Redbirds Keep Thriving

For many of us, this is such a different way to live. No large gatherings. No face-to-face contact. Maintain six feet of space between you and other people. But physical distancing does not have to mean social isolation. Here are multiple resources and tips on how to stay connected while physical distancing.

Know your campus resources

Discover Redbird Life

Explore the Redbird Life portal, where involvement at Illinois State begins. Join and manage registered student organizations and find out about campus events, all in one place.

Contact the Student Activities Office if you're struggling to find your place on campus. Learn more about how to personally navigate campus involvement based on your major, interests, and identities.

Attend events and join student organizations

• Participate in Welcome Week 2020, set for Friday, August 7 - Sunday, August 16 to coincide with University Housing Move-In. Check out the daily schedule for how to make the most of your Welcome Week experience.
• Discover Festival ISU and learn about the hundreds of student organizations on campus. Stay tuned to Redbird Life for more details to come.
• Join the University Program Board (UPB), committed to creating student-driven programs focused on the social, cultural, educational, and recreational growth of Illinois State University students.
• Connect with one or more Diversity Advocacy Organizations, including one LGBTQ+ and three multicultural registered student organizations which host events and meetings for students to attend.

Explore involvement and leadership opportunities

• Volunteer with the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning, which offers community service and civic engagement opportunities for students.

• Develop your leadership skills through Leadership Education and Development. This campus office facilitates the development of ethical leaders through immersive experiences and unique presentations focused on creating positive change and grounded in the discovery of individual and group potential.
• Learn about social justice, equity, and identity through the Multicultural Center, committed to building bridges between the members of the University community by developing understanding, appreciation, respect, and celebrating the diversity of its members. The Multicultural Center offers a range of services, programs, and events that support its mission.

More ideas and activities

• Set regular days and times for online social "dates" with friends or visit a new space on campus while maintaining appropriate physical distancing.

• Create a study group.
• Play social games on your phone.
• Host an online book or journal club.
• See what the Town of Normal and City of Bloomington has to offer.

No doubt, this is a strange and stressful time. Life has been upended; normal activities are not possible or at the very least, more complicated. Despite all the challenges we can still maintain our emotional well-being. Here are just a few resources to help you stay emotionally healthy.

Know your campus and community resources

Redbirds Reach Out

Redbirds Reach Out is a new initiative which lets students request virtual letters of support from other students. If you have been feeling down, lonely, overwhelmed, worried about a relationship or finding your place on campus, request a letter of support. Your request (minus any identifying information) will be sent to a volunteer student letter writer, who will write back to you with some encouragement or advice. Your identity, and the identity of the letter writer, will remain private. Only first names will be shared.

WellTrack

Download Illinois State's free WellTrack app that provides evidence-based strategies for learning how to manage anxiety. You can use it anytime, anywhere. It is easy to use and effective. Specific tools include educational videos, relaxation exercises, and mood tracking tools.

Student Counseling Services

Make an appointment with Student Counseling Services to set up an initial consultation.

• Find a therapist in the community through our Student Counseling Services Referral Database or Psychology Today.
• Need help connecting to a community provider? Schedule an appointment with a Student Counseling Services Case Manager to help answer your questions.
• For immediate help, call Student Counseling Services at (309) 438-3655. For after hours, press "2" at the prompt to speak to a counselor immediately, or dial (855) 256-2188.

Attend a Virtual Workshop, Discussion Group, or Mindfulness Class. Student Counseling Services will be offering virtual workshops and discussion groups beginning in September and through fall break. Check Redbird Life for more information.

• Workshops will cover a range of topics, including stress, anxiety, depression, connecting with others, self-care, and fostering cognitive flexibility.
• Discussion groups will be offered weekly and provide students an opportunity to connect with their peers to share their concerns, support one another, and discuss ways they address their mental health challenges.

Mindfulness

Sign up for a 4-week free class to learn more about mindfulness. Mindfulness has amazing benefits for all areas of life such as our emotional health, ability to concentrate, and relationships.

Academic Help

Reach out to your professor or GA for help if you're struggling academically. The Visor Center can also help setup tutoring and connect you with additional resources on campus. 

Grief and Loss

Listen to a podcast:

• Terrible, Thanks for Asking, focused on grief and learning to live with grief. With over 100 episodes, there's something that can speak to you. 
• Grief Out Loud from the Dougy Center for Grieving Children & Families. Through expert tips from bereavement professionals and personal stories from real people, this podcast highlights the importance of talking about grief.

Read an article:

• "Coping with Grief During the Pandemic," from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America
• "Grieving During COVID: These Tips Will Help," from Psychology Today

Watch a video:

• 5 Things about Grief No One Really Tells You, from Psych2Go
• How Grief Affects Your Brain and What to Do About It
• Finding Light and Love in the Darkness: A college student talks about the unexpected loss of her father from addiction.
• The Grieving Process: Coping with Death

Anxiety, Depression, and More

Reach out to someone:

• Reach out to people you trust if you are struggling. This could be a loved one, close family friend, roommate, significant other, academic advisor, staff or faculty member. Never be afraid to ask for help!
• Make an appointment with Student Counseling Services to set up an initial consultation.

Need more immediate help?

• Providing Access to Help (PATH): (309) 827-4005, (800) 570-7284 or dial 2-1-1
• Military Veterans Suicide Hotline: (800) 273-TALK, press 1
• The Steve Fund has a crisis text line for students of color. Text STEVE to 741741 to connect with a culturally trained Crisis Text Line Counselor.
• Call Student Counseling Services (309) 438-3655. For after hours, press "2" at the prompt to speak to a counselor immediately, or dial (855) 256-2188.

