Being at home during this uncertain time can be difficult, here are some ideas and tips to help manage your PHYSICAL Health, NUTRITIONAL Health, SOCIAL Health, and MENTAL Health from our service area experts at the college.
Physical Health
Athletics & Recreation is offering, fun stay-at-home workouts, daily challenges, online fitness classes, PDF downloads on healthy activities, hydration and more.
What is Physical Health and why is it important?
Physical health is the condition of your body, taking into consideration everything from the absence of disease to your fitness level. Key areas of physical health include physical activity, nutrition and diet, medical self care, rest and sleep.
If you are regularly physically active, you may manage your weight better, have lower blood pressure, have stronger bones and joints, and overall simply feel better!
A healthy body can also lead to a healthier state of mind. Exercise may block negative thoughts or distract you from daily worries, exercising with others provides an opportunity for increased social contact, and increased fitness may lift your mood and improve your sleep patterns.
- Stay Active – Check out several fitness challenges on the @gbcrecreation Instagram account as well as at-home workouts with the help of Huskies’ Athletic Therapists Shawn and Clare.
- Stay Hydrated – Did you know that water makes up 60% of the body? So, it's important to get adequate hydration, self-isolation or not! Drinking water helps lubricate joints, hydrates skin and regulates your body temperature.
- "Keep Calm"…and yoga – Our certified fitness instructors have recorded online fitness classes that you can do anytime in your living room.
Try some free apps like: Headspace for meditation, Nike Training Club for workouts and fitness plans, and Down Dog for yoga. There are many out there, so take a look and give one a try.
To find out more information on Physical Health follow us on Instagram @gbcrecreation or check out our Staying Healthy at Home web page.
Stay connected and follow us on Instagram @gbcrecreation, or visit our Athletics & Recreation Website for more info.
Watch some of our videos on YouTube:
Nutritional Health
PeerConnect and the Food Innovation & Research Studio (FIRSt) are sharing healthy eating, cooking, cooking with leftovers, emergency food tips, and more!
- Follow @gbcpeerconnect on Instagram for more Nutritional Health info
- Tune in for Nutrition Workshops coming to the PeerConnect YouTube channel
Social Health
George Brown Student Life, Black Student Success Network (BSSN), PeerConnect and Athletics & Recreation have several ways to keep students socially engaged during these self-isolation periods. Just because you may be home by yourself, does not mean you are alone!
What is Social Health and why is it important?
Social health can be described as a person's level of support from, and interaction with, people and institutions around them – like the George Brown College community! Having a strong social network can be associated with positive mental health and well-being.
Social environments affect the mental health of an individual. Being socially healthy can help you strengthen your communication skills, build healthy and meaningful relationships, create support systems and give a feeling of belonging and purpose.
GBC Tips & Tools
- Stay Engaged: Engage in various social media platforms and enjoy positive interactions with other people on platforms like Instagram LIVE or leisure games with groups of people playing different apps. Maintaining or gaining new friendships also helps to make online GBC class connections interactive.
- Stay Connected: Social media use can compensate for diminishing face-to-face social interactions, and help you connect and reconnect with others.
- Communicate via text messages, phone calls and video chats.
- Create a daily communication schedule and calling list.
- Join @gbc.studentlife on IG LIVE for check ins with guests from the college community. Programming resumes May 19.
- Join @bssn_gbc for IG LIVE. Visit them online for upcoming programming.
- Join the PeerConnect Discord Chatroom every Monday to Thursday from 11 am – 2 pm for Peer Coach support, resources and to chat with other GBC students. Also check out the PeerConnect Instagram Conversation Circle schedule @gbcpeerconnect.
- Tune in to the PeerConnect YouTube channel to check out a Safe Social Media Workshop.
- Miss the Huskies? Join in on the virtual Athletics Award Banquet or catch replays of our best games of the season On Demand by following us on Instagram @gbchuskies, Twitter @gbchuskies or Facebook @georgebrownhuskies.
- Stay Fresh: Learn new hobbies or habits! Now’s a good time to learn new skills or to complete that project that you have been putting off. It’s important that you find ways to occupy your time.
Try some Free Apps to stay virtually connected:
- Netflix Party: Watch movies as a group and use the live chat
- Google Hangouts and WhatsApp: Communicate with family and friends through messaging, phone and video calling
- Zoom: Video call or attend virtual events
Stay Connected with us!
- Instagram:
- Black Student Success Network: @bssn_gbc
- Student Life: @gbc.studentlife
- PeerConnect: @gbcpeerconnect
- Facebook:
- Black Student Success Network @bssngbc
- Email:
- For social networking opportunities and to be part of a growing community, register to be a part of the Student Leadership Academy.
Mental Health
PeerConnect, Counselling & Student Wellbeing, and Accessible Learning Services are all providing support resources to students to help maintain positive mental health.
- Follow PeerConnect on Instagram @gbcpeerconnect for How-To quick-tip videos, have live chats with peer coaches, or to take in an online workshop.
- Tune in to the PeerConnect YouTube channel to check out a Stress Management Workshop.
- Counselling & Student Wellbeing is now offering video counselling appointments for students seeking support from our professional counsellors. Appointments are available Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. To book an appointment email: letstalk@georgebrown.ca (St. James & Toronto Metropolitan University), letstalkcl@georgebrown.ca (Casa Loma), letstalkwf@georgebrown.ca (Waterfront).
- Our George Brown counsellors are also providing self-care tips on how to help look after your Mental Health off-campus.
- Learn about more ways to improve your mental wellness by checking out wellness videos created by counsellors at the college.
- Visit Counselling & Student Wellbeing’s Taking Care of your Mental Health page for recommended resources and apps
- Accessible Learning Services continues to provide academic supports and services for all George Brown students with physical, sensory, learning, medical or mental health disabilities.
For questions, email the Welcome Desk at letstalk@georgebrown.ca. For new students, please register by contacting Accessibility Learning Services at alsregister@georgebrown.ca
Students who are already registered can contact their Accessibility Consultants by email directly.
If you have not registered and would like more information, please Connect With Us!.
