In May we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month. With this nationally recognized month, we promote the importance of taking care of one’s emotional well-being and challenge the stigmas associated with mental health. This year at the University of Oregon, we continue to engage in the theme of “Mental Health is Health.”
We want to emphasize the challenges students, faculty members, and staff face regarding their mental health, especially within the context of the current global and local climates.
According to a trend analysis of the Healthy Minds Study (2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023), UO students are reporting they are experiencing increasing mental health challenges, especially depression and anxiety. Among those students who reported being affected by problems related to depression for instance, we note a 9 percent increase between 2017 and 2023, from 73 percent to 84 percent. And approximately half of UO students surveyed in 2023 were determined to be at risk for moderate to severe depression and/or anxiety.
Fortunately, UO students are showing increasing self-efficacy to seek help for their mental health concerns, and in 2023, nearly 80 percent of students reported that they are aware of how to access resources if they need professional support.
This May we have created events tailored to increasing awareness of campus mental health resources, decreasing the stigma associated with mental health, as well as emphasizing taking care of oneself and each other during and beyond this year’s national Mental Health Awareness Month.
Mental Health Awareness Month Bingo
We encourage all students, faculty members, and staff to participate in Mental Health Awareness Month Bingo to help you engage in self and collective care. Bingo cards can be found at the Navigation station in University Health Services on the first floor. Sign up online to participate in the game for the chance to win prizes.
Healthy Minds Study
Note that the 2025 Healthy Minds Study will be open in April 28–May 16 to randomly selected students. If you have received an email requesting your participation, please take the time to answer the survey and help the UO continue to understand the mental health of our students, in order for us to raise awareness about and continuously improve our programs and services.
Follow our Instagram accounts to stay connected about wellness topics. Counseling Services: @uocounselingservices; University Health Services: @healthyuo; and the Duck Nest: @uo_ducknest.
11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Fresh Check Day is the signature program of the Jordan Porco Foundation. It is an uplifting mental health promotion and suicide prevention event that includes interactive expo booths, peer-to-peer messaging, support of multiple campus departments and groups, a lively social atmosphere with free food and entertainment, and incentives for participation.
Presented by Counseling Services Student Advisory Board (SAB).
1:00–2:00 p.m.
Join Global Education Oregon to learn more about common challenges students face and discover self-care strategies and best practices for wellness while abroad. This workshop will be hosted virtually and can be accessed here: https://uoregon.zoom.us/j/98922808158?pwd=GJpJeInCcDz0hCezc7AoZ7BOB0birY.1
Interested in attending or unable to attend but still want the workshop materials? Please fill out the RSVP form: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/1fe3d0c4e0df4efd8c868d2d71dc5942
This workshop is part of GEO’s Spring Workshop Series. To check out all of the spring workshops, visit our webpage: https://geo.uoregon.edu/pre-departure-workshops
7:00–7:45 p.m.
Join us for Gentle Yoga this Spring Term! Duck Nest Yoga will be held in the Rec Center this term at 7pm on Thursdays, Weeks 2-10. The class will be held in Studio 71 (map included here). The class is free for UO students--just remember to bring your UO ID card. Sign up via the Linktree Calendly link in the Duck Nest's Instagram bio! Or here: https://calendly.com/ducknest/duck-nest-yoga-spring-2025 No experience is required for this restorative yoga class. Mats will be provided, but feel free to bring your own if you prefer.
noon
Explore the Power of Body Doubling at the Accessible Education Center (AEC) and Duck Nest's Neurodivergent-Friendly Study Space! Body doubling involves working alongside someone independently to promote accountability, foster focus and motivation, and reduce isolation.
If you get easily distracted while studying, if it is helpful for you to have a quiet environment to study in that’s not the library, or if you want to explore the benefit of fidget tools while studying, this is the place for you! The Duck Nest and AEC will provide the space, facilitators, and some materials to help you start or complete your academic tasks, or to provide support with things like goal setting, breaking down tasks, and more.
The study hours will occur every Friday from Week 2-10 from noon-2pm in the LLC North 123.
If you are interested in joining, there is no need to RSVP. You also do not need to have accommodations through the AEC to attend, it is open to all students so please bring a friend or two with you!
Snacks and fidget tools will be provided. Additionally, students present can also enter a raffle that will occur at the end of the term for a Duck Bucks gift card.
10:00 a.m.
