in Refresh, Cornell Health’s free, online sleep program. This eight-week, evidence-based self-help program shares information and strategies proven to help you catch more high-quality ZZZs. This program is open to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students and begins on Monday, September 20. To enroll, visit health.cornell.edu/refresh
The Power of Your BreathWhen you notice yourself starting to feel overwhelmed, try taking a few long, slow deep breaths in through your nose, feeling your lungs expand, and then releasing the air out slowly through your mouth. Go ahead, give it a try. Even 3-4 of these breaths can help turn off your fight or flight response, slowing down racing thoughts and helping you regain perspective. When you return to your regular, automatic breathing, notice any changes in your body or mood.
Let’s Meditate
Cornell offers a free, weekly guided mindfulness meditation series. Everyone is welcome – students, staff, and faculty! During each half-hour Let’s Meditate session, a trained facilitator will lead participants though meditation exercises designed to focus on the breath and quiet the mind. Meditation has been shown to reduce stress and foster increased well-being – mentally, physically, cognitively, and emotionally. To see the schedule visit health.cornell.edu/meditate
Concerned about COVID-19 symptoms / exposure?
Students who experience symptoms of COVID-19 – or have had close contact with someone diagnosed with (or being tested for) COVID-19 – should call Cornell Health for medical consultation and screening for diagnostic testing: 607-255-5155 (24/7). Learn more about COVID testing and care at Cornell Health.
Especially for Staff and Faculty
This Thrive @ Cornell newsletter provides information and resources to Cornell students and the faculty and staff who support them. The well-being of Cornell’s faculty and staff is equally important. Check out the Employee Wellbeing @ Cornell Update published bi-weekly by Human Resources for information about resources, benefits, and wellbeing strategies.
Fall CAPS counseling groups & workshops
Cornell Health’s free online counseling groups and CAPS-led workshops begin this week (the week of September 7). Group counseling topics include anxiety, depression, and mindfulness, with groups especially for students of color and LGBTQ+ students. CAPS also offers skills-based workshops on sleep, imposter syndrome, procrastination, and self-compassion. Find other ways to support your mental health and well-being on Cornell Health’s Mental Health Care page, or by visiting the university’s new Mental Health at Cornell website.
On-campus flu vaccine clinics start September 8
Sign up for a timeslot to get your free flu shot at one of Cornell’s on-campus flu vaccine clinics! Annual flu vaccination is always strongly recommended for college students, but is especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more on
Cornell Health’s website.
Get a Study Buddy
Studying with peers is a great way to master challenging course material and make connections with other students. The Learning Strategies Center can help you find other students to study with!
Last year the LSC received 3,000 requests from students looking for study partners and helped form 900 study groups! Students said:
- “It was helpful to just have a support system with another student.”
- “Being able to connect with fellow students made the class experience a lot more enjoyable.”
- “I loved my study group.”
The study partner-matching is going strong again this year—sign up early to find other students in your classes to study with.
Check out the LSC website for additional tips and ideas for how to study effectively.
Returning from a Leave of Absence?
The Returning Students Group is open to students returning from a leave of absence of any kind. The group provides social support and meets biweekly for in person meetings on Wednesdays at 4:30pm. Some online opportunities may be available, as well.
Meetings are tailored to meet the needs of the participating students, and may involve group discussions, workshops, walks, board games, or other activities determined by the group.
For more information about meeting dates and locations, please contact Andrea Kiely at ajm30@cornell.edu.
Upcoming Events (9/7 - 9/13)
CAPS Workshop: Sleep is (not) for the Weak
Wednesday, September 8 from 3 - 4pmFacilitator: Anastasia Zyuban, PhD
Register for the September 8 Sleep workshop
Do you find yourself staying up late to finish your work, only to feel sluggish the next day? When you do hit the sack, do you find it hard to shut off your brain? If so, you are not alone. Busy Cornell students often find themselves sacrificing sleep in order to meet the demands of school. This workshop addresses how sleeping properly can help you work more efficiently and improve your overall quality of life.
CAPS Workshop: Go Easy on Yourself to Get Hard Things Done: A Workshop on Self-Compassion
2021 Kops Freedom of the Press Lecture: Nikole Hannah-Jones
Thursday, September 9 @ 5pmLocation: Rhodes-Rawlings Auditorium, Klarman Hall & simultaneously livestreamed.
