Strategies for Coping with Academic Pressures and Mental Health Support for Students of Color

Coping Strategies Arnold Woods and Latricia Hylton Week 6

Announcements/Reminders Present posters on Friday, July 30 at 10am or 1pm Complete Poster Ticket assignment Complete: Poster Presentation Survey STEM Identity Post-survey Zoom Email Survey

Objectives Students will identify resources available on their campus for students of color Provide students strategies for coping with the pressures of: Being a student of color Pursuing a STEM degree Learning in a virtual environment Students will discuss the article Mental Health Support for Students of Color During and After the Corona Virus Pandemic Students will share their coping strategies Students will develop a plan for coping with stress for the 2021-2022 academic year

Managing the Pressure (10-15 minutes) Random Grouping (8 minutes) Take a couple of minutes to talk about what you do outside of academia to manage the pressures of your academic work. In what ways have you been able to manage the pressures of navigating your intersectionalities? Community Share (7 minutes)

Reflect and Share (7 minutes) Share your experiences with being forced to switch to virtual learning and the impact it had on you What strategies did you utilize to help you cope with the transition to online learning? Arnold s experience as a student and faculty member

Reading (Small Group) 20 minutes Read the section of the article assigned to your group. All groups will read the introduction and conclusion in addition to the ethnic group assigned. Discuss the article in your group https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education-k-12/news/2020/07/28/488044/mental-health-support-students-color-coronavirus-pandemic/ Add to the article based on the lived experiences of your group members Report back to the larger community Share what you learned about the specific group based on the article Share what your group added In what ways did your mental health become a priority for you? Resource Search What resources are available on your campus to support students mental health? Share the resources you found and the services offered Develop a plan for 2021-2022 for your holistic health and well-being. Think about at least one thing you can do to insure your health in each component: Academic Physical Emotional/Mental Spiritual Social

Mental Health In what ways did your mental health become a priority for you? Resource Search What resources are available on your campus to support students mental health? Share the resources you found and the services offered

Strategies Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals. Exercise regularly. Get plenty of sleep. Avoidexcessive alcohol, tobacco, and substance use. Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy. Connect with others-talk with peopleyou trust about your concerns and how you are feeling. Treat yourself and others with grace Connect with your community- or faith-based organizations. While social distancing measures are in place, try connecting online, through social media, or by phone or mail. Your suggestion

Here and Now 15 minutes How are you transitioning with the virtual summer research experience? What aspects of your academic experience have been challenged by this pandemic? How do you see yourself transitioning back to face-face classrooms? How prepared do you feel? What are your concerns/hesitations? What habits have you formed over the last year that you want to carry over into your academic experience? What is one new strategy that you can incorporate?

Assignment: Get Caught Up Focus on outlining your poster content Finish all assignments from Week 1 to Week 6 for: Community Building Virtual Labs Research Course Continue developing a plan for 2021-2022 for your holistic health and well-being and think about how to incorporate your plan into your experiential poster. Consider at least one thing you can do to insure your health in each component: Academic Physical Emotional/Mental Spiritual Social