As we reach the end of the semester, be proud of the work you’ve done to finish strong. This semester was not easy, but you worked through the challenges and adversity of this year and made it through. And after finals next week, it’s time to enjoy a well-deserved break.

Rest, relax and recover

Many of you may be feeling burned out after a tough semester, and that’s understandable. Winter break is the time to slow down, rest and recover. 

Use this time to do things that you enjoy, and that you maybe don’t always have time for during the semester. Maybe that’s doing craft projects, catching up on TV shows or reading for fun—whatever helps you relax and brings you joy. Personally, I love to cook. Cooking helps me relax and de-stress. And over winter break, I’m looking forward to my first Colorado winter and cooking soups like chicken and veggie soup and beef stew. 

Reflect on the past semester

After you’ve had a week or two to relax and recover from finals, take some time to reflect on this semester. While there were challenges, there are also things we can learn from those challenges. Think about those times when you were stressed. What was the cause of your stress? What could you have used in those moments? Was there anything that helped you make it through? 

We all go through periods of stress, even during normal times. As you’re reflecting on your semester, try to think of some things you could do now to help your future self out when things become stressful. Maybe that’s making a new playlist of some favorite songs to listen to, finding some healthy snacks you enjoy, getting a new planner and blocking out a schedule for yourself or setting up a weekly phone call with a family member to check in throughout the spring semester.

There are many ways to help manage stress, and what might work for some doesn’t always work for others. Try a few things out over winter break to see what works for you. Whatever you do now, I’m sure your future self will thank you!

Remain safe

I am so appreciative of those who showed up for their fellow Buffs this semester and followed public health orders to help us return to campus. And as we continue navigating a pandemic for the near future, I encourage you to keep showing up for your communities in this way. Please be safe and keep your Buff families and friends safe. Wherever you are over winter break, wear face coverings in public, stay physically distanced from those outside your household and make good decisions. 

We are already working to create a positive student experience for the spring semester, and to help ease some of the stress and uncertainty. I hope you have a great winter break, and I’ll see you in January.

JB Banks
Dean of Students and Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

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Buffs, the end of the semester is right around the corner. The last few weeks can be stressful in a normal semester for many students, and those feelings of stress may be more amplified right now.

I know many of you are tired. Learning, living and working in the middle of a pandemic has been challenging. Current events and the recent election may have caused additional stress and anxiety this month. But you are almost done and the finish line is in sight. I have some advice to help you make it through the end of the semester.

Make time to relax and recharge

With the long holiday weekend coming up, I strongly encourage you to find time to relax and recharge. If you can, get outside for a long scenic walk or bike ride. Find a screen-free activity to do with a roommate or family member. You could do puzzles, play a board game or color—whatever you enjoy that doesn’t involve technology! Turn your phone off or leave it in another room, even for an hour. Taking a short break from screens and a mental break from your academic responsibilities can help you feel motivated and ready for finals.

Make it a point to take care of yourself

During stressful times, it’s more important than ever to take care of our health and well-being. To stay healthy through finals, do your best to get enough sleep (7-9 hours each night), eat regular and balanced meals, stay hydrated and find time for physical activity. And as COVID-19 cases increase across the country, please continue to follow health and safety guidelines—especially if you are traveling over the next couple of weeks.

No matter where you are, I encourage you to keep yourself, your family and your friends healthy and safe by wearing a face covering in public spaces, staying physically distanced from others and washing your hands regularly. Review these tips for safe travel if you plan to head home—students are encouraged to complete a COVID-19 monitoring/surveillance test 48 to 72 hours before traveling.

Make your voice heard

In the Division of Student Affairs, we work to support you throughout your CU Boulder journey. Learning about your experiences helps me advocate for you as your dean of students. Your feedback and input helps us know how we can best support you and meet your needs.

As we close out the fall semester and look forward to spring, I want you to know that you have a voice in your student experience. And I’m here to listen. I’ve enjoyed our conversations this semester as I’ve been working to be a “dean on the go” at pop-up office hours, virtual meetings and walks around campus. I look forward to connecting with you more and continuing these conversations.

And if you’re looking for new ways to get involved next semester and want to make your voice heard, I encourage you to consider joining and other student organizations.

Remember, I’m here for you and we are all rooting for you to finish strong over these next few weeks. Please take care of yourselves and use the support resources available to you if you need them. You got this!

JB Banks
Dean of Students and Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

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Halloween is just around the corner, and that means costumes, candy and more! Take this year to impress yourself and make your best costume yet. Whether you find a person to celebrate with or participate in Halloween events, here are some costume ideas to try. 

