Sometimes life as a student can be difficult – whether you are studying away from family and friends in your home country, adjusting to the workload of an undergraduate/graduate program, or working on balancing academics with personal life. While there may be difficulties during your program, there are UBC resources and staff at UBC/ECE who are happy to help.
Aside from our Student Services staff, who are always happy to receive any questions or concerns from students, UBC has ample health & wellness resources available. Many faculty, staff, and students use these resources each month, and we strongly encourage you to explore the resources available as needed!
A few notes to remember:
Vancouver can get rainy and cold in the November-February months. This is a time where some students struggle with isolation and seasonal depression. We encourage students to stay in touch with friends, family, helpful UBC wellness resources, and fun events in the department while waiting for spring!
At ECE we have a diverse cohort of students from all over the world, who arrive at UBC with different academic backgrounds and experiences. Regardless of where you are from, at ECE we encourage all students to voice their concerns and speak up when you feel you need to. There are no punishments for speaking up/contacting staff about a question or concern you may have – in fact, voicing questions and concerns are welcomed and rewarded, as this contributes to creativity, collaboration, and a stronger connection between the people in our department. In ECE we welcome diversity and ideas of all kinds, so please do not hesitate to speak with your supervisor, your ECE staff, or your fellow students for advice and assistance as needed.
ECE is always available if you have questions or need support – just email help@ece.ubc.ca.
Here are some tips and resources for taking care of yourself during your program:
Physical health and wellbeing
- Don’t forget to exercise. Take a break to explore the beautiful UBC campus, or take advantage of the fitness classes and gyms available on campus. Students get a discount on memberships.
- Getting out in nature can lift your mood. UBC has many green spaces to visit- check out the Rose Garden, Nitobe Memorial Gardens, Pacific Spirit Park, and many more.
- Make sure to get enough sleep. Restful sleep helps your productivity, focus, and memory.
- Eating a nutritious diet will help you feel good. The UBC campus offers healthy dining options– or check out resources to help develop your own knowledge and abilities about nutrition.
Mental health
- Humans are social creatures! Staying connected with friends and family will help you stay cheerful and keep stress down. Schedule a video call with a friend, or walk over to one of our weekly student socials to mingle with other students.
- Attend ECEGSA and GSS events, or hit up Koerner’s, the GSS-run graduate student pub.
- Spending time on a non-academic activity you enjoy can help you keep positive and manage stress. Join a UBC club or society and try out a new activity.
- Meditation can help you feel calm and centred. Try joining the UBC Meditation Community.
More support
Keeping active and healthy can help make your ECE experience a positive one- but sometimes you may find yourself facing more serious challenges that you can’t overcome alone. Access more help and resources at the sites below. Below are some helpful resources at UBC (available virtually during Covid-19) that many students use. We encourage any student to explore the resources below if help is needed.
- The UBC Wellness Centre can help support you with resources for mental and physical wellbeing.
- UBC offers counselling services, including Wellness Advising, group counselling, and phone and video counselling.
- UBC is committed to accessibility, equity, and diversity. The UBC Equity & Inclusion Office offices resources and support for other challenges you may face.
- AMS Wellness/Peer Support provides free, confidential, one-on-one peer support for UBC students and staff facing a wide variety of challenges.
Other resources:
- UBC Student Assistance Program: 24/7 support by phone (free for all registered UBC students); Services include personal counselling, life coaching, group programs and more based on your needs.
- Here2Talk: free, confidential counselling and community referral services, conveniently available 24/7 via app, phone and web.
- If you are in immediate distress, please see https://crisiscentre.bc.ca
- If you feel that you or someone you know is in danger of harm, then call 911.
- Student Health Service: offers a wide range of health assessments and treatments provided by doctors, nurse practitioners, and nurses.
- Health Insurance: find out what kind of health insurance you need during your studies at UBC.
- Fitness Centre Memberships: purchase a membership to access UBC fitness rooms, as well as yoga and pilates classes.
- Free Drop-In Sports at SRC: offers a variety of drop-in sports (from badminton, to futsal, to table tennis) that UBC Students can attend for free with a valid UBC card.
- Free Aqua Fitness Classes: increase your physical activity, flexibility, and have fun in a low-impact setting.