By: Kuldeep Derola, Francis College of Engineering Well-being Leader

For many college students, emotional wellness is an essential part of thriving in a high-pressure environment. Juggling classes, extracurriculars, and jobs can be overwhelming, making it easy to put our mental well-being on the back burner. However, building emotional wellness is important, as it can help us manage stress, stay motivated, and find balance in our busy college lives.

One of the first steps in fostering emotional wellness is self-awareness, which involves recognizing and naming what we feel. College can bring about new experiences and challenges, often triggering a wide range of emotions. By acknowledging these feelings without judgment, we can become better equipped to handle them. Practicing self-care activities, like exercising, journaling, or talking to friends, can also provide outlets for managing stress and processing emotions.

Another important aspect to emotional wellness is developing resilience. College life isn’t just about academic success; it is also a time of growth and self-discovery. Resilience helps us cope with setbacks, whether it’s a difficult exam, a tough project, or adapting to a new environment. Learning to reframe challenging situations as learning experiences, reaching out for support, and practicing gratitude can go a long way in maintaining emotional balance.

For many of us, emotional wellness isn’t about feeling positive all the time. Instead, it’s about learning to manage our emotions in a healthy way and finding tools that allow us to grow from every experience. In doing so, we can stay focused, engaged, and resilient as we take on the journey of higher education.

As a Well-being Leader, I can help you enhance your emotional wellness by providing:

• One-on-One Support: I can offer a safe space for you to talk openly about any challenges you may be experiencing.

• Resource Guidance: I can share information about on-campus mental health services and self-care tools.

I’m available at Southwick Hall-250B (Deans’ Office) every Monday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM to offer a safe space for you to express your challenges.

Citations:

American Psychological Association. “Building Your Resilience.” American Psychological Association, 2021, www.apa.org/topics/resilience.
National Wellness Institute. “The Six Dimensions of Wellness.” National Wellness Institute, n.d., www.nationalwellness.org/.