November 29, 2022
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Dear Bobcat parent and family members,I hope all of you got some time away from work and other pressing matters while enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday break. There was a frenzy of activity around the Brawl of the Wild before many students headed home. And with our Bobcats handily beating the Grizzlies, we had more reason to be thankful and celebrate over the holiday. ESPN's College GameDay certainly added to the festivity and showcased our campus and community. It was simply an incredible end to Bobcat football's regular season. Playoffs, here we come! We are rapidly approaching the end of the fall semester, with finals Dec. 12-15. As we enter the last weeks of the term, it's important that students take good care of themselves and lay the groundwork for success during finals week, which is a challenging and stressful time. Please continue checking in with your student and urge them to maintain their study, sleep, eating and exercise routines. If your student needs a break from studying, Student Health Partners has organized "De-stress Fest." The Fest is a series of relaxing activities, including meditation, yoga, chair massages, movie night and plate smashing. There will also be several sessions of Paws to De-Stress, a partnership between the MSU Library and Intermountain Therapy Animals to bring therapy animals to the library. Please encourage your student to take some time to enjoy De-stress Fest and relax with some free snacks and stress-reducing activities. If your student is struggling, MSU Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) offers a wide range of services and resources to support students during finals and throughout the academic year. CPS offers suggestions for talking with your student about their mental health and well-being. Urge them to seek help if they feel anxious or irritable, are experiencing low self-esteem or frequently feel sad. You might remind them that CPS has a webpage dedicated to addressing final exam stress that contains helpful reminders and self-care recommendations. They also have a directory of online self-help resources that address stress management, anxiety and depression. CPS offers group, individual, relationship and couples counseling, as well as substance abuse counseling. In addition, CPS's Let's Talk Drop-In Services allows students the convenience of consulting with a counselor without initiating formal counseling. They also work with students and parents to determine if additional resources in the community are appropriate. MSU's CARE (Campus Assessment Response Evaluation) Program provides a direct way to express concern for your student's well-being. Informing us of your concern may be critical in assisting someone who is struggling. There are many reasons why someone might need help, including, but not limited to: mental health-related concerns, threats of self-harm, suicide or violence to others. If you ever consider a situation to be an emergency, call 911. If you live out of the area and are calling about a student living in Gallatin County, call 406-994-2121, ext. 4. If it is not an emergency, please submit a CARE Referral. Our parents and family members continue to be one of the most critical resources for students. We welcome you to work closely with us in supporting your student with their academic and personal needs. Warm regards,  Matthew R. Caires |
