Ways to Flourish

April is Undergraduate Research Month! Engaging in research as an undergraduate is not an opportunity everywhere, but at William & Mary, the possibilities are endless. Today, we are joined by Director of Undergraduate Research Dr. Dan Cristol, as well as student researchers Daniel Posthumus and Leo Murphy. We discuss what our own undergrad research journeys have been, why research is so fulfilling, and how one knows if research is right for them.

Resources:
Charles Center website

The libraries are here to help! If you keep up with campus opportunities at all, you have probably heard of or participated in Swem's destressing events, especially during exam seasons. Today, we talk to Tami Back, Director of Communications & Strategic Planning, about how library facilities promote student wellness, why it tries to help students destress, and what events are coming up this semester.

Resources:
W&M Libraries website

Sustainability is often misunderstood-- it's a lot more than turning off lights and not using plastic straws. Its goals are often much more far-reaching than most people realize, which means there are a lot more ways people can get involved! Today, we sit down Graduate Assistant Maddie Saul from the Office of Sustainability to discuss how to define sustainability, why we should care about it, and what events the Office of Sustainability has planned for this semester.

Resources:
W&M Sustainability website

How about a semester check-in? This week on Ways to Flourish, we open the floor to questions submitted by students of William & Mary. We talk about how to add things to your plate when it's already getting full, how to manage busy schedules, and how to talk to acquaintances who may be struggling.

Resources:
SLD Depth Over Breadth
Seize the Awkward website

Looking for something fun to do around campus that will get you outside and enjoying everything nature has to offer? This spring, consider picking up a kit from the Wellness Center to participate in the Bird Scavenger Hunt! Today, we sit down with project organizers Caroline Taylor and Lauren Lam to discuss what the scavenger hunt is, how it can benefit one's physical and mental wellness, and how one can get involved.

Resources:
Bird Scavenger Hunt website

Making decisions about life after college or applying to jobs during college is often something dreaded by college students, but William & Mary's Career Center is a resource for students to make the most out of their career journeys. Today, we sit down with Kelly O'Shaughnessy, Associate Director of Career Engagement, to talk about how occupational wellness fits in with our 8 Dimensions of Wellness, what effects work dissatisfaction can have on one's life,  and how the Career Center can help students make important career choices.

Resources:
Contact Kelly at [email protected]
Office of Career Development & Professional Engagement website

Esports is a $1.1 billion industry that is becoming ever more popular, and William & Mary's Esports program is flourishing, too. Because Esports players face some unique challenges from that of other sports and competitive groups, our program has members who are dedicated to helping players look after their mental health. Allen Ngo and Caleb Rivers join us today to talk about what the Esports program does, what Wellness Esports Pioneers do to help players, and how the advice they give to players can apply to any one of us.

Resources:
W&M Esports website
W&M Esports Discord

Welcome back to Season 4 of the Ways to Flourish podcast! We are so excited to get started and dive back into wellness this semester. Today, we are talking about a skill that everyone needs, but many struggle with: time management. We talk to Claire Forbes (Assistant Director of Academic Enrichment Programs) and Ashley Kohl (Academic Coach), both from William & Mary's TutorZone. We discuss why time management is so often a struggle, how a lack in time management skills affects our overall wellness, and how individuals can take steps to better manage their time.

Episodes of Ways to Flourish are published every week on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, the W&M Wellness website, or wherever else podcasts are found!

Resources:
TutorZone website
[email protected]

Welcome to the season 3 finale of Ways to Flourish! For our final episode of the season, we sit down with Reggie Williams, writer, civil rights activist, Disney executive, and former NFL player. He talks to us about building resilience, giving gifts, tackling the unknown, and speaking truths, all through the lens of his incredible life experiences. As we continue finals season, find your resilience.

Enjoy your break, and we will see you next semester for the next season of Ways to Flourish!

As we head into finals season, it is natural to feel overwhelmed, but it's not something we want to experience. Today, we sit down with Dr. Kelly Crace, Associate VP for Health and Wellness,  to talk about "chronic too-muchness," why we tend to fall into negative mindsets, and how we can employ strategies to foster self-compassion. When we rethink trust and compassion, we can rethink our relationships and how to get the support we need and deserve.

Resources
Center for Mindfulness and Authentic Excellence (CMAX)