Greetings Flinders Community!

I’m back, along with many of my Health/ Counselling/ Disability/ Oasis colleagues, ready to kick off the 2022 academic year. Those of you looking for GP, counselling or disability appointments can now request them.

In addition to HCDS and Oasis, you’ll find that many of the other support services are starting their motors as well (SLSS, ISS, Careers, FUSA). Probably a good time to start checking email newsletters and social media.

There is a caveat though. Most staff have been instructed to work from home until the 28th Jan, so most appointments or meetings or correspondences will be via telephone, email and teleconference programs (e.g. Collaborate, Teams etc). Life on campus is going to be very quiet at least until the end of January.

Whilst the year hasn’t kicked off for many students, there are those who return earlier. I know because I am doing some student presentations next week (medicine, dietetics, physiotherapy).

For those of you that are returning – how was your break? Despite spending the bulk of my time at home, I had a pretty good break – gardening, walking, lots of TV, some Lego, model building, diet modification, writing, house organisation.

I’m mindful that COVID continues to put a significant dampener on travel, socialising, & employment. On top of that it elicits a lot of anxiety and fear which is hard to not get caught up in. Despite these challenges, I remain optimistic. I remain optimistic that, as a society we’ll adapt, and that as a university we will continue to connect, learn and grow with each other. I suspect the shared challenges will ultimately bring us closer together.

And we have a ripper of a year ahead of us!

1️⃣ We are putting together a schedule of mental health and wellbeing trainings for the year that is very comprehensive. I’ll promote it here on the blog and elsewhere when it is complete. It will include Be Well Plan, Studyology, Mindfulness for Academic Success, Mindful Yoga, Mental Health First Aid and more. Something for everyone across the whole year.

2️⃣ I’ll be doing a major upgrade of our self-help/self-care resources making them look much nicer, but also more practical content in each of them.

3️⃣ I’ll finish building Healthy Habits Hub (HHH), a FLO topic on the science of behaviour change and open it up to any students and staff who want to be part of a community of people interested in self-development and self-improvement.

4️⃣ And Finally, Oasis will be running lots of wellbeing activities and events throughout the year, both online and on-campus meaning we can stay connected regardless of what COVID throws our way.

 

To stay updated with what we are doing, the following information channels are best:

🟩 This blog which you can subscribe to here: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/4A53DD0AB75F8610

🟩 Oasis Online which is our most comprehensive catalogue of wellbeing-related services and programs here at Flinders:

🟩 Oasis Social Media providing weekly updates on programs and events (Instagram and Facebook)

🟩 More broadly, remember that your student portal page is a central point from which to learn more about the support services available to you as a student.

 

Good to be back everyone!

Take care
Dr G