Thrive Guide: 2021-2022 Edition

Supporting Trojans to

thrive

NOTES FOR STUDENTS FROM USC STUDENT HEALTH

2021-2022

Supporting Trojans to

thrive

Welcome to the fall newsletter from USC Student Health, providing news about services and programs to keep our student community healthy and thriving.

In this issue

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Health Services To Keep You Thriving In College

5 8 12 16

Find Your Flock: Campus Counseling Groups Student Health Emergencies An Eating Disorders Expert Answers Your Questions The Socially Anxious Freshman’s Guide To Thriving

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You-Ce Health Services To Keep You Thriving In College Schedules, exams, due dates, jobs, new people, new experiences, new relationships — all part of how college changes your life.

We’re here to help — from sleep, nutrition, talk therapy, body image, sexual health, transgender care, consent and healthy relationships, preparing for competitive athletics, to stress management — our team of caring professionals are here to help you grow, heal, and thrive.

Revisiting The Basics: Self-Care Checklist What I Learned My Sophomore Year

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Supporting Trojans to THRIVE

ntered Care Well-Being The road to well-being is much more than avoiding illness. It’s about finding what keeps you centered, motivated, feeling safe, finding your passion, supports your sense of self, and keeps you moving forward toward your goals.

Our team of providers and staff — including physicians, counselors, psychiatrists, nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, insurance specialists, patient care coordinators, sexual assault survivor advocates, contact center agents — are all here to listen to you, understand your needs, and provide the very best care and outstanding patient experience.

Finding Your Center We all need a little support at some time in our lives. Maybe you might need some help talking through a tough situation — a “solution session” with counseling and mental health services might be just the right fit.

Looking for others who share a similar experience? Group therapy might be a great option. We can help you find the right flock.

Not sure about therapy, but interested in seeing how talking to a counselor might help? An informal “Let’s Talk” outreach signup will let you work on a skill, get a different perspective, or explore a problem. It’s your time to talk through whatever might be on your mind.

One on one counseling therapy sessions, medication management with psychiatric professionals, and walk-ins for urgent mental health care are available to all USC students.

These programs, tailored workshops, and many other options are available to help you find your center, develop skills, and move forward.

24/7 by Phone: (213) 740-9355 (WELL) or schedule appt at USC.edu/MySHR

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Your Body Is Your Own Your body is your ultimate home, your “go forward” vehicle, your energy engine, where you have the power to express your inner self and make things happen for you. Decorate it, share it or keep it all for yourself, celebrate your body and your whole self.

You can make decisions about what goes in it, how it gets replenished, how to take care of it, how it can receive and give pleasure, and who has access to it.

Student Health is here to support you with nutrition, body image, eating disorder treatment and care, illness/ injury care, sleep, boundaries and consent education, gender-affirming hormone therapies and other ways to help you love the body you’re in.

Gender-Affirming Care You deserve to be treated with respect, care, and compassion.

Whether you are seeking a space to share your experience in our “Queer and Questioning” group; seeking hormone therapies or getting information about procedures to support your gender identity; coming in for illness care, sexual health care, mental health services, immunizations, or any other services, your safety and comfort is our priority.

Our facilities have gender-neutral bathrooms and our team will respect your pronouns as you would like.

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Supporting Trojans to THRIVE

Looking For The Right Flock?

Counseling Groups This listing of regularly offered group options may change each semester. Days, times and leaders are subject to change. For the current list of groups and schedule, visit USC.edu/MySHR. Students interested in joining a group are encouraged to create a new message and submit a Counseling Group Interest Form.

Relating To Others

Graduate Students Group

The Healing Room

Women Of Color Support Group

Mindful Well-Being International Tea Time

International Students Group

ilesnuoC puorG n g BLaQ Tea A Leader divorP nilesnuoC yb de htlaeH latneM dna gPeace With Food vreS Identified For seciBlack LGBTQ+ Students Eating Disorder Support /yl. tib U S C g r Group o u p s

Queer And Questioning

LGBTQIA+ Group

Gender Spectrum Transinclusive Group

Effective Life Skills: Regulate, Communicate, Tolerate

Tackling Building Social Depression ( 5539-047-312 )LLEW • s t u d Confidence and Anxiety e n t ude.csu.htlaeh csu@htlaehtneduts

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Healing Arts

ude.

