Your Healing Space: Welcome Back!

Wellness @ Columbia

Your Healing Space is embracing a new, longer-form format to share more detailed information with the Columbia community. This month's edition is focused on the start of the semester and includes a submission from Lauren Targ, our Academic Life Coach. To learn more about Life Coaching or to schedule a time to meet with Lauren, check out her website here.  

W@CSubmissions
We want to hear from you! Send us your thoughts on wellness in word or visual form. Select submissions will be shared in future W@C communications. Email Richard your submissions - rchin@colum.edu 

Welcome to (and Welcome Back) Columbia College Chicago!

As we step into the Fall semester, I want to take a moment to recognize both the opportunities and challenges that surround us. On a global scale, we are navigating climate change, rapid technological advancement, shifting economic and political landscapes, and the persistent need for strong mental health support. It can feel overwhelming at times—like the weight of the world is pressing in.

And yet, in the midst of all that noise and uncertainty, I feel hopeful.

Here at Columbia College Chicago, we are entering a new era under the leadership of President Bolton and her new team. This is an exciting time for our community—a chance to strengthen our identity as a uniquely creative institution, where you, our students, are at the center. I believe in your resilience, your imagination, and your ability to shape the future in ways only you can.

This semester, I encourage you to take advantage of the many resources designed to help you succeed both inside and outside the classroom. One easy way to get connected is by looking for the “How to Columbia” tag on Engage. These workshops cover everything from navigating our new Student Information System to finding scholarships, connecting with campus resources, and developing the skills to thrive here and beyond.

Remember—you are not alone in this journey. Lean into your community, explore the resources available to you, and give yourself permission to grow, stumble, learn, and succeed.

Welcome to those of you joining Columbia for the first time. Welcome back to those returning. I’m excited for the year ahead and honored to walk alongside you as you take your next steps.

With hope and encouragement,
Lauren Targ

Starting the Semester & Finding a Rhythm

Whether this is your first or last year at Columbia, the start of the year comes with a certain energy. We hope you are feeling it and are ready to put your all into this semester. This month, we are focusing on tips to help as you find your rhythm.

Start off busy
It’s easier to drop activities than it is to try to find time later on. If there are student groups or activities that are interesting to you, check them out sooner rather than later and you can build your study and social schedule around them. If you end up being too busy later on, you can always put that activity on hold for the rest of the semester, but people are unlikely to try new things when things are busy. Look at the Student groups on Engage and pick a couple to check out in the next week or two.

Explore Campus
Find your hangouts and study spots. Check out the Hive, the Student Center, the Library, your department's building. It's important to have some places to be other than your room. Our brains like to generalize, which can lead to sleep disruption if you regularly study in your bed or increase procrastination if you are trying to write an essay at the desk where you play videogames. Find some comfortable places to do your work and get comfortable with the campus.

Plan your work
Due tomorrow – do tomorrow? Try setting good study habits early this semester. If you are a person who does well with electronic organizers, go through your syllabi and Canvas to map out your assignments, projects, and reading so you can stay on top of your work. If you need something physical, drop by the Advising office and get a student handbook which has a pretty nice planner in it.

Think about your body
Especially if this is your first semester in a new living situation, there are lots of adjustments to make. Your sleep schedule is probably going to be different. Your eating habits are likely to change. Your movement and exercise habits are probably very different. Listen to what your body is telling you and make sure you are taking care of it. Check out the Center for Student Wellbeing’s Engage page to see the upcoming events on meal planning if cooking for yourself is something that’s new to you. If you haven’t been to Kinema on the 4^th floor of the Student Center, give that a look and get your free personal training session if you are feeling uncomfortable using the machinery.

Schedule your chores
Laundry and cleaning are such an exciting part of being an adult… but seriously, it’s good to get into a habit of dealing with these things on a schedule so you don’t find yourself with an overwhelming amount of things to clean while you have a midterm due. It adds to the stress and can give you an excuse to procrastinate on something you probably shouldn’t.

Don’t get stuck inside
I hate to break it to you, but winter is coming. The more time you spend outside, the better you will be acclimated to the weather – ever notice how 50 in Spring feels warm when 50 in Fall feels cold? Aside from that, being outside (especially in green areas – think Grant Park and the Lakefront Trail) helps our moods and getting exposure to natural light helps with our circadian rhythms. If this is your first experience with Chicago weather, you might check out the Rack to find some layers as the days get cooler.

Get off campus sometimes
You chose a school in Chicago for a reason, get together with someone and go check out some of what the city has to offer. Go to Pilsen for the 2^nd Fridays exhibitions; go to a concert; visit one of our historic theaters. There’s too much variety in the city to distill neatly into a newsletter bullet. Check out DO312 or the Chicago Reader for ideas.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help
While this is an exciting time, it can also be overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to utilize the resources that are here for you on campus. We are here for you, the person reading this right now. You do not need to wait until things get “bad enough,” you can reach out now. If you had resources that you used last semester or your last institution and they were helpful, start the semester strong and at least get to know the offices that are here to support you. The Dean of Students’ website has a nice layout to help you find the resource you are looking for. 

Highlighted Events This Month