I was so excited to go to college. When I committed to UVM, I could not wait to have the quintessential college experience – to make new friends, have classes, explore Burlington, go to sports games – everything I believed college had to offer. And for most of my freshman year, it did. I made new friends, got involved in my community, got involved in sports. And then COVID hit, and everyone was sent home. I came back my sophomore year to a whole new college, one where people struggled to connect because in-person contact was strongly discouraged. And I felt lonely, as I know many did. Now here we are, nearly two years later, back to “normal”. Back to school day isn’t an April Fools joke - it really is a new school year for many. And this new normal means reconnection – to our friends, old and new, our UVM community, and our greater Burlington community. Did you know that connecting with your friends can actually increase not only your happiness levels – I know I feel this now that I can sit and laugh over lunch with my friends again – but can increase your overall health and well-being. Spending just 30 minutes with a friend has been proven to decrease stress levels. With workloads increasing as the spring semester draws closer and closer to finals, we could all use some stress-free time. And it really is as simple as going to the dining hall with a new face on your floor or going for a walk with a friend you haven’t really seen since before masks. Reconnecting is happening all over campus, and new connections are being formed as underclassmen navigate their first taste of life on campus without masks.
My team and I want to help – to provide advice from us, the upperclassmen, about connecting on and off campus without masks and some of our favorite ways to be a part of the UVM community. Keep checking back into these posts and find ways that we can make your life happier, healthier, and less stressful – all with the simple act of connecting with others. On the UVM Thrive Guide you can find interviews with underclassmen about what they thought college would be like versus their experience, advice from upperclassmen about how to navigate college with COVID on the decline, and fun new challenges that you can do with your friends. And as poet William Yeats said, “There are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t met yet”.
“The Health Benefits of Good Friends.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 12 Jan. 2022, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/friendships/art-20044860.
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