The Cornell Quaranzine

2/10/2021

Dear Community,

Class is now in session!

Whether in Ithaca or elsewhere, taking in-person, hybrid or fully remote classes, we hope that you feel ready to tackle the Spring 2021 semester. This newsletter, University departments and resource centers, and lots of student organizations are here to support you throughout the journey. And what better time to establish good habits and a healthy routine than from the very beginning of the semester? We hope that the activities, events and resources below will aid you in starting off strong and provide ideas for creating a balanced and healthy semester.

Wishing you wellness,

The Skorton Center for Health Initiatives

*If you were forwarded this newsletter and would like to receive the weekly Quaranzine in your inbox, sign up using this link.

An often-shared meme among university students consists of a triangle with the three edges being labelled "social life," "good grades," and "sleep." In the middle of the triangle, the text says "you can only pick two."

But what if I told you that it is not only possible to pick all three, but to pick even more things like "personal hobbies," "physical fitness" and "spiritual well-being". It is true that during a busy semester you may have to make some temporary accommodations to certain aspects of your life. But the key words here are temporary, and the fact that they are accommodations, not sacrifices. If it is important to you, then make time for it. A healthy semester starts with balance.

Our minds, bodies and emotions want to be in balance. We know this as homeostasis. Each of us has a set point of what is our “normal” homeostasis. When our homeostasis is disrupted we want to restore it as quickly as possible to get back on track. Strengthening your resilience helps you bounce back from stress, challenge or disappointment and return to a state of balance.

As you attend this first week of classes, think about how you can set up your schedule so that you build in time for the things that help maintain your resilience or a sense of balance, including sleep, time for friends & fun, and for other things that are important to you.

Take a moment out of your day, just for yourself, relax. Watch this meditation based on a candle flame: https://vod.video.cornell.edu/media/Cornell+Wellness+Flickering+Flame+Meditation/1_29uax1b3

This meditation allows your mind to stay in the present moment and lets the rest of the world slip into the background. Allow your mind and body to relax during this ten-minute session and feel rejuvenated afterwards. This meditation is provided by Wellness & Fitness Specialist, Keri Johnson.

The Student Behavioral Compact will continue in the spring semester, with expectations outlined for all students. This includes mask wearing, physical distancing, travel restrictions, limitations on gatherings and in-person events, rules for visitors, and flu shot requirements.

• Arrival testing and quarantine
• 2020-21 Academic Calendar
• Student Behavioral Compact

• Housing
• Academic Policies
• Flu Vaccines

By Dr. Anne C. Jones

I am writing to ask for your help to prevent further spread of COVID-19 at Cornell. As we embark on the first week of classes, we are experiencing a cluster and a surge in cases, many of which are attributable to gatherings in which public health procedures were not followed. It’s not just about wearing masks, physical distancing, and washing hands anymore. In the middle of a local surge in cases, we need to protect ourselves and each other in very specific ways.

First, your honesty with contact tracing is a crucial part of containing this surge. Testing ensures early identification of COVID, but once cases are identified, the public health process only works when we can quickly identify who may have been exposed, and immediately place them into quarantine. Read more: https://cornellsun.com/2021/02/09/guest-room-cornell-healths-medical-director-3-things-to-keep-in-mind-as-covid-19-cases-surge/

Thursday February 11, 2021 from 4-5pm

Students who successfully returned from leave in the past will share their experiences. They have become a strong support group for each other and are excited to welcome newcomers. The orientation session will address the following issues:

· how did students use their leaves,

· how to explain absence to friends,

· forming a social network,

· using resources,

· any other topics the students wish to address

Link to attend: https://cornell.zoom.us/j/95933819424?pwd=WHYzbk5HUXlmTkhZT1NqL05jbnNldz09 Meeting ID: 959 3381 9424 // Passcode: 463256)

Follow-up support sessions will be held every Thursday at 4:30 p.m. via Zoom. Some students attend every session and others drop in when they need support. Drop-ins are always welcome.

Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 5:00pm to 6:00pm

Are you beginning to think about the job/internship search process? This workshop will cover skills to help you get organized (e.g. time management, goal setting) as well as specific tips for job searching (e.g., setting up job search agents, tracking your applications, and staying motivated during a long search).

Use the zoom link to register for the webinar: https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wBan-GwgT3WXeXO6di0Bng

NOTE: This workshop will NOT cover the foundations of how to start a job/internship search, for those resources start with Canvas: https://canvas.cornell.edu/enroll/YFBN6N or our other job search workshops.

