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Health and wellness

Health and wellness

Taking care of your mental health

Health and well-being are a crucial part of succeeding in college. Healthy and balanced students are more focused; better able to tackle their studies with energy and enthusiasm; and more able to devote time to having fun and truly enjoying their college experience.

If you are struggling, consider spending time and talking about how you are feeling with family and friends. Or take breaks from social media and the news. Stay active and healthy!

If you are feeling overwhelmed or out of balance, seek help. For additional support and confidential assistance, contact OSU's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). The service provides students with individual, relationship, and group counseling, as well as outreach and education to OSU and the surrounding communities.

Get moving with campus recreation programs

OSU offers many unique opportunities to explore nature through a variety of recreational programs, including many recreational sports with facilities that are centrally located in many campus residence halls.

Intramural Sports is one of the most popular extracurricular activities offered on campus. Getting involved in the program is a great was to be active, meet new people and have fun!

The Intramural Sports program offers 17 league sports and hosts 32 tournaments and events annually. The Dixon Recreation Center, McAlexander Fieldhouse, Stevens Natatorium, Student Legacy Park and Peavey Sports Fields offer a wide variety of options to stay healthy and manage stress, including:

  • Comprehensive fitness center
  • Full-service locker rooms + gender-inclusive changing room and restroom
  • Bike and ski shop
  • Challenge course — high ropes elements and low elements
  • Climbing walls
  • Pools — lap pools, deep-water pool, hot tub, sauna
  • Tracks
  • Courts — badminton, basketball, pickleball, racquetball, squash, table tennis, tennis, volleyball
  • Fields — grass and turf

The student-run Sport Clubs offer students a plethora of recreational, social, and competitive opportunities for any skill level, with 40 sports options, from Bass Fishing to Tae Kwon Do to Ultimate Disc.

You can choose a program based on your fitness level. One program, DAM Fit, is scientifically designed to both challenge and protect the human body and offers small-group training so people can participate as a cohort, supporting each other to progress toward individual goals.

Explore your artistic side

The OSU Craft Center offers a variety of creative outlets from ceramics to woodworking to digital arts, papermaking and more. The Craft Center offers a creative outlet of expression and an enriched experiential learning experience where students can foster their creativity. The Center aims to help students achieve meaningful and fulfilling lives by discovering what is important to them. Membership is free for all OSU students and is open seven days a week. Plus, what a great way to manage stress!

More than just for medical care

OSU's Student Health Services not only offers medical care, but also prevention and wellness support for students' overall health and well-being through services, including alcohol and drug prevention, violence prevention, wellness workshops and recovery support.

Supporting your physical and mental health

Interpersonal Violence Support Services provides confidential support and help related to unwanted sexual contact, stalking and/or relationship violence.

Student Health Services (SHS) is your resource for immunizations, alcohol/drug use, psychiatric services, annual/wellness exams, allergy/asthma, contraceptive care, lab and x-rays, pharmacy and tobacco cessation.

A community of peer support at the Basic Needs Center can help you file for unemployment, find housing resources and learn about the Oregon Health Plan. BNC will connect you with food, emergency housing and other services. The friendly student staff at the BNC are there to guide and assist you in the face of unexpected financial challenges.

Good science and healthy people go hand in hand

The College of Science strives to promote a healthy and uplifting student community. Majoring in science can be difficult. Students pursue science not because it is easy but because it is fulfilling and challenging.

The Science Success Center staff can offer a good place to decompress and guide you to academic tutoring centers, events to de-stress or listen to your problems and help you find the right resources on campus.

OSU's Division of Student Affairs offers many programs and events that enhance learning and strengthen the educational experience for students at Oregon State. They help students find community, connect with their passions and contribute to a vibrant and inclusive OSU community.

Student Affairs helps students learn how to be healthy, take care of their mental well-being, develop a global perspective and cultural sensitivity, cultivate academic success, guide students on the road to career exploration and create leaders who are engaged citizens. They offer programs and services to help students succeed academically, stay the course to reach educational goals and graduate with the skills they need to confidently join the 21st century workforce.