Do It Yourself (DIY) 

Some of the best costumes are handmade ones. You might have everything you need already to create a great Halloween costume. Here are some quick but clever ideas using things that may already be in your closet:

• Your favorite character from The Addams Family:For Wednesday, wear all black from head to toe, braid your hair in two and don’t forget to play the part. For Gomez, use black pants or slacks, black button up, suspenders if you’ve got them, slick your hair back and you’re set. You can even be Uncle Fester by wearing or making a tunic out of black bed sheets, paint your face white and give yourself black eyes. 
• Mad scientist: Spike up your hair with lots and lots of hairspray. Wear black jeans, find a white jacket, get some clear glasses and you’re a scientist. For an added twist, add some red food coloring to be a zombie scientist. 
• Smarty-pants: Take some Smarties candy and use double-stick tape to attach the rolls to a pair of pants. Carry a book with you at all times and you’ll have people admiring your creativity.
• Your favorite emoji: With a yellow shirt and some Sharpie markers, anything is possible!
• The Office Halloween costumes: Whether you want to be a three-hole punch like Jim or a black cat inspired by Pam, The Office has some great, simple costume ideas you can recreate from your wardrobe.
• “When life gives you lemons…”: Make a name tag for your shirt that says “life” and carry some lemons to share with others.
• Your favorite Snapchat filter: If you enjoy crafting, create your favorite filter to wear. Whether it’s a flower crown, floppy dog ears or rainbow vomit, there are many options to choose from.

Costumes with a friend

Dressing up for Halloween can be way more fun when you do it with a friend. Whether it’s a furry friend, your roommate or a significant other, here are some costumes ideas to recreate with your best buddy.

• Dress up with your pet. If you’ve got a furry friend at home why not include them in the fun? From Harry Potter and his owl, to Ariel and Sebastian, Han Solo and Chewbacca, the opportunities are endless. 
• Dress up with your roommate. Coordinate with your roommate to have a Halloween costume that compliments each other. You can be Woody and Buzz Lightyear or Mike or Sully from Monsters Inc. How about Thing 1 and Thing 2 from Dr. Seuss? You can even be Bob Ross with a canvas. One of you is Bob wearing jeans and a collar shirt, while the other wears a white shirt, black pants and lets Bob do the painting. 
• Dress up with your significant other. Try movie characters, like Mickey and Minnie Mouse. For costumes a bit more simple, how  about the Men in Black—all you need is a pair of black sunglasses, black jackets, jeans or slacks and you’re an agent. 

Hit the thrift stores

When you have a costume idea in mind, check out to complete your look. Thrift stores and second-hand shops are great for scoring unique costume finds and saving money. Plus, some of these locations have special sales and deals where you can get items even cheaper. Be sure to follow public health guidelines and check for special shopping hours before heading out.

No matter what you decide, remember to be mindful about the costume you choose. Avoid wearing a costume that makes fun of or appropriates someone else’s culture.

Costume selection

Be mindful about your costume choices. Cultural appropriation, the inappropriate use of ideas, symbols or stereotypes pertaining to another culture, is a common offense among Halloween costumes that are online, in stores or homemade. These types of costumes are offensive because they often reduce a culture to a caricature. While certain groups can take off their costumes at the end of the night, others live with these identities each day. 

Acknowledging and being mindful of cultural appropriation can help us create a more welcoming and inclusive community for all of our fellow Buffs. Culturally inappropriate costumes include but are not limited to, Native Americans, ninjas, geishas, gypsies and other stereotypes.

Once you have your costume, why not show it off by attending one of the free Halloween events on campus. If you want more things to do, check out the Fall Events website and be sure to follow us on social media @CUBoulderLife on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!

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Buffs, as we near the halfway point of the semester, I want to share how proud I am of your efforts this fall. Navigating around a pandemic has not been easy. But as a community, we’ve pulled together to support each other and keep each other safe. We do not expect perfection, and know that everyone is doing their best to make good decisions.Thank you for showing up for your fellow Buffs and following public health orders.

Learning from your experiences

This semester, I’ve been working to be a “dean on the go” and meet with students in different ways to learn about your experiences. I’ve set up pop-up office hours on campus for students to drop by, and virtual meetings to connect with students in isolation spaces. 

I want to know what’s working, what’s not, how you’re managing through the uncertainty and how we can best support you. In my conversations so far, I’ve heard how difficult this semester has been. Learning about your experiences helps me advocate for you as your dean of students, and I can help connect you to the right resources and support services. Thank you for sharing your stories so far, and I’d like to share an opportunity with you to help continue these conversations.

