In this photo, the Jamie Homero Arjona building – which houses UConn’s Counseling and Mental Health Services – is seen. Counseling and Mental Health Services has been preparing for the influx of stressed students due to the end of the semester, especially final exams. (Jackson Haigis/The Daily Campus)
Students at the University of Connecticut have various resources at their disposal designed to ease the transition between high school and college and promote academic success.
The Quantitative Learning (Q) Center is located on level two of the Homer Babbidge Library and offers tutoring for students enrolled in fundamental Q courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry and statistics. Students do not need an appointment and can stop by during tutoring hours, which can be found on the Q Center website (http://qcenter.uconn.edu).
“I found the Q Center extremely helpful,” Mansi Chapatwala, a third-semester nutritional sciences major, said. “They always answered my questions and I left there feeling confident for my chem exams. The wait was never long and the tutors always knew what they were talking about.”
The Writing (W) Center is located on level three of the library and offers 45-minute tutoring sessions designed for students to get feedback on their writing. Students are asked by tutors to talk about what they would like to address in their piece of writing and may be asked to read aloud from their paper.
“In each session, we aim to create a learning environment that offers one-on-one attention, a good conversation around your ideas and your writing and thoughtful answers to specific questions,” the W Center website says.
UConn also provides its students with resources to support their physical and mental health. These resources include Counseling and Mental Health Services (CMHS) and the Health Education Office.
CMHS is located on the fourth floor of the Arjona Building and offers several clinical services, such as individual therapy, group counseling, psychiatric services, crisis intervention services and alcohol and other drug services. Students can schedule an appointment by calling (860) 486-4705.
“Counseling and Mental Health Services promotes and fosters the emotional and psychological growth and well-being of all students at UConn by providing a wide range of mental health services on campus,” their website says. “CMHS staff has extensive experience in college counseling and is committed to providing high quality care in a safe, confidential and nonjudgmental atmosphere.”
Chapatwala said it is great that CMHS is a resource available to all students at UConn.
“If anyone is considering going, I’d definitely recommend going once to see if it works for you,” Chapatwala said. “At the office you take a general assessment so they can match you with the right therapist, so it’s very individualized. They also have people on call if there’s ever an emergency which I think is great, especially on such a large college campus.
UConn’s Health Education Office is located in room 125 of Wilson Hall in South Campus and is designed to “provide prevention, harm reduction and public health promotion services to the campus community,” according to their website. The office is largely focused on sexual health and education, as well as stress management.
Students can call Health Education at (860) 486-0772 to schedule a specific program. Stress management programs allow students to create their own herbal pillows and aromatherapy oil, learn massage techniques and practice mindfulness. Sexual health programs include Sex Jeopardy in First Year Experience classes and various games designed to educate students on sexual health.
Gabriella Debenedictis is a staff writer for The Daily Campus. She can be reached via email at gabriella.debenedictis@uconn.edu.
