YOU @ CU Denver provides a holistic approach to wellness

New online resource is a catalyst for connection

**YOU @ CU Denver gives students personalized advice and resources.**
Illustration: Jeremy Holder – The Sentry

Imagine taking three short personality quizzes to be given an in-depth review of personal wellness, then being given access to every on-campus resource and personalized digital content to meet the needs of areas that may be lacking. This isn’t a new BuzzFeed quiz, it’s YOU @ CU Denver.

YOU @ CU Denver, the university’s latest wellness resource, provides a one-stop shop for academic, mental, physical, and social needs. This resource highlights CU Denver’s commitment to well-being as they set forth in their strategic plan. The platform, YOU @ College, congregates content created by behavioral health experts from across the web and in-person on-campus resources to maximize well-being.

The YOU @ College platform was developed in a partnership between Colorado State University and Cactus, a local advertising agency. Through the partnership, YOU @ College was created to meet the evolving needs of students, both inside the classroom and outside, online and in person. What they created was a central hub for tools, assessments, and tangible methods of lowering students’ stress on each different campus. Over 50 universities across the country utilize the YOU @ College platform.

The launch of this resource utilized a combined effort from CU Denver’s wellness resources, including the Counseling Center, the Dean of Students, and the Wellness Center.

To get started, find YOU @ CU Denver through the Access portal, or go to you.ucdenver.edu to anonymously plug into on-campus and digital resources. From there, students are prompted to take three “Reality Check” quizzes: Succeed, Thrive, and Matter. Each aspect corresponds to a reality of college success—“Succeed” relating to academic success and career preparedness; “Thrive” indicating physical and mental needs; and “Matter” revealing a student’s sense of purpose and connection to their campus.

Once each quiz is completed, their answers provide a ranking of areas of wellness in each category. If the results of the Succeed quiz show that the student may be experiencing high levels of academic stress, they could be prompted to reach out to the Center for Undergraduate Exploration and Advising. If the Thrive quiz shows a high level of stress in social situations, students are given tips for managing their social anxiety. The Matter quiz results might show that a student could benefit from greater peer connections. To assist, they then get prompted to connect with clubs and organizations that appeal to them.

Beyond the personalized “Reality Check” quizzes, students can set wellness goals to challenge themselves to grow. That can be a goal to drink more water, connect with an old friend, or maintain a certain GPA. After goals are chosen, students who have chosen the same goals can anonymously compete with each other to keep one another accountable.

In CU Denver’s strategic plan, one of the university’s key values is the health and care of mind, body, and community. From the university’s perspective, YOU @ CU Denver can meet student needs that have previously been unmet. With a social media platform feel to the interface, YOU @ CU Denver holds the potential to increase connections and decrease mental health stigma, all in the palm of a hand.