Top 10 Posts of 2020

As this most unusual year comes to its conclusion, let’s take a look back at our most popular posts. Thanks so much for reading, keep taking good care of yourselves over winter break, and email us at [email protected] if you want to make suggestions or pitch us topics for 2021. 

1. Flu Vaccine Program and Requirements. Getting a flu shot protects your health and that of your community. That is especially true this year, with strain that the COVID pandemic is putting on the healthcare system and its workers. As of November 20, 2020, all Hopkins affiliates must have a flu shot to access campus. If you haven’t gotten a flu shot yet and are planning to get one in advance of the Spring 2021 term, go get it now in lieu of waiting until right before you return to campus. You, your local community, your Hopkins community, and the national healthcare system all benefit from you getting this done sooner rather than later.
2. Flu Vaccine Program for Students FAQ. Got questions about how to get a free flu shot? Want to know where to go if you need a religious or medical exemption? Living abroad and unable to access a flu shot? This post has the answer.
3. Coping Strategies and Resources for Racial Trauma. This post, first published in June 2020 during the global protests against police violence in the wake of the death of George Floyd, includes statements about racial trauma from health leaders, coping strategies adapted from the Jed Foundation, and a list of Hopkins-sponsored wellness resources. 
4. Wellness Resources for International Students. This post was created in response to a (swiftly reversed) July 2020 change in guidance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) for F-1 students. While the suggested change was never enforced, the post’s list of resources that are available and helpful to international Hopkins students is still relevant. So are the strategies for maintaining calm in the face of uncertainty.
5. How to Handle Election Stress. This post was pegged to the 2020 Presidential Election, but the strategies work for whenever current events are stressing you out. Limit your news consumption, be present, refuel, and do something.
6. Emotional Self-Care During the COVID Pandemic. Maintaining your mental health during a global pandemic is hard. Jennifer Weeks, a therapist from the Homewood Counseling Center, created a terrific list of strategies, Hopkins resources, and community resources to make it a little easier.
7. The Stress and Depression Questionnaire. The Stress and Depression Questionnaire is a confidential, convenient, and safe way to find out how stress and depression may be affecting you, and to learn more about available mental health resources at Johns Hopkins and in the community.
8. Meet the New Wellness-to-Go Vending Machine. Brought to you by the Student Health and Wellness Center, this machine has OTC medication and other items at deeply discounted prices.
9. How to be an Active and Empathetic Listener. A Place to Talk Co-Director Kylie Sharron (KSAS 2022) took the time to explain the best practices employed by Hopkins peer listeners. These skills are practical ones which can be practiced in daily life, in regular conversations with peers, professors, family, friends, and community members. Sharron’s piece was one of four “Student Voices” posts in 2020.
10. TimelyMD Access Info and FAQs. In response to the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hopkins partnered with TimelyMD to make mental telehealth counseling free and available to all Johns Hopkins students and trainees.