May is mental health awareness month. Counseling and Prevention Services (CAPS) has designed Mental Wellness for Students cards to promote mental health. Each card includes simple, practical tips that encourage students to engage and connect. Today’s card focuses on social circles:
What is a social circle?
- Take out a piece of paper and draw a circle with your name in the middle.
- Expand your circle with individuals that you communicate with often such as:
- Someone you can call or be with during a hard time
- Someone you can ask a favor from
Take at least 30 seconds and look at your circle to determine if you are satisfied with it. If you are, write a couple of different ways to maintain these connections and expand them further. If you aren’t satisfied, identify ways you can expand it and incorporate new people. Some examples include the following:
- Reaching out to an old friend or mentor
- Attending school-related events
- Introducing yourself to someone new on campus or at work