Mindfulness Skills For Daily Living

Creating Connections

Bipolar Support

The Pressure To Be Perfect Leading From Within: Cultivating Your Best Self As

Managing Mood

Women’s Group

Relating To Others Undergrad Students

The programs are made possible through your USC Student Health Fee. 24/7 by Phone: (213) 740-9355 (WELL) or schedule appt at USC.edu/MySHR

bit.ly/USCgroups 5

Sex Positive Health Care Human sexuality and sexual curiosity is normal, healthy, and can be a fulfilling expression between people or a way of solo self-care. Lots of consensual sex, none at all, and everything in between are perfectly normal for consenting adults, and may change at different times in our adult lives.

• Taking care of your sexual health is important because you are important. Regular screenings of reproductive systems may be recommended (pap smears, testicular cancer, breast exams) by your provider. A trained assistant and your medical provider will be attuned to your sense of safety and comfort during all sensitive exams.

• Contraceptive options are available and covered through the USC Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) provided through Aetna; consultation with our knowledgeable and caring medical providers can help you make the right decision for you.

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• Condoms, dental dams, PrEP (preexposure prophylaxis, a pill that can prevent HIV infection) and regular STI testing (for sexually-transmitted infections) are also important tools in protecting your sexual health if you are having sex with partners.

• STI Testing that is “Self Directed & Collected” For your privacy and comfort, you may schedule STI testing right through MySHR without a clinical interview. After making your appointment, you can proceed directly to the lab, collect a sample in private, and provide to the lab services staff for processing.

Supporting Trojans to THRIVE

EMERGENCIES

Sexual Assault & Unprotected Sex Know what is available to you and your peers if a sexual assault or unprotected consensual encounter happens.

Advocates for sexual assault survivor support, through Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention and Services, are ready 24/7 to help accompany and arrange travel to services, including providing support through the process of a forensic exam (a trauma-informed interview and specialized physical examination for collection of evidence) and medical care. Advocates are confidential and will also help survivors navigate arrangements for additional help and understanding reporting options that are available to them.

Advocates also provide help for students experiencing domestic violence or intimate partner violence, stalking, and other forms of relationship and gender-based harm. Learn more about Advocate services at bit.ly/USCadvocate HIV prevention—PEP (post exposure prophylaxis) is an emergency pill that can prevent the transmission of HIV infection if taken within 72 hours of exposure. PEP can be prescribed for exposure during sex (for example, if the condom broke), through sharing needles, syringes, or other equipment to inject drugs, or if you’ve been sexually assaulted.

The sooner you start PEP, the better. Every hour counts. If you’re prescribed PEP, you’ll need to take it daily for 28 days.

Pregnancy prevention — Plan B (the “morning after pill”) is available 24/7 in King Stoops Hall via a vending machine and is also available on campus through the USC Pharmacies. Plan B can be taken up to 5 days after sex; it is most effective within the first 3 days. If you have unprotected sex, a medical provider can help you understand your best options for the prevention of pregnancy.

24/7 by Phone: (213) 740-9355 (WELL) or schedule appt at USC.edu/MySHR

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EMERGENCIES

Mental Health

Help is always within reach.

An experience of mental health crisis can disrupt a person’s life— this might be sudden due to a recent personal or community-level trauma; or have built up over time and get to the point where depression, anxiety, or repetitive thoughts can make functioning normally difficult or impossible. If you need immediate help, Counseling and Mental Health Services is here for you.

Students experiencing crisis may walk into either location, Engemann or Eric Cohen, for access to a counselor on triage. Call us to let us know you need help so we may be ready to assist you.

Remember, our services are “on” by phone 24/7: (213) 740-9355 (WELL).

Opioid Overdoes Fentanyl, molly, MDNA, ecstasy, oxy, cocaine, percs, and other pills and powders may contain life-threatening levels of opioids.

Immediately using Naloxone can save a person’s life.

All USC Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers carry Narcan (Naloxone nasal spray) to reverse an accidental overdose.

Amnesty: Students will not have disciplinary or legal action taken against them in the process of contacting DPS to save someone from accidental overdose. Call (213) 740-4321 or (213) 442-1000 for immediate help.

Students can receive training by USC Pharmacy students to use and carry Narcan through the Naloxone SC project: sites.usc.edu/naloxonesc.