Join University Health Services in collaboration with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for our second annual Out of The Darkness Suicide Prevention Campus Walk! We will be walking to bring awareness to suicide and mental health at the University of Oregon.
Register at afsp.org/UOR and come to the EMU Green to enjoy our interactive booths, therapy goats, and more!
Registration will open at 10:00 am, and the ceremony will begin at 11:00 am with the walk immediately following.
Follow our Instagram, @ootd_uo, to stay updated.
2:30–3:30 p.m.
Join us for this interactive presentation in our Nourish and Flourish Series focused on Meal Prepping and Planning. All four presentations will be from 2:30-3:30pm in the Mills International Center (located on the Mezzanine level of the EMU, Room 102).
This May 6 session led by Dr. Kathleen Humphries, PhD in Nutrition, will focus on topics such as how to meal plan and prep for the week. Tips for grocery shopping, saving money, and easy meals. Join us for this interactive presentation with FREE SNACKS!
You can also find out more information about food resources and other wellbeing programs on campus.
4:00–5:00 p.m.
Join us as we dive into the power of emotions—how to understand them, work with them, and use them to guide us toward healthier choices and deeper connections. 💬💛
Wednesday, May 7th from 4 - 5 pm @ Bartalotti's Pizza EMU ground floor.
We'll explore: 🧠 What Emotional Intelligence (EI) really means 🌱 How emotions can help (not hinder!) decision-making 🌈 Boosting positive feelings like gratitude 🛠️ Practical ways to manage your emotions and behaviors 🗺️ Your emotional roadmap to solving problems
🎟️ Don’t forget to fill out our survey and enter the raffle!
Join the Duck Nest for an educational conversation about how menstruation can impact mood and mental health. Snacks provided.
2:00–3:00 p.m.
Join the Duck Nest for an educational conversation about how menstruation can impact mood and mental health. Snacks provided.
7:00–9:30 p.m.
Annual live storytelling performance accompanied by a local multi-instrumentalist, featuring University of Oregon community members.
We’re excited to invite you to save the date for Intertwined: A Personal Storytelling Event, happening 7:30pm, May 13 & 14, 2025 at the University of Oregon Ford Alumni Center Ballroom. Refreshments and catering provided with ASL interpreting on the 14th!
This year’s theme is Crossroads: Opportunity, Possibility, and Pivotal Moments. Together, we’ll gather to listen, reflect, and connect through the power of real, personal stories shared by members of our community.
Intertwined is more than an event—it’s a celebration of vulnerability, courage, and the moments that shape who we are. Whether you’ve attended in the past or this is your first time, we hope you’ll join us for this moving and meaningful experience.
✨ Save the date: May 13 & 14, 2025
✨ Ford Alumni Center Ballroom 7:30 PM
2:00–4:00 p.m.
Join us for fun, social connection, and to learn more about resources during Mental Health Awareness Month!
Come learn about mental well-being resources on campus and join us in writing to seniors with Letters Against Isolation.
We'll have interactive tabling, a photo booth, and shaved ice!
1:00–2:00 p.m.
Enjoy stress-free time together online with disabled and neurodivergent graduate students from across campus. Share experiences, exchange resources, or consult with a GE from the Accessible Education Center.
2:30–3:30 p.m.
Join us for this interactive presentation in our Nourish and Flourish Series focused on Navigating Food Information. It will be from 2:30-3:30pm in the Mills International Center (located on the Mezzanine level of the EMU, Room 102). This May 20 session led by Dr. Kathleen Humphries, PhD in Nutrition, will focus on how to interpret nutrition and health information you see online, how to identify misinformation, and more. Join us for this interactive presentation with FREE SNACKS! You can also find out more information about food resources and other wellbeing programs on campus.
4:00–5:00 p.m.
Welcome to the final stretch of our EI journey! This week, we’re focusing on how to manage emotions—not just your own, but in your relationships too. Because emotional growth isn’t just personal—it’s social 💛
Join us on Wednesday, May 21st, 4-5 p.m @ Bartalottis Pizza, EMU ground floor.
We’ll chat about: 🧠 What Emotional Intelligence is (and why it matters!) 🌿 How to take ownership of your feelings and happiness 🔁 Turning tough emotions into growth moments 🤝 Helping others understand and grow from their emotions 💬 Building stronger connections & navigating conflict
✨ Don’t forget to take the survey & enter the raffle for a chance to win something sweet! 🎟️