Student Wellness

Residence Life Don – Undergraduate Communities

Dons are upper-year students that live with you in residence. They have first-hand experience of the highs and lows of university life. Dons are trained in Emergency First Aid and mental health crisis response. Talk to your Donwhen you need: 

• Support transitioning to campus and university life 
• Emergency assistance, including for a mental health crisis, for yourself or a friend 
• Managing stressful responsibilities or situations such as a roommate conflict
• Help meeting others in the community 

Talk to your Don by knocking on their door or contacting them by email. If you are not sure who your Don is, visit your building’s front desk or email reslife@uwaterloo.ca. 

Residence Life Don-Graduate and Family Communities 

Grad Dons are graduate student leaders who live in Columbia Lake Village (CLV) and support the CLV Graduate & Student Family Community.  

Talk to your Don when you need:

• Support transitioning to campus and university life 
• Emergency assistance, including for a mental health crisis, for yourself or a friend 
• Managing stressful responsibilities or situations such as a roommate conflict
• Help meeting others in the community 

If you don’t know your Don, visit or call the CLV front desk or email reslife@uwaterloo.ca. 

Duty Staff 

Duty staff are available overnight from 8 p.m. - 8 a.m., 7 days a week. Duty staff receive training in crisis response, including supporting students through mental health emergencies. Call a duty staff at any time overnight if: 

• You or a friend in residence needs any type of emotional or medical support 
• You need to talk to someone about anything at all, including feeling lonely, homesick, or unsafe 

Call the Duty Staff numbers posted in your community, or you can call from your Front Desk. 

Residence Life Coordinators 

Residence Life Co-ordinators (RLCs) are full-time professional staff on-call 24 /7. Some of them live on campus and are available to respond quickly. 

Your RLC is trained to support you with any level of emergency, including mental health support. You can meet with your RLC for any reason at all including: 

• If you need support gaining access to resources on campus 
• If you are finding yourself struggling to maintain balance and self-care 
• If you feel unsafe for any reason  

Your RLC is happy to listen. Send them an email. If you’re not sure who your RLC is, email reslife@uwaterloo.ca. 

Front Desk Assistants 

Front Desk Assistants (FDAs) are upper years that work at the Front Desk of every residence building. They are trained to be your one-stop-shop for any support you need. Talk to an FDA when you need: 

• Information on accessing a campus resource 
• Help with personal or academic stress 
• Support with any level of emergency 

FDAs are great listeners, and they love when students pop by the Front Desk with questions. Visit your Front Desk or view their contact information here. 

Counsellor in Residence 

Counselling support is available to help you monitor, manage, and maintain a balanced life. Our Counsellors in Residence meet with students from all over campus in both of their office locations: MKV Residence and Needles Hall.  

To access any counsellor, you must first register on main campus at Needles Hall. Talk to your Don or visit Counselling Services today if you have questions. 

As a university student, you may spend a lot of time on academics, co-op, or research; however, making time for some positive wellness habits is just as important, and can actually improve your performance.

Here are some resources to keep yourself well: 

• Watch this "What is self-care and how do I practice? (video)" 
• Stay active and engaged with Warriors Athletics and Recreation; there's something for everyone, such as intramurals, online fitness classes, and health webinars 
• Take a mental health training (such as QPR, More Feet on the Ground) 
• Book an individual counselling appointment with Counselling Services 
• Attend an online group or workshop (offered through Counselling Services) 
• Take the Health Services Self-Assessment 
• Find out about the next Thrive Week events