What We've Learned - UC San Diego Student Affairs

SP22 - Weeks 9-10: Great-ish hits edition.

Greetings WWL-istas and WWL-ers:

We truly hope that you’ve found the series of updates and occasional try-hard wordplay that comprise this newsletter to be both informative and fun in equal measure – as we’ve certainly had a blast putting it together.

Today’s What We’ve Learned is the last installment of the year, and we’re playing all the hits from WWL editions over the past 10 months – with a little contextual commentary – below.

Enjoy, be safe, and good luck on finals. - Ian

Waaay back in the Icky Sticky edition from Week 1 of Fall Quarter, we asked you nicely to chill out on the anatomy-based sticky note artwork that adorned some buildings post-move-in:

Stickies and tomes.

While they may not break bones, words and images can definitely hurt. So, if you’re using sticky notes to create window art for all to see: we applaud your inter-suite coordination and Triton ingenuity, but ask that you cut out the messaging that some folks may find Post-it-tively offensive.

We pride ourselves on fostering an inclusive, welcoming community – and we know that you don’t mean to antagonize. How about you use your extra sticky notes to create some Sonobe modular origami balls instead?

Not only did you heed the call, you leveled up with a shoutout to our shoutout. Well played!

Speaking of levels on levels on levels, the first in this selection of wellbeing-based entries certainly prioritizes meta health:

Supportmanteaux.

Now that’s meta (we’re looking at you, Zuck). Similar to fashioning an exotic, multi-layered, functional word out of available parts – taking care of your mental health often requires a bespoke approach.

OOTD, on the daily. While off-the-rack CAPS services are timeless (individual counseling, free daily workshops, timely grief support), sometimes you just gotta elevate the ensemble with that new new. Try on Tritons RISE (innovative, experiential programming) for size, or give Let’s Talk (drop-in, 1:1 consultations) a run in your wellness wardrobe.

Nightmare on whelm street.

Let’s face it, COVID is extra. You have tons of your own ish to manage, and this virus cruises in like ‘look at me, I’ve been doing this for almost two years!’ – while you’ve been grinding for literal decades. It’s overwhelming, and you’re ‘over’ being whelmed.

Please know that it’s normal to feel this way, and try your best to prioritize and embrace self-care.

Explore some of our top spots for a mental health break around campus;
Celebrate yourself – physically and mentally – with wellness offerings from Recreation;
Or maybe just take a moment to enjoy some giant pandas rolling around in the snow. It’s exactly as great as it sounds.

Remote-us operandi.

We know you're disenchanted with the remote status quo RN. Frankly, we’re in the same boat with you… all aboard SS Pandemic Fatigue! With this in mind, please remember, as always, that science and data ultimately dictate our ability to safely repopulate campus in person.

Iso, you so, we all so… responsible. Help us help you return to the in-person living and learning experiences we all miss by getting your booster, wearing a high-quality mask, and epitomizing our Triton Principles of Community wherever you are – including isolation and quarantine accommodations – where the Student Code of Conduct remains in effect.

Look, we’re the first to admit that delivering clever masking- testing- and screening-based wordplay for two-plus years has become about as tiring as paying attention to their oft-shifting guidelines over the same span – but like you, we kept it up:

Think of masks like sunscreen.

That is, if sun damage was decidedly more deadly than ‘Rona, and you could prevent others from getting burned by dolloping SPF on your own body. Perhaps it’s not the best analogy – but we’re sticking to it, just like you’ve been sticking to mask-wearing.

Thank you, Tritons, for continuing to mask up during events and outdoor activities. Because of your diligence and hard work, COVID cases continue to drop… and as sure as the setting sun: future decisions to ease restrictions on campus are dictated by data.

F = ma (sk).

Newton was on to something back in the olden days, right? When it comes to face coverings at large gatherings, Sir Isaac’s second law is first in our hearts.

Wear… When? It’s up to you for now, so stay smart. There’ll be thousands of people at Sun God, which means that each attendee is more likely to pick up what their fellow festival-goers are puttin’ down. As such, masks are strongly recommended at the festival.

Mask Facts: Be N the KNow.

