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Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

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Counseling and Psychological Services welcomes the class of 2021!

Your first semester at Wesleyan may be the most fun you’ve ever had, or it may be the toughest transition you’ve ever experienced.  Or it could be both.  The clinicians at CAPS are ready to meet with you, whether for one session or many, to assist you as you navigate your new life at Wes.  No problem is too big or too small to talk over with one of our therapists.  We see students who are struggling with academics, social life, adjustment to college, and relationships, as well as students who experience depression, anxiety, panic, trauma, eating and body image concerns, and many other mental health issues.  We offer individual sessions and medication management as well as support groups and workshops.  If you’ve never met with a therapist before, schedule an appointment to see what it’s like!  We are an enthusiastic staff who love working with college students.  We offer crisis visits for students who are too distressed to wait for a regular appointment, and we have on-call clinicians available for after-hours emergencies during the academic year.

We are open for regular services on Monday, September 4th, but you can contact us to schedule an appointment beginning August 28th.  Call us at 860.685.2910 or 860.685.3143.  You can also email us at counseling@wesleyan.edu.

Looking forward to meeting you soon!

The Rule of 7

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If there is a magic or golden rule for college, it is the Rule of 7.

You have probably never heard of it before, but never mind that.  What it means is that you should take on no more than seven things this semester.  For real.  That includes your four courses and three other activities, whether that be a campus job, a sport or a student group.  I know this seems like an impossible thing to do, especially for those of you who were involved in 16 co-curricular activities in high school for the love of what you were doing and/or to get into a good college.

Now that you’re in one, scale it back so that you can step up to the intellectual demands and focus on your academic work.  (Did you know you are supposed to dedicate three to four hours of outside work for every class session of a 1.00 credit course?)  Scale it back so that you can be really engaged with each of your other activities and not burn out, especially in this first semester when you are also spending time and energy meeting new people, learning the landscape, and finding your place.  Okay, so you end up doing eight things, but as a good guide, keep in mind the Rule of 7.

The Gordon Career Center

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GORDON CAREER CENTER WELCOMES THE CLASS OF 2021!

The Gordon Career Center is eager to partner with you over the next four years.

We can help you clarify your interests, choose a major, explore job shadow and internship opportunities and brainstorm career options. We also help with writing resumes and cover letters, and interview preparation.  The Gordon Career Center invites all students in the Class of 2021!

Here are 5 easy ways to get started:

  1. Login to Handshake

Complete your profile on our new, mobile-ready career management system (wesleyan.joinhandshake.com).  Check out hundreds of internship opportunities and employers wanting to engage with Wesleyan students.

  1. Visit the Gordon Career Center

Meet with a Peer Career Advisor (PCA) to learn about the resources and services the Gordon Career Center has to offer.  Ask a PCA for tips on how to make the most of your first year at Wesleyan.

  1. Write a Resume

Attend one of our resume writing workshops or look at the resume writing resources in Handshake to get started.  We can help you develop your first polished college resume.

  1. Create a LinkedIn Profile

Use this tool to bring your professional presentation to the next level.  Discover the fascinating things an English or Math major can do and see what Wesleyan alumni actually pursue after graduating.

  1. Attend a workshop, program or employer information session

Check out the Events calendar listed on Handshake to see all of our offerings.  We hope to see you soon!

The Davison Health Center

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Welcome to the Davison Health Center:

The Health Center is staffed by a clinical team ready to keep you healthy while residing on campus.  We provide care for illness and injuries, as well as wellness visits ranging from immunizations (i.e. flu shots), sexual health screenings and testing, travel consultations and nutrition counseling.  We are open six days a week and have a physician on call when closed.  We schedule by appointment, but students can always call and speak with a nurse who will triage you to the most appropriate visit based on your concerns.  Call 860-685-2470.

The Health Center administers the Wesleyan school insurance plan.  All students must have private insurance or enroll in the school plan annually.  If you have not yet done so, please waive or enroll at www.gallagherstudent.com/wesleyan.  The deadline has been extended to September 14.

Academic Support Resources

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So where do you go or who do you call if you need academic support or study resources to help ensure your success in mastering course material, managing your time, or clearing your head to focus on work?

Check out the amazing list on the

Student Academic Resources homepage!

Some resources to highlight include your class dean–Dean Brown–and your faculty advisor (for academic and general advice and referrals), your professors (for each course), peer tutors (for course material, available after the drop/add period), the peer advisors (especially for study skills and planning), accessibility services (for a range of accommodations), the dean for international student affairs, the Writing and Math Workshops, the Quantitative Analysis Center, and the Language Resource Center.

