Whether coming to UW-Madison from a small town or the big lights of New York City, the transition to college can be stressful for any student.
To help alleviate said stress, University Health Services has created new programs it hopes freshman will feel comfortable taking advantage of in the upcoming year.
""Many students think that when they have difficulty adjusting that they are alone; this is not the case,"" Dr. Sarah Van Orman and Dr. Danielle Oakley of UHS said in an e-mail. ""Talking to other students can help build a support system on campus when parents and others may be far away.""
Orman and Oakley anticipate over 25,000 students will rely on UHS' services this year.
UHS' new programming comes on the heels of a national trend: More incoming freshman report suffering from poor emotional health, according to a study by the Higher Education Research Institute.
Orman and Oakley plan to create a five-year prevention plan that addresses some of the most important health issues for students, including positive mental health, minimizing the impact of alcohol, preventing communicable diseases, good sexual and reproductive health and achieving wellness.
In an effort to reach more students, UHS recently started offering drop-in hours for students seeking counseling, an alternative to the traditional approach of students make appointments.
These drop-in counseling sessions are the driving force behind last year's ""Let's Talk"" program, something Orman and Oakley hope will remain effective in the upcoming year.
""Let's Talk"" is a campus-based, drop-in counseling group for students who may be uncomfortable with traditional mental health services.
The program is not meant to substitute for formal counseling, but rather to expose students to counseling in a casual way.