Acting, comedy, music, impressions, art... what can Melissa Villaseñor NOT do? Luckily, for this event we will just be focusing on one of her skills - drawing! Take this chance to have the first-ever Latina cast member of Saturday Night Live guide you through her sketching process. In the spirit of Valentine's day the prompt will be "draw your dinner setting."

In addition to drawing insights, you are sure to be treated to some light-hearted and funny conversation. In case you want to be fully prepared, Melissa will be using:

• Paper (specifically, Bristol Paper)
• Pencil
• Ink Pens (specifically, Faber-Castell Ink Pens)
• Crayons/Color Pencils/Watercolor

RSVP for the Zoom HERE!

Thu, Feb 11, 7:30-8:30pm

https://cornell.zoom.us/j/98855703800?pwd=TTlLRlo4a2ZMRWUwL0ZDb1NkSDR2UT09
Chat with the super friendly upper-level student staff of the Tatkon Center, a support and resource center for first years and transfers. Everyone has questions now that you’ve unpacked your bags and started classes for either your first or second term.
Ask us anything! Make a friend and meet someone to talk with about your new life here. Tatkon student advisors are here to help make your first year the best it can be. Meet them and your classmates as well! This program is for students on and off campus and first or second semester first years and transfers.

The Latina/o Studies Program and Latino Living Center presents: The Cupid Shuffle Game!

Love is in the air! Valentine’s Day is much more than just a Hallmark Holiday – it actually has a rich history that dates all the way back to Ancient Rome. By participating in Cupid Shuffle Trivia, you can not only uncover the history of this heart-filled holiday, but other fun Valentine’s Day facts, too. This game also includes questions about romantic movies, songs and famous couples!

Friday February 12 at 8:30pm

Click here to register and learn more about the event.

Born enslaved, Frederick Douglass emancipated himself at the age twenty and quickly became one of the preeminent intellectuals and activists of the nineteenth century. Although he never knew his birthdate, he chose to celebrate every year on February 14th. Join in celebrating this icon of black civil rights from a time when this was a truly visionary concept in the United States.

Virtual Group Fitness: The first week (Feb. 8-14th) is FREE! View Schedule and Join here: https://recreation.athletics.cornell.edu/fitness-centers/group-fitness-classes/group-fitness-virtual-classes

Looking for In-Person PE Classes?

Some of the 150 P.E. Classes offered this semester are being held in-person with mask-wearing and 6 foot distancing. Check out the schedule here: https://pe.cornell.edu/classes

Cornell Fitness Centers Pre-Recorded Classes -- Free to All

Pre-recorded classes are free to the Cornell Community and can be viewed at any time.

View the CFC's pre-recorded fitness class library

Due to the circumstances of this semester and the last, newer members of our community may not have gotten the best chance to explore the full scope of the beautiful Cornell campus. Good thing the Tatkon Center has organized an event that will not only reveal some of the iconic spots, but also the history behind them!

All participants get a free hot chocolate or coffee from Carol’s Café located in the Tatkon Center and will be entered into a drawing for a Cornell fleece jacket! Click here for the route, fun facts, and submission details. Open to all first years and transfers. We recommend students who were on campus Fall 2020 explore the route as well; we guarantee you will discover something new! You have until February 14th to make your submissions.

Join in this sacred space as we move freely with each other in community. This class 2/13 welcomes people of color, yogis of all levels, though the content will be catered toward beginners. Register here https://cornell.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYuce-qqTkuGdE79ePWtB2Y3qBYVqvZSy-n

Brought to you by the Women’s Resource Center

https://www.instagram.com/p/CK7B5O7DD06/

Classes for particular communities held on Saturdays at 2pm ET

• BIPOC 2/13, 4/3
• QTPOC 2/20 4/17
• Women and Femme Folx – 3/6 5/1
• Yoga for All 3/20 5/8

• Saturday, February 13 at 7:00 p.m.
• Singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers will be joined by fellow singer-songwriter Andrew Belle.

• Our second-ever hybrid semester at Cornell is here--and we're ready to go. Take advantage of these not-yet-very-busy (hopefully!) weeks of February with trainings the Library can give you in key library skills.
• Research skills: literature reviews, maximizing research impact
• Graphic design: image collections, using freebie software, effective virtual flyers
• Intro to Podcasting: Session 1, Session 2, and Session 3
• Wikipedia: basic editing, Black in STEM Wikipedia-edit-a-thon, and Wikipedia: Art + Feminism
• Making: drawing techniques, Galentine's Day, zines, and quilting
• Got a question big or small, quick or complicated? Cornell librarians are here for you all semester long, all the way; never hesitate to just ask!