There can, at times, be a fine line between academic and personal life, so if you need to regain your academic focus and figure out something that has been distracting you from your coursework, don’t hesitate to call Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) to set up an appointment with a therapist or contact one of the chaplains in the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (ORSL).  The Health Center and WesWell are also good resources in this regard as are the Office of Equity and Inclusion and the new Student Equity Resource Center.

We want you to be intellectually engaged, challenged and successful, so take advantage of the resources in place to support you in the process.

Remain in Good Academic Standing: Know the Academic Standing Criteria

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“Whaaat?” you ask, thinking that you haven’t even landed on campus and yet you are being advised to check out the criteria for academic review, promotion, and discipline.  I know—it may seem premature and irrelevant, especially since the Class of 2021 is a class of stellar, high-achieving students, but it doesn’t hurt to be aware of Wesleyan’s expectations for your progress towards the degree (see 8/2 blog posting) and what that means.

Information about Academic Standing and the conditions for Warning, Probation, Strict Probation, Required Resignation, and Separation can be found in the Academic Review and Promotion section of the academic regulations.  It is wise (and your responsibility) to know them, so check out that section (and while you’re at it, the other academic regulations too).

Keep your academics front and center, and use the many resources on campus available to support your success so that you are always in Good Standing and engaged with your work!

Thoughts from a Peer Advisor: Tips and Tricks for NSO

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Tips and Tricks for NSO

Welcome to Wes!  We hope you are getting excited to come to campus for New Student Orientation (NSO).  NSO is a whirlwind of activities, new friends, and unique opportunities—but it can also feel like a tornado of messy dorm rooms, strange new buildings, and first-day-of-school nerves that you haven’t experienced since middle school.  To help you manage the wonderful chaos that is NSO, take a look at these tips and tricks:

Exchange phone numbers with everyone!  NSO is a busy time, and it’s likely that you’ll meet someone you get along with, agree to get a meal sometime, and then not run into them for another week.  It is so helpful to have peoples’ phone numbers, especially in the first couple days when you’re still learning how to navigate campus. 

Accept Facebook friend requests from Wesleyan students, even if you don’t know them!  You never know when you are going to need to contact someone about homework, a club, or a campus activity.  It will make your life easier if you’ve established these connections from the start.

Take your key EVERYWHERE.  Get into the habit of taking it with you to the bathroom, laundry, and kitchen.  One accidental lockout can throw a wrench in your plans.  The good news is that if you do find yourself locked out, the RAs and Public Safety are always very understanding and helpful.

Buy containers and shelves that fit under your bed.  Dorm rooms aren’t too big, so making use of this storage space is essential.

Explore your options when buying books for class.  Wesleyan’s bookstore is a great resource for school and dorm supplies in addition to books—and you can pay with Middletown Cash.  However, there are other vendors that offer most of the same books and sometimes at a cheaper price, including Amazon, BookRenter, and AbeBooks.  If you don’t have your books on the first day of class, do not worry.  Professors understand that the first two weeks of school are a “shopping period,” during which students are figuring out what classes they want to take.  Professors will often post the textbook readings online for the first couple of classes, so you do not need to stress about falling behind.

Attend NSO activities!  It’s the “cool” thing to do, I promise.  There is so much to be gained by simply attending these events.  From meaningful conversations about bystander intervention to a gender-bender dance party, NSO offers something for everyone.  These activities are built to give you the resources and confidence to ensure a successful start to the year.  You’ll learn about campus, you’ll make friends, and you’re guaranteed to have fun.

Lastly, but importantly…

It is okay to feel lonely.  NSO is an incredibly exciting time, but being surrounded by so many new faces and new activities might feel daunting.   If you ever feel lost, we can guarantee that you are NEVER the only one feeling that way.  Everyone comes to campus with doubts and reservations, though some might hide it better than others.  One of the most valuable parts of NSO is that it provides a comfortable space to address these feelings.  We cannot promise that you will never feel lonely or homesick.  But we can promise that if you ever do feel this way, you will always have the entire Wesleyan community in your corner, for the next four years and beyond.

Elisa Greenberg ’18, Academic Peer Advisor

Bike Registration: Important for Bike Owners!

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College campuses across the country are generally safe places for the students attending them and our campus is no different.  In many instances though, this leads to a relaxed attitude toward personal safety and security measures, and students tend to let their guard down.  A majority of the crimes that occur on campus are crimes of opportunity.  One area we typically see this is in bicycle thefts.  Bicycle thefts have become a growing problem on college campuses and Wesleyan is no exception.  If you bring a bike on campus, please keep the following tips in mind:

  • Always secure your bike with a heavy duty U lock.  Cable locks are easily cut.
  • Use indoor bike racks when possible as opposed to outdoor racks.
  • Secure the bike by locking the front tire and frame to the rack.
  • Use a cable lock in addition to a U lock to further thwart the theft of your bike.
  • Register your bike on campus so your serial number is recorded.

