Transition to Cal

Being emotionally well is more than just handling stress. It also involves being attentive to your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, whether positive or negative. You are going to have feelings.
You are going to go through new adjustments. 
You are going to, at times, feel stress, anxiety, and loneliness.
That is okay.
That is normal.

Change is often a trigger for stress, as our bodies and minds must adjust to a new challenge or norm. That’s normal to experience and you are not alone in these feelings. There is even a healthy amount of stress caused by transition that enables you to adapt to your new environment. It is important to recognize your stressors and what your personal limit for “healthy stress” looks like.

Stress Management 

As the situation with COVID-19 (Coronavirus) continues to evolve, feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, and fear can be overwhelming. You may deal with sudden changes to your regular schedules and may worry about what comes next for you, your friends and your family. These developments can be stressful and cause strong emotions.

Some of your shared stressors may be:

Adjusting/Transition
Social Connections
Academic Stresses
Living Stresses
Homesickness

Find Support

Attending a new university is a huge transition for most students. You and your peers may experience excitors and stressors all in the same moment. You and your peers will also experience different cycles of stress depending on your coursework, your personal life, and your mental health journey.

Finding support begins with reflecting internally. What are you doing to take care of yourself, both during times of crisis and in normal circumstances? The best time to start a stress management routine is when you are not under duress.

Depression & Anxiety

UHS offers counseling and mental health services to all UC Berkeley students (regardless of insurance). Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers counseling, groups, and workshops for academic, personal and career concerns.​

• Self-help mental health resources, like Therapy Assist Online which offer different topics and modules you can do on your own
• Short-term counseling appointments (individual, couples, career, academic stress, psychiatry or specialized needs) with longer-term off-campus referral coordination with community providers
• Drop-in urgent or casual “Let’s Talk” counseling options
• Workshops and groups
• Health coaching
• Psychiatry services for when medication can help with counselin

As a Berkeley community, it is important to look for the signs of depression:

• Withdrawing from other people
• Changes in weight and eating patterns
• Changes in sleeping patterns
• Fatigue or lack of energy
• Increased anxiety or irritability
• Feeling worthless or hopeless

Take notice for yourself and others when stress starts to turn to distress.


Whenever you need more help, reach out.