February 2021
February Calendar

Happy 2021! We can't believe it's already February. We have a full calendar of events to share with you this month!

Some highlights:
  • Black History Month Wellness Series
  • National Condom Week
  • National Eating Disorder Awareness Week
  • Bears in the Kitchen - Pork Dumpling Virtual Cook Along
  • Talk Food with Us Series
Make Pork Dumplings at the Upcoming "Bears in the Kitchen" Event

Tuesday, February 9, 5-6pm

Join Elizabeth Aong, RD, for this virtual cook along! In celebration of Lunar New Year, she will be making homemade pork dumplings!

You can even pick up ingredients from the Food Pantry.

COVID-19 Response Efforts

Learn about various components of our COVID response plan in this video!

This includes but isn’t limited to:
  • Surveillance Testing
  • Testing Badge
  • Prevention Best Practices
  • CA COVID Notify
  • Contact Tracing
  • COVID Dashboard

Surge in COVID-19 Cases at UC Berkeley
As you may know, there has been a recent surge in cases that are believed to be tied to small off-campus gatherings. Please do NOT attend any gatherings or events outside your immediate residential bubbles, even if your most recent COVID test is negative. More information can be found on the COVID website.

As always, please continue to follow protocols such as physical distancing, handwashing, and wearing face coverings. Download CA COVID Notify so you can be alerted if you were exposed, this is especially helpful when exposure could have been from a stranger. Bears Protect Bears!
COVID-19 Tests at UHS
There are two types of tests: clinical symptomatic testing and surveillance (asymptomatic) testing.

Clinical Symptomatic Testing is for those who are showing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in close contact with someone who tested positive.

Surveillance Asymptomatic Testing is for students who live in campus-owned buildings or who are working on campus.

Surveillance Testing Requirements

Required Testing 2x/Week
  • Students in Residence Halls & Campus-Owned Apartments
  • Residential Life Staff (RAs and RDs)

Required Testing 1x/Week
  • Students living in University Village Albany (UVA)
  • Anyone coming to campus (students, postdocs, staff, and faculty)

Recommended Testing 2x/Week
  • Bowles Hall Residents
  • Greek Housing Residents
  • Berkeley Student Cooperative (Co-Op) Residents
Kick Off 2021 with Your Health in Mind!
New SHIP benefits have begun for 2021! This means you can take advantage of your vision, dental, and medical check-ups for the year. Using the new year as a reminder is a great way to remember to get your prevention appointments scheduled on an annual cycle.

If you have SHIP:
  • Use MySHIP Online to access your insurance ID card and find a medical or behavioral health provider
  • Familiarize yourself with the new SHIP updates like:
  • No referrals from UHS are needed before accessing medical and mental health care
  • The student health center (SHC) at each University of California campus gladly offers reciprocal access to currently registered students from all other UC campuses under the same conditions that apply to its own students.

If you don't have SHIP:
  • You can still make a virtual appointment at the Tang Center! You would pay for the services first and then submit a claim for reimbursement.
Nutrition Services this Spring

Tuesdays, 3:30-4:30pm
Wednesdays & Thursdays, 2:45-3:45pm
Fridays, 10-11am

Meet with a registered dietitian over video or phone and ask about your general nutrition concerns. These 15-minute sessions are free and offered on a first-come, first-served basis.


Join the Nutrition Outreach Workers (NOW) for a conversation about all things food. Each week the NOWs will serve up an appetizer of info, then dig into the main course of interactive discussion. Your questions and ideas are the icing on the cake!

Feb 10 - Myth Busters
Feb 17 - How to Stick to Your Food Budget
Feb 24 - Health at Every Size
Mar 3 - Superstar Foods
Mar 10 - Simple Student-Friendly Recipes
Mar 17 - Mindful Eating
Health Tip Live Spring Lineup
Join UHS Health Workers for a virtual roundtable of their health tips! See our Health Tip Live webpage for zoom links and descriptions.

  • Getting Things Done! Time Management Feb 8, 4-5pm
  • Navigating Resources 101 - Feb 17, 4:30-5:30pm
  • Take a Break, Make a Change: Creating and Sustaining Wellness Habits - Feb 22, 7-8pm
  • The “Choice” to Participate: Hazing Prevention and Intervention* - March 2, 5:15-5:30pm
  • Expectations vs Reality - Making Moments for Mindfulness - March 10, 7-8pm
  • Eating: Nourishing Your Body and Mind - March 18, 6:30-7:30pm
  • Financial Health and Wellness* - April 6, 5:30-6pm
  • Barriers to Belonging* - April 16, 12:30-1:30pm

*also available via Facebook Live (Be Well Cal)
National Condom Week
Join the Sexual Health Education Program (SHEP) for National Condom Week from Feb 8-14.

Safer Sex Supplies Sexpress Delivery
Choose one of 5 convenient locations on campus to pick-up safer sex supplies for your next sexperience! From condoms to lube, pick up in amounts of ten or in bulk. SHEP is here to make your next sexperience sexy and safe! Order a Sexpress delivery.

Daily Sex(y) Tips on Facebook & Instagram
The Sexual Health Education Program will be posting tips on Instagram and Facebook for the week based on different daily themes.
Taking Care of Your Mental Health
We know life can be challenging and overwhelming right now. Whether it's dealing with school, your living situation, the pandemic, finding a job after graduation, missing your friends, or anything else life could be throwing at you, it can be hard. We hope that you're able to find a way to take care of yourself and your mental health.

Aside from individual counseling, there are a few items in your toolbox from UHS that can help.
Therapy Assistance Online (TAO) is a private online library of behavioral health resources. You have free and unlimited access as a Berkeley student.

You can learn stress management, mindfulness skills, relationship skills, problem solving, strategies to avoid dwelling on concerns, and develop more helpful thinking patterns.

TAO provides
  • Guided therapy videos (like "Positive In, Negative Out," "Mindful Breathing" or States of Flow)
  • Assessments
  • Modules like "Calming Your Worry," "Improving Your Mood," or "Let Go and Be Well"
  • Practice tools and logs
Let's Talk Drop-In Consultations are available Monday-Friday at various times. Let's Talk is a brief, informal, and confidential consultation. Let's Talk can be helpful for those who:

  • Are not sure about counseling and wonder what it's like to talk to a counselor
  • Not interested in ongoing counseling but would like the perspective of a counselor
  • Not sure what they need and would like a counselor's support in identifying options and/or resources
  • Have a concern about a friend and wants some thoughts on what to do
  • Feeling daunted by the process fo getting an appointment at Tang

Group counseling is a powerful and effective way for students to share, give and receive support, and learn and heal. You can even self-refer yourself for this service!

Some examples of some groups this semester:
  • Wellness in Action
  • From Self-Criticism to Kindness
  • Black, Indigenous, Men of Color Healing Circle
  • BIPOC Queer Womxn's Support Circle
  • Career Planning: Surviving and Thriving at UC Berkeley
We hope you're having a great start to the new year!