Just Be
This is your Time! Just Be...
College is a time of growth, exploration, and discovery, and with that also comes the opportunity to prioritize your mental well-being and to "Just be..." We have intentionally selected the phrase Just be... as a mental wellness theme because it reminds us that our life journeys call us to respond in different ways at various times in our lives. For example, there will be moments when we need to just be reflective, kind, bold, happy, encouraging, sad, aware, healthy, and so on. Some ways to do this include building healthy habits, making space each day for intentional self-reflection, and creating opportunities for personal growth.
Need a Self-Care Journal? Stop by the Dean of Students Office (room 226, KSC) or the Information Desk in the Kent Student Center to get one!
September 01, 2025 - September 07, 2025
This Week’s Theme: Find Your People
You are enough – courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.
Finding your people matters. Connection is about belonging, support, and being real with others.
Journal Prompt:
Describe a moment when you felt truly connected to someone. What made that moment meaningful?
Vibe:
Just Be… Connected by Finding Your People
Research says:
Social belonging is a key predictor of mental well-being in college students
(Walton & Cohen, 2007).
Campus Highlights:
- Black Squirrel Festival
- Boosting Your Relationships Workshops (sponsored by CAPS)
- Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment
Engagement Activity:
Tag someone who makes campus feel like home – your people make all the difference.
August 25, 2025 - August 31, 2025
This Week’s Vibes: Normalize Emotions
It’s okay to feel nervous, homesick, or overwhelmed – it’s part of adjusting.
Emotions are part of the human experience. Allow yourself to feel your feelings.
Challenges are a part of life. The best way forward is through.
Journal Prompt:
Name one emotion you’ve felt today. What triggered it? How did you respond to it?
Vibe:
Just be real.
Research says:
Emotional self-awareness is linked to lower stress and higher academic performance in college students
(American College Health Association, 2021).
Engagement Question:
If your mood today were a weather forecast, what would it be?
August 18, 2025 – August 24, 2025
WELCOME to the Just Be…mental wellness website. The purpose of this website is to provide you with information that will aid and help you succeed during your time in college and beyond. One of the practices that research shows to enhance individual wellness is journaling, or rather taking a moment to stop, reflect, and plan. Additionally, research suggests that journaling can enhance social comfort and increase interpersonal skills such as talking (conversation), listening, and forming relationships (Pennebaker and Graybeal 2001). Our hope is that as you start this academic year, you will consider taking time to journal, reflect, or add a reflective practice that suits you.
This week’s journaling prompt: Reflect on how you are feeling right now as you start the semester. Write about something that you hope to accomplish this semester. Make it as big or as small as you want.