This newsletter features stories for and by Berkeley undergraduates. If you've attended CalSO, you've already learned a bit about the campus. Postscript hopes to expand your knowledge about some of the opportunities and advantages available to you.
Health workers Anita Wong and Nicholas Brown review new volunteer applications. Photo by Jenne Mowry.
When stress becomes too much, what can you do?
Talk to a health worker: there is one assigned to most group residences including residence halls, co-ops, and Greek houses. They serve thousands of people each year and are available to listen to any concerns you might have.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS), in the Tang Center, offers the first six visits free of charge (uhs.berkeley.edu; 2222 Bancroft, room 3300; 510/642-9494).
Call Student to Student Peer Counseling and Referrals (SSPC), an ASUC-sponsored peer counseling group trained to advise on a wide variety of issues (300C Eshleman Hall; 510/642-9021).
I came to Cal as a spring admit; that alone was stressful. Then I discovered that academics here were a bit (note: much) harder than back home. Add to this that I didn’t know anyone and had trouble making friends. I was getting more anxious by the day, and I didn’t know what to do. However, as time went by, my shyness faded into excitement, and that excitement generated a more adventurous spirit in me. I wanted go out and explore Berkeley, and I was building up the courage to talk to more people.
I stayed in the dorms when I first arrived. Although most people on the floor had already formed their cliques, I’m still grateful to have lived there. I met people who introduced me to many clubs, classes, and activities that I might otherwise have missed out on. I will always cherish those late-night talks with my peers. For some reason, we always had the best philosophical talks at 3 AM in the laundry room.
Still, all the changes and challenges were really getting to me. I used to overeat when I was anxious, which didn’t benefit my body at all—my stomach would hurt, and then I’d be even MORE stressed that I didn’t feel well! “Talking” to someone wasn’t an idea that occurred to me until much later, when I learned that expressing my feelings might be a healthier (and less stomach-ache-inducing) way to relieve stress.
One of my first friends happened to be in the Health Worker Program (HWP). She was so amazing! I felt like I finally found someone to talk to, someone who would listen to me. Eventually, by the end of my first semester at Cal, things started to look up. I made more friends, I adjusted to the academics at Berkeley, and I learned how to live in a city completely different from my hometown. I don’t think I would have managed, though, if it had not been for my friend’s empathetic nature and peer counseling training. My experience with her led me to become a health worker as well. (By the way, most student residential living communities have a Health Worker, including res halls, co-ops and Greek houses.)
When one thinks of health, many images come to mind; the flu, a cough, medicine.... With my major being Linguistics (read: a social science!), I was very apprehensive about applying to such a program. I quickly discovered, however, that being a health worker wasn’t about playing doctor—it’s about learning life skills (which I continue to use in my daily life, on and off campus) and becoming an advocate of health for your peers. That’s exactly what I wanted to do—help other students.
We are trained in peer counseling, first aid, CPR, suicide intervention, eating disorders, and more. Health workers are committed to reaching out and offering resources to residents; if we don’t know something ourselves, we are always more than happy to look up information with you. We have access to many resources, both in the community and at the Tang Center.
Now I’m a full-time student at Cal, a Senior Coordinator with the HWP, and a peer educator with SHEP (Sexual Health Education Program); I also have a part-time job. Part of being able to accomplish goals is knowing how much you can handle, and also having someone to talk to. I’m lucky to be surrounded by people who are willing to reach out and ask me, “What’s wrong?” I have also learned skills that help me cope better with stress, like exercising and taking breaks. The little things add up, and managing stress is one of those seemingly “little” things that can make a huge impact on your life.
Cal is an exciting and intense atmosphere; don’t let your worries get the best of you. Remember, you have stress, but stress doesn’t have you. Take advantage of the many resources available here, and you be surprised how much better you feel and perform at Berkeley. As a health worker, I have seen many anxious students. Grades, relationships, finances, friends, family, roommate issues—you name it, someone has been (or probably is) worried about it. If there’s one thing I could say to everyone, it would be: It’s okay. Feeling pressure is natural, and there is nothing wrong with it, especially in this environment. Stress doesn’t necessarily have to be negative—it can help us accomplish our tasks and reach our goals.
— Nicholas Brown, Junior
Linguistics Major
From San José, California