Sharing feedback and suggestions

I’m excited to announce the launch of our Dean of Students Leadership and Values Council. This council exists to engage students in a meaningful way and provide the appropriate support, resources and opportunities to thrive. In addition to sharing ideas, counsel and feedback regarding issues that affect the student body, members will also engage in leadership development and mentorship opportunities.

All current undergraduate students are encouraged to apply and join the council. We’ll meet once a month to discuss various topics that are important to the college student experience and learn from each other. If you’re interested, please submit a resume and interest statement describing why you’d like to be involved to deanofstudents@colorado.edu with the subject “Leadership & Values Council Application” by Friday, Oct. 16. Learn more about the Dean of Students Leadership and Values Council.

Using support resources

As we all continue to adapt and work through the rest of the semester, there are many resources and services to help support you.

For those who are looking to build connections, Student Affairs has more than 500 events planned for you this semester. Between virtual debate watch parties, art projects, bingo for grad students, book clubs, trivia nights, career development workshops, cooking classes and much more, there’s something for everyone! Check out our Fall Events webpage to find and register for upcoming events.

If you’re struggling with anxiety, stress or depression, our Health & Wellness Services team is here to support you. 

• Counseling & Psychiatric Services is offering telehealth appointments and workshops to help students cope with COVID-related changes.
• Check out weekly events like Mindful Mondays, Wellness Wednesdays and Fri-Yay Nights to learn self-care tips and connect with fellow Buffs.
• Try peer wellness coaching. This is a free service available to CU Boulder students to help you set and achieve wellness goals.

CU Boulder students who are in need of food are invited to visit the Buff Pantry to receive food on a weekly basis at no cost, if needed. Students receive approximately 20 pounds of food and are able to visit the Buff Pantry one time per week. And the Student Emergency Fund was created to provide support for CU Boulder students who are experiencing a crisis that could adversely affect their semester. The intent of the funding is to support students experiencing a temporary financial hardship as a result of COVID-19.

Buffs, I’m here for you - please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you aren’t sure what you need. We’re in this together, and we’ll get through this together. 

JB Banks
Dean of Students and Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

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Think outside the box

It can be easy to spend our time focusing on what others are (or aren’t) doing, or how things are so different from how they used to be. But spending our time and energy this way does not always help our current situation. During uncertain times, I encourage you to think outside the box and try new approaches.

Working in a pandemic has changed how I’m able to connect with you all, and this has led me to be innovative and try some new things this semester. I’m trying out pop-up office hours across campus and working to be a “dean on the go” to meet students where they are, in a safe and socially distant way. I’m working to create room and space to be visible and let you know that I got you and I’m here for you. And personally, I’m using my free time to explore different interests that I maybe didn’t have time for before. Right now, I’m tapping into my creative side and learning how to be a DJ – DJ Shredder, Ain’t Nothin’ Better!

In your academic life and your personal life, I encourage you to think outside the box and try new things to overcome small challenges you’re experiencing. Maybe it’s a new study method or a new creative hobby – whatever it is, don’t be afraid to be innovative with your time and energy.

Live by your values

Values represent the things we believe and prioritize in our lives. Identifying and living by your personal values can help you stay resilient during tough times.

I live by my own set of values of C-PRIDE: Commitment, Pride, Resilience, Integrity, Discipline and Excellence. There are times when I simply don’t measure up, but I always wake up with a plan to walk firmly in my truth.

I encourage you to take some time to reflect on what’s important to you and confirm your values. This can help you be honest with your friends, roommates, family members and other relationships you might have. Knowing your values and staying true to yourself can also help you make good decisions, even when it’s hard.

Take care of yourselves and each other

Being a Buff means that we take care of each other and look out for each other. It means delayed gratification for the greater good of the community. Let’s listen to each other, lean on each other and know that we can trust that we are making the best decisions for all involved.   

In addition to taking care of others, it’s important to take care of yourself. Taking care of your physical health, your mental health and your emotional health are extremely important to your academic success. Whether you’re looking to get involved and meet fellow Buffs, stay active during quarantine or find mental health support, I encourage you to check out the many resources available to you in the Division of Student Affairs. And if you aren’t sure what you need, I’m here for you and can help connect you to the right resources.

As your dean of students, I stand with you in this journey and am proud to be a part of your Buff family. I know that together, shoulder to shoulder (with 6-feet of physical distancing), we can make this a successful semester.

JB Banks

Dean of Students and Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

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