The Wellness Programmers have planned a week of events during finals to help you de-stress. The events, hosted by different Brandeis departments and student organizations, are here to remind you to take a break from studying. Some events will be in-person and there will also be self-directed opportunities that will allow you to take part when it’s convenient for you.

Events include:

Monday, Dec. 6 through Friday, Dec. 10

Thursday, Dec. 9, 11am-1pm

Goldfarb Library

Friday, Dec. 10, 10am-2pm

SCC 247

Get ready for finals by completing as many self-care and community care activities as you can. No matter how many you complete, you can return your ballot by Friday, Dec. 10 to be entered to win one of three raffle prizes:

Ballots will be available starting Friday, Dec 3.

Get a blank ballot at the HAWP office in the Shapiro Campus Center room 247. You can return your completed ballot to the same location.

If you cannot make it to the office, you can download your ballot and return it via email to hawp@brandeis.edu.

BCC is planning therapy groups for the spring semester. Use this form to see the full list of group options and register.

If you have particular ideas for a group you would like to see offered, please email Hadassah Margolis.

Every Monday, the Office of Health and Wellness Promotion sends a Mindful Monday Email with a short mindfulness exercise to start off the new week. Join us as we explore different mindfulness practices and set aside time each week to center ourselves in the present.

The CDC has declared that everyone ages 18 and older should get a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot.

If you received Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, you are eligible to receive your vaccine booster shot at least 6 months after your first COVID-19 vaccination series. If you received Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen, you are eligible to receive your vaccine booster shot at least 2 months after your first COVID-19 vaccination.

You may choose to get the same vaccine type that you received with your first series or you may choose to get a different vaccine type for your booster shot.

Social media can be a great tool to stay connected with our communities and friends while on break. However, social media has some downsides. We can actually feel more lonely when scrolling on social media. Additionally, social media can lower our feelings of self-worth as we may compare ourselves to what we see online, which is often a carefully edited version of reality.

Here are some strategies to avoid the negative impact of social media:

It is easy to fall into inconsistent sleep patterns, especially during finals. However, it is important to try and maintain good sleep habits for both your well-being and your academic performance.

Here are some strategies to improve your sleep:

Winter break can also be a good time to reset your sleep schedule. Here are some ways to reset your sleep schedule.

Name: Michelle Cheng, '22

Hometown: Newton, MA

Hobbies: Skiing, playing piano, painting

Current Favorite Song: Nightlight - ILLENIUM, Annika Wells

Fun Fact: I started learning how to play the piano 18 years ago.

Favorite Thing About Working at HAWP: I love making graphics and finding creative ways to depict information in digestible ways. I have also really enjoyed working with the HAWP staff and getting to know and working with all of the HAWP interns.