The days are getting warmer, and the sun is shining longer each day — spring is coming, Badgers! Finally. As we move together into a new season, here are some reminders and resources to help us all stay safe, healthy, and happy through spring break and the rest of the spring season.
Be Safe
- With recent changes in public health guidance on and off campus, make sure you know what’s required and what choices you can make to protect yourself and others. If you are eligible for a COVID-19 booster, now is a good time to schedule your appointment with University Health Services.
- Reminder: effective March 12, 2022, wearing a mask in UW–Madison interior spaces is no longer required. Learn more and get your questions answered in an updated FAQ and at the upcoming March 10 campus forum (view live or on demand).
- In the next week, many Badgers will leave Madison to explore a new part of the world. Be cautious and plan ahead for a safe getaway. Prepare your home for your absence with some tips from the UW Police Department.
- Be mindful of your alcohol consumption and take care of yourself. If you choose to drink, please do so legally and responsibly — and never leave your drink unattended.
- Practice moderation. Set a limit for yourself so you know when to stop.
- Always eat before you drink alcohol and hydrate with water. Without food in your stomach, alcohol absorbs into your bloodstream dangerously quickly and can lead to unintended consequences like alcohol poisoning.
- Plan to be with at least one friend. This will allow you to have someone at your side in the case of an emergency. Badgers look out for one another.
- Remember your friends at SAFEwalk, a free service that provides walking escorts throughout the campus until 1 a.m.
- Create an environment of respect and consent. Hold the people around you accountable if they create harm by objectifying others or crossing boundaries. If someone tells you they have been harmed, listen and support them.
- Be an active bystander. If you notice a harmful situation that could lead to sexual violence, distract or interrupt the situation, delegate someone else to help, or be direct and check in. Learn more about these strategies on the UHS bystander intervention website.
- Remember, alcohol is never an excuse to cause harm. Make sure you and others are being respectful — honor boundaries and don’t assume what someone else wants or is comfortable with.
- Consent is key. Make sure partners are in a good state of mind to move forward with intimacy.
Stay Well
- If your spring break plans will bring you to areas of medium or high COVID-19 level, use an antigen test upon return. You can pick up an at-home antigen kit at no cost, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Memorial Union (Monday and Friday) and Union South (Tuesday through Thursday). Remember to bring your Wiscard. Get tips and reminders to prepare for spring break from campus.
- As always, mental health support is available for your well-being through UHS and the Dean of Students Office. UHS’s no-cost mental health services include individual, couple/partner, group counseling, outreach programming, stress management, and 24/7 crisis services. Learn more and schedule a UHS appointment here.
- Get your heart pumping! Enjoy Rec Well’s buildings and outdoor spaces to play hard, get fit, and live well. Or, get ready to dance, flex, sweat, and refresh in group fitness classes every day of the week. You can also sign up for Rec Well’s free wellness coaching program that can help you go after your wellness goals and talk about wellbeing in a structured, safe, and welcoming environment — offered in both group and one-on-one formats.
Have Fun
- Check Out a Gamewatch on March 13. Union South is the official on-campus game watch location! Join your fellow Badgers and Badgers-at-heart at the Sett Pub to cheer during the Men’s Basketball Big Ten Finals gamewatch on March 13. Arrive early to get the best seat! The game will also be shown in der Rathskeller at Memorial Union.
- Enjoy the Outdoors with Outdoor UW. You can enjoy the outdoors all year long, and Outdoor UW can help you do that with equipment rentals, classes, events and outdoors clubs called the Wisconsin Hoofers. Check out the guided snowshoeing event on March 16.
- Get Creative at Wheelhouse Studios. The Wisconsin Union’s Wheelhouse Studios is campus’s outlet for creativity, offering flexible spaces designed for multiple uses. Wheelhouse is open during spring break from noon to 6 p.m., March 12-20.
- Explore more free events and activities around our vibrant Madison community. Stop by the Henry Vilas Zoo; hike out to Picnic Point; spend an afternoon at the Chazen Museum of Art; or visit the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art.
However you plan to do spring in 2022, stay safe, healthy, and have some fun. Take care, Badgers!