The Women's Resource Center is thrilled to announce a brand new program: a semester-long meditation series, led in Spanish by Mar Pérez, Moments of Calm. It will be a space to embrace to moments that give us access to the present moment, through meditation. Sessions will be biweekly on Mondays from 4:45-5:15pm via zoom. No experience necessary. To register, visit linktr.ee/CornellWRC

Do you want to live in an affordable place next year? Would you benefit from collective living? Then you should consider living in a co-op! Join heads from the 9 Cornell housing cooperatives for a panel to answer your questions on what co-operative living is all about. Co-ops emphasize collective decisions and collective work and bring in members from all over to form close-knit communities. Join us Monday, Feb 15 at 5 pm to hear us talk about what we do and why we love living in our co-ops so much.

Feb 15, 2021, 05:00 pm Eastern Time

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://cornell.zoom.us/j/97791303330?pwd=dlZhbW9FZURiQmgwNms1aE5xOEI1QT09

Passcode: Housing

To request study partners:

Complete the Study Partner Request Google Form (link below) and you will receive an email from lscstudypartners@cornell.edu with more information. Please keep in mind:

• You must fill out the request form individually for EACH course you would like to find study partners for. If there are three courses, you would need to fill out this form three times.
• You can only sign up to participate in a study group if you are enrolled in the course.
• You will need to log in to your Cornell G Suite account to access this form. If you are a Cornell student working remotely and cannot access G Suite, please email us at lscstudypartners@cornell.edu.

Let’s Meditate is a free, guided, mindfulness meditation series sponsored by Cornell Health, in collaboration with numerous campus partners.

• Everyone is welcome! Let’s Meditate is open to all members of the Cornell community, including students, faculty, and staff of all ages, genders, sizes, shapes, and abilities.
• Participation is FREE. You are welcome to come to as many sessions as you wish.

During each half-hour Zoom Let’s Meditate session, a trained facilitator leads participants through a meditation exercise designed to focus on the breath and quiet the mind. These sessions are perfect for the beginner up to the advanced.

There are many facilitators providing guided meditations through Cornell Health's Let's Meditate program and offerings include meditations in Spanish, and Mandarin, as well as in English. See a full listing of all of these virtual meditations on Cornell Health's Let's Meditate website.

Located at 109 McGraw Place, the Cornell Food Pantry is just off University Avenue, across from Alice Cook House on West Campus. Free, confidential access to food and personal care items is available to Cornell undergraduate and graduate students, as well as Cornell staff and faculty.
The Cornell Food Pantry is open Tuesdays and Thursdays 4-7PM EST, Wednesdays and Fridays 10AM-1PM EST, and Sundays 12-3PM EST.
Click here to learn more.
To participate, enroll here.
Make a gift in direct support of the Cornell Food Pantry. Contact Info: foodpantry@cornell.edu

Want to improve your sleep? Enroll in Refresh, Cornell Health’s online sleep program, for evidence-based information and strategies proven to help you catch more high-quality ZZZs. Refresh is a free, eight-week self-help program open to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Enroll in Refresh by Sunday, February 14, 2021 to participate in the program beginning February 15th. (Time commitment is only 15 – 20 minutes a week!)

Find support for your spiritual wellbeing through a CURW Care Group. These small groups, facilitated by CURW chaplains, will help you give and receive spiritual support and care.

CURW is a cooperative interfaith ministry team with religious leaders who represent a variety of spiritual traditions. CURW Care Groups are not intended to be spaces for proselytizing or converting people to a particular religious point of view; rather, they are designed to be spaces where each member can share their worldview and make meaning of their experiences.

Learn more at scl.cornell.edu/caregroups

Sign up by February 25

Most groups begin the week of March 1

Spring 2021 group offerings will include:

• Spirituality & Social Justice-a supportive space for activists, advocates, and all those who aspire to put their values into action. Open to all regardless of religious affiliation.
• Belonging in the USA-a supportive space for international students to share their experiences of living in the US. Open to all regardless of religious affiliation.
• The Voice of Vocation-a group for graduate and professional students to explore their calling and purpose. Open to all regardless of religious affiliation.
• Queering Christianity-a group for LGBTQ+ identified Christian students, led by a queer-identified chaplain.
• From Ashes to Glory: A Lenten Prayer Group-a space for reflection and sharing during the Lenten season

Let's Talk is currently being provided by Zoom.

How it works: Let’s (Tele)Talk is available during the times listed in the current schedule (see link below). Click on the relevant link to access a Zoom meeting with a counselor. Students are seen individually on a first-come, first-served basis. There may be a wait in the virtual waiting room if the counselor is seeing another student. Please wait and we will be with you as soon as we can.

