Welcome Back, Tigers!

Classes are underway, campus is buzzing, and we could not be more excited that you are part of our RIT Community.

If you are a returning student, you may be familiar with our services. If you’re new to RIT, welcome to RIT Wellness! Allow us to (re)introduce ourselves…

• The Student Health Center provides primary and urgent care services to RIT students in a culturally sensitive manner. Services range from support for acute medical concerns to sexual health and immunizations. To schedule an appointment, contact the office at 585-475-2255 or send us a secure message on the RIT Wellness Portal.
  
  
• Counseling and Psychological Services offers steps of care for student mental health needs. There are online self-help resources, educational workshops, single session therapy, short-term individual therapy (6-8 sessions), group therapy, urgent care (same day appointments), psychiatric services, and a 24-hour mental health line. All services are confidential. To schedule an appointment, contact the office at 585-475-2261 or send a secure message on the RIT Wellness Portal and select “Counseling Services – for General Questions.”
  
  
• The Case Management team assists students in connecting to resources on- and off-campus, as well as helping students navigate complex personal problems including health insurance, food and housing insecurity, financial concerns, and more.
  
  
• Disability Services employs an interactive, student-centered process to determine and approve reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Accommodations can help mitigate barriers in any facet of the RIT experience, whether academic, residential, or co-curricular, and may support needs related to mental health, learning, chronic illness, communication, mobility, and more.

Each week, we are sharing a financial wellness tip to help you make the connection between financial management decisions, your overall wellness, and student success. Money touches every aspect of our lives, and a lack of financial literacy can cause unnecessary stress and negatively impact our mental and physical health.

New Year, New Financial Resolutions

Happy New Year! January is a perfect time to set some New Year’s resolutions for yourself, such as reshaping your finances. Here are some tips for improving your financial fitness this year:

• Create a budget - Committing to saving and investing in your future is one of the best ways to boost your net worth and achieve many of your life goals, and starting early is key. Click here for more information on creating a budget.
  
  
• Manage Your Debt - When you owe money to someone, you are in debt. Owing money is not always bad, but it’s important to know how to effectively manage debt so it doesn’t impact your ability to achieve your other life goals.
  
  
• Prepare for the Unexpected - Your financial life can be upended by all kinds of surprises - an illness, loss of a job, car accident, lost or stolen computer, etc. It’s important to build an emergency fund to have the means to weather those situations.
  
  
• Check Your Credit Score More Often - It’s important to regularly check your credit report so you can spot fraud early and ensure the correct information is reported to the credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion). You can access one free credit report from each of the main credit bureaus at annualcreditreport.com.
  
  
• Invest in Your Own Financial Literacy - There are great opportunities here at RIT! Sign up for a course like Financial Fitness or Personal Financial Management, use free tools such as the Money Matter$ page provided by RIT Financial Aid, and attend events and programs offered by RIT’s Financial Literacy Team! Check out the Financial Literacy website, and/or follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

For additional events and event information, go to rit.edu/events.