After an unusual semester, full of frustrations and growth opportunities, it is time
for many of us to return home. For some, this is a welcome change of pace; for others,
the thought of returning home to finish up the semester is a daunting task. Whatever
you’re feeling, it’s valid. We have compiled a list of tips and resources to help
you finish the semester out strong. You can do this!
Finishing up assignments and doing exams from home certainly poses unique challenges.
There are many adjustments to be made surrounding sharing a space with multiple
people, new distractions (hustle and bustle of holiday preparations, pets, sibling
arguments), access to necessary resources, among many other things. Needless
to say, it can be challenging to find a place free from distractions to be productive.
Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is an annual day of observance honoring the
lives of those lost to anti-transgender violence. TDOR is held on November 20th
and was started in 1998 after a Black transgender woman, Rita Hester, was murdered
in her Boston apartment. Similar to the murders of many other transgender and gender
nonconforming (TG/GNC) people, Rita Hester’s murder remains unsolved. While activist
organizations like the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) publish an annual TDOR list
of those murdered over the preceding year, these hate crime statistics likely underreport
the number of murders. Many TG/GNC people are misgendered postmortem and their
murders are not acknowledged as hate crimes. The murder of TG/GNC people are overwhelmingly
racialized as well, with
Black transgender women comprising the majority of those slain. This threatening
intersection of transphobia, misogyny, and racism place transgender women of color
at the greatest risk for violence and victimization.
In this example, John is creating more distress for himself by focusing on things
that are not in his control, such as national and local news stories and fear of
making a “wrong” decision. In this situation, John would be better off detaching
from the decision itself, and redirecting his focus to how
he can make the best of either experience.
If he decides to attend in-person classes, he could follow the university’s COVID-19
guidelines and come up with a plan to minimize the chances that he will contract
COVID-19. This could include being sure to have PPE and sanitizing materials and
accepting that his experience will still be very different than the “traditional”
college experience.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This began in 2001 to bring awareness to
the prevalence of sexual assault and sexual violence and to the experiences of
survivors, as well as prevent further sexual violence.
It is no secret that COVID-19 has changed how we live our lives. With this change came the requirement of adjusting the ways in which
we manage our day-to-day responsibilities. While it seems like this new
lifestyle comes with more free time, without the structural reminders of our
responsibilities it can sometimes be more difficult to hold ourselves
accountable. One of the habits that many people are finding difficulty
in altering is their time management strategy. This post will go over the
basics with the hope that you can apply some of this to your own life.
National Women's History Alliance (2020) states, “We are retelling history
and changing the future. We believe that knowing women’s history gives all of
us—female and male—the power and inspiration to succeed. We believe that Our
History Is Our Strength.” Women’s History month is recognized in the month of
March. This occasion is an optimal time to celebrate courageous, heroic, and
bold women who have helped shape history.
“Happy Holidays!” “Happy Hanukkah!” “Merry Christmas!” The commercialism of holidays
expects us to be joyful, happy, and merry, but “the most wonderful
time of the year” can turn into the most stressful time of year.
Did you know that December is National Stress-Free Family Holiday
Month? You might be thinking to yourself, “how?” Between holiday season travel,
shopping, the crowds that accompany them, hosting dinners, feeling alone,
grieving the loss of a loved one, financial problems, and family tension, the
holiday season may come along with significant stress. For many, the holidays
can cause serious anxiety and depression. Keep reading for ways to cope
with this holiday season.
Whether you are a first-time freshman or a well-seasoned senior, nothing quite
strikes fear into the heart of students as Finals Week. Between balancing the
studying requirements for each exam or adding your finishing touches to several
term papers; Finals Week is the season of stress. So, what is one to do? How
can you simultaneously be asked to enjoy the holiday season and
prepare for the final push of your class? Here are some last minute tips that
can help you get over the hump!
Following the death of your loved one, you may experience what is known as the
Five Stages of Grief. The Five Stages of Grief is used to help describe
the process someone goes through while grieving their loved one’s death. While
the Five Stages of Grief is a helpful model to resonate with, it does not represent
how someone should grieve. Everyone grieves differently. Grief is
not a linear process. While everyone’s journey of grief is different,
resonating with the five stages of grief may help you make some sense
of the way you feel.