While cloth masks may have single-handedly launched the careers of Etsy seamstresses and seamsters back in 2020, protection-wise, they’re just not cutting it now that Ol’ Dirty ‘Cron’s sub-variants are on the scene. Regular surgical masks are better, but they rightly get a bad rap for their bad wrap – tending to fit loosely around your nose and cheeks.

Double-double, no spread. Opt for a high-quality KN95/N95 – or pair your cloth covering with a surgical mask – to do your part, Panimal Style. Be sure to comply with masking guidelines both on- and off-campus, and pick up a KNo-cost KN95 at one of these convenient mask distro locations.

Vend for yourself.

When it comes to personal-use-only COVID tests from the vending machines on campus, sharing is decidedly NOT caring. While it may seem like a compassionate act to provide a friend or loved one with access to testing, using another person’s campus ID not only constitutes actual medical fraud, it also poses a serious threat to our public health and contact tracing efforts.

TL;DR: Be sure to swab, lock, and drop your own test kit only. And if you’re engaging in this literally illegal activity because you don’t have a student ID, visit Campus Cards for a replacement.

U U-Pass?

If you don’t know, now you know: students ride fare-free on the Blue Line trolley from campus via Transportation Services’ Triton U-Pass, which can now get you all the way to the airport for zero dollars – and plenty of sense.

Trolley rocks ‘n free. Use your U-Pass (but don’t move the hyphen) to take the Blue Line down to the Old Town Transit Center, where you’ll transfer to the San Diego Flyer – an electric shuttle that regularly serves San Diego International.

♪ Com-ply with me, let’s -ply ♪

Look, we understand that there are myriad reasons, individual circumstances, and/or general ‘demic-based ripple effects that factor into a Triton’s non-compliance status. (There are not, however, myriad reasons to use the word ‘myriad’ – and we apologize, comms majors).

Referral madness. If you’re high on the list of OOC students (out of compliance, that is), you’ll need to remedy that, STAT – by getting boosted or applying for an approved exemption – before being referred to Student Conduct.

The poop is in the piping.

And occasionally, so is a lil’ VID – sloshing around amongst the, well, you know. Here’s the bottom line: when there’s virus in the wastewater where you live or work, it’s a warning light for ‘potential infection’.

Who, me? Could be! Look, someone’s got it, and that someone could be you. We did our business (on your business) – now, please do yours by getting tested ASAPP: as soon as poop’s positive.

Let’s ‘Tok about tests, baby.

To break down the multi-faceted winter quarter testing requirements on campus, we encourage you to check out this short, student-created video on TikTok or Instagram.

Let’s talk about you and me. For all the good things that may be, you can always refer back to updated info on our VCSA testing site and RTL’s On-Campus Checklist.

Thumbs updated.

We love thumbs, and are perpetually proud that they’ve outgrown their spacebar-only keyboard jurisdiction with the rise of the smartphone era. Similarly (sorta), we’re happy to announce that they’ve taken on a couple new responsibilities in the symptom-screening sector.

It’s Green Thumb, Ph.D., now. The daily symptom screening tool was updated this week, in order to simplify notifications and integrate more elements into our color-based campus clearance system. The new process incorporates symptoms, exposure, vaccination status, and asymptomatic testing requirements.

Snotty, by nature.

For those with allergies, we feel you, and hope you make it through these Santa Anas unscathed. While a drippy nose during SoCal’s annual mid-October dry heat is standard-issue, real symptoms of your cousin Viddy (fever, sore throat, runny nose) are a clarion call to get tested – vaxxed or otherwise.

Quick Hits and Bit(e)s

And finally, to some of the UC San Diego review accounts on IG -- you gave us life all year:

What’s up, cluckers? Shoutout to the folks behind @CrispyChickenUCSD. All CCS reviews, all the time. All hail the sandwich.
You can go your own way. Just be sure to check maps.ucsd.edu before you leave, so that you don’t run into unexpected construction on campus. The maps’ web interface has tons of filters for buildings, dining options (know how to get to those @UCSDFoodAdventures gems), walking paths, parking, and more.
Ch@ng3 Y0ur P@SSword. If you’re on our program, you devour Campus Notices like an @ThirstyTryton on the prowl for TapEx milk tea, because information is power – and so is boba.