University life presents a myriad of new challenges and experiences that can be both exciting and stressful. While a certain level of stress can motivate us, excessive stress can hinder our well-being. This workshop focused on identifying common stressors for students and their impact on academic performance and mental health. Led by Ms. Sherry Im Sut Leng, a Clinical Psychologist from the New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association, participants learned to recognize signs of stress and were introduced to effective management techniques, including mindfulness practices. Practical tips for maintaining a balanced and nourishing lifestyle were shared, empowering students to thrive in their university experience without feeling overwhelmed.

The workshop was delivered by Ms Sylvia Lam, a Consultant Dietitian. She provided valuable insights into the relationship between diet and sleep quality. Sylvia began the session by presenting data on sleep quality in Hong Kong, highlighting the prevalence of chronic sleep deprivation and its associated health risks.

Throughout the workshop, participants explored how specific dietary habits, and nutritional intake can significantly influence sleep quality. Sylvia emphasized the benefits of diets rich in fiber, healthy fats, and proteins, alongside ample fruits and vegetables, for promoting better sleep. Conversely, she discussed the detrimental effects of diets high in saturated fats, sugars, and refined carbohydrates on sleep patterns.

By the end of the workshop, Sylvia provided practical sleep hygiene advice, including recommendations to unplug from electronics 30-60 minutes before bedtime, avoid late-night eating, and maintain a cool and comfortable sleeping environment. Participants left equipped with knowledge to make dietary choices that enhance their sleep health and mitigate the effects of poor sleep.

“Is it possible to remember everything in lecture notes and readings? This online workshop covered three important aspects of information processing : Encoding, Storage & Retrieval.

Student Counselor shared techniques to improve memory along with real-life examples, so that participants can remember more in less time.

The JUSTalk Series is a Human Library session that invites Peer Companions from the Counseling and Wellness Center and Youth Worker from LevelMind @JC to share their personal experiences in a small group setting.

In the workshop, each human book shared their current experiences as a youth pursuing a meaningful life, highlighting the challenges and resilience they faced. Participants listened empathetically, offering words of support and appreciation. Through open dialogue, both the participants and the human books exchanged thoughts and recognized the strength within youth, allowing everyone to reflect on their own experiences.

Ever felt overwhelmed by a long to-do list, yet still finding it extremely difficult to drag yourself to begin working on them? Ever felt not achieving much after a long day in front of your work desk? In this online workshop, students learnt about the psychology of procrastination. Our student counselor shared evidence-based strategies to combat procrastination and guide participants to apply them in daily life.

Death remains a taboo topic in Chinese culture. Research indicates that younger individuals often fear death more than the elderly, highlighting the need for greater education on life and death for the younger generation.

Mr Anthony Fung, co-founder of Grief Me Light, guided participants in creating a life journey map using art materials to reflect on their ups and downs in life. He introduced Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy, emphasizing that the meaning of life can vary significantly from person to person. Participants also engaged in writing epitaphs, contemplating how they would like to be remembered. Through this workshop, participants learned that death can serve as a meaningful reminder to embrace the present and foster introspection.

The training program was offered in both Cantonese and English, consisting of two sessions in each language series. The English series was led by Ms Odile Thiang, a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and Lead Clinical Advisor for the Anti-Stigma Project at MindHK, while the Cantonese series was led by Mr Alvin Cheung, a registered social worker with expertise in mental health and LGBTQ+ services.

The first part of the series focused on literacy-based education, covering the foundational knowledge of mental health, destigmatizing mental health issues, and raising awareness around youth mental health, including the specific risks faced by LGBTQ+ individuals. The second part provided practical skills training through real case studies, group discussions, and role-playing exercises to equip youth participants with the emotional support skills necessary to assist their peers effectively as mental health allies. Upon completion, participants received a certificate to recognize their efforts in the training program.

Overall, the workshop offered a valuable platform for participants to deepen their understanding of LGBTQ+ mental health issues, become more effective allies, and foster a more inclusive and affirming society.

The JUSTalk Series is a Human Library session that invites Peer Companions from the Counseling and Wellness Center and Ambassadors from Fu Hong Society - Sunrise Centre to share their personal experiences in a small group setting.

In the workshop, each human book shared their journey on how they responded to and overcame challenges related to emotional distress and mental health issues, highlighting the importance of resilience. Participants listened empathetically, offering words of support and appreciation. Through open dialogue, the participants gained a renewed understanding of resilience, and both the participants and human books reflected on their own experiences.

Having self-critical thoughts and high standards can create internal threats and imbalance in our emotion regulation systems, leading to stress. To cultivate self-compassion, we need to be aware of these critical thoughts and acknowledge our distress with empathy.

Dr Melissa Chan, a clinical psychologist from the Central Mind, led participants in mindfulness and compassionate self-soothing exercise to ground them in the present moment. She also guided them in practices to notice and better understand different parts of themselves, namely the Angry, Anxious and Sad selves. The workshop helped participants direct more attention to their bodies, thoughts and feelings, which is an important starting point for nourishing self-compassion.

University life can be demanding, especially for students who set ambitious performance goals. Navigating academic challenges, extracurricular commitments, and personal growth endeavors can create significant workload and pressure.

In the workshop, Ms Karen Lo, a Sports and Performance Psychologist from InnerEdge, shared tips for managing life's demands, overcoming fear of success and failure, and establishing better relationships that support students' goals and personal well-being at HKUST.

Karen also discussed mental resilience and the steps to build it. Resilience is not only the ability to bounce back from mistakes but also the capacity to withstand and recover from stress. She emphasized the importance of scheduling pit stops ahead of time. Karen used interactive activities and case studies to illustrate the positive and negative zones of the pit stops. By the end of the workshop, participants were able to identify the zone of their pit stops and create a list of activities to move towards the positive zones.