Public Safety will be conducting bicycle registration sessions in September.  Please look for further information when you arrive on campus.

We encourage you to visit our website at www.wesleyan.edu/publicsafety where you can register your bike online.  Our site also contains helpful information about our office and important crime prevention tips.

Always remember, “Lock It or Lose It”!

Celebrate Student Successes with Merit!

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The Office of Communications tells the stories of Wesleyan—including celebrating and sharing student accomplishments through the online service Merit. From research and academic awards to study abroad, volunteer work and co-curricular activities, your Merit page is a verified professional profile that we build for you, and that you can share with prospective employers, graduate schools and others. Over the coming years, we’ll use this system to notify your hometown newspaper, high schools and families about your accomplishments. More than 300 colleges and universities around the country now use Merit.

You don’t have to do anything to maintain your Merit page, but if you wish, you can enhance it with a photo, bio, other activities or work experience. You can also connect it to your LinkedIn profile.

You’ll get an email each time we update your Merit page. Follow the link in the email to sign into your page and see what you’ve been recognized for. You can also enter your name into the search box on wesleyan.meritpages.com to find your Merit page.

More information is available here. If you prefer not to participate, you can opt out at any time by emailing studentnews@wesleyan.edu, or responding to the email you receive from Merit. Questions can be directed to Lauren Rubenstein, lrubenstein@wesleyan.edu, in the Office of Communications. We’re excited to promote your success on your Merit page!

Thoughts from a Peer Advisor: Emailing Your Professors

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In this age of informal social media, it can be unclear about how to address your professors et al.  The “Hey there” salutation doesn’t go over very well and use of first names comes by invitation.  Check out the following piece  written by former peer advisor, Faisal Kirdar ’14, which remains current to this day.

“Emailing Your Professor”

Of the many essential skills in college, knowing how to write your professor is one that should not be overlooked.  Whether for claiming the last seat in a class, getting answers to course questions, or generally making a positive impression, a strong email can go a long way.  The following is a simple framework from which you can base your own emails.

Starting out: can’t go wrong with “Dear” 

Some say “Dear” sounds overly formal. It’s not! Using “Dear” is the most direct way of showing your professor an essential level of respect. While “Hi” can be appropriate in causal settings with your friends, never use it when emailing your profs for the first time.

Dear Professor Taylor,

Introduce yourself!

If you have never written to or met the professor in question, the best way to start the email is with a quick self-introduction. Keep it basic to things like your name, class year, and major (when applicable).

My name is Faisal Kirdar and I am a Senior majoring in Neuroscience.

Why are you writing?

A good second sentence will get right to the point: why are you writing? This is where you state your purpose. This should also be stated in the subject of the email in no more than 4 words.

I am writing to inquire if it is possible to go over a few course topics; in particular I am having trouble understanding molecular orbital diagrams.

If you have a question, be sure to ask it

Often the reason you’ll write your professors is to ask a question or several questions. It’s important not just to say I am writing to ask you about molecular orbital diagrams; you must also give something specific to which your professor can respond.  If the question is very specific and can be answered quickly via email, ask it. If it requires more interaction, then the question should be geared toward scheduling an appointment to do so.

Is there a convenient time for us to meet this week?

Arm your professor with relevant info

Provide as much relevant information as you can. If you are requesting a time to meet, let them know your availability. This will make it easier for your professor to respond promptly.

I’m available Mondays and Wednesdays from 12-4 PM.

Tell them what you want them to do

Make it even easier for your professor to respond to you by finishing the note with a clear, polite instruction.

Please let me know what time is most convenient for your schedule.

End with a friendly and polite send off

It is important to end the email on a positive note and further demonstrate your respect for the professor. This ensures a strong impression and in some cases encourages the professor to respond more quickly.

**Additional advice from Dean Brown: 

  1. If you haven’t received a response within a few days, don’t hesitate to resend your email with a note recognizing that they have may missed yours in the deluge of email they receive.  Because this does happen, most people appreciate it–I certainly do–when a student kindly brings it to their attention. 
  2. Don’t let an email stop you from contacting a professor, faculty advisor, dean or other source of support.  You can always follow up immediately after class with a professor or go to office hours, which will be posted in course syllabi, on office doors, in their emails, or on department/office websites.  If you can’t make office hours or would like a little more time than those allow (usually they are short visits), let them know that.