ok ok, forgive me for that title but i couldn’t resist, it was right there.
bringing you a non-question post (!!!) for the first time in a bit because, heartbreakingly, the winter semester begins in a couple days.
(pretend it’s snow instead of rain)
i’m sure a lot of us are feeling kinda like garbage right now, between going back to classes, the holidays wrapping up, and the brutal reality of toronto winters. sooo i decided to put together a late gift for you all and make a post gathering some of the best resources at uoft if/when you’re not in a great headspace.
general info
the absolute BEST place to start, imo, is the main mental health resource site. it’s a pretty handy spot that gathers info on all the different resources available to students, including counselling, workshops, everything under the sun. there’s also some more websites for each campus that are specific to the resources available there:
if you’re new to ontario, navigating the health system (especially when it comes to mental health services) can be a total pain. luckily there is a spot on the mental health website where you can learn more about it!
in person, you can also visit the health and wellness centres at each campus:
urgent
there’s also some services you can access (for free as a uoft student!) if you’re really in need of someone to talk to asap. for instance, until recently i had no idea that you could get same or next day counselling appointments for specific issues! there’s also a 24/7 help line for students you can call anytime, staffed by professionals.
now if you or someone you know is in danger, prioritize safety and call 911 or uoft campus safety 416-978-2222 (which has trained counsellors on the line). if it’s not immediate danger, you can call 9-8-8, the suicide crisis helpline free for everyone, and there’s always the 24/7 help line for students i mentioned above.
in general, 100% check out this list of places to get urgent support for a variety of issues.
i hope you all found this little post useful! please please please check out the main mental health website when you can, even if you’re not in need of any of their services at the time, it’s great to have some ideas in your back pocket if/when you ever gotta use em.
good luck to all of you loyal subjects this sem and may you have a very not-blue year!!
cheers,
aska