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Supporting Trojans to THRIVE

Introducing

NALOXONE SC A Student-led Program of the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists at the USC School of Pharmacy

What Are Opioids?

Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid, 8o times more potent than morphine, that has been found in illegally produced pills and powders, and has driven a steep rise in opioid overdoses nationwide.

Powders and Pills can be laced with opioids.

What Is Naloxone?

NALOXONE

Naloxone (Narcan nasal spray) is an opioid overdose reversal and lifesaving medication used for emergencies.

Students can receive a life-saving opioid reversal kit, containing a Narcan twinpack and drug- testing strips. Simply log in and review the educational video and take a brief quiz. CPNP members are also available to provide workshops and Q & A sessions via Zoom, and when Covid safety conditions permit, in-person at both HSC and UPC campuses.

Contact usc.cpnp@gmail.com for additional information.

sites.usc.edu/NaloxoneSC 9

EMERGENCIES

Needlestick Exposures For students in the clinical health professions: if you have a needlestick exposure or other exposure to a bloodbourne pathogen, call immediately for guidance before going to a clinic location.

During Business Hours: (213) 740-9355 (WELL) After-Hours: (323) 442-7900* *Leave a message and a provider will get back to you within 30 minutes.

Medical Care USC Student Health’s Engemann location is generally open during the academic year: Monday – Thursday, 8:30 am – 7:00 pm Friday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Saturday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm Telehealth appointments are the same hours and extend to 5:00 pm on Saturdays.

Students from HSC are welcome to be seen at Engemann when the Eric Cohen location is closed.

If you are having a life-threatening emergency, call 911 or the USC Department of Public Safety, (213) 740-4321 or (213) 442-1000.

If you need immediate after-hours medical consultation, an advice nurse service is available through USC Student Health 24/7: (213) 740-9355 (WELL) If you need to be seen after-hours for urgent medical care, the nearest 24-hour urgent care center is Optum Urgent Care located at 1120 West Washington Blvd. (213) 623-2225.

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Supporting Trojans to THRIVE

Whole You, Whole Campus USC Student Health — We Start With “YOU” Learning how to support students is a continual process. When we understand your needs, your community, and your context, we can shape how the whole campus can improve to support your positive development.

Data provides direction. Campus-wide surveys like the responses collected through the Student Well-being Index Survey and other data points help us understand your lived experiences. Data is also an important driver in allocating resources to areas where there is high student need.

Patient feedback drives continual improvement. Let us know how we can continually improve health care services, training, and patient safety and outcomes, by completing post-visit surveys. If you had a helpful visit, please let us know!

Campus partnerships builds a village of support — student government leaders, assemblies, student equity and inclusion programs, academic programs and administrative services — are all listening to you when you provide important insight into how we can improve access and equity for all USC students. Participate in campus programs, advocate, and help shape our campus with your participation.

Listening to students helps us develop education, training, and studentcentered programs to help you achieve well-being, resilience, and lifelong skills to manage your health and thrive. Drop us a line at studenthealth@usc.edu if you have questions.

24/7 by Phone: (213) 740-9355 (WELL) or schedule appt at USC.edu/MySHR

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Eating Disorders Expert Answers Your Questions The director of USC’s eating disorders program provides some insight on your most pressing questions.

BY LAURA PERRY

Contrary to what many may think, eating disorders are not just about food or dieting.

Eating disorders are bio-psycho-social diseases that affect people of all genders and include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.

Looking at the numbers, we can see just how much of an impact eating disorders have on our lives: 1 out of every 11 people in America will have an eating disorder at some point in their lifetime; overall, the socio- economic cost tops $65 billion each.

Every 53 minutes, someone in America will die from an eating disorder-related cause. While risk is elevated among college students, they can affect people of all ages and are among the most stigmatized mental health issues. Eating disorders necessitate specialized care and treatment.

When we think about eating disorders, the typical image that most people have are of women who are visually very underweight.

How accurately does this reflect the eating disorder population?

Most people think of young, affluent white women and that it is a passing fad or disorder of vanity.

But it is so much more than that.

Eating disorders are a biology-based illness and impact can be felt across all populations — men and women, including the transgender population (who are at very high risk), every ethnicity and age group.

STUART MURRAY, director of the eating disorders program in the Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences in the Keck School of Medicine of USC, provided some insight into who is affected, signs and symptoms and challenges of eating disorders.

He was recently named by PubMed as the top expert for body image research in the world and among the Top 10 experts on eating disorders.

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Supporting Trojans to THRIVE

How do eating disorders affect men and transgender individuals differently?

One in every 3 to 4 people with an eating disorder are men. Because the screening questions have been targeted to women — such as dissatisfaction with parts of their body or if they missed a menstrual cycle — it is only recently that we have looked at the differences with men and eating disorders.

Some of the early signs may include: • Strict restriction of food intake.

While women are focused on thinness, men are more focused on muscularity. I have been working with other experts to develop a “the muscularity-oriented eating framework” to define the behaviors in men.

• Food goes missing.

For transgender individuals, the prevalence of eating disorder symptoms is even higher, and is often intertwined with the unique minority stress facing transgender populations. In addition, the affirmation of one’s identity is often impacted by eating disorder symptoms.

For instance, the loss of menses may impact the affirmation of a male gender identity in a birth-assigned female.

What are ways in which parents and peers can support individuals who might be struggling with an eating disorder?

If caught early, eating disorders can be successfully treated, but they need specialized treatment. If not caught early, medical issues can last several decades.

I can’t stress this enough. If you think that you might have an eating disorder, or suspect a friend or loved one is suffering from an eating disorder, please schedule an assessment. The prognosis is so much better if you get in early.

What are some of the signs/symptoms to look for?

• Periodic episodes of overeating or losing control while eating.

• Body dissatisfaction including constant mirror checking or avoiding mirrors because of how your body looks.

• Drastic weight change.

• Excessive calorie counting.

• Compulsive exercise.

• As the illness progresses, you might see drastic alterations to shape and body weight as well as medical issues.

How you can get help Online or by phone: Contact the National Eating Disorders Association online or by phone at (800) 931-2237.

For USC students: For USC students seeking care, contact USC Student Health at studenthealth@usc.edu or (213) 740-9355 (WELL) to make an appointment to see a specialist in Counseling and Mental Health Services.

All Counseling and Mental Health Services clinicians are faculty members in the Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

24/7 by Phone: (213) 740-9355 (WELL) or schedule appt at USC.edu/MySHR

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To Your Health!

Food, Mood & Nutrition Join USC Student Health nutritionists for a series of one-hour workshops on healthy eating.

Sample Workshops: Let’s Do Lunch!

Mindful Eating Food Fact or Mealtime Myth? Ask the Expert!

Prepping and Planning Local Tastes, American Style

Participants can sign up through USC.edu/MySHR. Questions are welcome!

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NEW! Workshops for Well-being Go to usc.edu/MySHR to sign up. Additional sessions will be added throughout the semester, check MySHR for new workshop dates. These single-session workshops can help you find some space and skills to manage the stresses of university life. Setting aside 60 minutes to focus on yourself can go a long way to help you find your footing when things seem to be getting to be a little too much.

• Keep Calm • Test Anxiety • Sleep Well • Stress Less

• Building Our Resilience to Deal with Life’s Traumas

Keep Calm Ongoing weekly sessions throughout the semester. Mindfulness is a powerful tool for enhanced well-being. Mindfulness techniques are effective for coping with stress, anxiety and improving the overall quality of life. This is especially important for students in a competitive, busy, and stressful academic setting. In this workshop, you will learn basic principles of mindfulness and practice various ways of being in the present moment. Students will also develop a self-care plan to help them implement the tools they learn.

Sleep Well These programs are made possible by your USC Student Health Fee.

Ongoing weekly sessions throughout the semester. Sleep is a common concern and critical for academic performance. Learn the impacts of poor sleep, how sleep works, and understand helpful and unhelpful coping skills for improving sleep.

USC.edu/MySHR 15

The Socially-Anxious Freshman’s Guide to

Thriving

BY LINDSEY HAMILTON ’22

The prospect of moving to an entirely new place and rebuilding your social circle from scratch is a pretty scary one, especially if social situations tend to stress you out.

With that said, making new friends and putting yourself out there is one of the most rewarding experiences that college has to offer.

Check out these tips for overcoming overthinking and making freshman year one to remember!

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1. You’re unique, 2. Friendliness but not special.

= friendship

The most important piece of advice for any social situation: Realize that people feel exactly the same as you do. We say things to this effect over and over again but somehow never manage to fully comprehend the idea that other people *gasp* feel emotion too.

Know that people want to make friends, so don’t be afraid to be overly social.

People are friendly to people who are friendly to them.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had friends confide in me that they’re secretly worried that people don’t like them, and every time I’m surprised that these seemingly confident, talkative people could also feel nervous in social situations. By realizing that you’re not the only one who is worried about being likable, socializing becomes a little bit less intimidating.

It’s a little bit of a chicken and the egg sort of situation… so you might as well be the egg! By that, I mean while it’s our natural instinct if you’re a bit on the introverted side like me to “test the water” and not be overly friendly initially, sometimes you have to be the first one to seem approachable.

Asking about someone’s day or even just a quick “hi” will let people know that you’re friendly and would like to be friends.

This also applies to making plans. You already know other people can be nervous to make the first move because you’re nervous too, so once you’ve accepted this, embrace it and go be a friendly fearless social butterfly!

Supporting Trojans to THRIVE

3. Break the

5. Sleep is a

high-school complex.

High school was the age of groups. College is different. While big friend groups can be super fun to be a part of, it’s important to look at each group as a bunch of cool people being friends and not as one big unit.

If your group is going out on a Friday night when you know you really need to study, it’s not the end of the world to not go with them. You won’t get “left behind” or “forgotten”, and getting your work done will leave you less stressed and happier in the long run.

And don’t forget that your voice matters! Proposing something more low-key like a movie night might make other people more likely to speak up if they’re feeling the same way.

4. Trading

snapchats doesn’t mean it’s set in stone.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the first people you meet during college are going to be your best friends for the rest of your time here. While you may keep some of the same friends, don’t worry about clinging onto certain friends or groups who you don’t really connect with just because you don’t know anyone else.

better friend than anyone you’ll meet.

In college, self-care can seem something like an art form, especially in the face of balancing school work and a social life with your own mental and physical health.

I’m not going to lie, it’s a lot. But out of all of the aspects of life that you have to juggle, your health is arguably the most important one. By keeping yourself healthy by eating good food and getting enough sleep, school work will seem easier, and social anxiety decreased.

It’s super easy to meet new people of all sorts, so listen to your gut and find people who you really click with!

24/7 by Phone: (213) 740-9355 (WELL) or schedule appt at USC.edu/MySHR

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6. I know it’s

8. Stare fear in

warm in LA, but chill.

the face… and ask how it’s day is going.

Take everything moment by moment. This is true for social situations and life in general. You don’t need to have everything figured out right now.

For me, before I got better at “living in the moment” a day out with friends could induce thoughts such as this: “They want to go to the beach. The beach is fun, so that’s cool, but then there’s that long metro ride.

What do I even say, who will I sit next to, what if I get separated from everyone, but then when we get to the beach, what are we even gonna do? We’re gonna probably just sit there in silence on the sand and maybe swim in the cold water, but what do I say? I have nothing to talk about, they’re gonna think I’m so boring and — ” Anyone who’s also from Overthinkville, USA, knows exactly what I’m talking about. Take things moment by moment. People are going to love you and everything will be okay!

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7. No joke, not joking is okay

While a funny and charismatic personality certainly helps people be social, being the life of the party is by no means a ticket to instant likability.

People like other people who they can relate to.

Kindness, openness to different interests and opinions, relatability, and honesty are the building blocks of lasting friendships and absolutely things that everyone is capable of.

You learn SO MUCH at college, but academics really only makes up about half of this. You’ll learn so much about yourself and other people and life and it’ll be great.

But in order to learn, you have to recognize opportunities to learn and take them. Situations that seem stressful like asking to sit with someone you don’t know very well in the dining hall or knocking on your neighbor’s door to “just say hi” are where the learning is going to happen.

People generally aren’t as scary as we think they are, especially when those people are college students who are in the same boat as you.

Supporting Trojans to THRIVE

9. You are

bothering no one with your presence

A huge part of having people trust you is to trust them back. Stuck in the old ways of my hometown Overthinkville, USA, I often got this idea in my head that people were “probably busy” or that people “don’t want me here right now”.

Trust that if people didn’t want to be around you, they would ask you to leave, and trust that if they asked you to leave, it was probably for a very good, not you-related reason (like sleep).

And if you’re really worried that someone doesn’t like you, politely asking them if something is wrong is infinitely better than a onesided ice-out.

10. The “S”

words: stress, studying, sleepdeprivation College is stressful.

College is exhausting.

When people are stressed and tired, they’re not exactly on their A-game.

We all know this, but it’s really easy to interpret a grumpy tone or lack of chit chat as a personal offense. Stress changes people, and survival mode is switched on.

Something we forget way too often is that people think way more about themselves than others by nature. This includes you and every other human on Earth.

Don’t put too much stock if someone acts cold or unfriendly because 99.99% of the time, it’s them, not you. (And in the case of that 0.01%, if you don’t already know then just ask!)

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t follow my own advice half of the time.

In the craziness of college life, it can be difficult to remind yourself to take a step back and evaluate.

But like all things, it gets easier with practice, and with more practice, it becomes more natural to keep your thoughts grounded in stressful situations.

By recognizing that you along with everyone is a work in progress, we can give ourselves grace when we fail and celebrate when we succeed, which I truly believe is the most empowering thing anyone can do.

24/7 by Phone: (213) 740-9355 (WELL) or schedule appt at USC.edu/MySHR

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Revisiting The Basics:

Self-Care Checklist BY: JORDAN BUCKNOR ‘22

Well, 2020 has been quite the year, or I guess I should say “is” since even now, we’re still going through it. Staying on top of schoolwork in a condensed semester would be a struggle regardless, but on top of our current climate, at least for me, “tough” doesn’t really cover it. Finding a balance between work and self-care is extremely difficult, but it’s also extremely important. Essential, really.

Which brings me to this post: a checklist and a list of resources.

Listed below are reminders and tools to so you can take care of yourself and help you get through this crazy time. If you feel you haven’t been taking care of yourself as well as you should have, this is your sign to turn it all around.

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Supporting Trojans to THRIVE

So, to start with, what is self-care?

To mix Google’s definitions with my own: self-care is assessing how you feel physically and emotionally to then serve yourself better. It’s about maintaining a healthy relationship with your mind, body, and environment. Doing so allows us to enjoy and live life just a little bit better. It varies from person to person and even though this list may look like it, it is not one size fits all.

1. Taking Care Of Your Mind • Did you do something solely for your own enjoyment?

Listen to a song you like. Watch an episode of your favorite show. Read a book. This could be anything — as long as it’s for you.

• Did you spend time with people who care about you?

Whether in-person or virtual, it’s important to receive and give affection in such an emotionally draining time; let people know you care about them and show that love in return

• Did you take a second to reflect on your emotions, either through meditation or journaling? Take stock of yourself, your feelings, and how it’s affecting everything else around you. Slow down and help yourself relax.

• Did you unplug for at least a bit? Log out of social media.

Don’t check your email. Close your computer screen. You deserve a break.

24/7 by Phone: (213) 740-9355 (WELL) or schedule appt at USC.edu/MySHR

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2. Taking Care Of Your Body • Have you gotten enough sleep? Enough water?

Enough food? We all know we need these things to function and still we neglect them constantly. Go to sleep, drink water, eat your food, and take care of yourself!

• H ave you gone outside and gotten a bit of Vitamin D? Have you made the effort to move? It’s harder than ever to get out and exercise, but if you’re safely able to do so in a backyard, balcony, or any other secluded area, I’d take advantage of it. Remind yourself of the world outside of a room.

• Did you attend to personal hygiene? Yes, this is an extremely basic and elementary thing to ask about but hey, when things hit the fan the simplest things can go first.

• Did you get dressed? You’re way more likely to get things done if you’re not in pajamas, just saying.

3. Taking Care Of Your Environment • Did you make your bed? Did you open your windows? Your blinds? Little things can make a big difference: letting in the light, waking up to a clean room — it all counts.

• Any nagging household chores that need completing?

Tidying isn’t always the most fun but it’ll only serve as a distraction if you don’t get it taken care of.

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Supporting Trojans to THRIVE

It’s okay to make mistakes and it’s okay to forget. It doesn’t have to be perfect and it doesn’t have to be pretty. It’s not selfish and it’s not inherently expensive either.

It’s all about you and it’s all for you.

