Red Folder

Loneliness and minimal social support. Entering an unpredictable period of transition. Recovering from collective trauma. College can be exciting, challenging, and sometimes overwhelming. Many students are navigating major life transitions, building new connections, and balancing academic, personal, and social pressures. Explore common challenges students face and discover resources and support to help you thrive along the way.

Explore What Challenges Are Students Experiencing Right Now?

Tell Them Right From the Start - Tell them explicitly, and show them through your actions, that you both care about their well-being and want them to get the support they need while at Stanford. Take the time during your first interaction with students to acknowledge the strange and difficult time we just lived through, and the uncertainty (and hope) that we feel for the future. Make sure to highlight that while you are a source of support for them students need at least a few trusted adults during their time here. To succeed AND flourish at Stanford, we all need multiple layers of support. Students want to know that you care about them, and importantly, what kind of support they can expect from you.

Make space for well-being. Facilitate connection. Everyone faces challenges from time to time. Discover practical ways to support friends, classmates, and yourself by creating connections, showing care, and knowing where to turn for help.

Explore How Can I Be Responsive to Students' Needs?

• Say what you've noticed, and avoid making any judgments or assumptions. Sometimes you won't see any overt signs of distress and yet you'll still be aware of many things happening in the world that are causing distress in students' lives.
• Examples:
  • "Hi I just wanted to check in. I've noticed _______, and wanted to see if vou want to talk about it"

• Showing you care about a student's well-being can have a positive impact, and it can increase the likelihood they seek help if needed.
• Build trust. Ask what they need. The kind or support a student needs will change based on the context, and the only way to know what kind of support they need is to ask.
• Listen patiently as you try to understand where they're coming from, and take time to affirm their emotional experience. Your full presence in itself can be healing.
• Acknowledge difficult emotions, and instill hope that, with help, things can get better.
• Your role is to be a warm, supportive presence for this student who is struggling. Remember that they are whole people that need support, they are not their problems.
• Be aware of the helper’s desire to “fix it fast”. We want to limit others’ suffering as much as possible, but sometimes this comes off as “policing” and suppressing difficult emotions that, before moving towards a solution, need to be felt.
• Examples:
  • "I care about your well-being, so I just wanted to check in to see how you're doing. I want to know how I can support you.."
  • "I'm sorry, that seems like such a hard situation to be in, what has that been like for you?"
  • "I'm sorry you're going through this, and grateful that you've felt comfortable being vulnerable with me…”
  • "Your feelings and experiences are real, and I care about you and there are more people who also care and are here to help. things can get better.../ want to help."

• Safety first. Do not hesitate to call Public Safety (911) for help. Your safety, and that of our students and community, is our top priority.
• Consult. Share your concern with the Dean of Students Office, or call the Resident Director on-call, GLO Dean on-call, or CAPS for further consultation whenever you need. These resources can give you advice, or help take over a situation that has escalated and requires mobilization of many resources.
• Help them connect to resources. Students in distress may need help connecting with a resource. Showing them how to access a resource increases the likelihood that they actually do.
• Examples
  • "Thank you for being so open with me. I want to stay connected as you move through this challenge, and I also want to make sure that you're getting the kind of help you need. I really think you may find _______ to be a very helpful and comforting resource. Their whole job is to support students through these very challenges. I know many students who have found _______ to be just the kind of support they needed.
  • “Can I help you connect with ______ ?"