Health & Wellness

Staying connected in university through World Hello Day

Graduate student Dania shares how you can reach out to others this November.

October 31, 2024 By Dania

YouAlberta is written by students for students.

This fall, Dania is set to graduate with a master of science in neuroscience. After four years of bachelor’s, followed by two years of graduate school, she has experienced the ups and downs of student life for six years. She loves to volunteer for the community and loves meeting new people. Dania is passionate about her new job as a clinical research associate and aspires to become a doctor. In her free time, she loves to spend time outside foraging mushrooms and learning about the native plants and animal species.

What is World Hello Day?

World Hello Day started as a holiday to advocate peaceful resolution of conflicts through conversation. The holiday has evolved to encompass the importance of communication for connection and is observed by 180 countries on Nov. 21.

Whether it’s the barista making your morning coffee or a friend you ran into on the bus, having a conversation with someone is one of the easiest ways to boost your mental health and well-being. I encourage you to say “hello” to 10 different people to reach out and stay connected with the members of your community.

What makes people feel disconnected?

University is one of those unique places where everyone is focused on achieving a similar goal: to get a degree and get a job. When we’re stuck with our heads buried in a textbook, we forget to look up and acknowledge the people around us.

When I was an undergrad, it quickly became apparent that I was missing important social connections from my past, and I needed to establish new friendships. When I started greeting my peers in class, saying “hello” every day became the gateway for deeper conversation and friendships. Later on, when we discovered commonalities, we joined clubs together. Academic friends became really important to me and we were able to share experiences working together towards our common goal of graduation.

What does it mean to stay connected?

In graduate school, I was no longer taking classes, so keeping connections became harder. Lab work can sometimes be a solo endeavour. Staying sociable in academia can be hard when the line between workplace colleagues and friends starts to blur.

Volunteering became a really important way for me to stay connected and feel part of the community. I love meeting new people, and every conversation is a new opportunity to connect with someone new, which is why this year. I am super excited to be working with Days of Action and planning for Word Hello Day.

Connecting through World Hello Day

This year we are challenging students to participate in World Hello Day from Nov. 1 - 30.

Check out the World Hello Day activity calendar for ways to connect this November!

On Nov. 5, we encourage you to study with a friend!
Share your scholarly dedication with a peer on Nov. 7 at a new coffee shop.
If you’re no longer taking classes as a grad student like me, on Nov. 14, I encourage you to find a free activity to do in Edmonton with a friend.
Listen to grad student experiences on Nov. 20.
I am especially looking forward to back-to-back crafting events on Nov. 21 and 22. I love crafting, and sometimes we want to share a hobby that we love with others.