What We've Learned - UC San Diego Student Affairs

Week 3: r/Vacs me anything edition.

We are Student Affairs at UC San Diego. Ask us anything about: the new in-person event policy on campus, how many people can now safely gather at once, puns or dad jokes/wordplay, staying active this Spring, paid vaccine trials, and more.

Three is not enough company. Can we have more?

Hello u/LargerGroupsPlz, we agree, and yes! Starting April 19, we’re implementing Ten’s Company for students to socialize in small groups of up to 10 (outdoors and with masks, of course). It’ll be like a way more fun ‘10 Tritons or Fewer*’ line at the supermarket checkout. *s/o to r/grammar.

How do you suggest I stay active this quarter?

Be sure to check out Recreation’s newsletter for activities, fitness classes, and mindfulness exercises galore! Just make sure your workouts are in-TENS. Get it? Yeah, you got it.

I definitely feel fully vaccinated, does that count?

Decidedly not. While it may seem invigorating to snap a selfie with your vaccine card (perhaps don’t do that), you’re not considered ‘fully vaccinated’ until two weeks after your second dose – meaning that until then, you’re still susceptible to infection with COVID-19.

Until you’re fully vaccinated, continue to test weekly, and don’t be ‘ccine without a mask. Even after you’re FV, you need to mask and maintain physical distance while doses are still being administered to those around you.

Cake or pie?

Trick question! Here’s our power ranking: 1) ice cream cake, 2) berry-based pie, and 3) cake w/o vegetables (no thanks, carrot, stay in your lane).

I heard that commencement is in-person. Anything else?

Great question, u/SoOverZoom. Per yesterday’s campus notice, there are some new, specific parameters for limited in-person events (like graduation, dance practices, and speakers). FWIW, we're pretty over Zoom too.

My family and I have differing views on vaccination. Help!

In which arm do you want it? Like politics, you’ll need to choose – left or right. We kid, we kid.

This can be challenging, for sure. Try to be open, honest, and ask questions if you can – and prepare yourself by listening to today’s short episode of the Live Well Be Well podcast, wherein our well-being peer educators share tips for navigating these difficult conversations with families, friends, and peers.

Random Q: I want to stress less; can I get Headspace for free?

What an unexpected inquiry, u/NotaPlantedQuestion. We encourage you to take advantage of Headspace Plus – free for Tritons – to learn the benefits of guided mindfulness sessions in combating anxiety, enhancing focus, and improving sleep. Pro tip: Eve is our go-to guru for slipping into sleep.

What’s the best vaccine appointment?

The first one that you can get. If you have a MyStudentChart account, use it to schedule a “1st dose appointment,” or check the alternate RIMAC self-scheduling tool and refresh regularly as appointments are added multiple times each day. You can also use CA’s MyTurn website, and the CDC’s VaccineFinder to find the best appointment to meet your needs. And again, sooner = better.

Is it normal to feel smarter when I study in the BioMed library?

You know, that’s up to you. But we can say – with certainty – that the Student Study Space in the Biomedical Library Building (BLB) offers 64 seats for reservation-based use, Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. All seats require advance reservations, and the space is designated for quiet, individual study only (no group work or collaboration).

How might I earn money while helping to end a global pandemic?

That’s an interesting approach, u/VacsOverachiever. There’s a NIH-led vaccine-efficacy clinical trial focused on students, in which 50% of participants get the Moderna version up front and 100% get paid – up to $500. The PreventCOVIDU study aims to learn more about how well the vaccine does what it does by analyzing participant-supplied data.

Last week’s WWL was so clever, and sneaky-informative. How do I contribute?

What a delightful thing to say. We’re honored to info-tain you each week. As always, feel free to reach out to VCSA@ucsd.edu with any questions you’d like answered or clarifications that we can address in a future edition.