We know that getting through graduate school takes a lot of effort, so we provide support to our students along the way. Many of Graduate Division’s wellness and inclusion services can help you maintain your work/life balance. At UCI, we believe that healthy Anteaters are productive Anteaters.
We offer academic support, equity and inclusion support, time management strategies, tools to master effective communication skills, strategies for navigating professional and academic expectations in graduate school and referrals to campus services.
Our counselors, Dr. Phong Luong (P) and Kaeleigh Hayakawa (K) took some time to answer questions we received from a Q&A session we had on Instagram.
K: When we’re managing a lot of stress or pressure, it can feel difficult to maintain and prioritize our well-being. In these moments we need to keep in mind that we can only do our best when we give our bodies and minds the tools and resources to do so.
K: Appointments with Phong and Kaeleigh can be held in-person or virtually over Zoom, depending on the student or postdoc’s preference and needs.
P: We partner with all UCI departments and schools to offer wellness workshops focused on stress management, challenging Imposter Syndrome, cultural wellness, conflict management, yoga, and more. We also work with our own GPSRC and the POWER Initiative to offer wellness workshops throughout the year.
P: A student can expect a supportive conversation focused on stress management in an academic setting, communication development, and work-life balance. We also assist students who need help managing challenging academic situations and creating a connected network of resources.
Do you have any books or apps you recommend for mental health?
P: My podcast recommendation is The Happiness Lab.
Dr. Laurie Santos of Yale University, the host of this academic podcast, believes she can help us find our happiness by sharing inspirational stories. This podcast is based on the psychology course she teaches at Yale. She aims to explain how our minds work by sharing evidence-based insights.