Listen to a podcast:

• The Anxiety Guy Podcast – Dennis Simsek, a life coach, interviews experts in their field on different mental illness topics in 20 minute episodes.
• Not Another Anxiety Show
• The Mental Illness Happy Hour – Host Paul Gilmartin hopes to make us feel more comfortable talking about our mental health by interviewing noted figures and celebrities who share their personal struggles.

Read an article, book, or blog:

• What to Do if You are Depressed, a fantastic 15-part blog series from Dr. Gregg Henriques will help you understand depression and also offers great strategies for recovering from depression.
• Why Anxiety Should Not be Feared, a blog from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America to help you manage anxiety. Their "mini-workbook" has several ways to help you "live well with worry."
• How to Find a Good Therapist, a book that addresses everything you could want to know about therapy and connecting with a therapist.
• The Mindful 20-Something, an excellent book to help you learn to tackle stress, gain a healthier perspective, get in touch with what really matters to you, and make important life decisions guided by self-knowledge and understanding. Discover mindfulness techniques to manage life's day-today challenges from a calm, balanced center.

Watch a video:

• Therapy in a Nutshell -- Let Licensed Family and Marital Therapist, Emma McAdam, share tips on how to cope with anxiety, depression and more. Check out the episodes on Rewiring the Anxious Brain or Grounding Exercises for Anxiety
• Managing Coronavirus Anxiety: Tips & Strategies for Families - This webinar offers strategies on managing anxieties and navigating the struggles of family during this time.

Download an app:

• Calm offers a wide range of resources for sleep, meditation, and relaxation.
• MoodMission is an evidence-based app designed to empower you to overcome feelings of depression and anxiety by discovering new and better ways of coping.
• Moodfit is designed to help you feel better, whether you are experiencing anxiety, depression, or high levels of stress.
• Happify provides science-based activities and games that are meant to reduce stress, build resilience, and overcome negative thoughts.

Race Related Stress

Listen to a podcast:

• Therapy for Black Girls, from Dr. Joy Harden Bradford featuring a wide array of topics including relationships, or "situationships", grief, loneliness and more
• Code Switch – NPR offers this raw perspective on the mental impact common daily topics can have.  Race, gender ethnicity, identity, and religion are just a few of the complex issues discussed. Watch or listen to this episode on the impact of traumatic events on black people.
• Black Lives Matter Meditation for Healing Racial Trauma

Read an article or blog:

• Persistent Trauma of Systemic Racial Inequities and the Perils of COVID-19, a blog from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America
• 5 Self-Care Practices Black People Can Use While Coping With Trauma, from The Huffington Post
• The Four Bodies: A Holistic Toolkit for Coping With Racial Trauma

Watch the video, How Black People Can Process Collective Trauma and Grief

The COVID-19 pandemic can pose a substantial challenge for remaining physically active, eating well, and getting proper amounts of sleep. We invite you to check out the resources below that will help you maintain, or even begin healthy practices to manage your physical health. 

Know your campus resources

Watch this overview of Student Health Services and schedule an appointment to see a medical provider on campus.

Join virtual Group Fitness classes with Campus Recreation.

Schedule an appointment with a campus dietitian for one-on-one nutrition guidance:

• Student Health Services Dietitian, available to all students
• Event Management, Dining, and Hospitality Dietician, available to all students with a campus meal plan
• Health Promotion and Wellness nutrition consultation, available to all students

Join the registered student organization, Sober Redbirds, which meets weekly on Wednesday and Friday evenings on campus. Check their page in Redbird Life for further information and details.

Additional Resources

Exercise

• Listen to the All About Fitness podcast.
• Read articles from the American College of Sports Medicine, which features many articles and infographics on how to stay physically active during the COVID 19 pandemic.
• Download the Nike Training Club app for guided workouts with easy access on your phone.

Medical

• Listen to "How and Why Social Distancing Works" from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention podcast.
• Read the article, "What to Do If You Are Sick" from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• View an interactive map of testing sites in Illinois from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Sleep

• Watch this video on "How to get Better Sleep."
• Listen to a Guided Meditation for Easing Into Sleep.
• Read the article, "Why Your Body Loves Sleep" from The Huffington Post.
• Download the SleepLife app to monitor your sleep health.

Nutrition

• Watch this video on how to "Eat Right on a Budget."
• Listen to the EatRight Radio podcast.
• Read the article, "Support Your Health with Nutrition."
• Download the Choose MyPlate app.

Substance Use

• Need Someone to Listen? Call PATH at 2-1-1, 24/7 for crisis counseling.
• Read the article, "COVID 19: Potential Implications for Individuals with Substance Use Disorders" from the National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Download the SoberGrid app to find, share, and connect on the world's largest mobile sober community.

COVID-19 has created significant financial stress for many of us. We recognize that there won't always be a solution to financial stress, but learning about what's available is extremely empowering. Here are some resources to help manage financial stress and improve your financial wellness.

Know your campus and community resources

Office of Financial Aid

Contact the Office of Financial Aid with your questions specific to financial aid.

Illinois State's COVID-19 Redbird Response Fund

Find out more information about this student response fund and the CARES Act application.

School Street Food Pantry

Gain access to food and other supplies through the School Street Food Pantry, an organization dedicated to providing local college and trade school students with food, supplies, and knowledge about other resources in the community. 

Take Control of Your Finances

Your Account Status

View the status of your financial aid and online billing statement at My.IllinoisState.edu under the Finances tab.

Understanding Your Budget

Check out CashCourse, a free, online financial education resource designed specifically for college and university students. The budgeting tools help you manage your resources and identify areas for improvement.

Navigating the Aid Process & Your Student Loans

View your total outstanding loan balance and review different payment plan options following graduation through the federal aid website. You can also choose to complete or view a demo version of Financial Awareness Counseling, which provides information about managing your college finances.