Whether you’re got the blues or a bad case of the flu, UC Davis has something for you.
Since most of the campus services are free-of-charge or have already been factored into the tuition, students can feel free to use them without worrying about breaking their wallets.
Counseling and Psychological Services
Stress from school or relationships wearing you down? You can always go to the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and talk to a counselor.
Students can discuss anything including academics, romantic and family relationships, body image, depression and anxiety or other personal crises.
“There is a career center on campus but sometimes the career questions that people have are more personal,” said Mike Maguire, psychology fellow at CAPS. “When somebody experiences anxiety or depression or worry around career planning, we would be the place to come to.”
Although there is a stigma associated with going to counseling, Maguire said it is important for students to realize that everyone goes through difficult times.
“Just because somebody comes in for counseling doesn’t mean that they’re crazy,” he said.
The counselors are professionally trained and most have doctorate degrees. They follow a strict confidential policy and do not share any information unless given written permission.
Cowell Student Health Center
Students who aren’t feeling well can go to the Cowell Student Health Center.
“All students are eligible no matter what insurance they have,” said Michelle Johnston, health education supervisor at the Cowell Student Health Center.
The center is equipped with X-ray services, an in-house lab and a pharmacy. It also provides services in primary care, women’s health, men’s health, specialty care, nutrition and allergy treatment.
While many students wait until allergy season hits at full force, the center offers students the option to come in before allergy season to see what can be done for them, she said.
The Cowell Student Health Center hosts programs and events to make the campus environment more conducive to health and wellness, Johnston said. Students can get massage therapy for stress reduction or participate in a free management series to get a better handle on healthy eating.
The Health Education and Promotion center is a part of the health center that focuses particularly on sexual health, tobacco and alcohol use and wellness.
Women’s Resource & Research Center
The WRRC is open to the campus community and offers workshops, classes and access to their library collection as well as personal assistance from the staff.
One of the hallmarks of the WRRC is that they have a friendly, accessible and knowledgeable staff, said Robin Whitmore, co-director of the WRRC.
“We make it a priority to help students who come through the door and they can get assistance on the spot,” she said.
Students can receive help in both personal and academic matters.
The WRRC is the initial stop for resources, support and someone to listen who’s confidential, said Macy Minor, specialist at the WRRC.
“Everything that happens here stays here,” she said.
The WRRC also has wireless Internet and a library that comprises of 10,000 books about women and gender issues.
There are free services offered year-round including math tutoring, drop-in career advising, self-defense classes and workshops.
Students can take self-defense for physical education credit, as an extracurricular activity at the Activities & Recreation Center or as an individual session with their sorority or residence hall.
Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Resource Center (LGBTRC)
Have you ever seen the rainbow flag by Voorhies Hall? That’s the LGBTRC, an organization that addresses homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and heterosexism.
Each year, the LGBTRC hosts a number of campuswide events such as Pride Week, TransAction Week, Intersex Awareness Week and the Lavender Graduation Ceremony.
They hope to educate the community about LGBT issues and to create a better campus climate for everyone, said Sheri Atkinson, director of the LGBTRC.
“LGBT issues are not even on the radar screen,” she said. “When talking about diversity, many people don’t think about that as part of the campus environment.”
Some students may not visit the center because they’re either confident about their sexuality and already have a support group, or they’re scared, Atkinson said.
“Homophobia and heterosexism happen in a variety of forms – it can be subtle or overt discrimination,” she said. “We try to raise awareness about all forms of homophobia and how it affects all of us, not just LGBT people.”
Cross-Cultural Center (CCC)
In 1990, four students participated in a hunger strike on the UC Davis campus for social and academic justice. From there, the Cross-Cultural Center was created to advocate for campus diversity and a multicultural community.
According to its website, the CCC strives to create a safe space for all students who wish to explore the intersections of diverse identities on campus; for example, they hope to implement unisex bathrooms on campus.
THUY TRAN can be reached at features@californiaaggie.com.