NIKOLE HANNAH-JONES is the Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of the 1619 Project and a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine. She has spent her career investigating racial inequality and injustice, and her reporting has earned her the MacArthur Fellowship, known as the Genius grant, a Peabody Award, two George Polk Awards and the National Magazine Award three times. Hannah-Jones also earned the John Chancellor Award for Distinguished Journalism and was named Journalist of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists and the Newswomen's Club of New York. In 2020 she was inducted into the Society of American Historians and in 2021, into the North Carolina Media Hall of Fame.
This past July, she was appointed the Knight Chair in Race and Journalism at Howard University.
Streaming site:
https://cornell.zoom.us/j/94813545249?pwd=cWIrUllJV0ExQ0w2dnZzWElOUTB1QT09
For additional details about this event visit: events.cornell.edu/event/the_2021_kops_freedom_of_the_press_lecture
Cafe Con Leche Discussion Series
September 10th @ 6:30pm: Grad School 101
For additional details about this event visit: https://events.cornell.edu/event/cafe_con_leche_6161
Join us this Fall for the Latino Living Center Café con Leche Series. This series allows students, student organizations, programs and departments to present a topic and engage in conversation and dialogues with members of the Cornell community. Topics range from issues affecting Latinos and other racial, ethnic and cultural communities in topics ranging from policy, media, education, identity, health and more.
Most events take place on Friday at 6:30 pm in Anna Comstock Hall (Latino Living Center). Please see each event to see if any changes and registration details.
Questions? Contact llcinfor@cornell.edu
Explore your Interests at ClubFest 2021
ClubFest Fall 2021 will take place on the Arts Quad (rain location: Barton Hall) on
- Saturday September 11 from 3-5pm
- Sunday September 12 from 11am-1pm & from 3-5pm
ClubFest is an opportunity for Cornellians to connect with clubs and organizations.
Can't make it to ClubFest? A complete student organization directory is available on CampusGroups! Reach out to organizations you are interested in to learn more information.
Please note: Event logistics could change as health and safety guidelines change.
Registration Open for EARS Fall 2021Training
Registration open for Fall 2021 EARS Training - sign up
by 6pm EST on Sunday, September 12th! To sign-up visit:
https://cornell.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6wWxuy8AIJkyXHM
Train to become a better listener and leader, to make friends across campus in an environment built on empathy and supportiveness, and to acquire confidence and skill in communication.
Training consists of weekly Large Group and Small Group in-person meetings and will begin Monday 9/13, lasting for 10 weeks. Check out https://www.earscornell.org/training for the more details.
Sustainability GooseChase: Cornell Scavenger Hunt
Sustainability GooseChase: Cornell Scavenger Hunt
August 30 through September 30
Download the GooseChase App for free to participate. Click here for more information.
Explore your campus and complete small sustainability challenges to take action at home and around campus. Compete with students, faculty & staff to become a sustainability champion. Missions added weekly throughout the competition. Sponsored by Campus Sustainability Office..
Demystifying the Literature Review
Are you already thinking about your research strategy for your master's thesis or doctoral dissertation?
This asynchronous workshop, brought to you by the Cornell Libraries, covers the steps of conducting a literature review, gives you a checklist for drafting your topic and search terms, introduces you to citation management software for organizing your results, and other tricks and tips for getting the most out of your searches.
For event details visit:
https://events.cornell.edu/event/demystifying_the_literature_review
Big Red Barn Bike Party
Sunday, September 12 from 12 - 2pm
Location: Big Red Barn, Patio
Drop in anytime from 12-2pm on September 12th to meet fellow grad students who love biking & want to learn more about how to bike in Ithaca! We’ll have the Ithaca experts from BikeWalkTompkins to answer all your questions, give your bike a tune up, and play some bike trivia, and much much more! We have bike-themed prizes too to get you riding safely!
If you want to meet other bike-minded people or just practice your cycling in a safe & supportive environment, join us at 2pm at the Barn for a fun & easy group ride to Ithaca East Hill recreation way!
https://events.cornell.edu/event/big_red_barn_bike_party
Graduate School Events Calendar
Nature Up!
Take a moment to look out the window or look around on your walk across campus to enjoy the natural environment around us.
Drift among the large, lush blooms of the hydrangea along the walk to the Nevin Welcome Center at the Cornell Botanic Gardens in this short,
peaceful video. The Cornell Botanic Gardens has 91 different types of hydrangea. Take a few minutes this week to go and see some.
"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time."
~ John Lubbock
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 (BIPOC)
- Trevor Project text line (LGBTQ+): Text START to 678678
National Suicide Prevention "Lifeline CHAT" service: suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat
