Happy New Year!
January, 2019
Featured this month:
  • Reminders for incoming students
  • Alternative New Year's Resolutions
  • RISE spring session
  • Winter break hours and closings
  • Travel preparation visits at the Health Center
  • Get involved with Active Minds
Reminders for Incoming Students
Hello and welcome to Brandeis! Here are some reminders for you as you prepare for arrival on campus.


  • The deadline to complete the required online course Think About It from Campus Clarity is January 9, 2019. Check your Brandeis email for the link.

  • Program important Brandeis telephone numbers into your phone. These include:
  • Public Safety (emergency): 781-736-3333
  • Public Safety (non-emergency): 781-736-5000
  • Health Center: 781-736-3677
  • Brandeis Counseling Center (BCC): 781-736-3730

  • Review important components of your health history, including current medications, conditions that may recur, and allergies. Review the available support resources on campus and how to access them. Please call the Health Center with any questions or concerns at 781-736-3677.

  • Make and bring a personal first aid kit complete with a thermometer, band-aids, sunscreen, insect repellent, and any self-care, non-prescription medications you use. 

  • Have a plan for safe storage of your medications and supplements. We recommend you use a lock box to keep your prescriptions safe, and review any potential interactions with alcohol or other medications.

  • Think ahead about drinking in college. Be aware that 38% of Brandeis undergraduates are non-drinkers and you don't need to drink to enjoy college life. However, if you do choose to drink please keep these alcohol safety tips in mind.
Alternative New Year's Resolutions: Embrace holistic health & well-being in 2019
It's easy to get caught up in the New Year's resolution fervor and plan extreme changes to your eating and exercise habits. That might work for some, but remember that health and well-being encompasses much more than just nutrition and fitness.

Explore these alternative New Year's Resolutions to improve your health and well-being.

1. Prioritize sleep

Sleeping 7-9 hours a night is one of the best things you can do to improve your health. It gives you the energy you need to manage stress, improves memory, motivation, concentration, and problem-solving, boosts your immune system, promotes healthy eating habits, and even improves your athletic performance! Resolve to prioritize sleep by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. Learn more about sleep hygiene .

2. Practice mindfulness

MIndfulness is the practice of bringing your attention to the present moment. Research studies have consistently suggested a positive relationship between mindfulness and psychological health. Mindfulness can be used to reduce (or even prevent) stress, anxiety, and panic. Practices to try include various types of meditation , body scans , deep breathing , yoga (video) , tai chi or Qigong , and progressive muscle relaxation .Try a few methods to see what works best for you!

3. Try intuitive eating

Have a complicated relationship with food? Break the food restriction/rebellion cycle through the practice of intuitive eating . Eating intuitively means listening to your internal cues (hunger, satiety, fullness, taste, and pleasure) rather than external cues (time, portion size, rules, and "shoulds"). Intuitive eating involves listening to your body to find out what it wants and needs, and trusting it to lead you in the right direction. Strategies include using a hunger/fullness scale, mindful eating , non-judgment, and honoring cravings.

4. Practice self-compassion

You may have heard of self-care, but have you tried practicing self- compassion? Self-compassion is the idea of giving yourself the same kind of compassion and kindness that you would give to a friend. If you tend to be hard on yourself for making mistakes or struggling with things, you'll find that this is easier said than done! It's worth a try, though, because self-compassion has been shown to build resiliency, increase productivity, decrease stress, and is linked with greater overall well-being. There are a number of exercises you can try to help you get started.

5. Set boundaries

Boundaries are crucial to maintaining health and well-being. Are you feeling overextended with your coursework, extracurricular commitments, and/or work? Setting boundaries around your time and involvement can help keep your responsibilities in balance and prevent burnout. It is okay to say no to things! This might mean stepping back from a leadership role or reserving a couple evenings per week for studying, exercise, or self-care. It is also important to set boundaries in relationships, be they with family, romantic/sexual partners , or friends who may not always respect your time, needs, emotional labor, limits, independence, or privacy.

It's not too late to sign up for the spring session!

RISE is a resiliency program designed for students of all class years who have previously experienced depression and/or anxiety.

RISE participants will gain important skills for preventing, coping with, and bouncing back from stress and adversity through hands-on activities and discussion. They will also build strong, supportive, social connections with faculty, staff, and each other.

The program will meet for two full-day sessions on Jan 19th & 20th, and will continue to meet as a group once per week throughout the semester to support each other and continue to learn and practice new skills.
Winter Break Hours & Closings
Health Center:

January 2 - January 12, 2019
Monday-Friday, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
*Closed January 9 for staff training.*

Brandeis Food Pantry:

January 2 - January 14, 2019
Monday-Friday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

The Food Pantry will return to regular hours on January 15.
Brandeis Counseling Center:

The BCC is open for regular hours, as listed at the bottom of this email.

Help After Hours:

The Health Center and the BCC both have on call services for consultations that cannot wait until the next business day.
  • BCC: 781-736-3785
  • Health Center: 781-239-1948

If you need emergency assistance:
  • On Campus please call Public Safety/BEMCO at 781-736-3333.
  • Off Campus call 911.
News and Resources
Active Minds Brandeis
Join Brandeis Active Minds!

Active Minds at Brandeis aims to decrease stigma surrounding mental illness and promote mental health through education and awareness. They are recruiting new members for Spring; reach out to them at brandeisactiveminds@gmail.com for more information.

Going Abroad
Travel Visits at the Health Center

Did you know that the Health Center offers travel preparation visits? These include vaccinations, recommended travel medications, a health review, and counseling for managing health abroad.

  • Call the Health Center at 781-736-3677 to make a travel appointment.
Follow @BrandeisWellness!
Brandeis Health Center
781-736-3677
After hours consultation:
781-239-1948


Monday - Friday: 
9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Closed Mondays from 2-3pm

Walk-In Hours:
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
B randeis Counseling Center
781-736-3730
After hours consultation:
781-736-3785

Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday:
9:00 am - 8:00 pm
Wednesday & Friday:
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Closed daily from:
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Urgent Walk-In Hours:
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Health & Wellness Promotion
781-736-3678



Office hours by appointment: Schedule a meeting

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