But even then, it’s still tough. USC knows that and tries their best to help in their own way. They’ve formulated a myriad of resources:

• Feelin’ Connected Fridays • Drop-In Hours • Mindful USC Classes

• Skill-Building Workshops • Let’s Talk • Counseling

You don’t have to take all of this advice or any of it, but I do encourage you to at least try one: a checklist, resource, or anything else you feel you need. Take care of your work, but take care of yourself too.

24/7 by Phone: (213) 740-9355 (WELL) or schedule appt at USC.edu/MySHR

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What I Learned From My Sophomore Year

BY: CLAIRE WONG ‘23

This year was definitely a very untraditional college year, and there were many unexpected challenges with virtual learning. Despite the different experiences, there were many lessons and takeaways to the year! Here is what I learned from my sophomore year.

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Supporting Trojans to THRIVE

Embrace Imperfection In this world of professionalism and as we grow into our careers, there is a large pressure to be perfect. I have definitely felt this pressure to not mess up. It can become very consuming and puts an unnecessary pressure for success on yourself.

In reality as humans, we are not perfect — it’s impossible to be perfect. We are in college and this is the time to find ourselves. Embrace this and take advantage of this time!

Here are some things to remember when growing into your career and profession: • It’s okay to feel scared or anxious or sad.

• No one is perfect (even if they seem to have it together, SOCIAL MEDIA IS DECEIVING).

• Be ready to learn, be OPEN to learn.

• Be your authentic self and be genuine! That’s the best you can do.

You Need Failure Relating to my last point, part of embracing imperfection is failure! We need failure because without failure there is no room for growth. And in order to grow, there needs to be something we can learn from. College is a time to figure out your interests, your strengths, and your weakness. Do not be afraid to failure! Use it as a tool to shape your future!

Here are some ways in how you can seek failure: • Do not be afraid to take risks.

• Try something new, pursue curiosities. Take a class or apply for a role you find intimidating.

• Take time to sit and reflect on your self values and how your failure could build upon that.

24/7 by Phone: (213) 740-9355 (WELL) or schedule appt at USC.edu/MySHR

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You Don’t Need to Figure Out Your Career After speaking with many professionals in the working world, I learned that many of them had changed their career paths multiple times (and they are still very successful!).

The takeaway here is that YOU DO NOT NEED TO FIGURE OUT YOUR CAREER! LinkedIn has created this culture that you need to have everything figured out and that success is defined through your career.

You have time now to learn and be curious. Even after you graduate, you have years to work and years to figure out what you want to do with your life. And as you move on with life, your interests will shift and change yet no change will not ruin your career path. There will be no point in which your path can be 100% set and certain and that is OKAY! Do not be afraid to explore!

Rest This is always so, so important! Rest! Take care of yourself! Especially as you progress in your education and career, time for rest will become more crucial but more difficult to prioritize.

Here are some ways that you can rest: • Do something you love (e.g. cook, watch TV, draw).

• Take at least 15 minutes before bed to decompress (put your phone down!).

• Try out the Pomodoro study technique that implements frequent breaks.

• Take a summer off of work (sounds daunting but may be necessary!!).

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Supporting Trojans to THRIVE

Trojans Act Now! R U

Upstanders are Heroes in Real Life OK ?

DISTRACT

Approach the victim with a reason R U for them to leave the situation – tell them they need to take a call, or you need to speak to them; any excuse to get them away to safety.

OK?

DIRECT ! ACTION

R U

OK? Call out negative behavior, tell the person to stop or ask the victim if they are OK. Do this as a group if you can.

DEBRIEF

R U

OK ?

Wait for the situation to pass then check in with the people involved to see if they are OK. Or report it later when it’s safe to do so – it’s never too late to act.

DELEGATE !

!

Tell someone with the authority to deal with the situation; or call for help.

!

Learn more in the Trojans Act Now! (CHRSH 03) Prevention Education Module Log into MySHR (usc.edu/myshr) and go under “Groups and Workshops” to sign up.

This is a third-year curricular module of three required CHRSH live sessions for all USC Students.

The years 2 and 3 modules may be taken at any point after the year 1 modules are completed.

24/7 by Phone: (213) 740-9355 (WELL) or schedule appt at USC.edu/MySHR

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Health Center Locations Engemann Student Health Center University Park Campus 1031 West 34th St.

Eric Cohen Student Health Center Health Sciences Campus 1510 San Pablo St., Suite 104

(213) 740-9355 (WELL) studenthealth.usc.edu