Resources to Support Your Well-Being: Anderson Bi-Weekly Connect

We have centred this week’s connect on resources available to support your well-being. Alongside our short stories, we will be sharing the following:

• • COVID-19 Update
  • Flu Season
  • Resources to support you during this time

Hope you enjoy them!

COVID-19 Updates

As you may know, Toronto and Peel regions have officially moved into lockdown. This news article will help to identify the difference between transitioning from the red zone to a lockdown. It also summarizes what’s open, what’s closed, what’s limited, and details about gatherings and events.

During this time, it is important to continue practicing safety measures as well as maintaining mental and physical health. This newsletter provides some insight and tips to support health and well-being. We have also included inspiring short stories that highlight facing adversity and building strength as a community!

Although the lockdown may impact your social life, it will not impact your studying routine as all Anderson classes will continue as normal. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your instructor or campus director, or email your questions and concerns to connect@andersoncollege.com.

Flu Season

The flu season typically starts from late fall to early spring. This year, the flu season and COVID-19 are taking place during the same time. This link addresses that some of the symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to the flu, and it may be hard to tell the difference between them. If you find yourself in this situation, you may take the COVID-19 test at your testing location, or you may take the COVID-19 self-assessment and it will provide recommendations on what to do next.

If you would like information about getting your flu shot, please see this link for more information.

Resources to support you during this time

Ontario 211
Ontario 211 is a free, non-emergency helpline that connects you to community and social services in your area 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in over 150 languages. 211 can be a resource if you are dealing with stress during the pandemic, as they can refer you to mental health services, support groups, counselling and many more services.

Good to Talk
Good to Talk is a free, confidential support service for post-secondary students in Ontario. Good2Talk can support students through a wide range of issues that may be impacting their mental health and well-being including depression, anxiety, substance misuse, academic stress, personal or family relationships, loneliness, financial concerns. You may call Good2Talk at 1-866-925-5454 to speak anonymously with a professional counsellor, and receive information and referrals about services and supports for mental health and well-being.
In addition, post-secondary students can also access free, text-based support through Good2Talk’s partnership with Crisis Text Line. You can text GOOD2TALKON to 686868 to chat with a trained volunteer Crisis Responder.

Mental Health Services
If you are looking for mental health services in your community, you can take a look at this link for resources.

Short Story 1 – When Adversity Knocks

This is a story that explains how adversity is met differently by different people. There was a girl named Asha who lived with her mother and father in a village. One day, her father assigned her a simple task. He took three vessels filled with boiling water. He placed an egg in one vessel, a potato in the second vessel, and some tea leaves in the third vessel. He asked Asha to keep an eye on the vessels for about ten to fifteen minutes while the three ingredients in three separate vessels boiled. After the said time, he asked Asha to peel the potato and egg, and strain the tea leaves. Asha was left puzzled – she understood her father was trying to explain her something, but she didn’t know what it was.

Her father explained, “All three items were put in the same circumstances. See how they’ve responded differently.” He said that the potato turned soft, the egg turned hard, and the tea leaves changed the colour and taste of the water. He further said, “We are all like one of these items. When adversity calls, we respond exactly the way they do. Now, are you a potato, an egg, or tea leaves?”

Moral of the Story:
We can choose how to respond to a difficult situation.

Short Story 2 – A Bundle of Sticks

Once upon a time, three neighbours living in a village were having trouble with their crops. Each of the neighbours had one field, but the crops on their fields were infested with pests and were wilting. Every day, they would come up with different ideas to help their crops. The first one tried using a scarecrow in his field, the second used pesticides, and the third built a fence on his field, all to no avail.
One day, the village head came by and called the three farmers. He gave them each a stick and asked them to break it. The farmers could break them easily. He then gave them a bundle of three sticks, and again, asked them to break it. This time, the farmers struggled to break the sticks. The village head said, “Together, you are stronger and work better than you do it alone.” The farmers understood what the village head was saying. They pooled their resources and got rid of the pests from their fields.

Moral of the Story:
There is strength in unity.

Image credit: Travel photo created by onlyyouqj – www.freepik.com