In Search of the Good Life

Helping students find balance through Health, Recreation and Well-being Services

View Good Life Slideshow | Photos by Erik Jepsen/UC San Diego Publications

Claire Miller is studying human biology at UC San Diego, preparing to graduate in June. In her spare time, she is educating others about mental health, wellness and the related resources available on campus. Miller is part of a team of students called the Wellness Peer Educators, organized by UC San Diego’s Counseling and Psychological Services, who host events and awareness campaigns to educate their fellow students. At the Good Life Festival May 3, the Wellness Peer Educators were one of several groups helping the campus community to celebrate the many aspects of wellness.

“As students, we’re trying to balance classes, internships, student organizations and take advantage of all the experiences that UC San Diego has to offer,” said Miller. “It’s an amazing time in life, but it’s also challenging and sometimes overwhelming. That’s why it’s so important for students to take time out for health and wellness, and we’re lucky that UC San Diego offers so many resources to help.”

The Good Life Festival, hosted by UC San Diego Health , Recreation and Well-being, provided an opportunity for students—and the general campus community—to take time out to have fun, de-stress and learn about the programs the university offers to support a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle. The festival featured art, music, an inflatable obstacle course, beer goggle cart races, a photo booth and many other activities, all in the heart of campus at Matthews Quad and Town Square.

“We’ve found that many students—as well as staff, faculty and campus friends—aren’t aware of all that the campus offers to support wellness,” said Iris Crowe-Lerma, program coordinator for Health, Recreation and Well-being. “We thought this festival would be a fun, interactive way to educate the campus about Health, Recreation and Well-being and we hope that it will become an annual tradition.”

From learning how to effectively manage stress and cultivate healthy relationships to learning a new sport and nutrition tips, UC San Diego takes care of its students.  Health, Recreation and Well-being is committed to helping students maintain a well-balanced lifestyle while fostering academic success. The following areas are included under Health, Recreation and Well-being:

• Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) – The primary mission of CAPS is to provide individual and group counseling for UC San Diego students, focusing on the typical problems that undergraduate and graduate students experience.
• Recreation – Students can exercise, play and have fun with a variety of programs and services offered by the Recreation Department, including intramural athletics, sports clubs, recreation classes, Outback Adventures, and state-of-the art gym and pool facilities.
• Sexual Assault and Violence Prevention (SARC) – SARC offers workshops on violence prevention as well as free and confidential services for students impacted by violence, including sexual assault and dating violence.
• Student Health Services (SHS) – SHS provides quality primary medical care with board-certified physicians, including specialists in gynecology, sports medicine, rheumatology, urgent care and mental/behavioral health.
• The Zone – The Zone is a student lounge that features free programs ranging from yoga and zumba to cooking demonstrations. It’s also a place where students can stop in to relax with a cup of tea, study or take a nap.

Many student wellness programs at UC San Diego are funded in part by private support, including gifts from parents and families to the UC San Diego Parents Fund. To learn more about supporting student wellness, visit giving.ucsd.edu.