CAPS, CSI and SpiderBoard plan COVID-19-safe events

As the semester picks up and workloads increase, it is still important for students to unplug and find time to do things for themselves.Of course, 'fun' is always relative, and the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a further challenge into the mix of finding ways for students to get involved and socialize. 

University of Richmond students are in luck. Several offices and organizations on campus have activities in the works to keep students living a balanced college life. 

Counseling and Psychological Services

With the new Well-Being Center up and running, CAPS and the center staff are working on several programs to keep the UR community feeling healthy, both mentally and physically. 

Junior Eileen Scheir, a CAPS intern, is excited about the coming Food Mood programming. This programming, held in the demonstration kitchen in the new Well-Being Center, will teach students how to make healthy meals. The program will also promote new infographics and videos that teach students the effects of what they put into their bodies. 

“If you eat a certain way, it'll help your mental well-being, which is honestly what everybody needs in college,” Scheir said. 

Schier recommends students check out the CAPS interns Instagram page, @urcapsinterns, to stay updated on different events that will pop up throughout the semester. 

CAPS is offering Virtual Well-Being Seminars this semester that will teach students how to navigate relationships and cope with stress and other emotions. These seminars run 3 p.m. on Wednesdays and 2 p.m. on Thursdays for students only, and Tuesdays at noon for all UR community members, according to the CAPS website.   

Attending these seminars is as easy as clicking a Zoom link while in your room, Scheir said.

The Center for Student Involvement

The Center for Student Involvement is working to keep programs and events running despite the challenges of the pandemic. 

Program planners are taking a month-by-month approach, Lauren Foligno, the assistant director of programming, said. Rather than having to backtrack to adjust for changing COVID-19 conditions on campus, Foligno said CSI has been planning short-term events, while hoping in-person events can be held in the future.

“CSI has also created new policy around the Red Phase to give student organizations more opportunities to program,” Foligno said. 

That new policy states that in UR's Red Stage, student organizations are able to use the hanging lounge, located on the second floor of Tyler Hanes Commons, and distribute physical materials for their events, as opposed to only virtual programs. 

Foligno recommended students download the CSI app, UR Involved, to keep up to date with all events hosted by CSI and UR student organizations. 

SpiderBoard

SpiderBoard is also planning events for March and April. Junior Annie Wang, president of SpiderBoard, said SpiderBoard members were working hard to line up exciting and engaging programs for the rest of the semester. 

“Our main goal will be trying to work out how we can [host events] virtually in a safe way,” Wang said. 

After the success of the recent "Find My Friends" event, SpiderBoard is looking to continue scheduling events that allow students to connect and be social in a safe way, Wang said. 

Wang recommends students follow SpiderBoard’s Instagram page, @urspiderboard, to get the most updated information on upcoming programs. A feedback form will also be on the Instagram page, where students can express what types of events they want to see happening on campus. 

SpiderBoard announcements will also be posted on SpiderBytes, Wang said. 

Contact lifestyle writer Corinne Flaherty at corinne.flaherty@richmond.edu.