> See the Spring 2021 schedule below

> Meet our Let's Talk counselors

Group counseling is one of the most effective tools for addressing issues common among college students. For many students, it can be more effective than individual counseling.

Our support groups and group therapy offer a safe environment to discuss problems with others who are dealing with similar concerns. Most students – although somewhat apprehensive at first – report that they find the group experience to be helpful far beyond their expectations.

• Currently, groups are being offered by secure Zoom platform.
• Group counseling via telehealth is open to students currently residing in New York State; we regret that licensing restrictions prohibit us from providing clinical services to students outside New York
• Each group is led by one or more professional counselors
• Groups usually meet weekly for a 90-minute session
• Participation is FREE for registered Cornell students
• Groups are private and confidential; all members must agree that what is disclosed in sessions cannot be shared outside of the group

A few groups are listed below. To join or learn more about Group Therapy for Spring 2021, visit: https://health.cornell.edu/services/mental-health-care/group-counseling

Tuesdays, 3:00 – 4:30 pm via Zoom, beginning February 23rd

Open to undergraduate and graduate students who are residing in New York State during group sessions
Weekly semester group – no drop ins; group orientation required
Counselors: Maurice Haltom, LCSW-R and Wai-Kwong Wong, PhD

The Men of Color Support Group provides a supportive space for self-identified men (cisgender and transgender) of diverse cultural backgrounds (including but not limited to Black, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, Native American and Multiracial) to connect and share experiences as men of color at Cornell. We hope to foster community and engage members to explore and discuss various topics, including notions of masculinity and gender, racial and ethnic identity, intersectionality, marginality, relationships, sexuality, academic/career concerns and mental health.

Tuesdays, 3:00 – 4:30 pm via Zoom, beginning February 23rd

Open to undergraduate and graduate students who are residing in New York State during group sessions
Weekly semester group – no drop ins; group orientation required
Counselors: Cory Myler, PhD and Thaddeus Bates, LMSW

This group will focus on "getting better at feeling" rather than "feeling better," how to best have pain rather than get rid of pain, and how to accept internal experiences (e.g., thoughts and emotions) rather than control them. We will work on the identification of personal values and how to engage in action/behavior that is congruent with those values, even while uncomfortable internal experiences persist.

The format of the group is a mixture of "didactic" and "process"; the group will start out very class-like, with facilitators using slides and a book, "The Happiness Trap", to explain concepts and principles. As the group progresses, it will become more like a traditional therapy group, with more opportunity for interaction between group members and sharing personal experiences.

Wednesdays, 5:15 – 6:45 pm via Zoom, start date to be announced soon

Open to self-identifying graduate women who are residing in New York State during group sessions
Weekly semester group – no drop-ins; group orientation required
Counselors: Jennie Bernstein, PhD and Eve Abrams, LCSW-R

The Graduate Women's group is a weekly support group that will provide a safe space for women pursuing graduate degrees to share and explore challenges, stressors, and successes in managing life as it is. In support groups, the group serves as a safe and confidential space to receive multiple perspectives, feedback, and support from other graduate women.

Thursdays, 5:00 – 6:30 pm via Zoom, beginning February 18th

Open to undergraduate and graduate students who are residing in New York State during group sessions
Weekly semester group – no drop-ins; group orientation required
Counselors : Ken Cohen, PhD and Zehra Kaya, PhD

This is a weekly, confidential support group for enrolled Cornell undergraduate and graduate students who have suffered the death of a family member or other significant person. The group is open to those whose loss occurred some time ago as well as those for whom the loss is more recent. The focus of group will vary depending on members' needs and preferences.

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

• Cornell Health phone consultation (24/7): 607-255-5155

Ithaca Resources (24/7)

• Ithaca Crisisline: 607-272-1616
  

• Advocacy Center (sexual/domestic violence): 607-277-5000

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 (connects you to a counselor of color)

• Trevor Project text line (LGBTQ+): Text START to 678678

National Suicide Prevention "Lifeline CHAT" service: suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat

• Contact Catherine Thrasher-Carroll, Mental Health Promotion Program Director, at ct265@cornell.edu.

• Contact Johan Kjorven or Adaeze Okorie, Public Health Fellows, at jk988@cornell.edu and aio22@cornell.edu
  

• Medical and Telehealth Services for Students in Ithaca

• Medical and Telehealth Services for Students Outside Ithaca
  

Website: health.cornell.edu
Phone: (607) 255-5155
Twitter: @CornellHealth