USC students, and the community around campus, showed up to vote yesterday, some people being so determined to make their voice heard that they waited more than five hours to vote in person.
After a fast sweep of a presidential result, students may be experiencing stirred emotions and heightened stress. USC is offering additional mental health support to navigate both personal reactions and social climates shaped by last night’s results.
On Election Day, Dornsife emailed students offering extra in-person and virtual drop-in hours in JEF 102H or 102L.
“Clinicians will be available to support Dornsife students managing non-emergent stressors, including socio-political stressors post-election and academics/midterms,” the email said.
One session was held today, and upcoming sessions include this Friday (11/8) at JEF 102H from 1-3 p.m., and next Wednesday (11/13) in JEF 102L from 12-2 p.m.
Annenberg, Marshall, SCA and Dornsife students all have access to embedded mental health counselors, and sessions can be booked through MySHR. Students not in these schools still have access to USC counselors and can book through MySHR, or walk-in for appointments during their business hours.
There are also other options for students on campus looking for spaces to talk about their feelings regarding politics.
The USC Center for the Political Future is hosting several election-related events including “Election 2024: What’s Next for LA?,” “Election 2024: What Mattered Most?”, “Election 2024: Is It Really Over?” and more.
If you’re looking for something more personal, students can sign up for a session for a “Let’s Talk session.” This is a 30-minute one-on-one conversation, not a psychotherapy session, with a clinician from USC Student Health— Counseling and Mental Health.
It is also important for students to return to their baseline well-being practices, Dr. Broderick Leaks suggests in his blog post with Staying Well at USC.
Dr. Leaks, a PhD, clinical psychologist, vice chair for college mental health and associate vice president for student health, urges students to set healthy boundaries with news consumption, find support through communities and prioritize mental and physical wellness with exercise, mindfulness, hobbies and other stress-reducing activities.
Students dealing with an immediate medical, mental health or sexual assault matter, should call the Student Health line at 213-740-9355 (WELL). More resources can be found at https://safety.usc.edu/resources/counseling/.